My job verses God’s Job

​In Joel 2 I see two specific sections. My job is found in verses 12-17. His job is verses 18-31.

1. My Job

“Even now — this is the Lord’s declaration — turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the Lord your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and He relents from sending disaster.”

‭‭Joel‬ ‭2:12-13‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/jol.2.12-13.HCSB

My job includes turning to the Lord with all my heart through fasting, weeping, and mourning. God is wanting a holy relationship with His children. The way we begin this relationship is through heart repentance. We could show our repentance on the outside by ripping our clothes and throwing ash on our heads, but on the inside, we still have a heart that longs for the sin of our lives. But God is wanting us to turn away from our sins and declare that we are moving past the pleasures of this life to enjoy the pleasures of His life.

My job section ends with a holy gathering where everyone; the aged, the children, the babies, the groom, and the bride are together. And where the priests have spent time weeping between the gathered people and the altar of God. 

“Then the Lord became jealous for His land and spared His people.”

‭‭Joel‬ ‭2:18‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/jol.2.18.HCSB

The Lord became jealous for His land. What land is God’s? The whole earth!

“for the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:26‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/1co.10.26.HCSB

God has a special relationship with the ground of the earth. He made it and He gives it to everyone. When God trusts us with it He expects us to take care of it as He did with Adam back at the beginning of the Land. 

So why has He become jealous for His land? Because mankind has abused it. 

Then He spares His people. He rescues His people from the curses of the land and rebuilds His relationship with His people. Part of His job also found in Joel 2 is the fill us with His Holy Spirit. Probably the most famous verses in Joel as it was quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost. 

“After this I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions. I will even pour out My Spirit on the male and female slaves in those days.”

‭‭Joel‬ ‭2:28-29‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/jol.2.28-29.HCSB

“On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: And it will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. I will even pour out My Spirit on My male and female slaves in those days, and they will prophesy.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:16-18‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/act.2.17-18.HCSB

The end of Peter’s sermon brings us back to our Job: repent!

“Repent,” Peter said to them, “and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:38-39‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/act.2.38-39.HCSB

In which Peter declares that the gift of the Holy Spirit is for everyone whom God calls on including our generation, for all who are far off!

This brings us to the end of Joel 2. 

“Then everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved, for there will be an escape for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as the Lord promised, among the survivors the Lord calls.”

‭‭Joel‬ ‭2:32‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/jol.2.32.HCSB

I am having a hard time understanding the phrase: among the survivors the Lord calls.” To better understand I need to remove the middle phrases. Then everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved among the survivors the Lord calls. To me, this sounds like there are more survivors out of something but then those who call on God will be saved. This kinda sounds like God will rescue the human race from those who would destroy us and then save those who call on Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. 

Are you encouraged by the rapture of the 1 Thessalonians 4?

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4:16-18‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/1th.4.18.HCSB

Be encouraged God will save humanity! And then He will save those who call on Him!