'JOEL'  

Bible Study    by      ELLA ROSE MAST

We are looking at the writings of one of the Minor Prophets.  The time for this prophet's writing would be long before the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of Judea.  Joel was with the tribe of Judah and Benjamin in Babylonian captivity.  And Jeremiah, the 'Crying Prophet', was in Jerusalem, while Daniel was in Babylon.  Ezekiel was also in Babylon and some of the time in Judea.  The House of Israel and some of the House of Judah had some time before this, been removed from the old land and were now in their march to destiny, altho the people did not quite understand just what was happening to them.

Joel will describe for you what happened to them to bring about this great tragedy.  However, his book is also not the words of Joel, himself.  For this first verse tells you that this is 'The word of the LORD' which came to Joel:---

'You are admonished to 'Hear'.----this is a call to awake---and when talking about the old men, these are not official Elders of Israel, but those whose memory goes back the furthermost in the past.  ---'Tell your children, and their children, and have them pass it on to the next generation.'  In otherwords, listen carefully and realize just who is the enemy of the Kingdom people and why they are attacking the Kingdom of God.  Then be sure you install this knowledge in your children through the generations.

"That which the Palmer worm hath left, hath the Locust eaten, and that which the Locust hath left the Cankerworm hath eaten, and that which the Cankerworm hath left hath the Caterpillar eaten."

According to the Companion Bible, this is Joel's explanation as to what happened to Israel over the years.  And these worms are simply four words used to show the completeness of their destroying agencies which have over the years been attacking the Kingdom.

This expression---'The Day of the LORD',--marks the time limit or the 'end time' when YAHWEH-YAHSHUA CALLS A HALT TO THIS DESTRUCTION, AND THEN RESTORES HIS PEOPLE.'  Thus we read of a 'Call to repent'---meaning, change your thinking--awake.  For the time has arrived for this last all out attack on God's Holy Mountain or HIS KINGDOM.  Here with this prophet, the enemy is likened to Worms which over the years have been eating at the Kingdom.  And the covenant people are almost over come by this constant attack of this same enemy altho under different names from the time of Adam up to now.  You are told to blow the trumpet in Zion--and this is calling the attention of God's to the fact that this 'Day of the LORD' has finally arrived.  Thus Joel is by our understanding saying to Israel, to these Covenant people who are seemingly in blindness as he tried to stop Adam and Eve in the beginning, hoping to stop the beginning of this Kingdom God was setting in earth.  This work would be to destroy the Children of Light by mongrelization.

The Locust symbolized the work of Lucifer's children always on the attack against the Kingdom.  And the Cankerworm symbolizes the attack on YAHWEH Himself, as He came as YAHSHUA--Savior to save His children from their transgressions.  Their attack was also against the Apostles as they moved out to gather Lost Israel and tell them of their redemption.  And the Caterpillar with his many legs symbolizes the last great attack on the Kingdom from all angles.

When studying this Prophet Joel, you must keep the symbols distinct from what is being symbolized or you will be confused.  For this is a battle.  As on going battle.  And a description of both sides of this struggle.  In order to take over our nation for this last great battle to stop the Administration of the Kingdom from coming forth, then you would expect, and you have seen, whether you realized it or not, the drive to take over the religion of this nation, so as to live like Parasites.  Or as Joel said:--'Locust on the backs of our people.'  To do this it was necessary to at least suggest that you maintain its laws and the framework of our government UNTIL YOU CAN TAKE OVER FULL CONTROL.

Here in the United States those calling themselves Liberals came in as refugees, but then they moved into both the Democratic and Republican political parties.  They gave lip service to our constitution, our Congress, our Parliamentary rules even as they desired a socialist Dictatorship with them filling the ruling positions.  Actually when they had to give lip service, and become a part of the government, while they change it to what they want it to become.  (Is that the position we find ourselves in today?)

As we come up to this final stage of this last battle between the Children of Light and the Children of Darkness, we see this instruction way back here in the Old Testament:  'Gather all the people of the kingdom.  Let the Priest, the Minister of the LORD weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say:--Spare thy people, O YAHWEH, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over these your children of the Kingdom, lest they should say among the people---WHERE IS THEIR GOD?

