Joel: Mercy! (2:18-27)

The turning point has been reached in the Book of Joel. The rest of the visions revealed in Joel are more positive for God’s people. First, here we see that God will be merciful towards His people and their land will be restored. The effects of the locust swarm will be reversed. They will again see the grain, new wine, and oil return. The services of worship to God will be possible again. Even though the sacrificial system had been abused and corrupted and thus suspended (a common theme in the prophetic messages) it is not the system itself that was broken. The Messiah will ultimately fulfill that system and save the world. Even today as people recognize and reject flaws in the religious practices of Christianity, rejection of the whole system is not called for, but rather a reformation and renewal.

The years taken by the locust swarm will be made up. Ultimately, God’s people will be rescued and never made to feel shame again. Even though God will use locusts (and sinful nations and devastation) to punish them, they will not be trampled and controlled by evil forces in the world forever!