Good morning, welcome to Seoul Bible Church this morning. It is the third Sunday of the month, so we are looking forward to our fellowship meal this afternoon. And it is good to have Brother Yun and his wife here for family business. Welcome back from Texas. Yes. Last Thursday, right? You came on Wednesday. You came on Wednesday, right? On Wednesday, you came to the U.S. in a hurry. Anyway, nice to meet you. Well, as we prepare our hearts this morning to worship the Lord, our hymn of meditation and preparation this morning is, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. It's hymn number 28, and you'll also find it here in our bulletin. We will now begin the worship service with the piano accompaniment. As we continue our worship this morning, please turn to the back of your bulletin. This year we are memorizing from John 15. I hope John 15, one through eight is nearly in your heart. We've been saying this Cumulatively. So Pastor Chu and myself will review the first eight verses, reading these, and then we will ask you to join us on this month's memory verses. On the inside is John 15, 9 and 10. Okay, so John 15, verses one through eight. I am the true vine, and my father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away, and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye. except ye abide in me. Verse five, I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit. So shall ye be my disciples. I am the grape tree, and my Father is the vine. The fruit that I have, which is not too ripe, the Father hath cut off, and the fruit that is too ripe, If I am in you and you are in me, this man will meet a lot of fruit. If you leave me, you can do nothing. If a man is not saved in me, he will turn into a branch and dry up. People will collect this and throw it into the fire and die. If you are saved in me and my word is saved in you, save whatever you want. Then it will be good. As we continue on the inside of our bulletin are this month's memory verses, John 15, nine and 10. I will say them in English once, and then we will recite it in English together, and then Pastor Chu will do the same with the Korean. As a father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. Let's recite this together. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. Just as my father loved me, I loved you, so save me from my love. Just as I protect my father's name and save him from his love, if you also protect my father's name, save me from my love. That was John 15, 9, and 10. So we turn in our hymnal now to hymn number 99, Christ Has For Sin Atonement Made. We'll turn there and we will stand to sing. Cossacks, Cossacks of the field, I have no love to say to you. I have no love, Cossacks, I have no love to say to you. I am honored to serve you. Your size is like a star. I am honored to serve you. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave I am all alone, save you. I am all alone, save you. I am all alone, save you. I am all alone, save you. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned. I love you, Jesus, I love you, Jesus, I love you, Jesus, I love you, Jesus, In my head you're young, you're king, in my head you're young, you're king In my head you're young, you're king, in my head you're young, you're king What a wonderful message. We have a wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. Throughout the service today, we are lifting high God's grace and mercy to his people. In today's message, we are looking at the day of the Lord, where we also see the severity of God's judgment on the wicked. So for our scripture reading, I'm inviting you to turn to Joel chapter 2, right here in the center. We'll read Joel chapter 2 through chapter 3, verse 2. Blow a trumpet in Zion. Sound an alarm on my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble. For the day of the Lord is coming. Surely it is near. A day of darkness and gloom. A day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn is spread over the mountains, So there is a great and mighty people. There has never been anything like it, nor will there be again after it. To the years of many generations, a fire consumes before them, and behind them, a flame burns. The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, but a desolate wilderness behind them, and nothing at all. escapes him. Verses four through six of Joel 2. Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, like war horses. So they run with a noise as of chariots. They leap on the tops of the mountains like the crackling of a flame, a fire consuming the stubble. Like a mighty people arranged for battle, But for them, the people are in English. All faces turn pale. Verses seven through nine. They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like soldiers. They each march in line, nor do they deviate from their paths. They do not crowd each other. They march everyone in his path. When they burst through the defenses, they do not break ranks. They rush on the city. They run on the wall, they climb into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief. They run like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior, they climb like a warrior Before them, the earth quakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon grow dark, the stars lose their brightness. Verses 11 and 12. The Lord utters his voice before his army. Surely his camp is very great. For strong is he who carries out his word. The day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome, and who can endure it yet even now, declares the Lord. Return to me with all your heart and with fasting and weeping and mourning. Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness and relenting of evil. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God. Verses 15 through 17. Blow a trumpet in Zion. Consecrate a fast. proclaim a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room and the bride out of her bridal chamber. Let the priest, the Lord's ministers, weep between the porch and the altar and let them say, Spare your people, O Lord. And do not make your inheritance a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they among the people say, where is their God? and gather the people together to hold the meeting, gather the elders, gather the children and those who eat, and make the groom come out of the room, and make the bride come out of the room, and make the priests cry and stand in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room and in the middle of the Zero in verse 18, dead. Then the Lord will be zealous for his land and will have pity on his people. The Lord will answer. and say to his people, behold, I am going to send you rain, new wine, new wine and oil, and you will be satisfied in full with them. I will never again make you a reproach among the nations. Yehoah geso geudeurege eumdabhaye yireusi gireul, naega noiege bokshikwa sae podojwa gireumul jureeni, But I will remove the Northern Army far from you. I will drive it into a parched, desolate land, and its vanguard into the Eastern Sea, its rearguard into the Western Sea, and its stench will rise. Its foul smell will come up. For it has done great things. Verses 21 and 22. Do not fear a land, rejoice and be glad. For the Lord has done great things. Do not fear beasts of the field. For the pastures of the wilderness have turned green, for the tree has borne its fruit. The fig trees and the vine have yielded in full. Dang-i-yeo, duryeo-ha-go, gip-bo-ha-myo, jil-go-go hal-ji-yeo-da. Yeo-ho-ha-gye-seo, keun-yi-reul haeng-ha-seo-seum-yi-ro-da. Deul-jim-seung-ha, duryeo-go mal-ji-yeo-da. Deul-e-pul-i-ssak-i-na-myo, nam-ga-yeul-mae-reul-mae-ji-myo. Woo-ha-ga-nam-wo-ha, po-do-nam-wo-ga, da-him-eul-ne-ne-neun-do-da. So rejoice, O sons of Zion. Be glad in the Lord your God, for He has given you the early rain for your vindication. He has poured down for you the rain, the early and latter rain, as before. The threshing floors will be full of grain. The vats will overflow with the new wine and oil. So rejoice, O sons of Zion. Be glad in the Lord your God, for He has given you the early rain for your vindication. He has poured down for you the rain, the early and latter rain, as before. The threshing floors will be full of grain. The vats will overflow with the new wine and oil. So rejoice, O sons of Zion. Be glad in the Lord your God, for He has given you the early rain for your vindication. He has poured down for you the rain, the early and latter rain, as before. The threshing floors will be full of grain. The vats will overflow with the new wine and oil. Praise God for verse 25. I will make up to you for the years the swarming locust disease, the creeping locust, the stripping locust, the gnawing locust, my great army which I send among you. Joel 2, 26 and 27, you will have plenty to eat and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God who has dealt wondrously with you. Then my people will never be put to shame. Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Israel and that I am the Lord your God. There is no other. My people will never be put to shame. With verse 28, we start Peter's Pentecost text that he preaches from. So verse 28, I'll read through the end of the chapter. It will come about after this, that I will pour out my spirit on all mankind. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, 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. I will display wonders in the sky and on earth, blood, fire, and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness, the moon into blood. Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes, and it will come about, that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered, will be saved. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls. 그 후에 내가 내 신을 만민에게 부어주리니 너희 자녀들이 장래일을 말할 것이며 너희 늙은이는 꿈을 꾸며 너희 젊은이는 이상을 볼 것이며 Then I will pour out my spirit to men and women, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I will pour out my spirit to the sky and the earth, and I Now the first two verses of Joel 3. For behold, in those days, at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of my people. and my inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and they have divided up my land. to hold the justice and judgment of God with mercy as one. Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we rejoice that we can say that you are our Lord and our God. We thank you, Father, that you have spoken to us through your word, the Bible. And we have been reminded that you have also spoken to us through your word, your Son, Jesus Christ. Father, we know that our only hope is Jesus Christ, our Lord. Without Christ, we perish and go to hell. Jesus Christ came to be the savior of sinful men and women, boys and girls. He died on the cross for our sins because God so loved the And as we have been reminded of your holiness and justice this morning, we have also seen your mercy. You loved us so much, you sent your son to die for us. And now you have poured your Spirit upon all those who believe in your Son, Jesus Christ. All who have believed in Christ have received the seal of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells us. For this, we give you thanks. We thank you for the mercies that you have bestowed upon us. We thank you for the grace that you have given to each and every one of us. And Lord, today we pray that if there is even one here who does not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, that they might trust in Christ and be delivered from Satan's power and from hell. Lord, if any of us are straying as Judas strayed, we pray that you would use your word and the Holy Spirit to woo us back to yourself. And for those of us who know you and love you, Lord, increase our trust in you and our love for you. Lord, we just pray that as we meet here together as your people, that you would help us to worship you in spirit and in truth. We pray that the name of Jesus Christ might be magnified. That the Holy Spirit would not be grieved but rejoice in our meeting together. And that our Heavenly Father might deem this a day in which you are well pleased with your children gathered here. Lord, we are a needy people. We need more and more of you. Some of us have health needs, we have other needs as well. Some of us need comfort and strength. Lord, we just pray that you would use our time of worship to strengthen our inner mans that we might go out to serve thee with the power of the Holy Spirit. Father, meet each of our needs according to your riches and glory by Christ Jesus. Bless each of our missionaries and make them fruitful. And make this church fruitful for thee. We pray this in Jesus' name with great thanksgiving. Amen. Let's sing the grace of our loving Lord, hymn number 137 in our red hymnals, 137. Once again, we'll stand the same. ♪ For those who still have hope in them ♪ ♪ Who give their strength for so much we owe ♪ ♪ Kindly sheds not this day and song ♪ ♪ Glory of God in the highest ♪ I am the moon that stands on earth, joyous day. Shukran Shukran Shukran Shukran Shukran Shukran Freedom and love, they are his commandments to obey. ♪ In triumphs, in triumphs, all ye peoples ♪ ♪ Christ is risen, Christ is risen ♪ ♪ Christ is risen, Christ is risen ♪ ♪ The world will be as it was in its concept ♪ ♪ Tread on this way and go on that path ♪ ♪ To get what people have searched all day ♪ Shepard was a little boy in the end, And what a year it changed for us, Two years and less. Uriah, to the shepherds I'll go, to their shepherds. Uriah, to the shepherds I'll go, We are the people of Iran. We are the people of Iran. We are the people of Iran. Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe We're going to continue our worship with the tithes and offerings at this time. If you're a visitor here for the first time, we would like you to go ahead and turn in the yellow information card so that we have a record of your visit. And you are welcome to stay with us for our fellowship and service. Let's pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your grace, that marvelous, abundant grace that you have bestowed upon us. We thank you for that grace that is lifted high and across the cross. Father, we thank you for every gift that you have given to us, and we thank you for this opportunity to restore a portion of what you have entrusted to us to advance your kingdom, to spread the gospel, to do your work. Father, we pray that what is collected might be used with wisdom for your glory. And we thank you for all those who are generous. We pray these things in Jesus' name, with thanksgiving, amen. So, Let's continue our worship this morning by singing hymn number 404. After we sing, the children will leave for Children's Church and we will have the message. Let's all stand up and sing together. Children, please go up to the second floor. The sun rises in the sky ♪ La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la I love my country, I love my people. I love my country, I love my people. Cheshire, Cheshire, where are you? I'll bring you home, one step at a time. We'll meet beyond New York, I'll bring you home. What stops you there? It's the world we know. O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. ♪ Gives the land glad tidings of a new day. ♪ ♪ And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, ♪ ♪ Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. ♪ Good singing. As the children depart, I invite you to once again turn to Joel. We'll be backtracking to Joel chapter one. When you think about the day of the Lord, what is your first thought? Now, in a sense, every single day, is the day of the Lord. After all, every single day you live is a gift from God. God gave it. And God truly does grant daily grace to all of his creation. Proverbs reminds us that God makes it rain to fall on both the just and the unjust. The scriptures tell us that the mercies of God are new every morning. Every day, you don't experience God's just wrath on your sins. You are experiencing God's grace. In the scriptures, the day of the Lord that term, the Day of the Lord, is used to describe a day when God intervenes in His creation in such a distinct way that it can only be described as a time, a day, when His hand is seen by everyone. This is a day when both unbelievers and believers are compelled to say, God is at work. In these times, both people and indeed all of creation is acknowledging God is doing something great. The plan for today's message, as we are hearing Joel, is we are going to see Joel's description of the day of the Lord. And we will see God's noteworthy work in Joel's present, chapter