Joel 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
This passage of scripture speaks to us about the closing scenes of earth's history, when an alarm will be sounded throughout the whole earth, that the day of God is near, even at the doors. It will be a day of great spiritual darkness, as is referenced in the passage, but it will also be a day of great spiritual enlightenment, because The God of heaven will make His will and His word known and very plain to all the inhabitants of earth. This simultaneous occurrence of great light and darkness is illustrated by the "Thick clouds" and the "Morning" mentioned in the passage, and it is also referenced by the prophet Isaiah when describing the burden of Dumah. Let's read:
Isaiah 21:11 The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? 12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night"....
The alarm referred to in the book of Joel corresponds to the loud cry that will be given just prior to the close of earth's history to warn the inhabitants thereof of impending judgments, and the close of human probation. This warning must be given with urgency, because the multitudes will have been lulled into a state of carnal security with the institution of the beast system spoken of in Revelation, chapters thirteen and fourteen, and when the warning is given it will then bring all of earth's inhabitants to the point of deciding either for, or against Christ. This is why in the very next chapter of Joel, the following words of inspiration are written. Let's read:
Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 16 The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
It is worthy of note that the "Alarm" spoken of by the prophet Joel will be sounded by a group of Christian soldiers who will have been trained by God Himself for this very purpose. The weapons that are used here are not carnal, but spiritual, as explained in the book of Ephesians, where Paul explicitly states that our warfare is not directed against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and against spiritual wickedness in high places. This company of soldiers are also represented in the book of Revelation by the 144,000, who are chosen by God to carry the last message of salvation to a dying world, and the theme of their message will be the commandments of God, just as it was in the days of Elijah, when Israel had fallen into deep apostasy and immorality, through the institution of a false system of worship by Jezebel and king Ahab. Let's read:
1st Kings 17:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? 18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.
And just as it is stated in the experience of Elijah, the masses of the people will be brought to the point of decision, when presented with the clear undeniable truths of the validity of the law of God, which has been despised and trampled upon for so many years, by those false prophets and teachers who have fed the multitudes with the erroneous doctrine that God's law of Ten Commandments were nailed to the cross. Let's read:
1st Kings 18:19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. 20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
What follows after the prophets of Baal had failed signally in their futile efforts to bring down fire from heaven upon their polluted sacrifice is worthy of note, because unlike their frantic and frenzied incantations and cursing, Elijah proceeds to build an altar of twelve stones, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, and then he instructs those who stand by to pour twelve buckets of water upon the sacrifice. He then kneels and prays a short simple prayer, asking God to turn back the hearts of His people who had been led into idolatry and error through the specious workings of Jezebel and her false prophets. Let's read:
1st Kings 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. 36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.
The twelve stones that Elijah used and the twelve barrels of water he called for are not a coincidence, for when we multiply twelve by twelve we get 144, and this number is scheduled to grow exponentially until the number 144,000 is reached just before the close of earth's history. Let's read:
Revelation 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
And the water used, and the fire that descended from heaven upon the twelve stones are all symbols of the Holy Ghost, who descended on the twelve apostles on the day of Pentecost with cloven tongues of fire, and who will again descend on the 144,000 in copious measure, represented by the latter rain spoken of by the prophet Joel, and also referenced by John the Baptist. Let's read:
Luke 3:16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
Joel 2:23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 32 And 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.
As the history of earth draws to a close, the people of God are to be preparing for the out- pouring of the latter rain, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost, so that we may be fitted to do battle against the multitudinous errors that have held millions of sincere Christians in chains of spiritual slavery. And the work of preparation can only be accomplished through prayer and fasting and a deliberate putting away of all sin, through the enabling power of the Holy Ghost. The times spoken of here are right upon us, and thus it behooves us to put our house in order so that when the "Alarm" begins to sound, we will no be caught sleeping. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that teaches us what will be coming our way soon, and it is the will of God that we keep our vessels right side up so that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will not pass us by. Let's read:
Joel 2:5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. 6 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. 7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: 8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. 11 And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? 12 Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
He that hath ears to hear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. God bless!