Continuing from Parts 1 and 2, from the book of Joel, we understand that there would come a time when there would be a great dearth of truth upon the land. As also spoken of by the prophet Amos, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” (Amos 8:11)

Prophesying of this widespread famine, Joel makes it clear that the famine of which he is speaking is for generations yet to come and that the dearth results not from the absence of words being spoken by minsters, pastors, and teachers but from the omission of truth by those who have eaten away at the word of truth, leaving only the tastier parts they choose to feed to their flocks.

Furthermore, not only have these pastors forsaken sound doctrine by ceasing to preach the things written that they found distasteful, but they have also become drunken on the fermented wine of false teachings and heresies.

Writing in parables, Joel begins with the proclamation, “That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten.” (Joel 1:4)

Addressing the husbandmen of the Lord’s vineyards and those who drink their fermented wine, in the next verse, Joel rebukes them, saying, “Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.” (Joel 1:5)

The new wine spoken of is the unfermented Word of God spoken in the spirit—God’s word is spirit and truth. As Jesus spoke, “Ye cannot put new wine into old bottles, but new wine must be put into new bottles, and both are preserved.”

Generational heresies have fermented the wine, which has filled old bottles. Unless the church is renewed, the bottles will burst, and both the new wine and the bottles will be lost. Unless the older generations awaken to the inherited falsehoods and repent, the Lord will use a younger generation, as we see often in historical revolutions and in spiritual restorations, to revive truth.

Nonetheless, even now there are some who are like those in the church of Sardis, to whom the Lord said, “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.”

Israel faced a similar dearth of the word of the Lord during the “400-year silence” following Malachi until John the Baptist. In fact, Malachi foretells of John’s appearance as a messenger heralding the coming of Christ.

Like many ministers today who make merchandise of the Lord’s house and who profit off of the people, Malachi’s rebukes those over the Lord’s house for turning the service of the Lord into a money-making enterprise. Speaking in the word of the Lord, Malachi says to the priest of Israel,

“I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles.”

And so it came to pass that, after 400 years of spiritual famine, John came to prepare the way of the Lord. The famine was broken, and the rains of heaven began to fall in the first great outpouring of the Spirit.

But those unto whom Christ came failed to accept his lordship except for a remnant; thus, their branches were removed from the olive tree, and the gospel was preached unto the Gentiles as Malachi prophesied, and they believed and were grafted in their place with a warning.

Now, however, as the ages come to a final close and the dispensation to the Gentiles comes to its fullness, many Christians have fallen in the same manner as Israel.

Paul warned the Gentiles that should they fall away, they too would be cut off from the olive tree, and Israel, if they abide not still in unbelief, would be grafted back in again.

Nonetheless, as the famine that followed Malachi was broken and the former rains were poured out following the resurrection of Christ and the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Lord has given us great hope of salvation, speaking through what Joel prophesied,

“Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 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.” (Joel 2:12-13)

Then will the Lord pity his people, and as he sent the former rain, so also the latter rains shall be poured out. “And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.” (Joel 2:24-25)

The Lord is assembling a great army, Joel’s Army, not to reform but to restore the word of God as it is written. And as the word of God is restored, the Lord will send the latter rains in the power of the outpouring of the spirit, and great things shall be done that will be seen by the world. For it is written that in these days,

“…Ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.”

And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.” (Joel 2:26-27)