The mountains will drip new wine

The mountains will drip new wine

Scripture: The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. “Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her. “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the LORD’s house and will water the valley of acacias Joel 3:16-18

Observation: Joel Chapter 3 speaks of the Lord restoring the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, and judging the nations that had plundered them. The themes of restoration and justice can be felt throughout the chapter. There is a call to war, in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. The Book of Revelation also speaks about this day, calling it Armageddon, where the Lord will pour out His wrath on His enemies.

In the Scripture chosen, we see the great power of the Lord, reflected in great thunder and the shakings of the heavens and the earth. Most of us have heard very loud thunder, and cringed at the sheer volume of the sound. Every time we hear thunder and see lightning, we are reminded of the power of the Lord in Heaven. It is not without reason that He has created the elements in the forms He has chosen. Even watching on TV the mass devastation caused by the recent Tsunami in Japan, one cannot help but tremble at the power of the Lord. Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, hurricanes, all remind us of the coming end. Many put their trust in themselves, but who can stand in the face of the nature God has created?

Yet the Lord is a refuge for His people. We who are in the Lord Jesus are the Lord’s people. We are His own. He is the Shepherd, we are His sheep. Jesus will be our stronghold, our refuge! The Scripture also writes that Jerusalem will be holy. Again we are reminded that we are saved to be holy. Just as God called Israel out of Egypt to be a holy people unto Himself, we are called out of the world to be a holy people unto Jesus.

The final picture of the mountains dripping with new wine, the hills flowing with milk, and the ravines running with water give us a wonderful image of the perfection and beauty of the coming reign of Jesus.

Application: Whenever we see lightning or hear thunder, or behold a great event of nature, remember that God is all-powerful and all-mighty, and we are just His humble creatures, dependent on His grace and mercy. It is a reminder to us not to be proud, but in humility fear God and shun evil. Put our trust completely in Jesus are our refuge, our stronghold. Recognize that we are saved to be holy, pray for the Holy Spirit to empower us to live holy lives into God. Look forward with joy to the coming reign of Jesus, and the abundance and beauty He will bring.

Prayer: Father God, You are all-powerful and al-mighty, high above the Heavens. The thunders and lightning reveal Your great power and strength. May my heart always revere You and be careful to obey You and shun evil. Let Your grace lead me from sin in Jesus name. Praise You, Lord Jesus, for You are my perfect refuge and stronghold. Help me, Holy Spirit, to be holy, to please the Lord. O Lord Jesus, let Your reign come, in all Your perfect glory. In Jesus name, Amen.

Prayer:

I will pour out my Spirit on all people

I will pour out my Spirit on all people

Scripture: “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God. Joel 2:12-14

I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten— the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm— my great army that I sent among you. Joel 2:25

And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy,   your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, even among the survivors whom the LORD calls Joel 2:28-32

Observation: We are looking at three portions of Scripture in Joel 2 today. The first portion gives us a picture of the Lord calling his people to return to Him with all their heart. “Even now” tells us that the time is already late, and that the Lord’s people have turned away from Him far too long and are on the brink of utter destruction and judgment. However, “even now”, the Lord calls them to return. There are some of us who have drifted from the Lord for far too long. We have no idea how close we are to the point of no return. “Even now”, the Lord says, return, return with all your heart!”  “Rend your heart” gives us the idea of a truly contrite and convicted heart. The Lord looks at our heart. If our heart is proud or hard, we resist the Lord. However, if our hearts are humble and repentant and open to the Lord, He is able to forgive us and spare us from calamity, even giving us His blessing!

The second portion of Scripture tells us about restoration. Years of sin, of being away from God may have led us to a point where we have lost so much. Yet, for those who come back to God, the Lord promises restoration. Nothing is impossible with God and He can easily restore to us the years that the locusts have eaten. We may have lost even our youth pursuing meaningless, temporal things, but even now, the Lord can give us fresh meaning and purpose and joy in His service.

The final portion of Scripture talks about the pouring out of God’s Spirit on all people. The picture given is of children prophesying, old men dreaming dreams, young people seeing visions. Do we have beloved family members who do not know the Lord? Pray for the Holy Spirit, that He will bring a vision to them that will lead them to God! An old man in a village completely dominated by a different religion dreamt that he was underwater and saw different signs. But the sign for Jesus was higher than the rest. The last days are here, and the Lord pours out His Holy Spirit. Pray that He will pour out His Holy Spirit on us and all around us that many will call on the name of the Lord and be saved!

Application:- If we have drifted away from the Lord, no matter for how long, stop, come back. The Lord says, even now, come back, return to Me. Bring me your heart! If our lives are filled with much regret, and we feel we have lost so much, come back to God! Trust in Him to restore the years the locusts have eaten. Let the Lord revive us with fresh passion and purpose in our lives! According to His Word, pray for God’s Spirit to be poured out upon us, on our loved ones, on our families, our colleagues, our neighborhoods!

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the many years I went far from You. I confess my sins, I pray O Lord, that You take me back. Restore the years the locusts have eaten O Lord. Let me have Your fresh purpose and destiny in my life. According to Your word O Lord in Joel 2, pour out Your Holy Spirit on me, my family, my loved ones, my colleagues, my neighborhood. Let Your Spirit work wherever I go O Lord, and cause many to call on Your name and be saved. Praise Your name forever, O Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.