There was a swarm of locusts that engulfed the land, leaving almost nothing for the people to eat or even for an offering to God. The locust swarm totally devastated the land, and so efficiently, that the Old Testament prophet Joel pictured it as how the armies of God, on the day of Judgment, would also come and do the same, if the people of Israel did not forsake their wicked ways and turn to God for forgiveness. For the prophet Joel the locust swarm only served as a forewarning of God’s coming judgment for the disobedient. In these two verses Joel told the people that God was telling them to return to Him with all their hearts, and sincerely, with weeping mourning and fasting, rending their hearts and not their garments. In those days when people repented they would tear their clothes up, put on sack cloth instead and put ashes on their whole body – an act of humbling before God. So, he was telling them to go even beyond that, to truly humble themselves before God, not just superficially through clothing and outward acts, but in their hearts. God would still turn things around for them BECAUSE of God’s character – that He is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love and does not continually punish people. This word of God is timeless! This is still the word of God we need today!
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Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible, Bible App by YouVersion.com
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Art courtesy of YouVersion Bible app. I am using the Bible App by YouVersion.com for my daily devotion. Download it now for your mobile device. https://j794q.app.goo.gl/nd4yPrGj7Hbhy9Kk8
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