December 9

Joel 1:1-3:21; Revelation 1:1-20; Psalm 128:1-6; Proverbs 29:18

Today we start (and finish) Joel and we also start Revelation, our final book of the New Testament. I’d say that’s a pretty exciting day, wouldn’t you?

Joel is a little unusual, most notably because, unlike the other minor prophets, Joel doesn’t start his book by telling us the circumstances surround his prophecies. That leaves plenty of room for speculation regarding its date and historic events, and, with internal evidence that could point to several different dates, it’s impossible to be certain. But most scholars seem to think Joel was written sometime after the exile, possibly around 516 B.C.

Joel also has some interpretation difficulties – what kind of army is referred to in 2:1-11? Is it a literal army or a locust army, as detailed in chapter 1, or a foreign army of some kind? And how should we interpret Joel’s use of "the Day of the Lord?” According to The Bible Knowledge Commentary, the Day of the Lord is “derived from the idea, prevalent in the ancient Near East, that a mighty warrior-king could consummate an entire military campaign in a single day” (pg. 1412).  In the Old Testament, the phrase may refer to a particular historic event or to an epic end-times battle. In Joel, the reader must figure out for himself which way it’s being using.

Just so I don’t leave you with only questions, here’s a brief outline I found helpful (thanks to The Bible Knowledge Commentary) in giving an overview of the book:

I.                     Introduction (1:1)

II.                  The Locust Plague (1:2-20)

III.                The Coming Day of the Lord (2:1-11)

IV.                A Renewed Call to Repentance (2:12-17)

V.                   Forgiveness and Restoration (2:18-27)

VI.               Promises of a Glorious Future (2:28-3:21)

Now onto Revelation – if you’re like me, you’re probably a little bit intimidated by the book of Revelation. Unfortunately, church culture has created the impression that the book is uninterpretable, or, at the very least, best left to the professionals. But let’s not write off the rest of our December passages! As we’re reading over the next few weeks, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• John wrote this book for several reasons:
• To prepare believers in Asia for the coming of Jesus
• To expose false teaching and ungodly behavior in the seven churches
• To show God’s judgment on the unrepentant
• To encourage believers to persevere despite persecution and hardship
• John’s major themes are:
• God is the sovereign Lord of history
• Jesus is the sacrificial lamb and is victorious over Satan and the world
• The world system, as exemplified by Babylon and the two beasts, is opposed to God and his people
• Believers who persevere will receive eternal rewards in the new heaven and the new earth

(Taken from Mark Wilson’s contribution to the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary.)

So, as you’re reading along and perhaps getting bogged down by descriptions you can’t quite understand, I encourage you to see if you can make sense of it in light of John’s purpose and themes. And as I always says, if all else fails, grab a commentary and wrestle through it with some additional help!

Be encouraged, friends, and don’t lose heart. God intends for us to understand his word and be changed by it. Just by exposing ourselves to God’s word over the past year I know we’ve all experienced great growth and change. Here’s to ending the year right with a strong finish!

- Esther McCurry

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