Steve Webb  0:00  
It's our responsibility to pray.

Steve Webb  0:10  
This is the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, podcasting since 2004. I am your OG God caster Steve Webb, I'm so glad to see you today. This is the daily show where we're reading through the entire Bible in a year. And today we're going to read the book of Joel. After the reading. I'll have some comments for you and I'm calling today's episode. Is there a Joel out there? The shownotes page for today's episode? Is it Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 247. You can always email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com. And I always read them and I always respond. Let's begin. 

Steve Webb  0:48  
I've got a short introduction here for you before we begin the reading. The name Joel means Jehovah is God. And we don't know the exact time that Joel wrote this book, but many scholars believe that it was about 835 BCE, if that's accurate than his time was before the exile to Babylon. Joel wrote to Israel and his message can be summed up as the day of the Lord is coming to bring judgment for God's enemies in restoration for God's people. That summation is from Charles Savelle, currently adjunct professor of Bible exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary.

Steve Webb  1:25  
Joel chapter one. The word of the Lord that came to Joel son of pith you'll hear this you elders. Listen oh you inhabitants of the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your ancestors? Tell your children about it and let your children tell their children and their children the next generation. What the devouring locust has left. This warming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust has left. The young locust has eaten and what the young locust is left, the destroying locust has eaten. Wake up you drunkards and weep. Whale all you wine drinkers because of the sweet wine for it has been taken from your mouth. For a nation is divided my land, powerful and without number. Its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and it has the fangs of a lioness. It has devastated my great fine and splintered my fig tree. It is stripped off its bark and thrown it away. Its branches have turned white. grieve like a young woman dressed in sackcloth, morning for the husband of her youth, grain and drink offerings have been cut off from the house of the Lord. The priests who are ministers of the Lord mourn. The fields are destroyed, the land grieves, indeed the grain is destroyed. The new wine has dried up and the olive oil fails, be ashamed you farmers well you vinedressers over the wheat and the barley because the harvest of the field is perished. The grape vine is dried up and the fig tree is withered, the pomegranate, the date palm in the apple. All of the trees of the orchard have weathered indeed, human joy has dried up, dress in sackcloth and lament you priests. Well you ministers of the altar. come and spend the night in sackcloth you ministers of my god because grain and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your god announced the sacred fast proclaim and assembly. Gather the elders and all the residents of the land at the house of the LORD your God and cry out to the Lord. Whoa because of that day, for the day of the Lord is near and will come as devastation from the Almighty has it the food been cut off before our eyes joy and gladness from the house of our God. The seeds lie shriveled in their casings. The store houses are in ruin and the greeneries are broken down because the grain has withered away. How the animals grown the herds of cattle wandering confusion since they have no pasture. Even the flocks of sheep suffer punishment. I call to you Lord for fire has consumed the pastures of the wilderness and flames have devoured all the trees of the countryside. Even the wild animals cry out to you for the riverbeds are dried up and fire has consumed the pastures of the wilderness. Joel chapter two.

