We turn again to God's Word.
I want to direct you to the words that we find at the end of the
book of the prophet Joel. The book of Joel chapter 3 and
reading from verse 18. Joel chapter 3 from verse 18. And it shall come to pass in
that day that the mountain shall drop down new wine and the hills
shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow
with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the
Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim. Egypt shall be a
desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness for the
violence against the children of Judah. because they have shed
innocent blood in their land but Judah shall dwell forever
and Jerusalem from generation to generation for I will cleanse
their blood that I have not cleansed for the Lord dwelleth in Zion. I want us to consider the theme
then of the gospel blessings that are being spoken of here,
particularly in the 18th verse. We read here then in verse 18,
And it shall come to pass in that day that the mountains shall
drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all
the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall
come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley
of Shittim. I'm sure we're aware that the
books of the minor prophets are not an easy part of Scripture. We have these books at the end
of the Old Testament, we refer to them as the minor prophets,
not because they were any less prophets than men such as Isaiah,
Jeremiah and Ezekiel, but their writings, of course, their books
are much shorter than those lengthy books that I've just referred
to in the earlier part of the Old Testament. But these minor
prophets were also clearly the Lord's servants, they were men
declaring the word of the Lord, but What they say often times is
difficult for us to understand and for us to interpret. It's been well observed we only
understand the spiritual meaning of the word of God by having
an experience of that word in our own hearts. It says God is
pleased to deal with us. that we can then understand and
appreciate so much that is written in these later books of the Old
Testament. What we have here is more than
history. What we have here is also mystery,
how the experimental aspect of these writings is so vital to
us. And so as we come to consider
the words of this particular text this morning. I do trust
that we might understand how that it has to do with the gospel,
it has to do with this day of grace in which we are living. We read here in the opening words
of the verse, it shall come to pass in that day. How significant is the expression
that day? We might well ask, which day
is it that the Prophet is speaking of? Well, if we go back to the
beginning of the chapter, we read, For behold, in those days,
and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of
Judah and Jerusalem. Clearly, in the historical context,
we are to recognize that in this chapter the prophet is speaking
of the restoration of the Jews from Babylon, after they had
spent some 70 years there in exile, the awful Babylonian captivity
that fell upon the kingdom of Judah because of their sins.
But God knew the thought that he thought towards them, thoughts
of peace and not of evil. He would give them an expected
end. There would be deliverance. Behold, in those days, and in
that time, when I shall bring again, he says, the captivity
of Judah and Jerusalem. that that event in Israel's history
was typical, it is a type the restoration of the gospel dispensation
and we we can be in no doubt that this is what Joel is speaking
of in this book the words that we have previously in chapter
2 and there at the end of that
chapter we read it shall come to pass afterwards that I will
pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters
shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young
men shall see visions, and so forth. It shall come to pass
afterward." Now, those are the very words, of course, that Peter
makes reference to in his sermon on the day of Pentecost. In fact,
There, on that solemn day, we see how Peter is really expounding
those words that we have in Joel 2 at verse 28 following. But see how Peter refers to that
portion there in Acts 2 and verse 16. This is that, he says, which
was spoken by the prophet Joel, there were those present at Jerusalem
who were witnessing this remarkable event, these men who were preaching,
who were speaking in unknown tongues, and the multitudes were
dismissing this and saying they were drunken men. But not so,
says Peter. This is that which was spoken
by the prophet Joel, and it shall come to pass in the last days. It's interesting that whereas
in Joel it says afterward, Here in the New Testament, as Peter
is not only quoting but interpreting under the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, he uses the expression, In the last days, saith God,
I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons
and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see
visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on My servants
and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My
Spirit, and they shall prophesy, and so forth. Speaking then of
the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel, ultimately, this book,
like all of the Old Testament, has its fulfillment in the Lord
Jesus Christ. And here in chapter 3, there
is a reference to the two comings of Christ, his first coming,
and also his second coming. In His first coming, of course,
He is revealed as that One who is the Saviour of sinners in
the fullness of the time. God sends forth His Son made
