The Pulpit Commentary — Joel — Section 34

~~d nc\·cr di~ men of war, with_ a\l their training and organization, do It more thorohghlf, lhcy do their work BYBtematually, each marching according to the appointed plan· while n?ne loaves hie proper_ path or quits his allott.ed rank. Without eltlier struggling or ioetlrng, they advance directly and determinedly .to accomplish the work assigned them. They in coneequsnoo do their work su,·ely. Resistance is in vain and escapo im110BBible; it is thus with the a.gents and instrumentalities which God employs lor the purposes of desarved WT'll,lh. 2. Should not men, when sent !\ii messengers of hie mercy, observe like ·order and re~ularity, like system in arrangements and speed in execution? It is tbW! with the heavenly meesengers; for Goo. makes his angels swift ns the winds and strong as the fiery flames in bearing God's me,'lsages and in ministering to God's saints. · , · III. THE ALARMS OF MINOR JUDGJinn."T8. Weak and mean as the instruments of hie wr11.th were individually, God made them by their multitudinous· masses 11. mighty engine for ·spreading desolation and terror. . It needs but .a slight touch of his finger to lay men's possessions, or comforts, .or enjoyments in the dust. . ' ...... : , 'Vers. 12-17.-These verses summon the people to humiliation/or sin, and thanks- giving for mercy. God, by his prophet, does not forbid the outward sign of sorrow, so customary among Orientals 11.nd common among the Jews; he rather insists upon the presence of the thing signified, without which the sign w11.s more. a mockery ~h11.n a reality. : .. . . . I. THE OCCASION OF THE BlJ'MILUTION. -It was an ca.rµ.est time with the people of the southern kingdom.· 'llerrible deso~tion bad.been ;made in the land of Judah. An army of loouste had been the agents of Divine veogeanet1 ; ·sin had l?een •t4e cause ; the aathor of the punishment was God.. "The prophet hl!,d :des~ri~!l:.at length the coming of God's j11d,,,"DJ.ents as a mighty army. But, lest amid theju4gmiinte .men should (w; they oft.en dt>) forget the Judge, he represents God as commanding thj1r _his army, g11.th.ering. ordering, marshalling, directing them, giving them .the, word whe)l and upon whom they should pour themselves. Their presence w11-s a t9ken ,of this, 'l'hey should neither anticipate that eommand nor lingjlf. , Bu,t as an /1,rll).y awaits the command to move, and then, the word being given, roll,e on instantly, _so God's judgments await the precise moment of hie will, and then fall." II. THE NATURE OF THE RUJfiLliTION. I!L 'I'm: llllOTIVES TO HUKILIA.TION, . ., . , , . ! .,, IV. THE METHOD OF TREm HUllllILlATION. 1. A great-variety of circum~tances i,s,to be.attended to. (1) There. is the signal to be given: 'rnlow the- trumpet in Zion." (2) Serioaa preparation made for a fast: "Sanctify a fast." (3) •The eummoniµg o( a solemn assembly: "Call a solemn BSBem,bly." ( 4) The. con.vocation, of th.e people: "Gatherthepeople" ('am); and. (5) when theywerjlthue convene<l.!lnd in con~equence ea.me together, they were consecrated into a solemn assembly (qal;al) : " Sll,nctify the congregation." (6) The constituent elemeo.ta of the assembly embraced the oldest and the youngest, with ageeintermecliate:-elde.re:and sucklings, and even, cpildren of tender years; nor could the newly married, who at other times were exempted from war or pressing duties, claim exemption now; D8.Y, on the very da,y of their bridal, the bride- groom was called forth out of his chamber and the bride out of her closet to join the multitude of mourners, and share in the public humiliation end national sorrow. 2. The services of the occasion were to be conducted in an orderly and beoo!lling manner. Everything connected mth the house and service of God requires to be dpne decently and in good order. Thus, in the passage before ue, nothing is left to hp.phazard; nor did anything remain to be improvised OJl the spur of the moment, and after t.h/l aasembly met. (1) The persons who were to conduct; the sole[lln service were j!,ppointed-the priests, the ministers of the_ Lord; (2) the P,lace they were to occu~y we.e pointed out-between the porch and the altar; (3) the •part they were to take .1n the duties of the day wee assigned them-weeping for. their own sine and the sins of the people; (4) the prayer they were to PJaY was prescribed to them. 3. 'l'he prayer itself (1) pleads for sparing mercy re-echoed in the petitions of the Litany, "Remember not, Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; neither take thou vengeance of ow sine: spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy rr,•,st precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever." The second petition of tho arr, II. 1-82.] 1.''.UE BOOK OF J(YEl',, 31