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Hope for the Future
a sermon based on Joel 2:23-32
Rev. Randy Quinn
Before
reading the text, it may be helpful to hear its context, both in terms
of the book of Joel and in terms of the Old Testament prophets.
The prophet Joel was probably written late in the history of Israel, as
late as 400 BCE, and addresses concerns of the people in a time period
when it was possible to worship publicly at the temple. Joel
called the people to worship in the manner that they had been taught and
warned them of the implications of not gathering for that purpose.
A recent plague or famine or drought seems to be the primary metaphor
that Joel uses as he explains the result of abandoning God.
By the time we get to our passage for this morning, Joel is now talking
about a future time when things would be different: the famine and
plagues and drought would be things of the past. And Joel saw a
time coming when everyone would be given the power to be prophets,
everyone would experience the power of God in their lives. Let us
turn now to the second chapter of Joel.
Read Joel 2:23-32
You may recognize some of these words as being quoted by Jesus (Matt
24:29), and again being referred to by Peter on the day of Pentecost
(Acts 2:17-21). In many ways, the Church has insisted that these
'prophecies' have been fulfilled. And certainly, they have been.
There is danger in reading them as fulfilled, however. For I
believe that when we only read these scriptures in that light, we
overlook what the message was to the people in Joel's day and what it
may offer for us today. When we see it as a foretelling that has
been fulfilled, it is simply history.
I think there is more there. And I guess I am not as convinced
that the Old Testament prophets are to be read simply as foretelling the
events of Christ's life or the life of the early church. I believe
that they continue to offer us words of hope and encouragement.
Read in that light, these words of Joel are indeed to be seen as a
prophet's dim image of what was to come AND as an insight into the
human condition and the will of God for ALL people at ALL times.
The key to understanding them is that Joel is talking about a wonderful
day, the "Day of the Lord", a poetic title implying the day when God's
will would be fulfilled, when all people would return to God, when God
would be respected and honored and obeyed. To many, this is seen
as the time of the reigning Messiah, the Anointed One, who would reveal
God's will for us and guide us in our quest to please and honor God.
Often, the "Day of the Lord" was portrayed by the prophets as a day of
judgement, a day of destruction of all that is evil, a day to be feared.
Not so in Joel. (At least not as I understand Joel's message.)
Here, Joel promises that salvation will come on that day. This is
not a day to fear, but to celebrate.
Joel seems to see this as a glorious day. A day when all of
creation would abound with the blessings of God. A day when God's
goodness would be recognized and celebrated.
The words of Joel are words of hope for a dry and thirsty land.
They are as cool and refreshing to the people of his day as the recent
rains have felt to us and especially those who have felt the impact of
drought-like conditions in our area.
They are words to anyone who suffers from the lack of rain or food or
health. They are words of comfort that there is a day coming when
there will be ample water, bountiful food, and restored health.
These are not words to be relegated to history or cast aside in favor of
their apparent fulfillment in Christ -- as true as it is that they have
been fulfilled.
These are powerful images of hope.
Hope for people of all types who may see their condition as hopeless.
These are words of hope for the people in war-torn Yugoslavia.
These are words of hope for the famine-stricken people of Somalia.
These are words of hope for those who are grieving, those who are
lonely, those who feel tormented by disease, those who are trapped in
relationships that only bring pain. [continue]
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