Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord. Joel 1:14  NIV

This message from the book of Joel is directed to the priests of the land of Israel urging them to cry out to the Lord. The nation suffered a great loss of food as locusts destroyed the crops. In addition to the grain harvest lost, locusts destroyed the grape vines and stripped the bark of the fig trees. The agricultural impact of these events devastated the landscape and made Israel vulnerable to starvation. 

Beyond the trouble with the locusts, a drought destroyed the remnants of the fields. With no new wine and no olives to press for oil, the Israelites grieved for their loss. The dry land caused the fig trees to wither. Their apple trees, palm trees, and pomegranate, all trees dried up and withered away. 

Planted seeds shriveled in the parched land. The drought and failed crops meant that cattle had nowhere to graze and no water to drink. To make things worse, wildfires consumed the land in the wilderness. The drought threatened the survival of Israel’s herds of sheep.   

Called to Repentance

In this dire circumstance, the prophet Joel directs the priests of Israel to declare a holy fast, assemble the elders and cry out to the Lord. Joel is calling the nation to repentance. 

As the locusts advance like an army across the land, the prophet writes in Joel 2:13, “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. NIV”

Whether trouble comes from the judgment of God or an assault from an enemy, the surest source of help is the Lord himself. The best answer is to cry out to the Lord. When we receive the consequences of our rebelliousness, the Lord is faithful to forgive those who turn from sin and toward obedience to his will. 

Yesterday’s Devotional: Walk Through the Fire