Today’s reading: Joel 2; Mark 4
The imagery Joel puts to the day of the Lord really helps drive home the contrast. There will be no middle ground on that day. For those opposed to the Lord, it will be a day of absolute terror and unrelenting destruction, but for the Lord’s people, it will be a day of celebration, joy, peace, and unrelenting hope.
Joel starts out with the opening picture of the advance of the Lord's army. "The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but behind them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them." No mountain, weapon, wall, or house can stop the advance of this army, and every person grows pale in anguish before them. Absolute devastation, total destruction, and no way to hide or escape... This would be truly terrifying!
But then, into the utter destruction left by the Lord's army, Joel speaks to the land and the beasts, "Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things! Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and vine give their full yield." Where the Lord's army left a "desolate wilderness" behind them, the Lord brings forth green pastures and flowering trees. And it's not just the restoration of the land and animals, but also of the Lord's people who are not only restored, but more blessed than they have ever been before.
The imagery in this chapter just really helps drive home how much, for the Lord's enemies, the coming Day of the Lord should be dreaded above all else, but for the Lord's people, it should be anticipated, welcomed, and celebrated above all else.
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