As the Garden of Eden Joel 2:3

Joel the prophet desired for the people of Judah “Blow the trumpet in Zion” because “the day of the LORD” was at hand. He told them “a day of darkness and gloominess” was upon them because “a great people and a strong” were coming and there “had never been the like” or would be “after it, even to the years of many generations”. In chapter two and verse three of his prophecy, Joel shares how “fire” and “flame” was destroying the land in contrast to “the garden of Eden” which was “before them”. We read:

A fire devours before them; and behind them a flame burns: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.

The verse begins, “A fire devours before them; and behind them a flame burns:” Joel began with the words, “A fire” or “burning, fiery and hot” “devours” which means “burns up, eats and feeds” “before them” or “in their face or presence”; “and behind them” which refers to “after the following part, hinder and afterwards” “a flame” or “hot flame like the tip or point of a spear or weapon” “burns” which means “blazes, scorches and kindles”. Both coming and going this invading army causes “fiery” destruction.

The verse goes on to say, “the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yes, and nothing shall escape them.” Joel continued, “the land” which refers to “the earth, country, territory, district, region or piece of ground” “is as the garden” or “an enclosed garden of plants” “of Eden” which means “pleasure and was the first habitat of man after the creation” “before them” which refers to “in their face or presence”, “and behind them” or “after the following part, hinder and afterwards” “a desolate” which means “devastation and waste” “wilderness” or “pasture, uninhabited land and a large tract of wilderness”; “yes and nothing shall escape them” which means “be delivered from them”. The “nation” saw the land before them like unto “the garden of Eden”, and what they left behind would become an “uninhabited land”, and “nothing” they desire would be “delivered” from them.

When we meditate upon these words of Joel, we understand more about the way this invading “nation” looked toward the land of Judah. They were determined to ravage and destroy the land and people in the manner “fire” and “flame” would ruin a land. We too have an enemy of our soul who seeks to destroy us, and he looks at us like we are “the garden of Eden” to spoil and devastate. We must rely upon Jesus Christ to be our defense against this enemy lest he destroy us as this “nation” destroyed Judah.

Next time shares about the “appearance of horsemen”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.