The Great and Terrible Day

“In the last days I will pour out my Spirit…”

It begins and ends in the Book of Joel for me. It doesn’t matter what I am reading or studying, I end up back in Joel. So much of God’s character is revealed here in this marvelous book.

I use to think this book was narrowly referring to something, an event, that happened in 70 AD when Babylon took Jerusalem, but in carefully looking at the scripture, what is being spoken here could not have happened already.

“… for the Day of the Lord is coming, For it is at hand: a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, The like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations.” Joel 2:1-2

Whatever the “Day of the Lord” is referring to, it is certainly not to be misunderstood as a a simple but mystical appearing of the Lord. Clearly the Lord wants the reader to understand the darkness and gloominess of that Day, or season of time, and understand this is a “One Time Event”. If it has never happened before and will never happen again, then it hasn’t happened yet.

Why focus on the darkness? I don’t think the Lord is telling us to focus on it, I think He’s put quite an effort into communicating what the end of the age will look like so that we will be focused on Him through it and not be taken off-course in the midst of it. In fact, the more I read about the Great and Terrible Day, I am convinced that the "awesome-ness" (as some translations replace for 'terrible') far surpasses the negative events as we get to partner with Him in the day of His revealing His power to the whole earth.

My greatest passion in my Christian life has been the pursuit of knowing Him and seeing the demonstration of His supernatural power. In fact, I would say I have 'spent' myself to the point of weariness in this pursuit. I am desperate to see Him, to know Him, and to be gripped by His power. The Great and Awesome Day of the Lord will be the ultimate demonstration of His power- and I really don't want to miss it !!! I pray the Lord does not tarry, but returns in my lifetime- it will be AWESOME.

- gina