JOEL: A CALL TO REPENTANCE

Joel 1:13-20

13 PUT ON SACKCLOTH, O PRIESTS, AND MOURN;

Wail, you who minister before the altar.

Come, spend the night in sackcloth,

You who minister before my God;

For the grain offerings and drink offerings

Are withheld from the House of your God.

14 DECLARE A HOLY FAST;

CALL A SCARED ASSEMBLY.

Summon the elders

And all who live in the land

TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD YOUR GOD,

AND CRY OUT TO THE LORD.

15 WHAT A DREADFUL DAY!

FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD IS NEAR;

IT WILL COME LIKE DESTRUCTION

FROM THE ALMIGHTY.

16 HAS NOT THE FOOD BEEN CUT OFF

BEFORE OUR VERY EYES--

JOY AND GLADNESS

FROM THE HOUSE OF OUR GOD?

17 The seeds are shriveled beneath the clods.

The storehouses are in ruins,

The granaries have been broken down,

For the grain has dried up.

18 How the cattle moan!

The herds mill about because they have no pasture;

Even the flocks of sheep are suffering.

19 TO YOU, O LORD, I CALL,

FOR FIRE HAS DEVOURED THE OPEN PASTURES

And flames have burned up all the trees of the field.

20 Even the wild animals pant for you;

The streams of water have dried up

And fire has devoured the open pastures.

(Joel 1:13-20)

[This is another picture of the Devastation

That the Three and One-half Year

Great Tribulation brings,

That precedes the Battle of Armageddon.]