Who Will You Serve?
When the united kingdom broke into Israel and Judah, they were caught in a downward spiral of sin, worshiping the gods of the nations they had driven out. God intervenes to bring an important question - who will you serve?
1 Kings 14 goes out of it's way to point out that the mother of Rehoboam I, the king of Judah, was an Ammonite. About 70 years on we come to the time of another influencer, queen Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, king of Israel. Jezebel incited her husband to abandon the worship of Yahweh and promote worship of the deities Baal and Asherah on a national scale.
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It is into this scene that we see two prophets, both with similar names, Elijah (meaning 'My God if Yahweh') and Joel ('Yahweh is God'). Where Elijah addresses the immediate situation and Joel has the more distant.view.
When did the prophet Joel live?
The book of Joel refers to no king by which to place when Joel lived, it only gives that his father was Pethuel. However in 1 Chronicles 5 we learn of the descendants of a man named Joel which is most probably the prophet.The descendants are listed in the same manner as the kings of Judah in 1 Chronicles 3 (i.e. x his son, y his son, z his son) by which we ascertain that it is a list of generations.
The descendants of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites.
1 Chronicles 5:4â€-‬6
We can work our way backwards from Tiglath-Pileser who died in 727 BC allowing 20 years between generations and presuming an age of 30 for Beerah in 730 BC etc:
Beerah 730 BC (~aged 30) - meaning ‘expounder’
Baal 750 BC (~aged 30) - name used to refer to god that other nations worshipped
Reaiah 770 BC (~aged 30) - meaning ‘vision of the Lord’
Micah 790 BC (~aged 30) - meaning ‘who is like God?’
Shemei 810 BC (~aged 30) - meaning ‘that hears or obeys’.
Gog 830 BC (~aged 30) - a name that is used of Israel's enemy
Shemaiah 850 BC (~aged 30) - ‘that hears or obeys the Lord’.
Joel 870 BC (~aged 30)
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This would place Joel at the start of Ahab's reign. He may have been one of the prophets in hiding in the time of Elijah.
The names of Joel's descendants show a lineage of prophets living during the ever worsening situation during which the Assyrian empire reigned. 'Gog' and 'Baal' take on the names of the enemies of Israel (Gog is referenced much later by the prophet in Ezekiel in connection with ancient names Magog, Meshach and Tubal given in Genesis). The real enemy behind these forces is Satan.
The S.O.S. Pattern
Satan, the ever opportunist, delights in turning the screws when he knows there is a price to pay, God's justice demands that Israel pay for their sins (a recompense). There is a repeated pattern that can be drawn out of scripture that we can apply to this time in history - the parallels might not be exactly the same but we see the trends. Sin gradually creeps in bringing discord; hearing God's voice becomes increasingly hard to discern above the cacophony of voices (2 Chronicles 18:16-22). People become ever more polarized as they make choice which way to go, some follow the light in the darkness. Finally, God suddenly rescues.
I call it the S.O.S Pattern - S.O.S. standing for understandable "Save Our Souls" or alternatively "Separation Of Sin" and mark it orange to highlight it on this page.
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1) Chaos - Creation Harmed; Aggravation Of Sin
A) Aggression
B) Bloodshed
C) Catastrophe
D) Disease and Deficiency
2) Repentance - The Last Chance To Choose Who To Serve
E) Evil - Persecution and Oppression - Darkness
F) Faith - Prayer, Petition and Perseverance - Light
3) The Day Of The Lord - The Battle Is The Lord's
G) God Rescues - Retribution for the Enemy - Severe Earthquake
1) Chaos - Creation Harmed; Aggravation Of Sin
Sin of Man is always a sin against God, whether it is direct or indirect (via his creation). The consequences of sin can be summed up in one word 'Chaos' and stems from a separation from God.
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God creates something out of nothing
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God brings order to his creation
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God uses chaos as a judgment
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The bible often portrays the raging sea as a symbol of chaos caused by the churning of the nations.[1]
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God's judges the nations fairly, and this includes his chosen people which had been given the promised land.
After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.
Deuteronomy 9:4-6
The Israelites were in danger of becoming like all the other nations. Sin has far reaching effects and without God's protection, they were vulnerable to the effects of sin - as seen in man's relationship with fellow man and creation.
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A) Aggression
B) Bloodshed
C) Catastrophe
D) Disease and Deficiency
We pick up from the beginning of the book of Joel begins with a vast army of locusts, coming up a dry and withered land, This would be during the great drought that Elijah announces a to Ahab.
Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”
1 Kings 17:1
The drought was so severe that Ahab had to sent out Obadiah (a devout believer) to search throughout the land for springs where grass may grow to feed his horses and mules. Obadiah is met by Elijah who had hid because Ahab was killing the Lord's prophets.
