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AND LEAVE A BLESSING BEHIND HIM

Text: Joel 2
10 October 2021

THE CALL TO CONSECRATE A FAST

This was first proclaimed by the prophet Joel (Joel 1:13-14). The first call may have gone unheeded. A second call was then issued.

12 “Now, therefore,” says the Lord,

“Turn to Me with all your heart,

With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”

13 So rend your heart, and not your garments;

Return to the Lord your God,

For He is gracious and merciful,

Slow to anger, and of great kindness;

And He relents from doing harm.

14 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?

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion,

Consecrate a fast,

Call a sacred assembly     Joel 2:12-15

A FEATURE THAT GOD DESIRED TO SEE

The Fast that God called for was not word to abstain from eating. One special feature was highlighted. This was what He desired from His people: A genuine heartfelt seeking of God.

  1. There must be a turning of “all the heart to the Lord”

a) Fasting

b) Weeping and Mourning over sins

  1. A rending of the heart

a) Not a superficial rending of the garment

b) The rending of the heart suggests a special sense of brokenness of the spirit

A WORD OF HOPE

Joel went on to describe a hope that the people could then have.

  1. This hope was based on the attributes of God

a) Gracious and Merciful

b) Slow to anger and of great kindness

c) He relents from doing harm

  1. This hope has potential and positive blessings

a) God will turn and relent

b) He will leave behind a blessing

i) A grain offering

ii) A drink offering

c) These would mean that God had restored what the locusts had destroyed

SEEKING GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART

Let us seek the Lord with a genuine heart! Let us never allow our faith to slacken in any way! The Lord’s special blessing could well be the fruit of the Spirit!