Steve Webb  4:18  
Blow the horn in Zion sound the alarm on my holy mountain led all the residents of the land tremble for the day of the Lord is coming. In fact, it is near a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds in dense overcast like the dawn spreading over the mountains. A great and strong people appears such as never existed in ages past and never will again in all the generations to come. A fire destroys in front of them and behind them a flame devours. The land in front of them is like the Garden of Eden. But behind them it is like a desert wasteland. There is no escape from them. Their appearance is like that of horses and they gallop like war horses. They bound on the tops of the mountains. Their sound is like the sound of chariots, like the sound of fiery flames consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for war. nations rise in horror before them, all faces turn pale. They attack is warriors attack. They scale walls as men of war do. Each goes on his own path, and they do not change their course. They do not push each other. Each man proceeds on his own path. They dodge the arrows never stopping. They stormed the city, they run on the wall, they climb into the houses, they enter through the windows like thieves, the earthquakes before them, the sky shakes, the sun and moon grow dark and the stars cease their shining. The Lord raises his voice in the presence of his army. His camp is very large. Those who carry out his command are powerful. Indeed, the day of the Lord is terrible and dreadful, who can endure it? Even now, this is the Lord's declaration turned to Me with all your heart with fasting, weeping and mourning. Tear your hearts not just your clothes and return to the Lord your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger rich in faithful love, and he relents from sending disaster who knows he may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind him so you can offer grain and wine to the Lord your God. Blow the horn in Zion announced the sacred fast proclaiming assembly. Gather the people sanctify the congregation, assemble the aged gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the groom leave his bedroom and the bride her honeymoon chamber. Let the priests the Lord's ministers weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, have pity on your people, Lord, and do not make your inheritance a disgrace and object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples where is their God? Then the Lord became jealous for his land in spared his people. The Lord answered his people. Look, I am about to send you grain, new wine and olive oil. You will be satiated with him and I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations. I will drive the northerner far from you and banish him to a dry and desolate land. His front ranks into the Dead Sea and his rear guard into the Mediterranean Sea. His stench will rise Yes, his rotten smell will rise for he has done catastrophic things. Don't be afraid land. Rejoice and be glad for the Lord has done great things. Don't be afraid wild animals for the wilderness pastures have turned green. The trees bear their fruit and the fig tree and the grape vine yield their riches. children of Zion rejoice and be glad in the Lord your God because he gives you the autumn rain for your vindication. He sends showers for you both autumn and spring rain is before the threshing floors will be full of grain and the vats will overflow with new wine and olive oil. I will repay you for the years that the swarming locusts ate the young locust, the destroying locust and the devouring locust, my great army that I sent against you, you will have plenty to eat and be satisfied. You will praise the name of Yahweh your God who has dealt wondrously with you. My people will never again be put to shame. You will know that I am present in Israel and that I am Yahweh your God and there is no other My people will never again be put to shame. After this, I will pour out my spirit on all humanity. Then your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will have dreams and your young men will see visions. I will even pour out my spirit on the male and female slaves in those days. I will display wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and on inspiring day of the Lord comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved for there will be an escape for those on Mount Zion it in Jerusalem is the Lord promised among the survivors the Lord calls. 

Steve Webb  9:20  
Joel chapter three. Yes, in those days and at that time when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and take them to the valley of Jehoshaphat. I will enter into judgment with him there because of my people my inheritance Israel. The nations have scattered the Israelites in foreign countries and divided up my land. They cast lots for my people. They bartered a boy for a prostitute and sold a girl for wine to drink and also tyre Sidon and all the territories of Philistia What are you to me? Are you paying me back or trying to get even with me? I will quickly bring retribution on your head adds, For you took my silver and gold and carried my finest treasures to your temples. You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks to remove them far from their own territory. Look, I'm about to rouse them up from the place where you sold them. I will bring retribution on your heads. I will sell your sons and daughters into the hands of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Serbians to a distant nation for the Lord has spoken. Proclaim this among the nations prepare for Holy War rouse the Warriors let all the men of war advance that attack. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning knives into Spears lead even the weakling say I am a warrior. Come quickly all US surrounding nations gather yourselves bring down your warriors their Lord, let the nations be roused in come to the valley of Jehoshaphat for their I will sit down to judge all the surrounding nations swing the sickle because the harvest is ripe. Come and trample the grapes because the wine presses full. The wine vats overflow because the wickedness of the nations is great. Multitudes, multitudes and the valley of decision for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The Sun and Moon will grow dark and the stars will cease their shining. The Lord will roar from Zion and raise his voice from Jerusalem. Heaven and earth will shake but the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the Israelites. Then you will know that I am Yahweh your God who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain, Jerusalem will be holy, and foreigners will never overrun it again. In that day, the mountains will drip with sweet wine and the hills will flow with milk. All the streams of Judah will flow with water and a spring will issue from the Lord's house watering the Valley of acacias. Egypt will become desolate and Edom, a desert wasteland because of the violence done to the people of Judah in whose land they shed innocent blood. But Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. I will pardon their blood guilt which I have not pardoned for the Lord dwells in Zion.

