Reflection on Joel 2:23-32

Reflection on Joel 2: 23–32

Reflection in two voices.

The prophet plays it straight – looking at the congregation, whilst our pessimistic friend is animated and keeps interrupting Joel as he tries to give his word from God.

Pessimist
Give me one reason to be cheerful! Just one, is that asking too much?

Joel
O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the Lord your God;for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain as before.

Pessimist
You’re not kidding – rain! It’s done nothing but rain, all through spring and summer and not here we are in autumn and all we get are mists of mellow fruitfulness – mists, for goodness sake – even more water!

Joel
The threshing floors shall be full of grain, the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

Pessimist
Really Well I’ll believe it when I see it. Years of thin harvests, locusts – destroying and cutting down the crops. I can’t remember the last time the barns were half full, let alone overflowing.

Continues

Michaela Youngson