Mourn like a virgin in sackcloth grieving for the betrothed of her youth. Grain offerings and drink offerings are cut off from the house of the Lord. The priests are in mourning, those who minister before the Lord. The fields are ruined, the ground is dried up; the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, the olive oil fails. Despair, you farmers, wail, you vine growers; grieve for the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field is destroyed. The vine is dried up and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree— all the trees of the field—are dried up. Surely the people’s joy is withered away.

In the book, the Count of Monte Cristo (my favorite classic), Edmond Dantes is engaged to the beautiful Mercedes just after being named captain of a ship at a very young age. Love so complete. But on the night of their wedding, Edmond was torn away from his bride and arrested. This is all because of two jealous crewmen who wanted his job, and his best friend, who wanted his girl. They did not like him for his success, and so they spoke lies about him to the authorities. He was arrested as a conspirator with Bonaparte and thrown into a dungeon.

Joel calls his people to mourn as this bride would mourn, with her love, her supporter, and her life torn away from her. Why? We are given a hint by the fact that grain and drink offerings are no longer accepted in the house of God. The people are being judged for their sin.

The spiritual leaders are mourning, the “fields are ruined, the ground is dried up; the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, the olive oil fails.” This is a really dire spot to be in for the Jews. The bones are dried up and the trees are withered away! Nothing good remains.

While this may be a physical condition, I see a parallel here to the condition of the hearts of the Israelites. Their hearts have become dry, hard, and there is no room for the Spirit of God in their souls. This is the end result of a life lived in sin.

And so as Joel says, I say to my friends who are listening: Repent and mourn for the judgement of your sins. Wail! Turn from your sin and wickedness. Or beware, the judgement of the Lord Almighty will fall upon you.

Lord, you know my heart is heavy for those I love who do not follow you. They dabble in sin, all the while refusing to wholeheartedly follow you. Convict them and help them to mourn of the evil in their hearts, as Joel did. May they turn back to you! Redeem them, Father, for your name’s sake!