2) Repentance - The Last Chance To Choose Whom To Serve
Broadly speaking the chaos builds up to a climax in which Satan brings forth a tyrant, The book of Revelation 13 refers to this person as a 'beast', given power and authority. Battle lines are being drawn up as ominous clouds are gathering - something is going to happen. In Joel this comes in the form of a vast army of locusts; a swarm that brings darkness. The threat is usually from the north or east (both are essentially the same the direction because of the sweep of the Fertile Crescent first north then east as you move away from Israel). When an enemy advances up a country it is met near its borders, but the enemy's true aim is at the heart of the land (in the case of Israel this is Jerusalem). The tyrant's plan becomes increasingly overwhelmed by Satan's desire to desecrate the heart of Israel, the most holiest place on earth. A reading of the book of Leviticus, shows the utmost precautions to keep the dwelling place from being defiled (Leviticus 15:31). In the midst of this battle are people. Even in the last throes of battle, the clarion call goes out to save lives.
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E) Evil - Persecution and Oppression - Darkness
F) Faith - Prayer, Petition and Perseverance - Light
There is a call to the people return to the Lord so that he may bless them with a harvest and fruit on vines for them to give an offering.
‘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
About a century before at the dedication of Solomon's temple, God promised the same thing when the drought and locusts come, and contain a direct correlation between sin and the detrimental effects on the land.
‘When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:13,14
During the drought God sent Elijah to a widow and her son who were preparing to have their last meal before the food ran out. Yet God performs a miracle through Elijah so that the widow and her son would always have a supply of flour and oil, This may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but it portrays God's compassion to his people, Its a complete opposite to the detestable practices of the surrounding nations that sacrificed children. The message of Elijah becomes associated with a heart change.
See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.
Malachi 4:5-6
Now Elijah invites Ahab's and Jezebel's prophets of Baal and priests of Asherah to meet him at Mount Carmel. Behind Elijah where a hundred intercessors hidden away in caves. You can read about this in 1 Kings 18.
Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”
1 Kings 18:21
The Lord demonstrates without a shadow of a doubt who he is and that the gods of Ahab and Jezebel are nothing. In fact the people of Israel almost cry out Joel's name.
When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”
1 Kings 18:39
Where Joel prophesied that the drought would end with the return of the autumn and spring rains where the pastures in the wilderness would become green, Elijah sees heavy rain appear.
3) The Day Of The Lord - The Battle Is the Lord's
G) God Rescues - Retribution for the Enemy
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Other words that convey meaning to such moments are - intervention, rescue, miracle, victory, sudden, decisive, redemption.
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Elijah's experience at Mount Carmel sent him running. We can hardly imagine the gamut of emotions he was going through, but God tended to him as he ran south. At the Mount Horeb God showed Elijah his presence wasn't in the violent wind, earthquake or fire, but in gentle, restorative whisper. It was time to pass on his anointing to a person from a younger generation, Elisha.
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Here now the we come to what Joel calls the 'Day of the Lord' where the nations would be judged in the Valley of Jehoshaphat as they approach Jerusalem. The Valley of Jehoshapat was so named because when men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir came to attack Jerusalem in king Jehoshahat's time, Jehoshaphat enquired of the Lord. But God said:
“Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’” 2 Chronicles 20:15-17
It is called the 'Day of the Lord' because it is a day when the Lord fights in our place. Typically the 'Day of the Lord' is marked by a severe earthquake - a sudden, decisive moment of judgement against enemy and a great rescue of those who have put their faith in the Lord.
“Come, Zion! Escape, you who live in Daughter Babylon!” For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye - will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me.
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“Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord. “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”
Zechariah 2:7-13
Future Day of the Lord
Joel's allusion of the army of locusts represents actual armies that will come from the north in the distant future as can be seen in the mixed metaphor.
What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten. Joel 1:4 ...
A nation has invaded my land, a mighty army without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness. It has laid waste my vines and ruined my fig trees. It has stripped off their bark and thrown it away, leaving their branches white. Joel 1:6-7 ...
Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste — nothing escapes them. They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry. Joel 2:3-4
There are 3 noticeable times when this SOS Pattern is followed.
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In the time of Elijah, Elisha and Joel​
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Following the Exile & Return
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The End Times when Jesus will come again
I will expound on this each of these periods of time on separate pages. It is worth pointing God's mercy that was seen when Israel repented in the past, is likely to be seen again. Indeed the 'Day of the Lord' pattern is taken from the 7 Seals, 7 Trumpets and 7 Bowls is found in the book of Revelation. The message of the the book of Revelation is that things will get continually worse and then at the end suddenly it will get better, It informs us what will happen ahead of time.[2]
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After God has dealt with the enemy there is an unprecedented period of peace, security and prosperity, with the city of Jerusalem at the centre of attention. Originally it was the temple at the centre, but soon after the remnant returned from exile, a new path is opening up. This is reflected in the two paths of the Old Covenant (which the Jews still follow with regard to the physical temple) and the New Covenant (in which Christians host the presence of the Lord); also reflected in two different and concurrent interpretations of Daniel's 70 sevens - each finding their fulfillment in Jesus. As stated previously on the 'Kings' page - Jesus pronounced the debt of Sin has been paid when he said "It is finished". The apostle Paul pictures the two paths as two type of branches and looks to time in the future with hope of the Jews accepting the finished work of Jesus on the cross.
