1. Joel 2:12-14

3. But, what is true repentance?

4. Rend Your Hearts  Many have the idea that true repentance is being sorry for one’s sin.

5. Rend Your Hearts  Many have the idea that true repentance is being sorry for one’s sin.  One must be sorry for his sins.

6. Rend Your Hearts  Many have the idea that true repentance is being sorry for one’s sin.  One must be sorry for his sins. › “Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death” (2 Cor 7:10, ESV).

7. Rend Your Hearts  Many have the idea that true repentance is being sorry for one’s sin.  One must be sorry for his sins. › “Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death” (2 Cor 7:10, ESV). › Godly sorrow is sorrow that God’s will has been violated, not that one has been caught.

8. Rend Your Hearts  Many have the idea that true repentance is being sorry for one’s sin.  One must be sorry for his sins.  True repentance begins with godly sorrow & ends with a change of behavior.

9. Rend Your Hearts  Many have the idea that true repentance is being sorry for one’s sin.  One must be sorry for his sins.  True repentance begins with godly sorrow & ends with a change of behavior. › “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Mt 3:8, ESV).

10. Rend Your Hearts  Many have the idea that true repentance is being sorry for one’s sin.  One must be sorry for his sins.  True repentance begins with godly sorrow & ends with a change of behavior. › “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Mt 3:8, ESV). › The fruit of repentance is a changed life, a life which no longer lives in sin.

12. Joel 2:12-14

13. vv 12-13a

14. Rend Your Hearts  “‘Yet even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.’”

15. Rend Your Hearts  Joel depicts a horrible plague of locusts that has come upon the Israelites.

16. Rend Your Hearts  Joel depicts a horrible plague of locusts that has come upon the Israelites. › “What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten” (1:4, ESV).

17. Rend Your Hearts  Joel depicts a horrible plague of locusts that has come upon the Israelites. › “What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten” (1:4, ESV). › “It has laid waste my vine and splintered my fig tree; it has stripped off their bark and thrown it down; their branches are made white” (1:7, ESV).

18. Rend Your Hearts  Joel depicts a horrible plague of locusts that has come upon the Israelites. › “What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten” (1:4, ESV). › “It has laid waste my vine and splintered my fig tree; it has stripped off their bark and thrown it down; their branches are made white” (1:7, ESV).  The call to repent here comes from a great catastrophe.

19. Rend Your Hearts  The Lord encourages the Israelites to return to him “now.”

20. Rend Your Hearts  The Lord encourages the Israelites to return to him “now.” › The Israelites couldn’t wait for repentance.

21. Rend Your Hearts  The Lord encourages the Israelites to return to him “now.” › The Israelites couldn’t wait for repentance. God’s punishment was on them & they needed to act quickly.

22. Rend Your Hearts  The Lord encourages the Israelites to return to him “now.” › The Israelites couldn’t wait for repentance. God’s punishment was on them & they needed to act quickly. › We, too, cannot wait to repent.

23. Rend Your Hearts  The Lord encourages the Israelites to return to him “now.” › The Israelites couldn’t wait for repentance. God’s punishment was on them & they needed to act quickly. › We, too, cannot wait to repent.  Joshua: “Choose this day whom you will serve” (Josh 24:15, ESV).

24. Rend Your Hearts  The Lord encourages the Israelites to return to him “now.” › The Israelites couldn’t wait for repentance. God’s punishment was on them & they needed to act quickly. › We, too, cannot wait to repent.  Joshua: “Choose this day whom you will serve” (Josh 24:15, ESV).  “ Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness” (Heb 3:7-8, ESV).

25. Rend Your Hearts  The Lord wants the Israelites to turn to him with all their heart.

26. Rend Your Hearts  The Lord wants the Israelites to turn to him with all their heart. › God will not accept half-hearted repentance.

27. Rend Your Hearts  The Lord wants the Israelites to turn to him with all their heart. › God will not accept half-hearted repentance. › God wants our entire lives to be under his control.

28. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites were to turn to God with fasting, weeping, & mourning.

29. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites were to turn to God with fasting, weeping, & mourning. › Fasting, weeping, & mourning were common ways to show contrition in Joel’s day.

30. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites were to turn to God with fasting, weeping, & mourning. › Fasting, weeping, & mourning were common ways to show contrition in Joel’s day. › In times of crisis, the Israelites fasted.

31. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites were to turn to God with fasting, weeping, & mourning. › Fasting, weeping, & mourning were common ways to show contrition in Joel’s day. › In times of crisis, the Israelites fasted.  When Saul & Jonathan were killed, Israel fasted (2 Sm 1:12).

32. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites were to turn to God with fasting, weeping, & mourning. › Fasting, weeping, & mourning were common ways to show contrition in Joel’s day. › In times of crisis, the Israelites fasted.  When Saul & Jonathan were killed, Israel fasted (2 Sm 1:12).  When the son born to David & Bathsheba became ill, David fasted & prayed (2 Sm 12:16).

33. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites were to turn to God with fasting, weeping, & mourning. › Fasting, weeping, & mourning were common ways to show contrition in Joel’s day. › In times of crisis, the Israelites fasted. › The people were also to weep.

34. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites were to turn to God with fasting, weeping, & mourning. › Fasting, weeping, & mourning were common ways to show contrition in Joel’s day. › In times of crisis, the Israelites fasted. › The people were also to weep; sin often brings about weeping.

35. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites were to turn to God with fasting, weeping, & mourning. › Fasting, weeping, & mourning were common ways to show contrition in Joel’s day. › In times of crisis, the Israelites fasted. › The people were also to weep; sin often brings about weeping.  Because Moab had sinned against God, God was going to judge them & everyone wailed & melted in tears (Is 15:3).

36. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites were to turn to God with fasting, weeping, & mourning. › Fasting, weeping, & mourning were common ways to show contrition in Joel’s day. › In times of crisis, the Israelites fasted. › The people were also to weep; sin often brings about weeping.  Because Moab had sinned against God, God was going to judge them & everyone wailed & melted in tears (Is 15:3).  Because Israel had forgotten God, weeping & weeping could be heard in the heights (Jer 3:21).

37. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites were to turn to God with fasting, weeping, & mourning. › Fasting, weeping, & mourning were common ways to show contrition in Joel’s day. › In times of crisis, the Israelites fasted. › The people were also to weep; sin often brings about weeping. › The people were to mourn.

38. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites were to turn to God with fasting, weeping, & mourning. › Fasting, weeping, & mourning were common ways to show contrition in Joel’s day. › In times of crisis, the Israelites fasted. › The people were also to weep; sin often brings about weeping. › The people were to mourn.  The Heb term used here means to wail.

39. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites were to turn to God with fasting, weeping, & mourning. › Fasting, weeping, & mourning were common ways to show contrition in Joel’s day. › In times of crisis, the Israelites fasted. › The people were also to weep; sin often brings about weeping. › The people were to mourn.  The Heb term used here means to wail.  This term commonly referred to the type of activity at a funeral.

40. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites needed to rend their hearts, not their garments.

41. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites needed to rend their hearts, not their garments. › One common feature of ancient mourning was the tearing of garments.

42. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites needed to rend their hearts, not their garments. › One common feature of ancient mourning was the tearing of garments. › But, the people needed to tear their hearts, not their clothing.

43. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites needed to rend their hearts, not their garments. › One common feature of ancient mourning was the tearing of garments. › But, the people needed to tear their hearts, not their clothing.  The rending of the heart symbolizes true contrition & remorse.

44. Rend Your Hearts  The Israelites needed to rend their hearts, not their garments. › One common feature of ancient mourning was the tearing of garments. › But, the people needed to tear their hearts, not their clothing.  The rending of the heart symbolizes true contrition & remorse.  God does not despise a broken & contrite heart (Ps 51:17).

45. Rend Your Hearts  The people needed to return to the Lord their God.

46. Rend Your Hearts  The people needed to return to the Lord their God. › The fact that they are told to return to the Lord demonstrates that they had a previous relationship with God.

47. Rend Your Hearts  The people needed to return to the Lord their God. › The fact that they are told to return to the Lord demonstrates that they had a previous relationship with God. BUT, THEY HAD LEFT GOD.

48. Rend Your Hearts  The people needed to return to the Lord their God. › The fact that they are told to return to the Lord demonstrates that they had a previous relationship with God. BUT, THEY HAD LEFT GOD. › We, too, can leave God.

49. Rend Your Hearts  The people needed to return to the Lord their God. › The fact that they are told to return to the Lord demonstrates that they had a previous relationship with God. BUT, THEY HAD LEFT GOD. › We, too, can leave God.  “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace” (Gal 5:4, ESV).

50. Rend Your Hearts  The people needed to return to the Lord their God. › The fact that they are told to return to the Lord demonstrates that they had a previous relationship with God. BUT, THEY HAD LEFT GOD. › We, too, can leave God.  Gal 5:4.

51. Rend Your Hearts  The people needed to return to the Lord their God. › The fact that they are told to return to the Lord demonstrates that they had a previous relationship with God. BUT, THEY HAD LEFT GOD. › We, too, can leave God.  Gal 5:4.  “My righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him” (Heb 10:38, ESV).

