God s Love Restores. March 26. Bible Study Guide 4. Bible Background JOEL 2. Printed Text JOEL 2:12 13, 18 19, Devotional Reading 2 PETER 3:1 10

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1 God s Love Restores March 26 Bible Study Guide 4 Bible Background JOEL 2 Printed Text JOEL 2:12 13, 18 19, Devotional Reading 2 PETER 3:1 10 Aim for Change By the end of the lesson, we will: EXPLORE what motivates people to repent and seek restoration; APPRECIATE the love of God that enables prophecy, dreams, and visions; and SEEK restored relationships in personal and community life. In Focus Darlique had her beau, James, wrapped around her finger. He would give her money when she couldn t quite pay her rent, but then she would spend that on a night with her girls. And James would still give her more money to actually pay the bill. When this sort of thing happened, Darlique would make a big show of being sorry for not spending the money the way James intended. She would be extra sweet to him, make him his favorite dinner, and tell him how much she depended on him. Darlique began to count on James and his pocketbook being around to bail her out. The fourth time this happened James knew he had to do something about it. He sat down with Darlique and told her, Baby, you can t keep treating me this way. You keep on saying you re sorry for using up my gifts, but then you do the exact same thing the next month. If you were really sorry, you d at least try to change your spending habits so you could actually pay your own rent or at least not waste the money I give you to help. I can t stay with a woman who acts like this. Without James to help her, Darlique ended up back in her parents house. As she sat on her bed, staring at the stickers her teenage self had put on the ceiling, she knew she would do anything to get him back even live on a budget. How does God take us from being selfish and sinful to turning toward Him for restoration? Keep in Mind And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil (Joel 2:13).

2 Words You Should Know A. Gracious (Joel 2:13) channun (Heb.) Disposed to bestow favor and blessings, especially those with less power of authority B. Pity (v. 18) khamal (Heb.) To spare, to show leniency. Teacher Preparation Unifying Principle Restoring Relationships. The rewards of wholesome relationships may be shattered by unloving and unfaithful actions. How can these relationships be restored to their former glory? Joel recounts the benefits that emanate from a restored relationship with God. A. Read the Bible Background and Devotional Readings. B. Complete Lesson 4 in the Precepts For Living Personal Study Guide. C. Reread the Focal Verses in several translations. O Open the Lesson A. Open with prayer. B. Have students read the Aim for Change in unison. C. Ask for a volunteer to read the In Focus story. D. Discuss the ways that the Lord cares for His people. P Present the Scriptures A. Ask for volunteers to read the Focal Verses and The People, Places, and Times. Discuss. B. Read and discuss the Background section. C. Encourage students to praise God for how He has preserved them and thank Him for His unending faithfulness. E Explore the Meaning A. Review and discuss the Search the Scriptures and Discuss the Meaning questions and the Lesson in Our Society section. B. Ask students to share the most significant point they learned and how to use that point this week. N Next Steps for Application

3 A. Complete the Follow the Spirit and Remember Your Thoughts sections. B. Remind students to read the Daily Bible Readings in preparation for next week s lesson. C. Close in prayer, thanking God for His care and provision. Worship Guide For the Superintendent or Teacher Theme: God s Love Restores Song: The Lord Keeps Blessing Me Right Now Devotional Reading: 2 Peter 3:1 10 Daily Bible Readings MONDAY The Prophesied Day of the Lord (Joel 2:1 11) TUESDAY The People Called to Repent (Joel 2:15 17) WEDNESDAY God Restores Land and People (Joel 2:20 27) THURSDAY Day of the Lord at Pentecost (Acts 2:14 21) FRIDAY The Final Day of the Lord (2 Peter 3:1 10) SATURDAY God Judges Nations, Proclaims Judah s Future (Joel 3:1 3, 18 21) SUNDAY Our Gracious and Merciful God (Joel 2:12 13, 18 19, 28 32)

4 KJV Joel 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. 19 Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. NLT Joel 2:12 That is why the LORD says, Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. 13 Don t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead. Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. 18 Then the LORD will pity his people and jealously guard the honor of his land. 19 The LORD will reply, Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations. 28 Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. 29 In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants men and women alike. 30 And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and terrible day of the LORD arrives. 32 But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved, for some on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will escape, just as the LORD has said. These will be among the survivors whom the LORD has called.