In this book of the Prophet Joel, this 'Day of the LORD' is the great subject of Joel's prophecy.  And in that day the 'Destruction' is from the Almighty.  As those now dwelling among us now say:--'where is your God? Why doesn't HE help you? then YAHWEH remembers His people and Evil is then removed.  The enemies are finally taken out of your land.

To help at this time, and in this situation so that we will understand, we are told that YAHWEH have us the 'Former rain' which came in the days of the Apostles, but He will give us a 'Latter rain' and this will be a spiritual power.  And HE restores to you than the years that the Locust hath eaten, as well as all the Cankerworm, and the Caterpillar have destroyed as they helped the Palmer worm---and HE does this because HE sent them among you for a purpose.  He sent them for an education for you and to prove to them that at the end HE is still in control.  This is His earth and His people here and He will have His own way.  And in the process as you occupy here in a physical body then you are also learning who the enemy of the Kingdom is, and has been al thru the history of this race.  He sent them among you even tho He knew by foreknowledge what would happen.  Thus HE also gave you the promise of restoration before you came.  And that promise has been in your history all thru the years.  And He fulfilled it.  And then He says that when this is all over, then He will restore all things to you which have been taken from you.  then you will live well, and be satisfied and will Praise the name of YAHWEH THY YAHSHUA who hath actually dealt wondrously with you and HE says:--'And My people shall never be ashamed.'  This is repeated at the end of the next verse for emphasis.  Thus all is forgiven us as we stumbled and fell so many times in our occupying of this earth, as we were all unbeknown to most---building this Kingdom in Earth, as 'it is in Heaven.'

Verse 28-32--Explains the Spiritual blessings and the restoration, and the gifts from our Father.  The pouring out of the spirit on all the people in the Kingdom, here in the flesh, is for the enabling of His people to think on these things.  You were told that in these latter years, there would be blood on the moon.  And--Yes--Adamites did walk on the moon.  This has already happened.  This occurred before this promised---'Great--and terrible Day of the LORD.'  Great for the Children of the Kingdom and terrible for the children of Darkness, these enemies of the Kingdom.

In Chapter 3, the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem is discussed, and the bringing release of this captivity from under the control of the children of darkness, and then going further HE brings all Israel back to HIM, and in the finale of this story HE gathers the nations for Judgement for what they have done to HIS people.

The Valley of Jehoshaphat is simply the Valley of Judgement for the whole World Order, where ever the enemy is, even in the United Nations and in our churches and so forth.  The prophecy here instead of contracting widens out to the final judgement of all the nations of the World Order, such as we find in Matthew 31:4.

There is no Resurrection here in this prophecy for here we see only this judgement on the enemy.  And as we read of the Valley of Decision--when it says:--'He will plead with them'--actually this is saying in the original, that HE will judge them.  Notice then how YAHWEH-YAHSHUA says:--'My people' as He calls Israel  AMMI --forgetful--and the judgement turns on HOW the nations have treated --'MY people'---not upon the grounds of justification by Faith.

Now, we see included in this--not just Judah, but all the 12 tribes of Israel.  And in verse 19:--'Egypt (symbol of the World Order) shall be a desolation and Edom (those Jews from the Esau and Cainanite mixture) shall be a wilderness.'  Those were the ones who took over Jerusalem and were there at the time of Jesus.

The children of darkness are still with us today and still they do not believe in our God as they try to take over our nation and force us under a One World Government.

In this writings of Joel, we have always wondered just what is meant by the passage:--'vs. 21--"He will cleanse the blood of His people, that He has not cleansed."  Dr. Swift thought this means He removes the sins of His people.  For remember, it was violation of law which led to their sins.  But also remember that HE says He sent the enemy among you.  And yes--He knew what would happen.  In the Ferrar Fenton Bible, it says:--'And I will requite for their unavenged blood; for the LORD has His dwelling in Zion.'  

The Companion Bible also says that to cleanse their blood, means that this could only be done by avenging it.  Thus judgement comes on the enemy.

Once more we need to repeat that the promises are to us.  Therefore we hang on for we are going to be delivered.  Our Father has not forgotten us, altho it just seems like it at times.  Perhaps we have delayed in asking for His help, since we think we should do most everything for ourselves??

Until next time-------------