Sing
Joel
© Carolyn Randall
Can be sung to the tune:
"The Farmer in the Dell"
The locusts picture your fate,
Return Joel pleads, don't wait!
God can restore what the locusts have eaten,
Obey before it's too late.
click to enlarge
Teach
The Locusts picture your fate: What does this mean?
Joel is a prophet to the southern Kingdom of Judah. Locusts (like big grasshoppers) had destroyed the crops in Judah and Joel says that this is a picture of Judah being destroyed by someone coming in and conquering them.
Return Joel pleads, don’t wait: Where were they to return to?
Joel is pleading with them to return to following the LORD.
God can restore what the locusts have eaten: What does this mean?
God promises he can repay the nation for all the crops that the locusts have eaten, so they would know He is the Lord their God.
Obey before it’s too late. Obey before it’s too late for what?
Joel is pleading that they obey before it is too late to avoid discipline for their disobedience. Joel knows God is planning to discipline them by allowing an army to come in, conquer them, and take them captive.
Preparing: The prophet warns that disobedience leads to destruction, but again he gives them the hope of the coming Savior.
Pictures of the Savior: Just as God can restore their land that was striped bare by locusts, the Savior can restore their hearts in pain due to sin.