5 The People, Places, and Times Joel. Joel s name means whose God is Jehovah. Little is known of Joel except that he was the son of a man named Pethuel. It is believed that Joel wrote the book named after him during the time of Judah s return from exile. Others believe that it was written right before the death of King Josiah, just one generation before the exile. Remnant. In the Scriptures, remnant refers to those who survived a disaster or judgment. This remnant would continue the population of humankind or the people of God. They would be holy and devoted to God and constitute the faithful. This concept is found throughout the Old and New Testaments (1 Kings 19:15 18, Amos 5:15, Romans 11:5). A remnant is a sign of God s grace to humanity in light of His stern judgment on unrepentant sin. Background Yehud (formerly Judah) was a small province under the power of the Babylonian Empire. During a prior period of unification, Judah was the Southern Kingdom, composed of two of the twelve tribes of Israel with its capital at Jerusalem (1 Kings 12 2 Kings 25). Joel s message comes to Judah as a matter of urgency. It will mean the life or death of Judah, and all future generations. For Christians, the prophecy of Joel extends to us and to Christ s church even today. The Apostle Peter, speaking to the newly born church on the day of Pentecost, delivers a sermon with the exact prophetic words of this passage from Joel (Joel 2:28 32; Acts 2:17 21). Prophecy functions to teach us God s desires for our lives. It is a warning, a teaching, and a call to action. The prophet must deliver the message to the people, notwithstanding any of their own internal conflicts and hesitations. The prophet should receive no personal gain or recognition. All of the attention resulting from a prophecy should be focused upon God. The responsibility of the hearer of the prophecy is to take heed, transform their lives, and spread the word to those who are unaware of it. Inner repentance, moral control, and faithfulness to God are of utmost importance as the primary goal of humanity according to God s purposes. Our ultimate path away from God s wrath is through our repentance and faith (Joel 2:12 17). Our capacity to have faith and our ability to interpret the will of God is made possible by the outpouring of His Spirit on all people. God s merciful offering of the Holy Spirit to us is for a purpose: to spread His Word as His witnesses to all the earth.

6 In Depth 1. God s People Turn Back to Him (Joel 2:12 13) The prophet Joel describes Judah being devastated by locusts and scorching heat the judgment Yahweh inflicts upon the people. The prophet answers the question of who will be able to endure this judgment by the Lord when it happens. The only way someone can expect to endure it is to repent, which simply means to turn to God and away from evil. God only wants His people to repent, but this repentance must be a move in the heart. To repent is to turn toward God with all of your heart and away from your current direction of sin. The prophet leaves an opening for the possibility that as their hearts change, our Lord has the capacity to relent from inflicting horrific consequences on us because of His compassionate heart. Joel asks the question, Who knows whether God will change from the pronounced judgment? God is sovereign, with the infinite ability to do whatever He wishes. When God pronounces goodwill to us, we can count on His stable, strong word. That is the compassion of God, the ability to suffer with His people and feel sorrow for them that He has shown repeatedly in Israel s history. God will relent from punishing us. We have upon us the requirement to relent, repent, and change to move our hearts into His direction. 2. God Turns Back to His People (vv ) Joel next lets the people know the results of their repentance. The Lord would be jealous for his land (v. 18). He would take special concern for His land and His people as they are His possession and in His care. He would have pity on His people. God s heart would be turned to His people and He would look on them with compassion. He would remember their limitations and weakness. He would see their hearts turned toward Him. The Lord s care for His people would be represented by provision. His blessing would be seen in their harvest. Prosperity would come to Judah. Their barns and vats would be full of produce. This wouldn t be their own doing, but a result of their relationship with God and His mercy on them. 3. Whoever Turns to God Will Be Saved (vv ) Here, we see the benefit of being God s people the outpouring of His Spirit in those days, meaning after the day of the coming of the Lord. This gift is from God, but it is not limited to a select few privileged by some materialistic stratification. The lowly are included and will receive God s Spirit (v. 29). These handmaids and servants represent the women and men who are the poor, downtrodden, common, and oppressed. Truly, the last shall be first. In the midst of catastrophic judgment, a promise is given. Those who call on the Lord will be saved. Their repentance and dependence on God would be a refuge from His wrath. The sun, moon, and heavens would be affected as signs of the coming day of the Lord. Darkness would sweep over the earth, and the moon would turn red like blood. This judgment would not affect God s people who turn to Him in faith. Search the Scriptures 1. What does it mean for Judah to tear their hearts instead of their clothing (Joel 2:13)?

