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I’m thinking I should begin with an apology I want to go through the Gospel of Mark for my own sake - not as another “Bible study,” • but to draw close to Jesus and spend time with him ◦ I need to listen to him– observe him– fill my heart and mind with him • so I am going to take you with me ◦ and Mark will be our guide, our eyes and ears ◦ his stories will bring Jesus within reach - my personal need is a recalibration • I’ve acquired too many “priorities” • when Martha was in a similar spiritual/mental state, Jesus told her, “you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary . . .” (Lk. 10:38-42) ◦ that one thing was for her to sit awhile at Jesus’ feet "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ" (New Revised Standard Version) At last! Some good news - good news is always a relief, always hopeful

Intro: Last week God gave Joel an announcement to deliver The Lord had summoned the nations to appear in his court specifically, kingdoms that attacked and plundered Judahnow, Joel’s prophecies close with the court proceedingsdoes it ever feel satisfying to you when justice is served?there are certain crimes, so deceitful and cruel, ◦ that when criminals are caught, it triggers specific reactions ◦ relief, the restoration of balance, security, maybe joyfor most of Israel’s history–especially after Babylonian exile ◦ they were a weak and defenseless nation ◦ neighboring kingdoms exploited this disadvantagethrough Joel, God promised his people a day of justice

In our passage, there will be two parts to Joel’s prophecy He first delivers a brief message regarding his people – a promise - but then his word turns to a threat on “all the nations” • specifically those that have ransacked Judah and Jerusalem • these two parts of the message are connected: ◦ God, helping his people, entails harming their enemies - do we need to be upset, that to restore his people and their nation, the Lord attacked their enemies? ◦ if there is another way to break the power of oppressors, to rescue and liberate the oppressed - the world hasn’t found it ◦ the agents causing the trouble must be neutralized • what is revealed in the following verses is a vision of Israel’s destiny ◦ in part one, God clears the way for it ◦ in part two, the people prepare themselves for God

This is one of the most remarkable passages in all the Bible For me, it is second only to John’s introduction of Jesus “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:1 and 14) - what makes this prophecy given to Joel extraordinary, • is this experience of the Spirit that is promised was definitely exclusive ◦ this is clear from a passage I have frequently quoted ◦ when Moses complained his assignment was too much for him, God told him, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel . . . and bring them into the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there. And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them . . . . ¶ Then the LORD came down in the cloud . . . and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it” (Nu. 11:17 and 25)

Thirty years ago Reba McEntire released a song, “If I Had Only Known” It is a typically “country” tear jerker If I had only known It was the last walk in the rain I’d keep you out for hours in the storm I would hold your hand Like a life line to my heart Underneath the thunder we’d be warm If I had only known It was our last walk in the rain If I had only known I’d never hear your voice again I’d memorize each thing you ever said . . . etcetera – it hits a nerve, because we’ve all felt the regret it expresses • things would be different not; would have been avoided; or would have turned out better ◦ if only we had known – that’s the reason, for the second time, Joel says, “Blast the ram’s horn in Zion” • the first time, in verse 1, it was to sound the alarm regarding the approaching invasion ◦ this time it is a call to action • a terrible disaster is approaching Jerusalem, ◦ but something can be done – the city can be saved

Have you ever received an Amber Alert on cell your phone? It’s so loud and annoying, there’s no way you can ignore it - this is the sort of attention-getter Joel calls for in verse 1 “Blow the ram’s horn in Zion,  sound the alarm on my holy mountain” • sentinels were posted on Jerusalem’s walls, ◦ and Joel tells them to sound the shofar and alert the people ◦ because a massive, hostile army was approaching the holy city • after what we read last week, the danger Joel announces seems a little strange ◦ we expect him to warn of the “locust plague,” but instead he warns of , “the day of the LORD” - now because of what we’ve been told in past decades, this needs a bit of explaining

Friday our nation observed the tragedies of “9/11" and those we lost Many of us remember the very moment when we first heart of it - for several hours we could hardly breathe • we watched endless reruns of two airliners, smashing into the iconic “Twin Towers” in New York City ◦ we didn’t want to see it, but we couldn’t look away ◦ we could not avoid the reality of it • and each time we looked, we felt helpless, outrage, and extreme sadness - every disaster of that magnitude, wounds a country’s soul • we don’t just walk away and return to our usual routine ◦ it creates a fog of confusion that we feel we must sort out ◦ it stirs up insecurities that leave us groping for answers • for sometime after, we remain alert, sensitive, aware ◦ for awhile, we’re ready to listen; we’re paying attention and eager to learn This is the right time for us to approach the prophecies of Joel Israel was experiencing a catastrophic trauma - it was not localized, but spread across the entire nation • at times in this first chapter, Joel sounds like a newscaster; ◦ reporting the wide range of destruction ◦ the food source of the entire country was running out • Joel, however, was not merely delivering a report; ◦ he was delivering “The word of the LORD”