What struck me the most when going through the book of Joel is seeing Joel's response to his revelation about the Day of the Lord. He was so urgent in his call to the people to repent and to consecrate themselves. He saw the severity and the awful state that the human heart was in. He saw that day and trembled. Yet at the same time he knew who God was, "slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love" (2:13). He knew God was ready to forgive in an instant, but he also knew that the Day of the Lord still had to come.
When Joel prophecies about this day he calls it, "awesome" (2:31). This struck me as odd. The Day of the Lord is understood as a judgement day. Why would he call it "awesome"? That word in Hebrew is "gadol" which means, "great, high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing" (e-Sword, Strongs).
It struck me that Joel used that word to describe the Day of the Lord after he had just foretold of it's judgement. How could he use a word like that? Why did he?
Because it was an awesome day. Joel's prophecy has already been fulfilled as we can find in Acts 2:13-21. It appears that Peter talks about Jesus being the fulfillment of that prophecy. After going through and reading and studying about the judgement of God in Joel, my heart burst with new revelation of just what Jesus did for me on the cross.
Truly, no one can stand against the judgement of God. Which is why Jesus did. What crazy unfathomable love is that! God, still being true to Himself and true to His word, made a way to have relationship with us! My goodness! He made a way for those who believe to have His Spirit of comfort, joy, and peace. He made a way for mankind to have full restoration.
God loves us more than we deserve.
It is very unpopular to talk about the judgement of God in Christian circles, and really just in society as a whole today. We want to "win people to Christ" through love. Don't share the wrath and judgement side of it.
If we don't share God's judgement and justice, we can never fully appreciate or understand the cross. Let's not let ourselves forget that Jesus bore that full wrath and judgement on the Day of the Lord for us. God's judgement is not something that should be left out of the gospel message. I would argue that the beauty of the Gospel is not whole without understanding God's judgement.
We owe all to Christ, because without Him we cannot stand.
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