Joel 2:18-20 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.… I. TOWARD REPENTANT SOULS GOD IS STRICT IN THE MANIFESTATION OF A JEALOUS REGARD. "Then will the Lord be jealous for His land, and pity His people." Thus we see the change which repentance makes in the circumstances and conditions of men. And God is jealous of the welfare and honour of the truly penitent soul. He will save it wisely from former enemies who have endangered it, and He will shield it kindly from all reproach which may threaten. The soul is His. He has redeemed it. He has given it the grace of repentance. He will be jealous for its good. II. TOWARD REPENTANT SOULS GOD IS BENEFICENT IN THE RESTORATION OF WITHDRAWN MERCIES. "Yea, the Lord will answer." etc. And happily true it is that while sin despoils life of many of its richest mercies, repentance with kind hand gives them back again. There is a glorious tendency in repentance to ameliorate and remove the loss and woe wrought by moral evil. Repentance does not always heal the pain of sin. It does not erase sad memories. It does not always restore a wasted bodily constitution. It does not always bring back the substance wasted in the far country. But its tendency is to do this The moral touches the material. III. FROM THE REPENTANT SOUL GOD WILL TURN ASIDE THE PLAGUES WHICH HAVE PREVIOUSLY AFFLICTED IT. "But I will remove far off from you the northern army," etc. The repentant soul is beset by old enemies. They are in the hand of God. He can cover their plans with defeat. Lessons — 1. That God will protect the interests of repentant souls. 2. Let us see in the glad effect of repentance in this life a prophecy of the joy of the sinless life. 3. That the enemies of repentant souls will be brought to shame. (J. S. Exell, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.WEB: Then Yahweh was jealous for his land, And had pity on his people. |
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