Today’s Lesson will be “politically incorrect,” I suppose.

And I’ll be the first to admit the thesis is not always 100% applicable in every situation. The man Job comes to mind, for example. There a follower of God endured crisis after crisis … none of which were due to overt, blatant sin in his life. He was a paragon of Righteousness, in fact.

That being said, the Text today is Joel 1:1-3.

And clearly something “bad” has happened in the Land, in Israel.

Nearly unprecedented, in fact. I guess you could term this reversal a “once-in-a-lifetime” tragedy.

“The word of the Lord that came to Joel the son of Pethuel. Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath THIS been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers? Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.” Again, Joel 1:1-3.

By the way, Joel’s Father is named “Pethuel,” meaning “God has opened (something).” This dramatic name is found only here in all the Bible! And the verb “opened” (as specifically used in this name) often carries pejorative overtones, various shades of impending judgment!

The old men are first addressed because they have the longest memories, have lived the greatest number of decades. And they too (in the culture of the Middle East) are the God-appointed “teachers” of their own children and Grandchildren, usually quite a numerous group of young people.

Word (news) should be relayed through the ages, of some event that has plagued the Land! Four generations anyway, I count. All the way to the great-grandchildren!

But what has happened?

An invasion!

This time (merely) by animals, insects!

Locusts, to be precise.

And the results are devastating!

And the cause?

Glance at verse 15 of this same chapter, Joel 1. “Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.”

God is the Author of this situation.

Why?

No doubt because of many sins, but only “drunkenness” is specifically mentioned! “Awake, ye DRUNKARDS, and weep; and howl, all ye DRINKERS OF WINE, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.” Joel 1:5

Today … anathema is pronounced on the man who even hints that … a Nation’s Hardships may be due to sin! He is censured in the Press, mocked in the streets, and often disgraced in his profession.

But he well may be “right on target.”

At least, Joel certainly was!

AMERICA, BEWARE!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell