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"Who knows if He will turn and relent"

Text: Joel 2:14

PRAYERS TO THE LORD

At this stage, the prophet Joel did not take for granted that the prayers of Israel would be heard.

“Who knows if He will turn and relent,
And leave a blessing behind Him-
A grain offering and a drink offering
For the LORD your God?”
Joel 2:14

1. “Who knows if He will turn and relent”

a) “Who knows”

i) This approach in prayer will prevent the sin of presumption.

ii) King David knew the deadly strength of the sin of presumption (Psalm 19:12-13).

iii) Presumptuous sins can dominate and cause people to commit great transgressions!

b) “If He will turn and relent”

i) Hopefully, God would turn from His decision to bring about punitive action.

ii) Mercifully, He might relent from unleashing great Divine wrath.

iii) But God’s answer cannot be presumed upon.

2. “And leave a blessing behind Him”

a) If God would turn and relent,

b) He might still leave a blessing behind.

c) Expectation of great blessings must no longer be considered.

d) Israel had put itself into serious trouble because of its bent towards sinful disobedience.

e) Whether God would grant any blessing was not certain at this point of time!

3. “A grain offering”

a) This was to be offered to the LORD.

b) Would Israel dare to make this offering when grain was sparse in the land?

c) This would be a big test of faith.

4. “And a drink offering”

a) This was also to be offered to the LORD.

b) But the vines had failed badly and there was scarcely enough to make a drink offering.

c) It would take true faith to give when times are very tough.

5. “For the LORD your God”

But if there is true faith in the LORD, these offerings of faith and worship ought to be made!