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This is Daniel Whyte III with The Scripture & The Sense Podcast #368, where I read the Word of God and give the sense of it based on an authoritative commentary source such as the Bible Knowledge Commentary. This podcast is based upon Nehemiah 8:8 where it says Ezra and the Levites “read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” The aim of this podcast is that through the simple reading of the Word of God and the giving of the sense of it, the church would be revived and the world would be awakened.
Today we are reading Joel 2:1.
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
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That was Joel 2:1. Now here is the sense of it.
The Matthew Henry Commentary reads:
The priests were to alarm the people with the near approach of the Divine judgments. It is the work of ministers to warn of the fatal consequences of sin, and to reveal the wrath from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. The striking description which follows, shows what would attend the devastations of locusts, but may also describe the effects from the ravaging of the land by the Chaldeans. If the alarm of temporal judgments is given to offending nations, how much more should sinners be warned to seek deliverance from the wrath to come! Our business therefore on earth must especially be, to secure an interest in our Lord Jesus Christ; and we should seek to be weaned from objects which will soon be torn from all who now make idols of them. There must be outward expressions of sorrow and shame, fasting, weeping, and mourning; tears for trouble must be turned into tears for the sin that caused it. But rending the garments would be vain, except their hearts were rent by abasement and self-abhorrence; by sorrow for their sins, and separation from them. There is no question but that if we truly repent of our sins, God will forgive them; but whether he will remove affliction is not promised, yet the probability of it should encourage us to repent.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary reads:
In this section the theme in 1:15 is more fully developed as details about the approaching day of the Lord are given. Joel spoke of the Lord as a mighty Warrior-King leading His powerful army into battle. If one posits a preexilic date, the Assyrians or Babylonians may be in view. Both are pictured in the Old Testament as instruments of the Lord’s judgment. Other Bible scholars, who hold a preexilic date, say the army in Joel 2:1–11 is eschatological. If a postexilic date is taken, it is uncertain to which nation the section alludes. The army would then take on a more indefinite, apocalyptic character, perhaps representing Israel’s enemies in general. This invading force is described in locust-like terms to establish continuity with Joel 1. At the same time the comparisons to a literal army hint at the reality in view. Within this section, four units are discernible, the last three being introduced by “before them” or “at the sight of them”. Verses 1–2 correspond to verses 10–11 thematically, forming a bracket around the section. These two units focus on the fearful response caused by the approaching army, the darkness which accompanies it, and its extraordinary size. Two of these motifs appear (in reverse order) at the center of the section. Verse 5c refers to the army’s great size and verse 6 to the response of fear by people from many nations. Two motifs appear in verses 3–5a: the army is like a destructive fire , and it charges relentlessly ahead. Both ideas are repeated in verses 5b and 7–9, respectively. The section begins with a call of alarm, emphasizing the nearness of the invader. The trumpet was a ram’s horn, blown by a watchman to alert the people of great danger. The appropriate response was fear, especially in this instance since the day of the Lord was coming. Holy hill refers to the temple mount.
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Thank you for listening to the Scripture & The Sense Podcast. Remember to read the Word of God each and every day and pray without ceasing to God for wisdom to understand it and apply it to your life. Most importantly, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Please stay tuned for a complete presentation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ so that you can get your soul saved from Hell to that wonderful place called Heaven when you die. May God bless you and keep you is my prayer.
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