Steve Webb  12:12  
In studying this book, beloved, I came upon a commentary by the 19th century English preacher Joseph Parker. The good Reverend Parker was known as a great orator. So I know I won't do him justice in quoting him, but these are his words in regards to the prophet Joel. He said, "We need a Joel today for his wages, we would award him starvation, he would not live in Kings houses. There is nothing today in church or state that does not need pulling to pieces, cross examination analysis, that all that is good they're in and there is much good, may be brought into new cohesion and set to new and fuller uses. Man are bribing men and then going to the Sunday school. Men are saying, if you will get this property on these terms through my hands, it will be on the understanding that and the all but silent reply is, that will of course be understood. And then they go to church. If some Joel were to come, he will be starved he must be starved. No one ever came to do messianic work who was not nailed and pierced and crucified. It is in vain to preach peace until we have first preached repentance. It is mischievous to say peace, peace where there is no peace. It is iniquity in the sight of God to dab the wall with untempered mortar. Nothing is settled until it is settled at the foundations." Well, we don't speak like that today. Do we? Let me try to paraphrase Reverend Parker. We need someone like Joel today, the church and the culture needs to be completely re examined to find what is good so that there can be a new and unified partnership with them in order for them to be effective. There is corruption and dealmaking even among so called believers, it's foolish to call for peace until we first call for repentance, a turning from our sins and to Almighty God. It is wrong in the sight of God to try to bring repairs with corrupt methods and people. Nothing will stand unless the foundation is strong. Well as we look at the world today, I think we'd have to agree with Reverend Parker's message. The world is in turmoil. People call for peace and unity but there's neither peace nor unity because God has been expunged from our governments, our schools and our society. We will never have peace until the people turned back to him. Several shows back I asked you to pray with me for a worldwide revival. Do you remember that? I believe that this is the only way we'll see Saturday returned to the world. Second Chronicles 714 says if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked Ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Like God promised through Joel to heal Israel, I believe that he can do the same thing. Now, beloved, we don't know God's plan for us right now. But I do believe that it's our responsibility to pray to confess our sins, and to ask God to move on people's hearts. I would love to hear from you comment on the show notes page at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 247. Tomorrow, we're going to read John 13 through 15. Boost.

