Joel reveals the shamble condition of the churches, the need to gather in the name of Jesus Christ, and the coming Day of the Lord.

Joel 1:13-20

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

• Service to God through Jesus Christ is no longer in the churches.
• The children of God must gather into the temple of the Holy Spirit and cry out to Him.
• The Day of the Lord is coming as destruction from the Lord God.
• The children of God cry out to Him in devastating circumstances.

Service to God through Jesus Christ is no longer in the churches. “Gird yourselves and lament, you priests; Wail, you who minister before the altar; Come, lie all night in sackcloth, you who minister to my God; For the grain offering and the drink offering are withheld from the house of your God.” Joel 1:13

By serving God through Jesus Christ, we are the priests and ministers before the altar. We are priests in the since that we bring the Word of God to all who are willing to open the ears of their heart, spirit, and soul to the Gospel of Christ. We are ministers before the altar because the altar is the place where people come to give their life to God through Jesus Christ. As quoted, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10

As priests and ministers, we lament, wail, and mourn because the house of God is no longer serving Him through Jesus Christ. The churches of today no longer share the mercy, grace, Salvation, and eternal life of God. They no longer speak of the death of Jesus on the Cross for the remission of sin, no longer speak of how God raised Him from the dead after three days, and no longer talk of how He lives eternally with God. The churches no longer say that because He lives, all who believe in Him will live eternally with Him.

The global culture no longer honors our body (the house of God) as the home of the Holy Spirit, and they dominate the churches. Instead, they welcome the thing which gives them what to feel, think, say, and do. It replaces the human conscience and fills the world with traits of psychopathy. The masses around the world conform to the anti-Christian global culture as they are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they say and do. The population of the world has become egocentric as they exalt their own authority over the authority of God. They feel no remorse and no guilt and feel no need for the remission of sin through Jesus Christ. Instead of embracing the Holy Spirit, they manipulate, dominate, and ridicule Him.

The children of God must gather into the temple of the Holy Spirit and cry out to Him. “Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.” Joel 1:14

The churches of today should be fasting and restoring a sacred congregation within their building. Fasting means to abstain from behaviors that separate from belief in God. To abstain from behaviors that reject the remission of sin through Jesus Christ, and to abstain from behaviors that ridicules the presence of the Holy Spirit. The sacred assembly includes we who believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross as the Lamb of God to atone for sin. We believe that God raised Jesus from the grave after being dead for three days. We believe that our lord Jesus lives today in eternity. We believe that because He lives, we will live also in eternity with Him. We believe that God loved the world and sent His Son Jesus Christ to atone for sin and whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we are the house of the Living God. “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16 Every person on this planet should be gathering in the temple of God to dedicate the human body to Him through Jesus Christ by the remission of sin.

The Holy Spirit assures us of this, “…if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.” 2 Chronicles 7:14-16

The house of the Lord our God should be crying out to the Lord in light of the unbelief in God, the disregard for the remission of sin through Jesus, and the ridicule of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

The Day of the Lord is coming as destruction from the Lord God. “Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty. Is not the food cut off before our eyes, joy and gladness from the house of our God? The seed shrivels under the clods, storehouses are in shambles; Barns are broken down, for the grain has withered. How the animals groan! The herds of cattle are restless, because they have no pasture; Even the flocks of sheep suffer punishment.” Joel 1:15-18

In the Day of the Lord, literal physical destruction comes to this earth. Food supplies will be short at the same time that joy and gladness are taken from the human spirit. The seeds planted in the earth does not produce the expected crops, the food resources and stored reserves will be in absolute shambles, and the gathered grain dwindles away. Human beings fill with frustration, depression, anger, bitterness, and violence. At the same time, animals will be in misery and restless because the earth is not providing them food and land for grazing. No human being nor animal is spared as even the sheep suffer misery. Click here for a post from Revelation 18 on the collapse of the global economy.

Essentially, the global government and its global culture blames science for the ills of the world and takes no responsibility for their behavior towards God the Creator of all. For example, the United Nations says global warming is manmade and has scientific solutions, but the Bible reveals that global warming is the Fourth Plague. Global warming is here because God is not believed, the remission of sin through Jesus Christ is rejected, and the presence of the Holy Spirit is ridiculed. As quoted, “Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.” Revelation 16:8-9

“Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty.

The United Nations and its global culture have rejected God and they put their faith in the thing that gives people what to feel, think, say and do. It allows the image of the beast to live and speak through people in every city around the world. People all around the world conform to the anti-Christian culture as they are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they say and do. That brings the destruction of the Almighty God to this planet.

