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Daily Devotions

Joel

Joel 
Day 
Day 16

"A fire devours before them"

Text: Joel 2:3

TWO TERRIBLE NATURAL DISASTERS

Two natural calamities had been experienced by Israel. The first was the locust (Joel 1:1-4). The second was a great fire (Joel 1:19-20).

PARALLEL OF THE NATURAL DISASTERS

There was a parallel that Joel had to point out to his nation. To the eyes of the prophet, this parallel was obvious.

“A fire devours before them,
And behind them a flame burns;
The land is like the Garden of Eden before them,
And behind them a desolate wilderness;
Surely nothing shall escape them.”
Joel 2:3

1. “A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns”

a) This fire was caused by the invading army.
i) It had a high destructive value.
ii) It was also used as a psychological weapon.
b) The torching of existing buildings was almost a typical action.
i) It was designed as a show of power.
ii) It was also meant to humiliate the vanquished country.
iii) It was a solemn warning to all who may be thinking of resisting further.
iv) Cruelty was meant to teach the defeated country how to fear the conquerors.

2. “The land is like the Garden of Eden before them”

a) This is a beautiful description of the land of Israel.
b) To all who loved their country, it was a paradise.

3. “And behind them a desolate wilderness”

a) The aftermath of war destroyed the country.
b) The land of Israel had become a desolate wilderness.
c) The countryside was no longer of any use:
i) To the farmers.
ii) To the sheep-herders.
iii) To the cattle owners.
d) “A desolate wilderness” well-describes the state of the land from prophetic eyes.

4. “Surely nothing shall escape them”

The enemies were thorough in their destruction. They were determined to destroy Israel!