“I will make up for the years that the 'arbeh-locust consumed your crops —the yeleq-locust, the hasil-locust, and the gazam-locust —my great army that I sent against you. (Joel 2:25 NET.)”
A friend of mine, who is aware of what is happening in my life, spoke to me this verse above, not all of it, but they said the first part….the promise of restoration….was what came to them in the time with God.
In and of itself, this spoke nothing to them, they said that that was all they were given over and over. They didn’t have wisdom over its meaning and why it was so clear in their minds when they prayed for me.
Some theologians feel this verse if a prophetic word concerning the coming days of the Messiah; where the Lord will do for His people to “make them glad according to the days wherein He afflicted them, and the years wherein they had seen evil (Psalms 90:15).” The days that Christ walked the earth gave so many good things to the people of God that they had sufficient compensation for the past trials and tribulations. Whereas the Army of God, i.e. locusts, were used to punished some sin, the people have spiritually renewed their relationship with the Heavenly Father to where blessings once again will flow, more than making up for the punishment endured.
And I can see where, in the midst of the struggles of the past years that the meaning of the verse the prophet Joel spoke of would imply a time of compensation coming for the drought and famine years. But it doesn’t fit with me. It tells me that the time has come where the punishment or trials are over, and the blessings have begun. And that is not the case.
No, when left by itself, this verse is apparently meaningless. But if you remember the story I spoke of months ago, where my wife went to a woman’s retreat at SpringHill and RoseAnn Coleman gave my wife the book, “Leaf in Drought,” it starts to have shape and substance.
“He will be like a tree planted near a stream whose roots spread out toward the water. It has nothing to fear when the heat comes. Its leaves are always green. It has no need to be concerned in a year of drought. It does not stop bearing fruit. (Jeremiah 17:8 NET).”
This verse was sent to me via RoseAnn, in regards to the struggle that I had been facing concerning ministry and full-time pursuit of it. She had faced similar trials in her own journey to God’s purpose and said that God had led her to send me that book to give me strength and hope. And, after receiving that, I sensed that big things were upon the horizon, all designed to give God the glory and praise. The TESTIFY.
Then…..the devil has upped his attacks, seemingly tossing my family to and fro in the winds of the storm. And, just as I was about to surrender and give in to the waves, God sends me that verse.
Not for the endurance shown, the work done, or the desire aligned with God, but rather for the repentance and growth that has come from the years of drought and attack, of famine and little. As God said, "I have not brought you to your knees, but I will show you more than what you can see."
As the Prodigal Son’s father did when the son returned home, the Lord has a great feast in store for one of His Beloved Sons…………….
And I will TESTIFY……………………………………………………
to the bountiful and overwhelming grace and mercy of the Most High………………………..
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