The Hope of His People

I read the second chapter of the book of Joel to my children today, and I was impressed by the sense of urgency in his message. After finishing the second chapter I felt I had to keep reading through the next chapter to the end of the book because his message impels us to act. The words were especially powerful because they were read aloud, and surely they were meant to be heard by the people of his day. Here is some of the language that invites us to have a feeling of urgency. He urged the wicked: “Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine” (Joel 1:5). He warned them further, “Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about…. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat…. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision” (Joel 3:9-14). The message is one of action and impending struggle in preparation for the Savior’s return. In response to the coming calamities he urged the righteous, “Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God” (Joel 1:14). He said again similarly in the next chapter: “Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children” (Joel 2:15-16). There will of course be terrible events that take place preceding the second coming, of which Joel wrote, and so we need to hearken to Joel with fasting and prayer and seeking the Lord earnestly through tumultuous times.

               Though much of Joel’s message is a sobering reminder of the scary events on the world stage preceding the Savior’s return, the prophet also left us with powerful words of hope for the faithful. The prophet reminded us, “And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word” (Joel 2:11). The Lord is more powerful than any other earthly force, and Joel gave this powerful testimony to the righteous: “Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: and repent, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and he will turn away the evil from you.” If we will turn to Him will all our hearts we will find His grace and mercy and kindness. Joel continued, “Therefore repent, and who knoweth but he will return and leave a blessing behind him” (JST Joel 2:12-14). We have this symbolic promise from Him about a future day when tribulations will be past: “Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen…. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed” (Joel 2:19, 26-27). He will provide for our future and we will be satisfied in Him no matter what tribulation we may face in mortality. I love the thought that He is in the midst and in the end we will not be ashamed if we stay true to the Savior. Perhaps my favorite verse from Joel is this powerful declaration about the Lord: “The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel” (Joel 3:16). His voice will be heard, no matter how much the world tries to block it now, and He is our Hope and Strength if we will but be His people.