one, with the locusts. We will also see that the day of the Lord is not only now, it is anticipated There's God's anticipated judgment in the future in chapters two and three. There's something going on now. There's something going on in the future. So now in the present, we need to respond to our God. So as we look here at Joel chapter 1, we want to see first of all the day of the Lord is noteworthy news in the present. Look at how Joel summons our attention to how unique this event is in the first three verses. So it's God speaking, verse 1. The word of the Lord that came to Joel, the son of Thethual. Hear this, O elders. Listen, all the inhabitants of the land. Has anything like this happened in your days or in your father's days? Tell your sons about this and let your sons tell their sons. and their sons the next generation. This is something for the ages. Here in this day, Joel's day, God was doing something he had not done in the past. So what is this headline news? What is the situation that's going on? Let's get an overview in verses four through seven. What the numb locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust has left, the creeping locust has eaten. What the creeping locust has left, the stripping locust has eaten away. drunkards. Wail, all you wine drinkers, on account of the sweet wine that is cut off from your mouth. For a nation has invaded my land, mighty without number. Its teeth are the teeth of a lion. It has the fangs of a lioness. It has made my vine a waste, my fig tree splendors. It has stripped them bare and cast them away. Their branches have become white. Please look at the 4th and 7th verse. It describes what is happening right now. You can think of the green onion as a type of grasshopper. The grasshopper eats what the green onion leaves. The grasshopper eats what the grasshopper leaves. The grasshopper eats what the grasshopper leaves. Those who are drunk with water, you are drunkards. Those who drink wine, you are drunkards. This is because the wine has been cut off from your mouth. This is because a tribe has come to my land. They are strong and countless, and their teeth are like the teeth of a lion, and their molars are like the molars of a lioness. They destroy my grape tree, scrape my fig tree, and peel it off. Devastation. A while back, hundreds of years before, Egypt experienced a new crisis. In those ten plagues, one of those plagues, or some of those plagues, were bugs that descended upon Egypt, including locusts. But you remember, it was over in a few days because of Moses praying. But here in Joel's devastating day of the Lord, these armies of God were small and mighty. Almighty God uses these little tiny locusts to swarm the land and leave it destroyed. Verse four describes this as wave upon wave upon wave. Three different waves of locusts that destroy utterly what is there. Now, in the days of the judges, in the days of India, the Midianites settled over the land like locusts. That's what they were compared to. And of course, you Bible scholars know that God used Gideon's 300 men as the exterminators to sweep the human pests from the land under the battle cry. the sword of the Lord and of Gideon. But these locusts of Joel's day, like Gideon's day, had swarmed filling the land and stripped the land of all produce. And I love how Joel describes these locusts in verse six, as a multitude of little lions with fierce teeth. Matthew Henry said, the Lord of Hosts can humble and mortify a proud, rebellious people by the weakest, most contemplable creatures. So the locusts leave the land. We're told in verse 5, the drunkards lost their drinks. And even the social drinkers lose their chance to drown their sorrows in wine. And in verse seven, we saw that both the vines that produced the grapes were stripped, as well as the fig trees were left barren, white, mere splinters of their former glory. So we see this is a very serious situation. What do you do? How do you handle this? What's the solution? As we look at verses 9 through 12, what we see here is that this is a situation that is really bad. Verse 9 through 12, the grain offering, the drink offering, are cut off from the house of the Lord. The priests mourn the ministers of the Lord. The field is ruined. The land mourns. The grain is ruined. The new wine dries up. Fresh oil fails. He is shamed and plunged. Way overrun. For the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field is short, the vine is dry. The fig tree falls. The pomegranate, the palmosa, the apple tree, all of the trees of the field dry up. Indeed, rejoicing dries up. If you look at the 9th and 12th verses, you can see what kind of situation the people are in. The 9th verse. The small sins and previous sins have been cut off before the coming of the Lord, and there is no sin that can be offered to God. The Lord is saddened by the coming of the Lord. The field is barren and the land is barren. The grain is gone. The grain is gone. It's cut off. The new wine is dry and the oil is gone. Farmers, you should be ashamed. Those who control the grain should be ashamed. This is the work of wheat and barley. It's the property of the field. It's gone. The grape tree has withered. The fig tree is dry. The pomegranate tree, the jujube tree, the apple tree, and all the trees in the field have withered. And no food in it. The house of God, the temple, wasn't happy. People had stopped making offerings to the Lord. So the priests definitely had reason to mourn because they were supported by the offering of Shana. ashamed, they were embarrassed. The wine dressers were wailing before the world. It was a war. Bursztyn says the land mourns, the entire land, the land itself, the earth itself mourns. Every fruit tree which would indicate God's blessing had become fruitless, first of all. So as the showers of God's blessings dry up, so do men's rejoices. Now in verse 8, we see that there's this man, lail like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the bribery of her name. The grieving was so great. It was like someone who was a fiance, someone who was betrothed, not yet married, and their spouse died. The solution in search for In verses 13 through 19, we see that this is a time for both the priests and the people to mourn and ask. I will read verses 13, 14, and 19. 