Joel

Dear Brethren,

September 11, 2011, marks the ten year anniversary of the terrorist’s attack on America.  On that day ten years ago, the United States immediately initiated a war on terror. Many of our leaders wish to assure us that we are safer today than we were on 9/11/01. But even today, US counterterrorism officials are pursuing al-Qaida threats to our homeland.  Is the war on terror being won?  The answer to that question will not please those who wish to remain politically correct.  Search the Scriptures from one end of the Bible to the other, and you will not find a single prophet whose views were acceptable to the political establishment of his day.

The prophet Joel is no exception to that rule.  God inspired Joel to prophesy that the war on terror will not be won.  The war on terror is going to fail.  God knows the end from the beginning – and He has proclaimed it through His prophets.   A major key to understanding prophecy is knowing who the modern-day descendents of Israel are.  Today, most religious ministers and academics are satisfied that the ten lost tribes of Israel are just that – lost. And they believe that the Jews in Israel constitute all of modern-day Israel.  Please understand this: Hundreds of years after the captivity of Israel, the writers of the New Testament clearly knew the whereabouts of the Israelites of the diaspora.

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes [of Israel] which are scattered [‘diaspora’] abroad, greeting.”  (James 1:1)  In addition to James, John and Peter specifically mentioned the diaspora and made reference to where they had journeyed. Eventually, many of the dispersed Israelites settled in North-West Europe and the English speaking nations around the world.  You would think that it would be common knowledge who the Israelites are, but God says they are so far removed from Him that they will not even consider the matter (Isaiah 1:3).  After all, they went into captivity for refusing to keep holy God’s Sabbath Day and for practicing idolatry.  Those two sins alone have taken their toll on a foolish people (Jeremiah 5:19-21).

In spite of Israel’s sins, and because of God’s promise to Abraham, tremendous blessings have been bestowed on modern-day Israel.  After 2,520 years, God has truly blessed the descendents of Abraham, just as He had promised.  "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shalt be a blessing:  And, I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed."  (Genesis 12:2-3)  But now, God is beginning to remove the wonderful blessings of power, wealth, protection and greatness that He bestowed upon us.  God tells us that we have built up our military and defenses in vain – for they will not protect us (Leviticus 26:20)  We will not win the war on terror.

Joel tells us how our demise will come.  “Alas for the day!  For the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come … 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 comes, for it is near at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. A fire devours before them; and behind them a flame burns… and nothing shall escape them… Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness… it is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?”  (Joel 1:15, 2:1-3, 6, 11)

Remember what it was like at ground-zero on 9/11/01 – the death, destruction and sun blotted out by the thick ash and dust.  Who can forget the faces of the first responders covered in soot?  Before the trouble started – we were a rich and prosperous land because God made us so.  We, as one people, need to repent and turn back to God, and ask Him to spare America, and Canada, and Great Britain, and Australia and New Zealand – and all the English speaking peoples.  That is the only way we will win the war on terror.  If we do not turn to God, this time that Joel describes will surely come upon us.  Our citizens, lands and towns will lie obliterated – as were the beautiful buildings that were once the gleaming World Trade Center towers.   Return to God, or we will be as desolate as that heap of rubble where none survived

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Sermon:  "Joel"
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