Joel 2:1-11
Who Can Endure It
Read the passage
1Blow the ram’s horn in Zion; sound the alarm on My holy mountain! Let all who dwell in the land tremble, for the Day of the LORD is coming; indeed, it is near—
2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like the dawn overspreading the mountains a great and strong army appears, such as never was of old, nor will ever be in ages to come.
3Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland—surely nothing will escape them.
4Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like swift steeds.
5With a sound like that of chariots they bound over the mountaintops, like the crackling of fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for battle.
6Nations writhe in horror before them; every face turns pale.
7They charge like mighty men; they scale the walls like men of war. Each one marches in formation, not swerving from the course.
8They do not jostle one another; each proceeds in his path. They burst through the defenses, never breaking ranks.
9They storm the city; they run along the wall; they climb into houses, entering through windows like thieves.
10Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness.
11The LORD raises His voice in the presence of His army. Indeed, His camp is very large, for mighty are those who obey His command. For the Day of the LORD is great and very dreadful. Who can endure it?
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
A ram’s horn sounds in Zion. Everyone in the land must tremble because the Day of the LORD is near. Darkness and gloom spread with a great, strong army unlike any seen before.
Before it, the land is like the Garden of Eden; behind it lies a desert wasteland. Fire devours and scorches. The advancing force looks like horses and sounds like chariots and crackling fire. Nations recoil in horror.
Its members charge, climb walls, and keep their formation. They burst through defenses, run along the city walls, and enter houses through windows. The danger reaches inside the places people expected to be safe. Earth and heaven tremble; the sun, moon, and stars darken.
The LORD raises His voice before His army, whose members obey His command. Joel’s question is urgent: “For the Day of the LORD is great and very dreadful. Who can endure it?” The force described is beyond the people’s ability to control. They must hear the warning from the LORD whose voice commands it.
Questions
1 What signal is sounded in Zion?
AnswerA ram's horn sounds an alarm on the LORD's holy mountain. The signal announces that the Day of the LORD is near and calls everyone in the land to take the warning seriously.
2 How is the army described?
AnswerIt is great and strong, disciplined, able to scale walls, enter houses, and keep its ranks without swerving.
3 What happens to the land behind it?
AnswerThe land that was like the Garden of Eden becomes a desert wasteland, and nothing escapes it.
4 What question closes the warning?
Answer“Who can endure it?” The question exposes the limits of human strength before the day of the LORD.
What This Means for Us
The LORD’s army advances through every defense. Joel’s question, “Who can endure it?” gives the warning a seriousness that ordinary confidence cannot answer.
When Scripture warns about sin, resist the urge to think only of someone else who needs to hear it. Let each person consider where they need God’s mercy and help to change. Adults can lead by admitting their own need for correction.
Prayer
Holy God, help us hear Your warnings honestly. Turn us from the sins we excuse, and give us humility to ask for Your mercy. Amen.