13 says, guard yourself with sad thought. Lament, O priest. Wail, O ministers of the altar. Come spend the night in sackcloth, O ministers of my God, for the grain offering, the drink offering, are withheld from the house of your God. 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. Then we drop down to verse 19. Here's the obedience to you, O Lord, our God. Fire has devoured the pastures and the woods. The flame has burned up the trees of the field. Even the beasts of the field can't forgive you. The water burns like fire, but the fire has devoured the pastures. Now, everyone, let's read verses 13, 14, 19, and 20. Verse 13, let's begin. Behold, the priests! You shall cry bitterly with your thick bellies. Behold, the men of the Dan, you shall cry. Those who are subject to my God, you will come and lie down on a thick bed, and it will be night. To lie down means to pray in front of God. This is a record that I have not given to your God. You will fast and proclaim the sacrament, and gather all the elders and all the people of this land in the temple of your God Yehovah, and you will pray to Yehovah. Of course the priests were concerned for their own lives as well as the lives of the people. And so they're called to this all night prayer meeting to shed tears before the Lord. In verse 14 and 15, it's not just the priests and the ministers praying, it's the people praying. They're together, everyone, all the people are to come together to unite, to pray about this situation. Notice that entire army, the famine, the fires, the drought, all of this, as well as the perming, All of this is a part of the game of the world. Both the people's loss of food and their loss of joy in verse 16 are God's work in their minds. The big storehouses, the large barns, totter, they fall, they're torn down, verse 17. Verse 18, you don't need animals. With such devastation, there's only one answer. Every resource with us, You couldn't borrow food from your friends. Your friends need food too. Only God could help in this kind of mess. And so now unto people with humble, broken pleas, cry out to the Lord. To you, O Lord, I cry out. Fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness. The flame has burned up the trees of the field. Even the beasts of the field pant for you. Therefore, as it is written in the 19th and 20th verses, people are called to God in this situation. I am called to death. If we truly understand what God's people here are enduring, We realize some of those, maybe those heartrending videos you see of the suffering poor around the world, those in famine, or starving, with physical needs, orphans. Those same kinds of things were experienced by these heirs of the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants. If we truly understand what the people of God had to go through, what they had to endure, and what has been described, even in the world we live in today, we are still under the influence of the devil. And then there are the Jews. As I said before, the Jews are the ones who are the most important in the history of the world. Now again, think of who these people are. These are peoples whose ancestors have suffered hundreds of years in Asia. They could remember the repeated hosts of armies that came through the nation in the book of Judges. In the book of Judges, many different countries covered the issue. Simply put, they knew from experience the way of the transgressor is harmful. And yet, they had not remained faithful to God's promises. So, if Joel chapter 1 is sober and very serious, Joel chapter 2 and 3 is shocking and very scary. So as we look at Joel 2, verses 1-11, we're not going to read it again. We see that the day of the Lord here is alarm for future judgment. So this chapter begins with the trumpet call, the shofar, which was used for military calls, for religious things, for worship sometimes, but it was a summons of alarm. So the trumpet calls on Zion, verse 1, a sound of alarm on my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It's near, surely it's near. The trumpet warns of military invasion. This is the future and day of the world. brings to a climax, really just a climax to God's judgment. The contemporary, what's happening now in Joel chapter 1, is going to be eclipsed by God's work in this day of the Lord. This is it. God's great mission is for you. Yes. This is the day of God's judgment on the world. And so the lesson for Joel and for us today, this day, It's a day of God's mercy. Seek it today while you may. So, everyone, what is the lesson we get from this prophecy? It is that before this terrible and scary day with Yehoah comes, today, right now, is the day when God bestows His grace upon us, and we are living in this time, Now, as you read these first 10 verses, what do