of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under
the law. The great work of redemption. He comes to reconcile sinners
unto God. But then He is to come a second
time. and he will then come as that
one to whom the Father has committed all judgment. And there is a
reference to that coming, that second coming of Christ, here
in this particular chapter. Look at the language that is
used here at verse 12, following. Let the heathen be wakened, and
come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat. For there will I sit to judge
all the heathen round about, Put ye in the sickle, for the
harvest is ripe. Come, get you down, for the press
is full, the fats overflow, for their wickedness is great. Multitudes,
multitudes in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be
darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their light. Some might
take that 14th verse and rip it out of its context and say
that the reference here is to those who are brought to the
point of decision with regards to their salvation. It's not
speaking of Christ's gracious coming. It is speaking rather
of that time when the Lord is to return as the Great Judge. Dr. Gill makes the observation
that this term, the Valley of Jehoshaphat, does not refer to
a particular place. It's not a proper name of a certain
place. Valley of Jehoshaphat simply
refers to the fact that God is the Judge. Come up to the Valley
of Jehoshaphat, for there will I sit to judge. It's referring
to that that comes at the end of time, those things that the
Lord Jesus himself speaks of as he comes to the conclusion
of his own ministry. We see it, do we not, time and
again in the Gospels. For example, there in Luke chapter
21, verse 25, he says, there shall
be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars. And upon
the earth distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and
the waves roaring, men's hearts pining then for fear and for
looking after those things which are coming on the earth. For
the powers of heaven shall be shaken, and then shall they see
the Son of Man coming in a cloud. with power and great glory. He speaks of signs in the sun,
in the moon, and in the stars. The very thing that we read of
here at verse 15, the sun and the moon shall be darkened, the
stars shall withdraw their light. Oh, this is a great decision
at the end of time. Multitudes, multitudes in the
valley of decision for the day of Lord is near. It is that awful
day of judgment then that is being spoken of there at verse
12, following the second coming of the Lord Jesus. But then here,
in the words that we've read as our text, we have a reference
to that first coming of the Lord Jesus, the great day of grace. It shall come to pass in that
day. Now, time and again in the Old Testament we have the two
comings, as it were, brought together in a single portion
of Holy Scripture. We know, of course, in the fulfillment
of these things that there's a great period of time between
that first coming and that second coming. this great day of grace,
the day in which God has ordained that we should be living our
lives. What a favored people we are that we should live in
the day of grace, the acceptable time and the day of salvation. It shall come to pass in that
day that the mountains shall drop down new wine and the hills
shall flow with milk and all the rivers of Judah shall flow
with waters and the fountain shall come forth of the house
of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim." Well, let
us consider something of the blessings of the Gospel that
are contained in the words that we have here for our text this
morning. And first of all, we see that
these blessings are so positive. We have a positive statement
here. We have a very rich set of figures
that are being used in the language that is employed. And it signifies
to us deliverance and salvation. This is what the Prophet is speaking
of. This is what he has spoken of,
of course, previously. At the end of the second chapter
he says, "...it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call
on the name of the Lord shall be delivered." For in Mount Zion
and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in
the remnant whom the Lord shall call. In Mount Zion and in Jerusalem. And here we read, you see, of
the mount, the mountains dropping down, new wine, the hills flowing with
milk, the rivers of Judah flowing with waters, a fountain coming
forth out of the house of the Lord." It's the same figure really
that we have there at the end of that second chapter. Now,
there had been previously a terrible plight an awful locust plague
had come upon the people that had brought a great dearth and
terrible desolation. This is how the book of the Prophet
Joel opens, does he not? He speaks of this great army
that comes from God as a judgment upon the people. in verse 4 of
chapter 1, "...that which the palmer worm hath left hath the
locust eaten, that which the locust hath left hath the canker
worm eaten, that which the canker worm hath left hath the caterpillar
eaten. Awake, you drunkards, and weep,
and howl, all you drinkers of wine, because of the new wine,
for it is cut off from your mouth." Throughout that chapter we read
of this great army this awful scourge that comes upon the nation. Verse 12, the vine is dried up,
the fig tree languishes, the pomegranate tree, the palm tree
also, and the apple tree. Even all the trees of the field
are withered, because joy is withered away from the sons of
men. Further at verse 18, out of the
beast grown, the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have
