What can we learn from the priests' mourning in Joel 1:9? Text of Joel 1:9 “Grain and drink offerings have been cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests are in mourning, those who minister before the LORD.” Why the Priests Are Mourning • Loss of worship: grain and drink offerings were the daily expressions of covenant fellowship (Exodus 29:38-41). • Broken fellowship: without sacrifice there was no formal way to draw near to God (Leviticus 1:9; Hebrews 9:22). • Judgment revealed: the locust invasion that stripped the crops (Joel 1:4) signaled divine discipline for national sin (Deuteronomy 28:38-40). • Responsibility felt: as spiritual leaders, the priests felt the weight of the people’s rupture with God (Joel 2:17). What This Teaches Us About Worship • Worship is God-centered, not convenience-centered. When the means were removed, the priests did not look for substitutes; they grieved. • True worship depends on God’s provision. No harvest, no offerings—reminding us that every act of worship is enabled by His grace (1 Corinthians 4:7). • External acts reflect inner realities. The absence of offerings mirrored an inner famine of obedience (Hosea 6:6; Malachi 1:10). • God can suspend worship forms to awaken hearts. The loss itself was a call to repent and seek restoration (Isaiah 1:11-17). What This Teaches Us About Leadership • Spiritual leaders mourn first. They model the appropriate response to judgment (Jeremiah 9:1). • Mourning is ministry. Lament intercedes for the people and invites them to follow (Joel 2:12-14). • Leaders must feel the state of the flock. Indifference would misrepresent God’s own grief over sin (Ezekiel 33:11). • Calling others back starts with honest brokenness, not mere programs or optimism (Psalm 51:17). Lessons for Today • Guard against routine worship; cherish access purchased by Christ’s once-for-all offering (Hebrews 10:19-22). • Take sin seriously; when fellowship is hindered, don’t shrug—mourn and repent (2 Corinthians 7:10). • Intercede for the church and the nation; feel their spiritual condition as your own (1 Peter 2:9). • Recognize God’s wake-up calls—whether scarcity, crisis, or cultural upheaval—as invitations to return to Him (Amos 4:6-11). Putting It into Practice • Examine your worship: is it grateful response or empty habit? • Confess any area where sin has “cut off” fellowship. • Join or start corporate times of lament and repentance; let leaders lead in humility. • Celebrate restored access in Christ by renewing commitment to regular, heartfelt worship (Romans 12:1). |
    |