you see? In verses 1 and 2, there's a warning. The trumpet sounds. The alert comes. The enemy is on its way! And verse 3 through 6, there's this woe that is wreaked upon the land as we see before fire, after fire, Eden becomes ravaged and a wreck. There is no escape. The people are pale in anguish. And then as we see the war unleashed in verses 7 through 10, there is the discipline of the enemy going rank by rank in great discipline, advancing on the land. This war is described with great enthusiasm on the part of the enemy in verse 9 that they are rushing on the city, they are running on the wall, they are climbing in the houses, they enter the windows. The Lord utters his words before his eyes. Surely his camp is very great. For strong is he who carries out his word, that David the Lord is indeed great and very awesome. The question is, who can? Yehoah shouts in front of the army, and he has great power, and whoever obeys his command is strong. Yehoah's blade is great, and he has great power, and whoever obeys his command is weak. Yehoah's blade is great, and he has great power, and whoever obeys his command is weak. Yehoah's blade is great, and he has great power, and whoever obeys his command is weak. Yehoah's blade is great, and he has great power, and whoever obeys his command is weak. Yehoah's blade is great, and he has great power, and whoever obeys his command is weak. Yehoah's blade is great, and he has great power, and whoever obeys his command is weak. Yehoah's blade is great, and he has great power, and whoever obeys his command is weak. Yehoah's blade is great, and he has great power, and whoever obeys his command is weak. Yehoah's blade is great, and he has great power, This is a day both local, we see there in verse 1, it's Zion, it's Jerusalem, Judea, but it's also universal. This is going to be another world war. Go ahead and turn to Joel 3 verse 4. In Joel 3 verse 4 we read, Moreover, what are you to me, O Tyre, and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering me a recompense? If you do recompense me swiftly and speedily, I will return your recompense on your head. Everyone, pay attention to the 3rd and 4th verses of Joel. Come forth, Sidon, and all the regions of Gilead. What have you got to do with me? Will you take revenge on me? If you take revenge on me, The very last verse there in verse 19 says, Egypt will become a waste. Edom will become a desolate wilderness because of the violence done to the sons of Judah. So these places, Egypt, Philistia, and the rest, grew their evil, acting as agents of judgment on God's people. The countries around Israel, such as Egypt, Palestine, and Blessed, used God's people as a tool of punishment. This day of the Lord is a future day of the Lord. It's a day of universal judgment. Look at Joel 3, verse 2. I will not gather all the nations here. So, in Joel 3, verses 3 through 9, we see these Philistines and retire Philistines. These people are summoned, singled out for their cruelty to Israel or to Judah. God says, my people as slaves. You become slaves. And Escalation 6, 7 through 10 reminds us both nations and individuals do truly reap what they sow. And as you continue on through this chapter in Joel 3, verses 9 through 14, we see the captain of the hosts of Elul basically summons the nations to fight, to end all wars. That's what World War I was for, but this really Now you may remember, Goliath was the champion of the Philistines in David's day. And so God basically challenges the champions of the armies to come up, first night, rouse them up, let all the soldiers drone in. It is a war to end all wars. Multitudes and multitudes in a battle of decision. For the day of the Lord is near. in the valley of decision. That's verse 14. Number 16, the Lord roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem. The heavens and the earth tremble, but the Lord is a refuge for his people and a stronghold in the cities of Egypt. The Lord loved Israel. He definitively speaks with authority. He speaks with power over the world. Martin Luther, the mighty fortress, it is our God. In him, very big forces. One little word, it's one little word that slays them, those that are wrong. In Revelation 19.15, we're reminded that the sword comes out of the Lord Jesus Christ's mouth and is our weapon. But I want you to know one more thing, you're 16. Joel, you're 16. The power, the strength that slays the wicked is the strength that protects the people of God. They find God is a shield for them. So in this final day of the Lord, God is seen, his strength uncontested. His reign over all the earth will be glorious, verse 17 says. They will know I'm the Lord, your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. So Jerusalem will be holy, and strangers will pass through. So, on the day of Yahweh, God will be revealed. People will realize that it is God, and His power will manifest. No one will be able to resist God. So, God's power will manifest gloriously to rule the whole world. The day of the Lord is a day of God's blessing for God's people. Our last quote in the last few minutes. Number three, the day of the Lord requires a present response to receive God's mercy. For both the sentient and the sinner, the way to avoid the terror of the devil is to preemptively serve him. Everyone, so it's the same for the saints, and also for those who are not yet believers. Everyone, what is the way to avoid the terror of the devil? In advance, in advance, in front of God, Lay down your arms against God. Put down your weapons. Cease