no pasture, yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate. And
verse 20, the beasts of the field cry out also unto thee, for the
rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the
pastures of the wilderness. He's speaking then of some terrible
event that had occurred which had brought desolation throughout
the land. And this was to be understood
in terms of God. It was the hand of God that had
gone out clearly there against the people. It was God's army. It was God's army that had been
visited upon them. Look at chapter 2 and verse 11,
"...the Lord shall utter His voice before His army, for His
camp is very great, for He is strong that executes His word,
For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible, and who can
abide it?" Some awful catastrophe that came upon them, not just
a reference in here to that event that we might be familiar with,
the Babylonian exile, those years of captivity, but also some awful
visitation that God sent upon the people. But then Now, it's
not for destruction. In verse 25 of chapter 2, God
says, I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten,
the canker worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer worm, my great
army that I sent among you. And here we see how God indeed
does deal with his people, does he not? He makes his people sad. He makes the sinner sad when
he comes with the gospel. He first of all brings that conviction
into the sinner's soul. He makes the sinner feel the
desolate condition that he's in by nature. He opens the sinner's
eyes to his real standing before God as one who is dead in trespasses
and sins. awful barrenness in the soil,
all of this is part of God's dealings with His people. But
then all of that is reversed. There is restoration, and that's
the figure that we have here. The mountains dropping down with
new wine, the hills flowing with milk. How it had been so different
when God had sent those terrible plagues upon the people. But
now you see God had come and visited his children again. And the imagery I say that we
have here is really that that belongs unto the Gospel. We see
it in that portion that we read, those two chapters in the book
of Isaiah. Look at the similarity with the
language there in Isaiah 25.6. In this mountain it says, "...shall
the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things."
a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow,
of wines on the lees well refined." It's gospel imagery that we have
here. How God will yet make that provision. We read of the hills flowing
with milk, the rivers of Judah flowing with waters, and again
we have the language, similar language in those familiar words
at the beginning of Isaiah 55 for everyone that thirsteth,
come ye to the waters. And he that hath no money, come
ye, buy and eat, yea, come buy wine and milk without money and
without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for
that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfies
not? Hearken diligently unto me, and
eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself
in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto
me, hear, and your soul shall live. And I will make with you
an everlasting covenant, he says, even the sure mercies of David. For here is that fountain, you
see, that blessed provision that God makes in the Gospel. The
fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, it says. or with joy shall they draw water
out of the wells of salvation," says Isaiah. The whole imagery
that we have there, it's so positive, it's God speaking of those great
blessings, though there has been terrible desolation. And is it
not true, as I said, also in the experience of those that
the Lord deals with? He makes us feel what we are. He causes us to see our sinnership,
and to feel the awful state that we're in by our natural birth
with those dead in trespasses and sins and multitudes the whole
of humanity is in that condition but our men are blissfully unaware
until the Lord begins to deal with us and show us these things
and make us to fear our sinnership Oh, but then that is but the
harbinger of this great positive message that comes in the Gospel. And look at what it says here
at the end of the verse. The fountain shall come forth,
it says, out of the house of the Lord, and shall water the
valley of Shechem. Now what is the significance
of that? Now that is a certain geographical place. the valley
of Shechem. It was the last encampment of
the children of Israel before they entered into the promised
land. We see that in Joshua. There in the second chapter of
the book of Joshua, there on the borders, are they not now
of that land that Joshua is about to take them into the possession
of. Chapter 2 of Joshua. Joshua the son of Nun sent out
of Shittim two men to spy secretly saying, Go view the land, even
Jericho. And they went and came into an
harlot's house named Rahab and lodged there. And then in Chapter
3 we're told that Joshua rose early in the morning and they
removed from Shittim and came to Jordan. They're not yet entered
into the Promised Land, they're on the borders of the Promised
Land. They're at Shittim but they come to Jordan and all the
children of Israel and they lodged there before they passed over
the river. It's the last encampment. What
does it mean then as we have it mentioned here in our text
this morning? This fountain that comes forth
out of the house of the Lord and waters the valley of Shittim. It shows, does it not, that the
gospel is to go outside the boundaries of the promised land of Israel.
