Joel 2:14, commentary and pictures

The verse belongs to the trumpet call in Zion warning that the day of the Lord is nigh at hand, calling to sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, and gather the people and the congregation with elders and children, with bridegroom and bride leaving their chambers. In that gathering the priests are to weep between the porch and the altar pleading for God to spare His people and not give His heritage to reproach. The call is to turn even now to the Lord with all the heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning, with sincere repentance and grief and earnest heart-rending prayer. It is a rending of the heart and not merely of the garments.

This hope rests on God's character, that He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and that He relents and turns from the threatened evil and calamity He has announced. The verse holds out only a hopeful possibility, not a certain promise, that He will return and repent and relent and turn from judgment and leave a blessing behind Him. No one knows if He will, so the outcome is left in God's hands while His people plead. The hoped-for blessing left behind Him is even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord, meaning restored grain and drink offerings and restored worship and pardon, allowing the people to offer to the Lord again.

The verse is God's present call in the face of judgments coming upon the world for iniquity and about to fall on a doomed world. It applies at the close of the earth's history when nations are in unrest, times of perplexity are upon the earth, men's hearts are failing for fear of coming things, the world lies in wickedness and apostasy, rebellion to God's law seems almost universal, and opposition to gospel reform is bitter. In that time decided action is required by blowing the trumpet and gathering as above. While this is done, those who believe lift up their heads because redemption draws nigh and hear His voice amid the storm saying It is I be not afraid, so that God's work goes forward.

The verse is directed to indifferent and lukewarm people to fear and tremble for their souls and others, confess spiritual blindness and backsliding, and pray. It is directed also to those fallen by iniquity who look upon themselves as superior to their brethren that they return unto the Lord their God. Hope of pardon and restored worship remains open even when sins have reached to heaven. The blessing may follow self-denial, humility, and prayer in humility for forgiveness of pride and vanity.

The verse gives divine authority to preach that the hour of God's judgment has come. Those sent to give this warning are moved by the Spirit of God coming upon them with such power that they cannot resist it.