what God was thinking of doing but his prayers (Amos 7: 2 and 4) persuaded God to

`repent' (7: 3, 6) and not follow that course of action. Thus Joel implies that God's

immediate actions depended upon what the people did. The balance between God's

sovereignty and man's free will is indeed difficult and not the subject of these writings.

Let it be said that God is working to a predetermined plan and purpose which nothing can

thwart but because His is almighty He is able to get from most points in His plan to the

next by an infinity of pathways. Man or Satan may try and block some of these but they

cannot block them all. Thus Joel states that if these people will turn to God and rend

their hearts then He will "turn and have pity" (N.I.V.).

In Jonah 3: 8, 9 the people there "turned from their evil ways" and God did not

cause the proposed judgment to fall. Would these people, the ones to whom Joel was

sent, would these repent and turn to God? To encourage them even further Joel develops

his rhetorical hypothesis with:

The reference to the Lord leaving a blessing would suggest that Joel was thinking that

the Lord would miraculously step in and provide a new harvest.  "Blessings" and

"harvest" would be linked in the minds of these people as indicated in Isa. 65: 8.  If

another harvest did come about then the people would again be able to go to the priest

with their offerings--including the meal and drink offerings. Thus if the people did

repent, turn and rend their hearts the subsequent blessing is not only likened to the

restoration of the land from drought, locusts and fire but also to the restoration of the

people's access to God through their acceptable worship, part of which was the meal and

drink offerings.

Joel 2: 15. Once again, in verse 15, there is the call to blow the trumpet. Thos who

know how much this instrument figures in the book of Revelation will not be surprised if

it isn't long before Joel is again dealing with future issues but before he does that we

should note that Joel is calling everyone. No one is to be left out.

Joel 2: 16. Here Joel seems to become more urgent perhaps realizing the importance

of what he is about to say. One can sense this from the short, sharp statements of this

Short, snappy orders. This urgency is however, most exhorted by the call for the bride

and the groom. If the trumpet was sounded because of the presence of an `ordinary'

enemy and for a `normal' war, the groom would not be `called up' for a year

(Deut.xxiv.5). Also the references to the chamber and closet and bridal canopy suggest

even `newly weds'; even those on their wedding day. Such is Joel's urgency for here he