That the blessings of the gospel are to extend even to those who
are sinners of the Gentiles. And when we see Joel being fulfilled
as we have it there in Peter's preaching on the day of Pentecost,
we see quite clearly how this gospel is to go to Gentiles,
it's to go to the ends of the earth. There in the Acts of the
Apostles, in the opening chapter, are they not commanded by the
Lord Jesus to abide at Jerusalem and await the outpouring of the
Spirit in Acts 1 and verse 8. Ye shall receive power after
that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses
unto me. It says both in Jerusalem and
in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the
earth. Why these blessings? These blessings of the Gospel
they are to extend amongst all nations of the earth, and not
confined now to Israel. This is the imagery, I say, that
is being employed. It's so positive, it's so rich,
the figure that we have here. In some ways, when we read here
of the rivers of Judah flowing with waters, and the fountain
coming forth of the house of the Lord, it reminds us of that
great vision that we have also in the 47th chapter of the book
of Ezekiel. A great portion there that we
find in the opening words of that chapter. Afterwards he brought
me again unto the door of the house and behold waters issued
out from waters issued out from under
the threshold of the house eastward For the forefront of the house
stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under the
right side of the house at the south side of the altar. Then
brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led
me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that
looketh eastward, have the various points of the compass being mentioned. And behold, there ran waters
on the right side. And when the man that had the
line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits
and brought me through the waters. The waters were to the ankles.
Again he measured a thousand and brought me through the waters.
The waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand
and brought me through. The waters were to the loins.
Afterward he measured a thousand and it was a river. that I could
not pass over, for the waters were risen, waters to swim in,
a river that could not be passed over." And so it continues. It's a description, is it not,
this vision of the waters issuing forth and all the glorious plenty
that is brought by the waters. It's a figure also of the gospel,
the blessings of the gospel. Oh, it's such a positive statement
then that we have here at the end of this book that begins
with that terrible plague of the locust and the canker worm
and the caterpillar with which the book begins. Right blessings, positive blessings,
but also here we have blessings that are clearly particular. their particular blessings what
a contrast Egypt shall be a desolation it says in verse 19 and Eden
shall be a desolate wilderness for the violence against the
children of Judah because they have shed innocent blood in their
land and gospel blessings are particular gospel blessings are
only for Israel they're only for Israel We see how that Egypt, of course,
was very much an ancient enemy of the children of Israel. It
was there, of course, that they were in cruel bondage. It was
from there that God delivered them under the hand of Moses,
brought them out, brought them to Mount Sinai, entered into
a covenant with them. And we have that sort of preamble,
do we not, to the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus chapter
20 we're told how God spoke all these words saying I am the Lord
thy God which hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt out
of the house of bondage and then the commandments the covenant
follows but God had brought them out of that place, that cruel
place which was Egypt. How they were such bitter enemies to the children
of Israel. We read subsequently of the hatred
that the Egyptians bore. We read of the Pharaoh called
Shishak in the first book of Kings and there in chapter 14 Look at what this man does as
he comes to desecrate the the temple of the
Lord in 1st Kings 14 and verse 25 it came to pass
in the fifth year of King Rehoboam that Shishak king of Egypt Shishak
the Pharaoh came up against Jerusalem and took away the treasures of
the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house,
he even took away all and he took away all the shields of
gold with Solomon in mind all these people, these Egyptians,
they were they were enemies bitter enemies to the children of Israel
Egypt shall be a desolation Then also we read of other enemies,
the Edomites. The Edomites who were the descendants
of Esau, who was the brother of Jacob, and yet these also
were such terrible enemies to the Israelites. In the next book, in the book
of Amos, There in chapter 1 and verse
11, Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Edom, and for
four I will not turn away the punishment thereof, because he
did pursue his brother with the sword, and he cast off all pity,
and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever. But I will send a fire upon Teman,
which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah, and God will deal
with these Edomites, because of the great bitterness that
they show towards the house of Israel. Again, look at that little
book of Obadiah. And there in the prophecy of
