[Steve Myers] I hope you’ve noticed our Beyond Today biweekly Bible Studies that are archived on the web. We’ve been doing a series on the Minor Prophets, and I covered one in the studies that was on the book of Joel.

And to summarize the book of Joel, it’s an amazing connection to recognize what Joel brings us to. Joel is a book about the Day of the Lord. It’s about the end times. But it doesn’t just leave us hanging with doom and gloom. In fact, a remarkable aspect about the book of Joel is the words that you find there. One of the interesting aspects about the book of Joel is it has the highest concentration of imperatives in all of the Old Testament. Those would be the words that are directive words, words of command, words of instruction, words of exhortation – and Joel is a lot about that. Because of the doom, the gloom, the desolation that is coming upon this world – the Day of the Lord and God’s wrath is coming – well, because of that, Joel brings a message of action. It’s time to take action. And Joel was not just talking to Judah. He was talking to us today.

There are so many aspects of prophecies in the book of Joel that didn’t fit with Judah, that were never fulfilled and are forward-looking. And so recognize that very fact in the book of Joel, that we need to take action. And a good example of this is in chapter 2 and in verse 12. Joel 2:12 says this: “Therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart’” – that’s one of those imperatives. “’Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, with mourning. Rend your hearts, and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is graceful and merciful’” –actually, it says, “gracious and merciful” – “’slow to anger and of great kindness, and He relents from doing harm.’”

What a great reminder for all of us to look at our own lives, to recognize God’s plan is sure. There is a difficult time ahead. Let’s get our lives straightened out now. Let’s take the direction, let’s take those commands, let’s take those instructions and grow ever closer in our relationship with God. What a wonderful message for today.

That’s BT Daily. We’ll see you next time.