OUR FATHER WHO PROVIDES WARNING OF THINGS TO COME THROUGH HIS PROPHETS

Joel chapter 1 verse 9 says this;

Grain offerings and drink offerings are cut off from the house of the Lord. The priests are in mourning, those who minister before the Lord.

The grain offerings and drink offerings are no longer coming into the temple because the economy of the nation has fallen under severe judgement and every resource has been devoured and exhausted.

Joel chapter 1 verse 4 puts it this way;

What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; 

what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten;

what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten.

The ministers of God lose all the offerings that came into the house of God and they are in mourning.

The land is ravaged by an invader who strips bark off trees with teeth like a lion. All the grain and vines are destroyed along with all the fruit trees. Joel chapter 1 verse 6 says it this way;

A nation has invaded my land, a mighty army without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness.

In response to this, the Lord instructs His people to gather in solemn assemblies, to fast, to pray and to cry out to the Lord.

This invader sounds like the invaders from the bottomless pit in Revelation chapter 9 verse 7 - 8 which says;

The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.

The invasion described in Joel chapter 1 is parallel to the woe of the bottomless pit with both having locusts with lion fangs bringing destruction.

In Joel, the locusts focus on destroying the agricultural output of the nation.

In revelation, the locusts are focused on bringing direct harm to the human race by stinging them and making them languish between life and death for 5 months.

Bless the Lord who provides a way of salvation.

Amen.