Obadiah, in verses 10 and 11, for thy violence against thy
brother Jacob, shame shall cover them, and they shall be cut off
forever. In the day that thou stoodest
on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away
captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast
lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. Here again we have God's judgment,
you see, being pronounced against the Edomites. God's blessings in the Gospel
are for a particular people. That's evident, is it not? When
we think of Jacob and Esau, those twins, and yet what does the
Lord God say? As it is written, Jacob am I
loved, but Esau have I hate it. The words are contained there
in the opening chapter of the book of the Prophet Malachi,
but they are taken up, they are repeated by the Apostle writing
there in Romans chapter 9, that great chapter on the sovereignty
of God. We see there the awful doctrine
not only of God's sovereign election, but also the doctrine of reprobation. God's blessings are particular
blessings. God's blessings belong to Israel,
and only to Israel. Egypt shall be a desolation,
and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness. All the blessings that we have
spoken of in the previous verse, the words of our text, why they
belong to Judah. All the rivers of Judah shall
flow with water. But then we have to ask that
question, of course, who are the Israel of God? As I said, the blessings are
to come even to the Valley of Shittim. They come outside the
boundaries of ethnic Israel. We know that God's true Israel
is a spiritual people. For they are not all Israel,
says Paul, that are of Israel. Who is the true Jew? Well, remember
the language again of the Apostle there at the end of the second
chapter in his epistle to the Romans. He makes it quite clear
that he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that
circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew
which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit
and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God. physical circumcision, the mark
of the Jew, is nothing really. He is a true Jew which is one
inwardly, and the true circumcision is in the heart. It's that great
work of regeneration. Circumcising the heart, it's
that new heart that the Lord gives to his people. The blessing
of redemption is a particular blessing, is it not? It is the
portion of Israel, it's not that which is common to other nations. Salvation is only for God's spiritual
people, that people that He has said His love upon. All the blessings
are so positive. And yet we have to acknowledge
the sovereignty of God, and how in His sovereignty He has appointed
who is to be saved, He has passed over a multitude, and He has
foreordained them to an awful condemnation. This is clearly
the teaching that we have here with regards to these blessings
of the Gospel. Now the Lord marks out His people,
how that Gospel comes to one and not another. Solemn words
are they not that the Apostle speaks, so that the Gospel is
a savour of death unto death to some, and a savour of life
unto life to others, and who is sufficient for these things?
asks Paul. How God is working out His purpose. How God is pleased to call out
to people, and call them out unto Himself under the ministry
of His Word. All the blessings of the Gospel,
positive, particular but also here we see this that these blessings
are eternal all these blessings endure they last forever verse
20 but Judah shall dwell forever and Jerusalem from generation
to generation It's an eternal salvation. What comes into the
soul of the sinner, that new life, it's an eternal life. When
the sinner is born again, when he's born from above, he comes
into the possession of a life that can never be destroyed. Death, physical death, does not
bring an end to that new life that God, in His mercy, has implanted
in the soul of His children. It is truly absent from the body
and present with the Lord. They are in possession of a life
that is forever and forever. I give unto them eternal life,
says Christ, and they shall never perish. No man is able to pluck
them out of My hand. My Father which gave them is
greater than all. No man can pluck them out of
my Father's hand." Oh, it is a life then that is clearly an
eternal life. And look at what it says here
at the end of the chapter. For the Lord dwelleth in Zion. The Lord dwelleth in Zion. He
is that One who dwells in the midst of His people. It's the promise, is it not,
of the eternal glory that they will enjoy in heaven itself. The Lord Himself there in the
midst of His people. We see it at the end of the book
of the Revelation. In chapter 21 and verse 3, John
says, I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and
they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them
and be their God. Wasn't that the great blessing
that God had promised with regards to the tabernacle in the days
of Moses when he was receiving all that instruction back in
Exodus how he was instructed concerning every part of the
furniture when he comes to the holy of holies Oh, when he comes
to the ark of the covenant of the mercy seat, what had God
said? That there he would meet with the children of Israel. He would sit enthroned in the
midst of Israel. He would be with them. He would
dwell with them. And here is the great promise of heaven.
