Rend your Heart and not your garment
This evening I want us to do a short review of the day of the Lord and then Look at what Joel requests of them because of the Day of the Lord. We know that the day of the Lord will be a day of terrible, terrible things. Now we actually get some insight in the Old and New Testament of the Day of the Lord.
- Peter and Paul tell us it will come or be upon the world as a thief in the night. It will come unexpectedly. (I Thess. 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10). This echoes the words of Jesus about the coming of the Son of Man.
- Malachi says that Elijah would have to come before the Day of the LORD. Malachi 4:5
- Isaiah says it would be a day of great destruction (Isaiah 13:6)
So from this we know that there is coming a great destructive day that no one is ready for and it comes after Elijah would come. Well we know that John the Baptist was Elijah so this puts any period after John the Baptist. However, have we seen a great world wide day of unexpected destruction? Well, we can also see another portion of scripture that will tell us when this will take place.
In verse 10 we are told that there will be a great earthquake and the sun and moon will be dark. This is echoed by Isaiah in Isaiah 13:9-10.
- Isaiah 13:9-10
Is there another time that is to come where this will take place?
- Matthew 24:29-30
- Revelation 6:12-13
- Revelation 8:12
However, we are told about a great army that is to come. I want you to look at this army with me.
- In verse 2 we are told they are great people unlike any other and they are strong.
- In verse 3 we are told that they often make the land desolate
- In verse 4 They have the appearance as a horse
- In verse 5 they leap and sound like chariots (very noisy)
- In verse 6 they cause great pain and blackness
- In verse 7 they run and climb on walls and do not break ranks
- In verse 8-9 they are unstoppable and climb on houses
Now this does not sound like any other army I have ever seen. In fact in chapter 1 we are told of this army and in verse 6 we are told they have the teeth of lions. This sounds pretty strange. An army that can climb on houses, leap and not be destroyed. They cause great pain and suffering. They look like horses and have the teeth of lions. On top of that it takes place during a day when the sun and moon do not shine? This is all to help us get a picture of the day of the Lord. Where can we find this in another portion of scripture?
In Revelation chapter 9 we are told about a day when the sun and moon are darkened and a great Locust army is revealed. This army has the shape of locus in verse 7 and the teeth of lions in verse 8. I am convinced that this army in Joel 2 is the army of Locus in Revelation 9.
However, I do not think this is the whole of the day of the Lord. Remember when Paul tells the church at Corinth today is the DAY OF SALVATION. He was not saying today is the only day you can get saved, but rather this is the period of time when Salvation is offered, this is the age of grace. What I am convinced of is that the day of the Lord is a time period of the great tribulation. Have you thought about the terrible things that will take place:
- In chapter 6 we are told about war that would kill, famine that would come, pestilence that will kill ¼ of the earth, and a great earthquake that will reshape the earth.
- In chapter 8 we are told about hail and fire mingled with blood and it kills ⅓ of the tree and green grass. We are told ⅓ of the sea will die because of a meteorite. We are told that a star will fall and destroy ⅓ of the freshwater, this will cause great death. We are told that a large portion of the stars, the sun and the moon are affected and we lose ⅓ of the day in daylight.
- In chapter 9 we are told of an army of demonic locusts, and demonic horsemen. The horsemen kill ⅓ of the men.
- In chapter 11 a great earthquake kills 7,000 men.
- In chapter 16 we find grievous sores, the sea turns to blood, the fresh water is destroyed, the sun scorches men, great darkness, the rivers dry up, and a great earthquake that causes stones to fall from the sky.
Now look at the results and the actions of the population.
- Revelation 6:16-17 They proclaim the great wrath of God is come
- Revelation 9:20-21 They refuse to repent
- Revelation 16:9,11,21 They blaspheme against God
Now the greatest troubles this world has ever known has come and the reaction of man is to say Oh no God is come against us, and we refuse to repent and then I hate you God! Now go back and listen to the cry of Joel for his people.
Joel 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD turn ye even to me with all your heart
You know what the cry of the day of Tribulation is for the nation of Israel. Repent, Repent, Repent! This is the Cry of the Lord for them. Now this is where I want us to spend our evening and there is a lot here and I am sorry but I need to deal with this.
I think we must begin with the validity of Repentance. Is Repentance necessary for salvation? I think repentance is necessary for salvation now and will be necessary on the day of tribulation. Remember the message will not be a message of the gospel but of the kingdom. Look at the Bible.
