The Attributes of God:

The Day of the Lord Pt 2:  The Time of Decision Joel 3:9-21 “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.”               The Day of the Lord culminates in the final judgment of humanity.  In verse 14, the Day of the Lord is referred to as the “valley of decision.”  However, this is not the decision of man to accept or reject God; instead, this is the decision of the Lord regarding people's judgment. Christ predicts this coming judgment upon all humanity in Matthew 24-25, in which Christ returns and will judge all people and nations (see also Revelation 20:11-14).  This judgment will be a time when Christ pronounces his verdict.  He is the judge now making the decision.  For those who rejected God’s salvation, it will be a time of terror as the “Lord roars from Zion and utters His voice from Jerusalem,...

The Coming day of the Lord Pt. 1:  When God is revealed.  Joel 2:30-3:21 “Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.”               When we think of the character and self-revelation of God, we think of Romans 1 and the glory of God that is revealed in his works of creation. We see the beauty of a brilliant sunset and think, “There is a God.”  We contemplate the majestic beauty of Mt Adams, Mt. Hood, and Mt. Rainer and say, “There is God.”  We reflect upon the cross upon which Christ died and are reminded that on that hill, God displayed his grace and love for us, and we say, “There is God.”  In Joel 2:28-29 our attention is taken to the events of Pentecost (Acts 2) when the Holy Spirit is poured upon his people to empower us to live rightly before God.  Again as we say, “There is God.”              ...

When God Empowers Joel 2:28-29.  “It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind, and your sons and daughters will prophesy, and your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.  Even on the male and female servants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”               Where do we find hope in our daily struggles?  We all know the pain and struggle with sin.  We do things that harm others and ourselves, yet we seem powerless in the face of the struggle.  We want to do right.  We want to always respond with grace.  We want to live free from addictions and temptations.  We want to honor God and please him.  Yet we struggle.  Daily the words of Paul resonate with us, “For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want…Wretched man that I am! Who will...

The Coming Day of the Lord Joel 2 “For the day of the Lord is coming; surely it is near.”               In Joel 2, we are introduced to a theme found throughout the prophetic writings of the Old Testament: the coming “day of the Lord.”  This theme speaks of God’s immediate judgment upon Israel and the final and future judgment upon the world coming at the end of the age. Historically, we see God’s judgment upon specific nations at specific times for their sin.  But this past and present judgment foreshadows a future judgment prophesied in the book of Revelation when God brings his final judgment upon sin and restores the universe to its pre-fall condition.               While the ‘day of the Lord’ foretells judgment, it is also a promise of salvation for those who call upon the name of the Lord.  For those who embrace the sa...

The Devastating Judgment of God.  Joel 1:   “Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly; gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.”               When we celebrate the character of God, we sing songs of his grace and mercy.  We rejoice in the salvation he offers.  We find hope in the infinite love he has for us.  And rightfully so, for God's grace, mercy, and love are attributes worthy of his praise and adoration.  They provide us with hope and security.  But do we praise him for his justice, wrath, and judgment?  A god is loving, but not just, is a god who tolerates and even condones evil.  A god who does not punish is a god who is indifferent toward the evil that people might do.  Yet, for those facing persecution because of their faith, their hope is fo...

God’s longing for his people. Hosea 11 “My heart is turned over within me, all my compassions are kindled.”               Having someone reject and devalue the love we show them is one of the most painful experiences we can have. Alfred Tennyson wrote, “Tis better to love and lost than never to have loved at all” in response to the death of his close friend.  Yet it is one thing when that loss is due to death, but it is quite another when it is due to rejection and disdain. Of course, we grieve the loss of a loved one, perhaps grieving for the rest of our lives.  But the love remains for the person.  However, to be rejected by another, our love turns to hatred and despair. Rejection is a pain that never retreats.             In Hosea 11, we find God lamenting the rejection of the people he loved.  In verse 1, God affirm...

The Restoration of God Hosea 6 “So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord, His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.” (vs. 4).               In chapter 4, we saw the devastating effects of abandoning God.  As we see our nation and our lives descend into the abyss of moral and spiritual darkness, we sometimes wonder if there is any hope.  In 5:6, Hosea warns that the time may come when people will seek the Lord, but they will not find him; He has withdrawn from them. Instead of pursuing God’s law, they have “gone deep in depravity.”  However, even as God pronounces judgment, he offers to extend his grace and restoration if they turn back to him.  Chapter 6 begins with an affirmation of God’s grace.  No matter how harsh the discipline of God is, he is willing to restore and revive the peopl...