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell
with them, and they shall be his people. And God himself shall
be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow
nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former
things are past away. And he that sat upon the throne
said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write,
for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me,
It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the end." Oh, this is the great promise of the Gospel,
is it not? That God's people are to be with
Him forever. The Lord dwelleth in Zion. Man who was created in God's
image, man who was made in God's likeness, man who was created
to enjoy fellowship with his God. or that man who was in a
state of alienation the consequence of Adam's seed in the Garden
of Eden or how Adam transgressed there in the very Paradise of
God how there was that awful separation and how all who are
descended from Him are those who are born dead in trespasses
and sins and yet in the Gospel there is that glorious reconciliation
this is the great promise you see, it's eternal the blessings
of the gospel they last they last forever and ever, Judah
shall dwell forever Jerusalem from generation to generation
and it's all in the Lord Jesus Christ is he not sinners are
reconciled to God sinners in Christ enjoy fellowship with
God our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus
Christ our Lord these blessings they are I say eternal blessings
and yet also we have to recognize the particularity of these blessings
they belong to a particular people even those whom God in his sovereignty
from all eternity set his love upon and sent Christ to redeem
and they are such positive blessings are they not sins are gone that
is a great thing for the believer sins are gone Salvation is so
secure. What does he say here in verse
21? I will cleanse their blood. I will cleanse their blood that
I have not cleansed. This is the gospel day. It shall
come to pass in that day. That great verse, I know I've
referred to it probably several times before, but what a verse
it is that we find there in the book of the Prophet Jeremiah and there in chapter 50 and verse 20 Jeremiah 50 verse
20 in those days and we have this expression you see those
day, that day, the last day it's the gospel day in those days
And in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall
be sought for, and there shall be none, and the sins of Judah,
and they shall not be found. For I will pardon them whom I
reserve." Who are those whom the Lord has reserved? This is
His people that He has set His love upon and He will pardon
them. And their sins will be no more. I will cleanse their
blood, He says. Oh, this is the great blessing,
is it not, of the Gospel. This is the thing that makes
heaven such a blessed place to contemplate, because no sin can
enter the air. As Isaac Watts says, sin my worst
enemy before shall vex mine eyes and ears no more. My inward foes
shall all be slain, nor Satan break my peace again. Is it not
the great grief of the child of God that as he lives in this
world he still has to confront sin daily, he feels it in his
fallen nature but ought to be in that place where the fellowship
with God is complete and uninterrupted forever and ever these eternal
blessings of the gospel how are we to know them? how are we to
know these things? well we must come we must come
in fight, we must come of course in confession we must come in
repentance as God is pleased to show us our sins as God deals
with his people here in the opening chapter as he sends these terrible
plagues upon them but as he says gird yourselves verse 13 of chapter
1 gird yourselves and lament ye priests, howl ye ministers
of the altar come lie all night in sackcloth ye ministers of
my God for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholder
from the house of your God sanctify ye fast call a solemn assembly
gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into
the house of the Lord your God and cry unto the Lord this is
what we have to do we have to cry unto God we have to call
upon Him, we have to seek Him we have to beseech Him that He
would grant us that true spirit of repentance or if we say that
we have no sin why we deceive ourselves the truth is not in
us if we confess our sins or He is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness if we
say that we have not sinned we make Him a liar and His word
is not in us or do we want God's word to come not just before
us on the page of Holy Scripture but we want God's Word, God's
truth to come in to enter into our hearts to take possession
of our souls if we would know the blessings of the Gospel we
must be brought to that at least that desire to call upon Him
that He would apply His Word and bring His Word home and cause
us to be that people who will make our confessions and acknowledge
our sin and ask the pardon of sins and ask that we might find
acceptance in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ
it is the gospel I say that he set before us here in the words
that we find in this book of the prophet in Joel chapter 3
and verse 18 it shall come to pass in that day that the mountain
shall drop down new wine And the hills shall flow with milk,
and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain
shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water
the valley of Shittim. O God, be pleasing to water our
souls with the blessings of His gospel, for His name's sake. Amen.