So What Should We Expect?

9th Sunday after Pentecost, 8/10/14
Joel 3:12-16


So What Should We Expect?
I. Expect the Lord to judge all nations.
II. Expect the Lord to rescue his people.


It doesn’t happen every day, but there are days when I’m filled with fear and trepidation over what’s happening in our country and in our world. I don’t think I’m the only one here today who has concluded that our country has lost its moral compass. A majority of Americans no longer cares what God says in his word, in fact they deny that the Bible is the word of God in the first place. That’s why people do whatever pleases them. They do whatever they think is right and best for them. The scamming and the bald-faced lying that goes on are staggering and the excuse is that it’s just part of life; that’s the way things are done. What used to be foolish and filthy is now acceptable. I can’t even bear to think what it will be like 20 or 30 years from now. Being a Christian here in the US isn’t easy.

And don’t think that things are better someplace else in the world. At least here I’m free to worship the true God as I please. In some places of the word that will cost you your job, your home and even your life. That’s bad enough, but then we get daily doses of the world news which brings senseless wars and the resulting death and carnage right into our homes. Each week brings some new tragedy, some new scandal, and we seem powerless to prevent it.

OK. By now you’re saying, “Enough already!” I hear you. But then it dawns on us that our God tells us that he knows all. He sees all. And our reaction as his people is filled with exasperation. If you see, Lord, and if you know, why don’t you do something about it? And as time staggers on and nothing changes, we wonder if he will ever do anything about it.

It’s well known that misery loves company and so I’ll assure you that you’re not alone in feeling this way. In fact, God’s people have been feeling this way about the evil in our world throughout its sinful history. If you’re one of them, then God’s word this morning through his prophet Joel is just what you need to hear. We can and should expect that God will do something about it. So what should you expect? Listen as the Lord answers that question for us this morning.

Part I.

Are you familiar with the concept of “karma”? Most of you are. Karma is the belief that you will be rewarded for the good that you do and punished for the evil you do. Somehow in some way at some time the scales of justice will get balanced. People use karma as an incentive to do what’s right and to avoid doing what’s wrong.

But you probably don’t have to think very hard to debunk the concept of karma. Walk the halls of any children’s hospital in our country. Karma has nothing to do with deadly childhood diseases. Meanwhile greedy swindlers get filthy rich and all too often avoid arrest and prosecution. You try every day to do what’s right at your place of employment while it’s obvious your co-worker does not. But she enjoys the perks and you get dumped on.

That’s the way things were during the days of Joel the prophet. God’s people were suffering and it was coming from two sources. First, God’s people were suffering because of an historic plague of locusts. Swarms of them had descended on the entire land and had ruined all the crops. Everything in their fields and trees had been devoured by the locusts. The farmers were devastated. Those who raised flocks and herds had nothing to feed their animals and could only watch as they slowly starved to death. Food for the people was in short supply.

But that wasn’t the worst of their suffering. The nations around the Jews didn’t rally to their aid; in fact, they did the opposite. They used this opportunity to harass the helpless Jews. Nations such as Tyre, Sidon and Philistia raided the Jews and even captured and sold some of the people as slaves. God’s people were suffering and he didn’t appear to be doing anything about it. In fact, they could have been wondering if God even cared.

God used Joel to tell the people that indeed he did care. Listen again to what he said, “Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow—so great is their wickedness!” Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble.” We know from ancient history that God did deal with the nations of Tyre and Sidon and Philistia. He did bring relief to his people. But it didn’t last. Future suffering and trouble would occur. Some of it would be their own fault. At other times they were innocent victims.

So what’s the solution? Take a closer look at what Joel stated. The Lord isn’t singling out a few nations; he calls for judgment on all nations. He speaks about the Valley of Jehoshaphat. He uses the picture of a harvester’s sickle and the treading out of grapes in winepresses that were overflowing. He refers to multitudes of people of all nations. And then he states that the sun, moon and stars will no longer function as he himself roars and thunders with his decisions of judgment. To what is he referring?

By now many of you have likely recognized that he speaking about the final judgment, the great day of judgment. Jesus plainly promised to return on the Last Day to judge all people. That’s when all evil will end. That’s when the scales of divine justice will be even.

As we look at all the evil happening in our world, what should we expect our God to do about it? Expect the Lord to judge all nations.

So our God is telling us to wait until Judgment Day for him to take care of things. But too often that doesn’t sit well with us. We want him to reward us for the good we do and punish those who do evil now. We want justice now. But be careful about taking that position with the holy God. If that’s what you want, then you should have been dying on Calvary’s cross; not Jesus. There’s where God did the “unjust” thing and you received eternal blessings because of it. You didn’t deserve to become a Christian, but God made you one when his Holy Spirit gave you faith in Jesus as your Savior. And now, as one of his people, we need to know that we’ll still suffer in this evil world. In fact, we have the added suffering of being a Christian. So place the suffering you’re facing and the daily aggravation that evil brings you into the hands of your loving God and let him work things out in a way that’s best for you. That’s what you can expect.

Part II.

Expect the Lord to judge all nations. There’s a side to that truth which comforts us. But then it dawns on us to be careful what we wish for. “All nations” includes everyone. “All nations” includes me. It includes you. And that truth might make us more than a little uncomfortable. If so, focus on these closing words of our Lord from Joel: “But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.”

He calls you “his people.” He calls you his “Israel.” He has rescued you. How so?

By the life and death of your Savior, Jesus Christ. In his word God assures you that he credits the holy life of Jesus to you. In his word God assures you that Jesus died for your sins, all of them. His death removed your guilt and punishment. By faith in Jesus we are holy and blameless in God’s eyes.

How can I be sure of that? Because we don’t have a dead Savior; we have a living Savior, a Savior who rose from the dead to assure us that we have forgiveness and eternal life in heaven. That Savior’s resurrection assures us that we have already been rescued from the judgment on the Last Day. Indeed, the Lord is our refuge and stronghold.

So, as the heavenly bodies disappear on that Last Day, these are the words we’ll hear from our gracious and loving God: “Come, inherit the kingdom I have prepared for you. It’s yours because you trust in me as your Savior.” How can I be sure? Because that’s what Jesus said in his word and he is faithful to everything he has ever said.

So what can you expect? Expect the Lord to rescue his people.

So we’re back where we started. As God’s people, we see and hear the evil that rages all around us in our world. And there are days when we’re filled with fear and trepidation. There are days when the evil fills us with pain and righteous anger. We wonder what our God is going to do about it and he tells us to expect him to judge all nations and to rescue his people. And that won’t happen until Jesus returns in glory on the Last Day. No wonder Christians have been looking for Jesus to return ever since he left this earth the first time. No wonder why God’s people have been praying for him to return quickly. You can do so without any fear because you’ve been rescued by your Savior. He’s made you his own dear child by faith in him. Eternity with your Savior is all set for you. That’s what you can expect. Now go and live in the joy and confidence of that great truth! Amen.