hostilities. Surrender everything to God. In Joel 2, verses 12 through 26, we see five steps for revival. God's recipe for revival. The question is asked, who can endure the day of the Lord? And God changes the tone of his voice in verse 11. He says, yet you did not declare salute. Return to me with all your heart and with fasting you will be alone. The first step to revival returns the Lord to all of your hearts. Bring your hearts, not your bodies. The second ingredient Remember who God is. Look at verse 13. This is a return to the Lord your God. He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love and kindness, and relenting of evil. You know the terror of the Lord. Remember His grace, His mercy, His slowness to wonder. Yahweh abounds in chesed, that steadfast love, that word that is so difficult to translate. Of course, as Joel remembers who God is, he's simply remembering what God has said in the Bible in Exodus 34, verses 6 through 10 about God's character. remember your Bible, and to remember who your God is. Thirdly, the third agreement, receive mercy as the Lord relents concerning judgment. That's verse 14. He knows whether he will not turn in relents. One through three has to be an individual. You do this, but we need to do this with others. Have others return with all God's people in verses 15 through 17. So here is God's people together praying with the ministers leading in prayer. Return with God's people. Invite others to join you in seeking God. I would suggest the fifth step of revival. When we return corporately and individually, we will receive the hope of God. That's 225. Verse 25 says, I will make up to you for the years to come by the season. You will find that He alone satisfies. Chapter 2 verse 17. He will defeat the enemy decisively. Chapter 2, verse 29. Our joy is in Him. Chapter 2, verse 29. Therefore, praise in chapter 2, verse 26. The Lord's recipe for revival, but there is a requirement for this. You must have a relationship with God. Chapter 2, verse 32 says that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are saved. And in verses 28 through 32, we receive the Holy Spirit. Now, two quick Google questions. Number one. Brothers and sisters, fellow Christians, is your life fair? Stripped by loveless, caused by suffering or sin? If that's the case, now is the time to seek for what you have. Seasons, terms of refreshment. God has told us to seek this out. If we have hardened our hearts, let us rend our hearts and come to him humbly, confessing our sins and our sin. My promise, God's promise, is that he is gracious and merciful. He is slow to anger. He is abounding in steadfast love. If you've sinned, you've got to see your Savior soon. If it's a time of trial or burden, cast that burden. My second question is to those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. My question to you is if today, or that last day, Are you on God's side? Will the Lord punish you as one of his students because you have opposed his son and opposed his people and opposed his church? So people, have you trusted God? Joel 2, 32, and 33. I will tell you a little bit about it. I'm sure you'll like it. If I were to put it simply, it's like the 3rd chapter of the Gospels. The one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. It's the 2nd chapter of the Gospels. It's like the 2nd and 32nd chapters. The one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. This is what the Bible says in the New Testament. Not so long ago, he did his only dance, but who saw her performance and knew she would not catch him. The Rock never let him catch him. You can do a lot of good things, but unless you trust in God, you will be so unsuccessful, it's impossible to do something good. God promises whoever believes on his side, Jesus Christ will not perish but will have We hope today is a day of salvation. But we honor the Lord Jesus Christ and we will be saved. Father, we thank you for the power of your word. You have given your word. Your Holy Spirit is the one who connects us in righteousness and judgment. Lord, I pray that all of us would seek the word of God. with all of our hearts. I wish to follow God wherever he leads us. We thank you for this time you awarded us. Amen. We mentioned how God saves those who believe in Christ. It is the blood of Christ that saves us. We turn to 195, and we're out of good time. Stay with us. This is how to run like a show. Sing and dream. This is the way to see and play. Sounds so loud, it's time to sing and play. So let it rock and roll in the sun. Yeah, that's the way that I'm feeling, baby. But she ain't no girl no more, yeah. She ain't gonna show me why I chose to sell my heart. Baby, you got the soul. To the earth and to heaven and to heaven and to heaven and to heaven and to heaven and to heaven and to heaven. Thou shalt rise and stand trust in Him, make the world see the time is your own. Shake the darkness of this world, thou hast lifted us at your name. Why do you want to forget? When you're just a little country? What do you want the future to have? Time to stop, time to sleep. Oh, If only we could go back to the time when we were young, we would have a lot of fun. ♪ She's been to the battlefield for me ♪ ♪ She'll be a hero, she'll be a hero ♪ ♪ And it's always great to hear her voices call ♪ ♪ Hey, who you on the run? ♪ ♪ Hey, who you on the run? ♪ Just remember the Lord our God, and He will bless you through all of His love. Amen. Lord, we thank Thee for Your word. In the name of Jesus, I thank you and pray for you. Amen. you