Sermon - Ash Wednesday 2021 - Joel 2:12-19

            

             Joel was an Old Testament prophet in the days when Israel was divided into two kingdoms, and Joel served his ministry in the southern kingdom of Judah. Little is known about who Joel is, or the time period he was a prophet, but apparently during his years there was a great plague of locust followed by a horrible drought. 

We here in America don’t really experience locust plagues, but still today in parts of Africa locust are a serious issue. About a century ago there was a similar locust plague in the region of Palestine, which can give us some insight into the conditions the Israelites faced in Joel’s day. The plague begins when female locusts lay eggs in the soil, where they will lay 65,000-75,000 eggs per square meter. Once the eggs all hatch, the locust blanket the earth. 

When they reach full-size, about 3 inches long, they develop wings. When they fly as a mass they are like thick clouds which obscure the sun. They eat not only leaves, but the crops and even the bark off of trees. It would have been a nightmare since whole countries would be left devastated and without any crops.

Joel doesn’t give a reason for this plague. He doesn’t explain why the Lord sent this plague upon them. But He does tell them how they should react to this plague: “Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.” 

Why are they to cry out to the Lord? “Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming; it is near.” The last day is nearing! Judgement day is approaching! This plague of locust was a reminder that this world is passing away and God will soon return; thus, the people need to be ready!

How are the people made ready? By calling a solemn assembly. Everyone was gathered together to the house of the Lord. “Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.” When disaster struck, the people were gathered together. Probably everyone was tempted to cower and hide alone in their homes, but instead the Lord gathered them together.

When they were assembled, they had a united purpose: to repent and return to the Lord. “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” They were gathered together with a communal purpose: that they collectively repent of their sins and return to the Lord. Not only in some sort of vain outward appearance of piety, but rather it was from the heart. This heartfelt repentance led them to perform repentant actions, such as physically attending the Divine Service and fasting. 

But why did the people react this way to a plague? Because God is merciful. “ Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?”

It’s amazing! Joel doesn’t say, repent and then God will bless you. He says, repent because God is merciful, and maybe He will bless you and relent from this plague. God isn’t a vending machine where you push a button and get a treat. Rather, God is almighty and in control, and He’s also merciful. So Joel calls the people to repent not just to make the worldly suffering stop, but so that the people may return to the Lord and be saved eternally even if they must still suffer temporally. Of course, in this case the Lord did relent of the locust plague, and He had pity on His people.

We have a lot to learn from the words of the prophet Joel speaking to the Israelites about 2,500 years ago. When disaster strikes us, or even normalcy strikes us, we should be calling a solemn assembly, putting on sackcloth and ashes, fasting and praying, and returning to the Lord our God in repentance. It’s shameful that we put our trust in vaccines, the government, scientists, doctors, and our own actions to save us from disaster. Those will never save us, not really. God may use them to bring about temporal deliverance, but the only One we are to hope in is the Lord.

Only the Lord is gracious and merciful. Only God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Only He can relent over disaster and bless us. And He does. Just as He had pity on Judah, so does He have pity on you. God the Father saw our plight of sin, and in pity sent His Son Jesus to die in our stead. Christ has rescued us from the greatest plague of sin which threatens our souls, so that we may live even when we die. 

When earthly disaster befalls you, do not retreat further from the Lord and into this world, but return to the Lord your God. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

In time of trial, fortify your greatest treasure which has been won for you in Christ. See that this world is sick and dying, possessed by demons and stricken with vice. Plagues run rampant from one generation to the next. But God is merciful and He rescues you in your greatest need. I ask you therefore to see that book of the almighty God gathering dust on your shelf, and take up and read. In all times, open your lips and pray to God; expect deliverance from Him not the world. See that this house of God is your refuge, and when life has you scared, know that this is the place where God gives you courage. See the ashes on our foreheads, and be reminded that we are dying with this world; see the Christ on the cross, and be reminded that Christ has overcome this world for us.