52. Rend Your Hearts  The people needed to return to the Lord their God. › The fact that they are told to return to the Lord demonstrates that they had a previous relationship with God. BUT, THEY HAD LEFT GOD. › We, too, can leave God.  Gal 5:4.  Heb 10:38.  The Ephesian church had left their first love (Rv 2:4).

53. Rend Your Hearts  God calls people to repentance.

54. Rend Your Hearts  God calls people to repentance. › “Repent... and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19, ESV).

55. Rend Your Hearts  God calls people to repentance. › “Repent... and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19, ESV). › “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30, ESV).

57. v 13b

58. Rend Your Hearts  “Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster” (v 13b, ESV).

59. Rend Your Hearts  God is gracious & merciful.

60. Rend Your Hearts  God is gracious & merciful. › God shows great grace to those who are his.

61. Rend Your Hearts  God is gracious & merciful. › God shows great grace to those who are his.  “The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Ps 84:11, ESV).

62. Rend Your Hearts  God is gracious & merciful. › God shows great grace to those who are his.  “The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Ps 84:11, ESV).  “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Rm 5:20, ESV).

63. Rend Your Hearts  God is gracious & merciful. › God shows great grace to those who are his.  “The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Ps 84:11, ESV).  “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Rm 5:20, ESV).  “The grace of our Lord overflowed for [Paul] with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1 Tm 1:14, ESV).

64. Rend Your Hearts  God is gracious & merciful. › God shows great grace to those who are his. › God also demonstrates great mercy to his children.

65. Rend Your Hearts  God is gracious & merciful. › God shows great grace to those who are his. › God also demonstrates great mercy to his children.  The Hebrew root behind “merciful” is related to the word for “womb.”

66. Rend Your Hearts  God is gracious & merciful. › God shows great grace to those who are his. › God also demonstrates great mercy to his children.  The Hebrew root behind “merciful” is related to the word for “womb.” The idea seems to be motherly love.

67. Rend Your Hearts  God is gracious & merciful. › God shows great grace to those who are his. › God also demonstrates great mercy to his children.  The Hebrew root behind “merciful” is related to the word for “womb.” The idea seems to be motherly love.  “For you, O LORD, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you” (Ps 86:5, ESV).

68. Rend Your Hearts  God is gracious & merciful. › God shows great grace to those who are his. › God also demonstrates great mercy to his children.  The Hebrew root behind “merciful” is related to the word for “womb.” The idea seems to be motherly love.  “For you, O LORD, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you” (Ps 86:5, ESV).  “Your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds” (Ps 108:4, ESV).

69. Rend Your Hearts  God is slow to anger.

70. Rend Your Hearts  God is slow to anger.  God shows great kindness.

71. Rend Your Hearts  God is slow to anger.  God shows great kindness. › In Hebrew, “great kindness” refers to God’s love.

72. Rend Your Hearts  God is slow to anger.  God shows great kindness. › In Hebrew, “great kindness” refers to God’s love. › Our God is a God of love.

73. Rend Your Hearts  God is slow to anger.  God shows great kindness. › In Hebrew, “great kindness” refers to God’s love. › Our God is a God of love.  “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 Jn 4:16, ESV).

74. Rend Your Hearts  God is slow to anger.  God shows great kindness. › In Hebrew, “great kindness” refers to God’s love. › Our God is a God of love.  “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 Jn 4:16, ESV).  “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are” (1 Jn 3:1, ESV).

75. Rend Your Hearts  The Lord relents from doing harm.

76. Rend Your Hearts  The Lord relents from doing harm. › When the Israelites made the golden calf, God planned on destroying them, but he relented after Moses’ intercession (Ex 32).

77. Rend Your Hearts  The Lord relents from doing harm. › When the Israelites made the golden calf, God planned on destroying them, but he relented after Moses’ intercession (Ex 32). › When Nineveh repented, the Lord relented of the disaster he planned on bringing upon them.

78. Rend Your Hearts  “Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?” (v 14, ESV).

79. Rend Your Hearts  “Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?” (v 14, ESV). › The locusts had so destroyed the fields in Palestine that there wasn’t anything left to offer God (1:9).

80. Rend Your Hearts  “Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?” (v 14, ESV). › The locusts had so destroyed the fields in Palestine that there wasn’t anything left to offer God (1:9). › The leaving behind of a grain & drink offering would demonstrate that the plague was over.

81. Rend Your Hearts  Just as God would bless the Israelites if they returned to him, he will bless us if we return to him.

83. Why not turn to him now?