Steve Webb  15:41  
Paul of Seattle signed up for a $20 donation yesterday, that makes him today's associate producer. Thank you, brother, very much appreciated. Here's part of what Paul of Seattle wrote. He said, I want you to know that I very much appreciate the time and effort you put into the podcast, it is a lot more than a lot. I would not have the time to dedicate to doing this on a daily basis. Because I know it takes hours not only to study, but to just record and produce. Well, Paul of Seattle, thank you very much for that. God bless you. I noticed today that this is episode 247 of season 12 of the Lifespring family Audio Bible. And you know what that means? Right? That means that episode 250 is just three days away. Next Monday, May 9 2022. Seems to me like that sounds like perhaps an opportunity for a special donation. How about it? lately? A few people in writing their notes with their donations have mentioned that they've meant to make a donation, but they just now got around to it. Well, maybe you too have been meaning to donate, but haven't done it yet. How about letting this be the time, make a special episode 250 donation with $2.50 or $25, or $250, or even $2,500, or an equivalent amount of sets. Normally, a one time donation of $100 earns an associate producer credit. But if your donation of just $25 comes in by 6pm Pacific Daylight Time, this Sunday, May 8, you'll be given an associate producer credit on the show. And usually a one time donation of $300 or more earns an executive producer credit. What if I told you that a one time donation of $250 would do it? If the donation comes in by 6pm? Pacific Daylight Time this coming Sunday, May 8? Well, I'm not going to tell you that. How about this. Normally a one time gift of $500 or more earns the highly honored distinguished producer credit. But for Episode 250, your gift of $250 We'll learn to distinguish producer credit. Yeah. And with that you choose any upcoming Lifespring family Audio Bible episode that you'd like your credit to apply to? Do you have a favorite scripture that we haven't read yet on the show? Well, that can be the episode you use your distinguished producer ship on. That's just one idea. The point is you choose the episode. And as high an honor as distinguished producer is there is an even higher honor that can be earned within the halls of the Lifespring media compound. Am I laying it on thick enough here? Well, what could that be you ask? We read of the Bereans and X 1710 through 15. You can look that up. But the key verse For our purposes here is verse 11. B which says the Bereans were eager to hear what Paul and Silas said. And they studied the scriptures every day to find out if these things were true. So in my mind, the highest title I can imagine is that of Berean. So for our episode 250 donation, a $2,500 donation would be most appreciated for sure. But since a one time donation of just $1,000 $1,000 earned to the brewery and title, how about this, with your $2,500 donation, I will produce in your name, a special episode of any of these Lifespring media podcasts you choose. I'll do an episode of the original Lifespring podcast. Or I'll do an episode of in touch with God's character or an episode of Lifespring him stories, or the Lifespring weekend music show or how to pronounce Bible names. You choose one of those and I will produce a very special episode of that show in your name. The show will go out on the podcast feed for that show, of course, but it'll also be on the Lifespring all shows feed and I'll even put it in the feed for this show. As a special episode Bereans will also earn the title of brother or sister as in brother Mark or sister Martha and you'll get a signed copy of my book webs easy Bible names Pronunciation Guide. I don't know I think that would be pretty special. Now I'm talking about the whole package, not just the book. Now listen All episode 250 donations will have to be in by 6pm Pacific Daylight Time, this coming Sunday, May 8 2022. That gives me time to produce Monday show which has to go out at 10 o'clock on that day. So if you've been meaning to donate, and you haven't yet now it'd be a great time to do it. The reason this show exists is to help you read through the entire Bible in a year, and to present the good news of a risen Christ without compromise. To take some of the scriptures we read and comment on them and make you think, to perhaps even help you grow closer to the God who loves you and who gave his life for you. If the show is succeeding in this for you, please go to Lifespring media.com/support and donate. All thank you and I think God bless you.

Steve Webb  20:58  
On this date in church history, May 6 1809 William Walker was born he was a Southern American music teacher and inventor of the seven shaped note musical system. He spent much of his life collecting traditional tunes of the southern Appalachians or Appalachians, depending on where you're from. I had never heard of the seven shaped note musical system. And so I looked it up. It's really interesting if you are at all a lover or a student of music, seven shaped note musical system. Happy birthday, William Walker.

Steve Webb  21:41  
Let's pray. Our gracious heavenly father once more, we plead with you to bring a global revival. nations everywhere have turned from you and it seems like judgment is coming or even starting. But Lord, we know that there are millions billions who don't know you. You've told us that you take no pleasure in the destruction of people. So we ask that you use us and that you raise up your people around the world who will bring the message of salvation to those who don't know you. Soften hearts, Lord, bring more people to yourself, turn people to you. In Jesus name. Lord, please bring a revival. And I thank You, Lord for the Lifespring family. You have specifically called each one here. No one is here by accident. And Lord, I'm so thankful. I pray that you would bring each of us to a greater understanding of who you are. As we read your word together, and that our love for you would be stronger. Bless each one today I pray in Jesus name, amen. Send your prayer requests and your praises to prayer dot Lifespring media.com. 

Steve Webb  22:53  
Comment on the show and Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 247. Or email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com Thanks to Paul of Seattle for supporting the show at the associate producer level today. God bless you brother. And thanks to Kirsty for publishing the newsletter. Perhaps by the time you hear this episode, the new newsletter is out. And thanks to Sean of San Pedro for making sure the chapters get done every day and for consistently streaming those SATs and boosting. God bless Paul of Seattle. God bless Kirstie and God bless Sean of San Pedro and God bless you. Until tomorrow. May God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. See you tomorrow. Bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai