Prepare To Meet Thy God

Joel 2:16

"Gather the people, sanctify the congregation,"

I. Truth

 A. The Light

    1. Jesus came to give life, not to destroy life. He came to "gather". However not everyone that is called will gather together unto Him. So Jesus wept.

    2. Even as He desired to gather, we now see in Joel 2:16 The Lord admonishing His true ministers to gather His people together. There are many that will not, even as there were when Jesus was on the earth. Note these two Scriptures:

Luk 13:34  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!


Joe 2:16  Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

II. Mercy

  A. Jesus Wept

Luk 19:41  And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
Luk 19:42  Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

    1. Now notice the following Scripture: Joel 2:17

Joe 2:17  Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

III. Mercy And Judgement

Psa 89:14  Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. 

Jas 2:13  For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

    A. The Result of Rejecting Truth - "Spare thy people, O LORD." Spare thy people oh LORD from what? Judgemnt!

    B. Remember Abraham prayed - He interceded "Wilt Thou not spare the city for the righteous sake? You must realize that Gods impending judgment was coming upon Sodom and Gomorrah and God raised up a man Abraham to pray and intercede on behalf of the righteous being spared. We see as Abraham talked to God asking God to spare the city for the righteous that Abraham said to God "Don't be angry LORD" Why did Abraham say this to God if God was not angry? I wonder if Abraham wept when he was interceding. Abraham said "I am but dust and ashes." This is how we are to approach a holy and angry God when His impending judgment is coming!