JUDGMENT AND RESTORATION TOGETHER (2 OF 12)
Judgment and Restoration Together (2 of 12)
Series: Return and Seek: The Minor Prophets
Patrick Edwards
Joel
Introduction
You know I wrote this message during the stay-at-home orders back in mid-April. You remember how we were right in the thick of the pandemic (or hopefully what was the thick of it), and there, of course, was lot of second guessing of our leaders at that time, nationally, state-wide, and even locally. Likewise, I remember watching on social media a lot of speculation about the pandemic itself, trying to pay attention particularly to the reactions of those who claimed to be Christians. Some were convinced it was all an elaborate hoax or dramatic overreaction by the media. There were protests at state capitals across the country arguing that this wasn't that big of a deal and that our constitutional rights were being taken away.
At the other extreme there were those who were convinced that COVID-19 was some sort of apocalyptic plague sent by God. I can't remember even the amount of social media posts about the book of Revelation, people trying to find the coronavirus in there alongside the bowls of wrath. Of course, then there were many interpretations somewhere in between these two extremes. Maybe this was not judgment from God but a warning; maybe this was God's refining the church, preparing her for revival; maybe this wasn't directly the hand of God at all but merely the reality of living in a fallen world that has been corrupted by sin.
You see, any time there is mass tragedy and mass death there are always sure to follow countless speculations about what God is doing, whether it be 9/11, Katrina, or most recently COVID-19. Of course, might our God be an efficient God who does a great many things through one earthly event? My point is that it's not wrong to look at the world around us and seek to discern what God is saying. You remember Jesus condemned the Pharisees for failing to recognize God's work of redemption through Him, ...
Series: Return and Seek: The Minor Prophets
Patrick Edwards
Joel
Introduction
You know I wrote this message during the stay-at-home orders back in mid-April. You remember how we were right in the thick of the pandemic (or hopefully what was the thick of it), and there, of course, was lot of second guessing of our leaders at that time, nationally, state-wide, and even locally. Likewise, I remember watching on social media a lot of speculation about the pandemic itself, trying to pay attention particularly to the reactions of those who claimed to be Christians. Some were convinced it was all an elaborate hoax or dramatic overreaction by the media. There were protests at state capitals across the country arguing that this wasn't that big of a deal and that our constitutional rights were being taken away.
At the other extreme there were those who were convinced that COVID-19 was some sort of apocalyptic plague sent by God. I can't remember even the amount of social media posts about the book of Revelation, people trying to find the coronavirus in there alongside the bowls of wrath. Of course, then there were many interpretations somewhere in between these two extremes. Maybe this was not judgment from God but a warning; maybe this was God's refining the church, preparing her for revival; maybe this wasn't directly the hand of God at all but merely the reality of living in a fallen world that has been corrupted by sin.
You see, any time there is mass tragedy and mass death there are always sure to follow countless speculations about what God is doing, whether it be 9/11, Katrina, or most recently COVID-19. Of course, might our God be an efficient God who does a great many things through one earthly event? My point is that it's not wrong to look at the world around us and seek to discern what God is saying. You remember Jesus condemned the Pharisees for failing to recognize God's work of redemption through Him, ...
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