Joel 2:18-27
I Will Repay You
Read the passage
18Then the LORD became jealous for His land, and He spared His people.
19And the LORD answered His people: “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and by them you will be satisfied. I will never again make you a reproach among the nations.
20The northern army I will drive away from you, banishing it to a barren and desolate land, its front ranks into the Eastern Sea, and its rear guard into the Western Sea. And its stench will rise; its foul odor will ascend. For He has done great things.
21Do not be afraid, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things.
22Do not be afraid, O beasts of the field, for the open pastures have turned green, the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and vine yield their best.
23Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.
24The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
25I will repay you for the years eaten by locusts—the swarming locust, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust—My great army that I sent against you.
26You will have plenty to eat, until you are satisfied. You will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you. My people will never again be put to shame.
27Then you will know that I am present in Israel and that I am the LORD your God, and there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
The LORD becomes jealous for His land and spares His people. He answers them with a promise of grain, new wine, and oil, enough to satisfy them. He will no longer make them a reproach among the nations.
He will drive the northern army into a barren land, with its front ranks in the Eastern Sea and its rear guard in the Western Sea. Its foul odor will rise. The force that devastated the land will be driven away.
The land and its animals are told not to fear. Pastures turn green, trees bear fruit, and the fig tree and vine yield their best. The children of Zion are called to rejoice in the LORD, who sends autumn and spring rains. Threshing floors will be full and vats will overflow.
God promises to repay the years eaten by the locusts, the great army He sent against His people. They will eat until satisfied and praise Him for His wonders. They will know that He is present in Israel, that He alone is their God, and that His people will never again be put to shame. The answer reaches the loss of food and the people’s need to know that the LORD is among them.
Questions
1 What does the LORD promise to send?
AnswerHe promises grain, new wine, and oil, and says His people will be satisfied. His answer reaches the food and worship that the locusts had taken away.
2 What will happen to the northern army?
AnswerThe LORD will drive it away to a barren and desolate land, and its foul odor will rise.
3 What changes in the land?
AnswerPastures turn green, trees bear fruit, rains return, threshing floors fill, and vats overflow. The restored land gives the people concrete reasons to praise the LORD again.
4 What does God promise about the locust years?
AnswerHe promises to repay the years eaten by the locusts and to remove the shame of His people.
What This Means for Us
God promises grain, wine, oil, rain, and the recovery of years consumed by the locusts. The promise does not rename the devastation as good. It says that devastation will not have the only word about His people.
When something begins to grow again, receive it with gratitude and tenderness. Do not use another person's restoration to hurry them past grief; let new provision become a reason to care for people who are still living with scarcity.
Prayer
God, meet us after seasons of loss. Restore what You will, remove shame, and teach us to receive new provision without denying the years that were eaten. Amen.