7 2. The Lord has poured out His Spirit on all flesh. What is the reason He hasn t darkened the sun and turned the moon to blood (vv )? Discuss the Meaning 1. How can we as believers today to turn to the Lord in repentance? 2. What are the implications of the Spirit of God being poured out on the lowly and downtrodden? Lesson in Our Society God is a God of second chances. Many people don t turn to Him for a variety of reasons. Some are too proud, while others see themselves as unworthy and their lives as unredeemable. These are all lies. The truth is that God longs to hear the cries of those who repent. With this repentance comes restoration. God desires to restore His people to a right relationship with Him. As they turn to Him, they can be assured of His love and mercy to meet them where they are. A humble and broken heart of repentance is the key to restoration. Make It Happen Read Joel 2:1 2, Do you constantly witness the sin, disobedience, and lack of care for humanity and God in our world? Permit the prophecy given to Joel by God for repentance to infuse your thoughts. Can you see how God s Word can be made manifest in your own life and the disobedient world around you? Share with your class members the ways that specific groups and individuals can advance God s kingdom by making a change in their direction and their ways. More Light on the Text Joel 2:12 13, 18 19, Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: God, Jehovah, is the self-existent or eternal Jehovah, or an Israelite national name of God. It is this Lord that sends this enemy from the north (2:20; Jeremiah 1:14, 4:6, 6:1), causing all of the city dwellers, the Judeans, and everyone else to finally turn toward God with their hearts. To repent is to turn to the direction of God, turning around completely with all of your heart to the opposite direction. Thus a person lives his or her life totally different than before. This army sent by God threatens to destroy His enemies (Amos 5:18 20, 9:1; Zephaniah 1:18). Ultimately, the seriousness of the people and the dedication of their hearts in fasting, weeping, and mourning will anticipate the day of God s final judgment of the world in which the Son of Man will return to set up His kingdom on earth. God is faithful to give the people an opportunity to repent and return to Him. Marking the sincere repentance and adherence to God, Joel directs the people to remorseful fasting for His mercy. 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

