Hosea and Joel
There are twelve short books in the last part of the Old Testament which are not often read, but which tell important words from God. The men who wrote these books were prophets, men who told people whatever message God told them to, sometimes of events to happen later.
The first of these books was written by Hosea, who must have been a young man when God first told him to speak His words; he spoke to the people during the reign of four kings.
Hosea spoke to them of the sin of hang idols, which could not help them, and forgetting the Lord Who had given them the land and homes, He said to them, “Let us return unto the Lord.” Hosea 6:1. But they would not listen. Then he told them that they would be taken to the enemy’s land, and would be like chaff that is blown away, or like smoke from the chimney, which soon cannot be seen. After some years, armies from the east spoiled their cities, and took the people captives, as Hosea had said.
Some words said by Hosea are repeated in the New Testament. When God said to bring the young child Jesus back from. Egypt, it was written that this fulfilled that which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet Hosea, “Out of Egypt have I called my Son.” (Hos. 11:1; and Matt. 2:15).
When Jesus was being taken from Jerusalem up the hill where He was to be put to death, many were walking near. He told them words from the hook of Hosea, of a time when men will say to the mountains,
“Cover us”; and to the hills, “Fall on us”, because they will be afraid of the Lord. when He comes as the Judge (See Hosea 10:8; Luke 23:30). So the Lord Jesus knew, the words told to Hosea.
The next prophet, Joel, wrote of a fine, and of a dreadful time of sorrow. “a day of darkness, of clouds and thick darkness.” They were to tell their children of this, and the children should teh their children.
Many years after, a day of darkness came, when the Son of God hung on the cross; for three hours there was darkness over all the land. But there is to be another time of darkness for the world before Israel will fully turn to God; Joel wrote, “The sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.” That is the time of God’s great judgment. Yet God told Joel to write of mercy, that
“Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be delivered. Joel 2:32.
But God does not want people to waif until His time of judgment to call on Him; our time to call is NOW, and those same wonderful words are repeated for its in the New Testament:
“The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:12,13.
Words of God said to Joel were repeated by Peter, the day the Holy Spirit was sent to be with those who believe in Jesus:
“I will pour out My Spirit.’’ Acts 2:16. But Joel spoke of a time when all should he blessed by the Holy Spirit. Such a time has not come, and there are many of the words by Joel yet to be fulfilled.
ML 08/09/1942