Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand— a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come. Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste— nothing escapes them. They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry. With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle.

Joel describes a time to beware of impending destruction. This is normally the time when the town bell rings and everyone takes a defensive position. Except this time, the foe is so great they should run and hide.

When God’s fury is unleashed through a godless nation (who are less evil than you are) — whoa, it’s time to sober up and repent of your sin! The descriptions here are of chariots so powerful they bound on the mountains. Darkness, gloom and doom define the coming days of judgment.

The day of the Lord is coming against an evil and unjust people, the Isrealites. It reminds me of this verse that was intended to encourage the Israelites regarding the destruction of their enemies: ““Have I not kept this in reserve and sealed it in my vaults? It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.” (‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭32‬:‭34‬-‭35‬). Except the judgment applies in reverse to the Israelites.

Oh, to be under the judgment of a mighty God!

Lord, I repent of the sins of my nation. I pray that you will bring us to repentance of our lukewarm ways of pretending to follow you and this world both at the same time. This is not possible. Turn the hearts of your people in our churches and rend them to your will.