If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: you do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.’ Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
Romans 11:17-24
Heavenly Interventions
There are of course other important divine interventions in the bible which have many elements of the pattern above. These are easily identified by the sudden natural/supra-natural events. Here are some of the many recorded in the bible.
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There are resemblances to the plagues of Egypt, the confrontations between God and Pharaoh and the great rescue when God parted the Red Sea and destroyed the Pharaoh's army when it swept back in.
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The conquest of the promised land and in particularly the account of the collapse of the walls of Jericho. In the process God judged the previous inhabitants of the land.
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The great earthquake in the book of Amos which we can view in the context of the threat of Assyria and the Uzziah's fame and pride. Another example of the kingly pride which we mustn't gloss over as it marks the 777 year division in 749 BC. About the mid-point between the building of the first temple and building of the second temple. We've already seen at the dedication of first temple (on the 'A Broken Kingdom' page) that if the king walked fail faithfully before the God then there would always be a successor to the royal throne of Israel. On a human level the last king of Judah was led away captive to Babylon, however after the exile in Zechariah 6, in a prophetic act, God crowns the high priest Joshua and gives him a throne; we have the foretelling of Jesus in the combined role of high priest and king. The names Joshua, Yeshua and Jesus are the same. Within this context we will now look at the the events around 749 BC on the 'Fame, Pride and Fall' page.
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There is of course the victory in Jesus death that defeated Satan and his horde who were encircling him (see Psalm 22).
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All of these times shows there is a sinister enemy behind the scenes, that uses human agents bent on evil to his will, I call them tyrants, and there are many of them in the past, present and future.
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Not that long ago in 1940, Hitler, like a modern day Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus, thought he a had trapped the Allied forces in Dunkirk. But all that changed when King George VI called a nation to prayer and miracles happened. The miracle of Dunkirk.
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Despite this the war took the lives of many, including 6 million Jews. Could it be that because of the Jews unbelief (Romans 11:20) that God didn't stop the Holocaust? Yet God has a plan and like the return of remnant from Babylonian exile, the Jews are returning in droves; Israel's growth rate is at 2% (3 times that of other OECD countries) with a fertility rate much higher than other countries in the developed world). We shouldn't forget the time in 1948 that Israel became a nation again in one day (Isaiah 66:7-8) or when Israel was totally surround by it's enemy in 1967 but won the decisive Six-Day War.
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History is repeating itself, with Israel being re-established in it own land, the enemy is prowling around it's borders. There is still military aggression and blood shed. There is a severe drought in the land despite the Israel being the leader in water technology, but it is worst with Israels's arch enemy, Iran. The bible hints at what was happened in the paralleled narrative that unfolds just prior to the set up of the second temple; in later pages we will delve into the various historical sources together with what the bible says to illuminate a great rescue that took place at that time.
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There is a debate in Christian circles whether a third temple is to be built before Jesus returns, But it should be clear that Jesus is the Cornerstone and the New Covenant in Jesus blood brings forth the kingdom of God; the Old Covenant and it laws and regulations, together with the temple are no longer needed. Just as there are two paths leading from the interpretation of the Daniel's 70 'sevens' - one representing the Old Covenant, the other the New Covenant.
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We can expect Satan to draw up battle lines. And like before, empower a tyrant (a beast) to take up centre stage. Things will get worse before they suddenly get better. With such a heavy assault expected the Jews need to choose Jesus, the cornerstone that they rejected (Psalm 118:22, Acts 4:8-12). If they choose Jesus in response to the question 'Who will you serve?' then they will be readily grafted back in (Romans 11:23).
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When Jesus returns to earth, expect Satan to put up a fight which he has no chance of winning. Jesus will save those who are his, even those who made the right decision in the nick of time - on a chase down south to Jerusalem the beast will be swallowed up. When Jesus dismounts, the mount of Olives will split in two by a severe earthquake - a sign that it is finished.
The Promised Land
We started this page with the prophet Joel, but before we move on, we note that Joel's great grandson occupied the part of the promised land in the east spoken of in Exodus 23:30-31 (a much fuller promised land than just the land west of the river Jordan)
Their relatives by clans, listed according to their genealogical records: Jeiel the chief, Zechariah, and Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. They settled in the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon. To the east they occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased in Gilead.
1 Chronicles 5:7â€-‬9 NIV
It's the north and the east that the enemies tries at first to get a foothold in, an area in the past have proven the most difficult to keep hold of when the people forsake their God. This is a hint of the extended territories.
Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.
Isaiah 54:2-3
Footnotes:
[1[ Chaos
[https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/dictionary-of-bible-themes/4045-chaos
[2] Signs, Trumpets, Bible
Unlocking the Bible (David Pawson)