8 God calls upon the Judeans to turn to Him, to worship with all their hearts, and to rend (Heb. kara, kah-rah, to split, tear, or rip) their hearts. God specifically instructs the people not to tear their garments, an expression of grief in the presence of misfortune (Genesis 37:29, 34; Numbers 14:6; 2 Samuel 3:31; 1 Kings 21:27; Ezra 9:3). To tear one s garments was a sign that one s life was in turmoil and was frequently followed by wearing sackcloth, which carried absolutely no status with it (compared to one s every day clothing, which indicated royalty, gender, etc.). This mourning rite signified the mourner s acknowledgment of his or her low state of existence. Repentance must be in Judah s heart. The heart in Hebrew idiom symbolizes the human will and intellect. God is gracious (Heb. khannun, kha-noon), giving the total goodwill of a superior to an inferior. He is also merciful (Heb. rakhum, ra-khoom), imparting the kind of love as a parent for his or her child. God is slow to anger in that He does not immediately punish, but rather He always patiently provides an opportunity for people to repent and turn back to Him. God is patient, forgiving, gracious, and merciful, because of His steadfast love (Heb. khesed, KHE-sed) and the loving faithfulness to the covenant promise with His people. 18 Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people. 19 Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: The Lord responds to His people s repentance. He desires to be in relationship with them, expressed in the word jealous (Heb. qanne, kah-nay), which denotes desire for exclusivity in relationship. The Lord wants Judah to be His people exclusively and not tied to another. This jealousy is a key part of God s identity (cf. Exodus 20:5). He also will take pity (Heb. khamal, chah-mal) on His people. The word means to spare or show leniency. These are not just compassionate feelings, they are backed by compassionate action. Next, Joel speaks to the totality of God s merciful response. Not only would He spare them from judgment, but He would send wine, oil, and corn (which is better translated grain ). These are symbols of a rich agricultural harvest and a sign of prosperity. The Lord would cause them to prosper, and they would be filled with satisfaction as their reproach would be removed. They would no longer be a shame and disgrace to the surrounding nations. This language can be used as argument for the book of Joel being written in the post-exilic period, as this was the time for Judah s disgrace as they are taken into captivity among the nations. 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. The manifestation of certain powerful signs of the fulfillment of God s promise is evident. God will pour out the Spirit on all flesh, much like one pours out a fluid. The action to pour out is the Hebrew shafak (shah- FAWK) to spill forth. Figuratively, it also means to expend life, sprawl, or gush out. The Spirit of God is always depicted as a gift of power, given to enable the recipient to fulfill a specific role for God (Exodus 31:2 5; Judges 6:34; Micah 3:8; Haggai 1:14). The parallel for this text in Joel is found in the New Testament, Acts 2: There the newly appointed Apostle Peter declares that the outpouring of the Spirit upon the disciples is the fulfillment of Joel s prophecy.

9 God promises the gift of the Spirit extends to all flesh. Both men and women, both young and old, and even servants will receive this gift. The lowliest person in God s household would be a candidate for Him to pour out His Spirit on. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. These days would be accompanied by wonders (Heb. mopet, MO-feth), nonverbal actions or gestures that encode a message. Given the context, they are better interpreted as signs. These signs are the sun turning to darkness and the moon turning to blood. These cosmic events would signal the coming of the day of the Lord. The first wonders are blood, fire, and pillars of smoke, which are all signs of death and destruction. Then the Lord promises the sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood. The word for turned in Hebrew in fact indicates a 180-degree change, or overturning (Heb haphak, hah-fawk). What were created as sources of light according to Genesis (1:14 18), are now sources of doom and destruction (darkness and blood). The juxtaposition of darkness and light, as in the creation account in Genesis, should not be missed. The Day of the Lord will bring a complete overturning of the normal patterns of life and growth that God established in the beginning. It will be great and terrible. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. It is during these days that calling on the Lord s name will be the means of salvation. For the Hebrew mind, this would not be just in a spiritual sense but a real, literal saving from harm and danger. The word for delivered (Heb. malat, mah-lat) is always used in the Old Testament for escape or rescue from physical harm and danger. It is on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, the royal city, hat deliverance would come. Jerusalem and Mt. Zion came to be understood as the eschatological site of God s renewal of His covenant with His faithful people. In addition, this is possibly an allusion to the death of Christ as He was crucified just outside of Jerusalem. It is through Him that the Lord would provide a remnant (Heb. sarid, sa-reed) or survivors. The word is often used for those who have escaped from a great slaughter. All those who call on the name of the Lord will escape His great and terrible judgment. Say It Correctly Reproach. ree-proch. Repenteth. ree-pen-tith.