- In Matthew 3:2 John preaches repentance
- In Matthew 4:17 Jesus preaches repentance
- In Mark 6:12 the disciples preach repentance
All of this is the message of the kingdom. Apparently during the tribulation the 144,000 witnesses will preach repentance. However, what about for us during the age of grace, what is the message of the gospel?
- Peter preaches it in his sermons in Acts 2:38 and 3:19
- Paul preaches it in Acts 17:30 and 26:28
- Jesus tells the churches to repent in the book of Revelation, 2:5,16,21,22
So apparently it is not only needed for the kingdom but also for the gospel. However, the argument is do we need repentance after salvation. Let us build some foundations really quick and I hope this helps you.
First, I want you to understand that your sins past, present and future are forgiven when you get saved.
- In I John 2:2 we know he dies for the sins of the whole world
- In john 19:30 we know that he cries the work is finished
- In Hebrews 10:10 we know that he dies once for all
Now how does that show us all our sins are forgiven. Let me help you here.
- In Romans 8:1 I am told that I have no condemnation upon me now.
- In Romans 8:38-39 I am told that the present or the future cannot separate me from him.
- In 2 Corinthians 5:21 I am told that I was made the righteousness of God.
Now If my sins past, present and future were not covered then one of two things would have to take place. First, I would become lost every time I was saved, or two he would have to die afresh every time I sinned to cover the cost. Now we know he cries it is finished that he was able to die once for all. This shows me he does not have to die again. Also I am told that I am not condemned and that I was made the righteousness of God. This shows me that I cannot lose my salvation because his righteousness is eternal and that is what I possess, and if I could lose it then I would not be free from condemnation. So we know that my sins past, present and future are covered.
Then the argument is made, well after salvation we do not sin. This cannot be true because of what I read in the Bible.
- In Romans 7:18, and 24 Paul tell us that his flesh is wicked and he needs help with it.
- James tells us in 1:14-15 that sin comes from within that very flesh.
- In fact John tells us if we say we do not sin we are a liar.
So apparently I still sin, apparently I am wrapped in sinful flesh and that flesh is prone to wander towards sin. So if I do not lose my salvation what happens.
In I John 1:5-7 we are told that we lose fellowship with him. Now let me see if I can make this clear and help you. We are told that God walks in light (righteousness) and we are told that if we walk in the light (righteousness) then we are in fellowship. This means we are heading in the same direction morally. However, we are told that if while God is walking in light we decide we want to walk in darkness (sin) then we no longer have fellowship with God. We are not going in the same direction with God. We are now out of moral fellowship with God. We did not lose our salvation but we lost a connection. Now understand that God did not lose his connection, you lost your connection. The dis-fellowship is not on his part but on your part. God is still and always will be on the path of light. So how is that fellowship restored.
In I John 1:9 we are told that if we confess our sins he is faithful and just cleanse us. Now this baffles me because my sins are forgiven. I go to God and I say God I am sorry I committed sin, the reaction from the father is on your account is the righteousness of God, right? What is this cleansing and what is this confessing? The confessing is the turning or the repenting of direction. You turn from the path of darkness (sin) and return to the path of light (righteousness). This is not a spiritual correction but a physical correction. Spiritually you are saved, spiritually you are seated in heavenly places, physically you are living and committing sin. So this turning is a physical turning and saying I will not live in this sin and I will discontinue committing this sin in my physical flesh. The cleansing is the same, it is the physical and outward cleansing which is a result of your life being turned to the path of light once more. Because of this repentance is more needed on your side than it will ever be needed on his side. Do not think he needs you to repent, you need you to repent. You need to turn from that path and get back on the right path.
Now here is the problem with repentance according to Joel. He says to them in Joel 2:13
- Rend your hearts and not your garments
When an Israelite would be in repentance or mourning or great difficulty they would rend their garments as an outward sign of this. However, Joel is telling them the problem is not an outward problem, the problem is a heart problem. Can I say this you can change the way you dress, the music you listen to, the movies you watch, the actions you commit but until you turn your heart it won’t matter one single bit. Until you fix the problem which is the heart you will never actually fix the problem. You need to fix your heart, you need to turn your heart. Quit getting online and posting verses, quit wearing the cross necklaces, quit trying to make it outward and fix the inward because until you fix the inward problem you will never fix the outward problem, you will just continue to turn back to the bath of darkness (sin).
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