The thing giving people what to feel and think replaces the human conscience and human spirit which causes traits of psychopathy to flourish globally. The global culture thrives on the feeling of empowerment as they exhibit egocentric attitudes while exalting themselves above the authority of God the Creator. They feel no remorse, no guilt, and no need to admit they are sinners in need of the remission of sin through Jesus Christ. They manipulate, oppose, and try to dominate the Holy Spirit as they despise the life of Holiness. They lack empathy for others as anti-social behaviors and lawlessness fills the world.

The food of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been cut off and the joy and gladness of the Holy Spirit are no longer seen in the churches. Also, the joy and gladness of the Holy Spirit is no longer seen within the spirit of people who are created by God to be the house of the Holy Spirit. The churches no longer share the Message of the Cross, which is that Jesus Christ gave His life to atone for sin, God raised Him from the dead after three days, He now lives eternally in Heaven, and because He lives all who believe in Him will live eternally also. Government lawmakers no longer include the values of the Bible in their policies and laws. The educational system no longer allows the teachings of the Bible in the classrooms. The testimony of Jesus Christ is no longer wanted in any sector of society. “Is not the food cut off before our eyes, joy and gladness from the house of our God?”

For those of us who continue to plant the Gospel Seed, the anti-Christian global culture causes it to shrivel, “The seed shrivels under the clods…” The places which are supposed to be a storehouse for the Gospel of Christ, such as the churches, etc. are in shambles and broken down as service to God and the presence of the Bible withers. “…storehouses are in shambles; Barns are broken down, for the grain has withered.”

Animals are very much part of end time prophecy as they groan and are restless with no place to graze. Even the most docile of animals suffer under the global government and its global culture. “How the animals groan! The herds of cattle are restless, because they have no pasture; Even the flocks of sheep suffer punishment.” Even today, animals are becoming foul-spirited, and will become even more so in the days ahead, as quoted, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.” Revelation 18:2

The children of God cry out to Him in devastating circumstances. “O Lord, to You I cry out; For fire has devoured the open pastures, and a flame has burned all the trees of the field. The beasts of the field also cry out to You, for the water brooks are dried up, and fire has devoured the open pastures.” Joel 1:19-20

Traits of psychopathy pervades the world, showing little regard for humans, animals, or the environment. The thing that dictates people’s feelings, thoughts, words, and actions replaces the human conscience. It allows the image of the beast to animate through people in words and deeds and they disrespect God as the Creator of all. People around the world conform to the anti-Christian global culture as they are groomed to the mark of the beast by their words and deeds.

Traits of psychopathy includes egocentric behaviors that make people feel powerful and superior over God’s creation, including people, animals, the planet, and God Himself. They do not feel any accountability to God for the social and environmental damage happening in the world. They attribute the world’s problems to science and other factors, but not their own actions. Without any sense of guilt or remorse, they are not able to acknowledge that they are sinners who need Jesus Christ for the remission of sin to restore their relationship with God, the Creator of all. They exploit, control, and mock the Holy Spirit instead of welcoming Him to improve God’s creation through Jesus Christ. They lack empathy for God’s creation, whether it is people, animals, or the planet. The world fills with lawlessness and anti-social behavior.

This section of Joel corresponds to the Third and Fourth Plagues in Revelation 16, the Fifth Seal in Revelation 6, and the First and Third Trumpets in Revelation 8.

Before our Lord Jesus Christ comes back, the earth will face huge fires, animal suffering, and water shortages. The earth and its people will not have enough water to survive. We can already see how global warming makes wildfires worse. This makes it hard to protect, feed, keep cool, and water animals. Global warming is linked to the global government of the beast. The more powerful the United Nations gets as the one world government, the hotter and more severe global warming gets.

This verse reveals global warming as the Fourth Plague, “Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.” Revelation 16:8-9

Global warming is not the only cause of the earth’s destruction by fire, as the First Trumpet reveals, “The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.” Revelation 8:7

The world is already filling with suffering and foul spirited animals, as quoted, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.” Revelation 18:2 NIV

Contamination and global warming can both cause the water supply to diminish, “Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.” Revelation 8:10-11

God’s children on this earth endure suffering that makes the saints in Heaven plead with Him for justice, “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Revelation 6:9-10 This is the answer to the saints already in Heaven, “…until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.” Revelation 6:11. The global government of the beast has the blood of God’s children on its hands, “I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” Revelation 17:6

Sometimes, it may seem that God does not answer our prayers, but He keeps the prayers of His children, who are born through Jesus Christ, in Heaven. “Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints…” Revelation 5:8 This prayer is from Jesus Christ for those who make Him Lord and Savior, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” John 17:15-17

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1