"In the prophecy of Joel there are presented events which, in their fulfilment, betoken the near approach of the great day of the Lord. "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand." (Joel 2:1)
Among the events to transpire, as the great day approaches, the prophet speaks of that which he compares to the unrestrained march of a devastating army.
This army the Lord designates as the locust, canker-worm, caterpillar, and the palmer-worm. (Joel 2:2-11,25) Before these destructive agencies come upon the land, He says, it "is as the Garden of Eden," but "behind them a desolate wilderness." (Joel 2:3)
This is undoubtedly in the time mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he says, "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth." (Isa. 24:5,6)
These visitations of the curse, as we approach the end, are the visible evidences that the earth and atmospheric heavens are waxing old as does a garment, and that they are soon to be folded up and changed. (Heb. 1:11)
While the curse is thus resting more heavily upon the earth, the prophet shows that earthquakes will increase, and the signs appear which our Savior said would show that His coming was even "at the door." He says: "The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: and the Lord shall utter His voice before His army: for His camp is very great: for He is strong that executeth His word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?" (Joel 2:10,11)
The prophet Joel proceeds to show the necessity of an earnest, humble seeking of God, a rending of the heart before Him, and that to such He will give the "latter rain" of His Spirit -the same that the apostle James declares the Lord is waiting to bestow upon His people when "the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." (James 5:7,8)."
J.N.Loughorough
Among the events to transpire, as the great day approaches, the prophet speaks of that which he compares to the unrestrained march of a devastating army.
This army the Lord designates as the locust, canker-worm, caterpillar, and the palmer-worm. (Joel 2:2-11,25) Before these destructive agencies come upon the land, He says, it "is as the Garden of Eden," but "behind them a desolate wilderness." (Joel 2:3)
This is undoubtedly in the time mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he says, "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth." (Isa. 24:5,6)
These visitations of the curse, as we approach the end, are the visible evidences that the earth and atmospheric heavens are waxing old as does a garment, and that they are soon to be folded up and changed. (Heb. 1:11)
While the curse is thus resting more heavily upon the earth, the prophet shows that earthquakes will increase, and the signs appear which our Savior said would show that His coming was even "at the door." He says: "The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: and the Lord shall utter His voice before His army: for His camp is very great: for He is strong that executeth His word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?" (Joel 2:10,11)
The prophet Joel proceeds to show the necessity of an earnest, humble seeking of God, a rending of the heart before Him, and that to such He will give the "latter rain" of His Spirit -the same that the apostle James declares the Lord is waiting to bestow upon His people when "the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." (James 5:7,8)."
J.N.Loughorough