Blessed Are They Who Mourn for They Shall Be Comforted

Joel 1:13-20

If a man slices off his finger cutting meat at work, he blames the restaurant. He sues. So the restaurant beefs up protocols and puts up work safety posters. He feels vindicated, but he’s still missing a finger. A man smokes three packs daily for 40 years and gets cancer. He sues the tobacco company. So they put warning labels now. He’s blamed someone; but he dies and people are still addicted. We blame TV for ill-mannered children; so TV ratings are devised - but do TV ratings prevent bad behavior? But we could’ve taken care, not smoked, and controlled TV time. But we want to blame someone - I think all of us can relate. Also, the more outraged we are or make ourselves to be, the more it must be someone else’s fault - self-atonement by indignation.

But when we excuse ourselves and shift blame and guilt, we deprive ourselves the opportunity to reflect and repent. We want quick fixes - to solve things without reflecting, evaluating, or doing a post mortem. Perhaps we were at fault but we were so busy blaming others we didn’t reflect. But admitting wrong is good. Confronting our mistakes is important. Why? Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. When we see the poverty of our spirit, when we mourn and come meekly to Christ, we’ll be restored. Confession and repentance are necessary. They’re foundational. We repented and confessed at the start of our Christian life. We must continue to repent and confess as children of a loving heavenly Father. And therefore, we must be a people who repent easily, frequently, and sincerely. We must cry to God. There are 3 observations from this passage about repentance. Firstly, repentance must come from the top. Secondly, repentance must come from all. Thirdly, repentance is not repentance unless it’s sincere.

Firstly, repentance must come from the top. Two weeks ago, we saw God giving instructions to various people to cry and mourn - the elders, the drunkards, the soon-to-be brides, the priests, and the farmers. In other words, everyone was to repent - high, low, and religious society. Why? Because God had just sent a great plague of locusts - it decimated everything. Or it may have been great army described like locusts. And we learned that this trouble came as a punishment. They’d sinned; forgotten God; and so according to the covenant they had with God, he sent trouble to them. It was meant to cause them to repent. So ultimately, it was not the plague that destroyed their land - it was God. But would they see their sins and repent? Or would they blame someone else? So the people of God were forced to answer this question - how should we respond to God’s judgment? What are we going to do? Do we ignore it? Does it concern me now? God was saying - yes it does. But more than just that, it was God getting their attention. There’d be a greater judgment day that awaited them - the Day of the Lord. The final judgment. If they were not repentant now, if this trouble didn’t get their attention, would they repent next time? You see, the only way of escape from judgment is repentance.

But who especially were to repent? The spiritual leaders. Verse 13 says - “Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.” The priests especially had to cry out. Three words were used to describe them - firstly, priests - this was their office, their role in the kingdom; secondly, ministers of the altar - this was their job, to offer sacrifices for forgiveness; thirdly, ministers of my God - they weren’t just serving anyone, but God almighty. Because above all they were the ones who should’ve known and understood spiritual matters - they should’ve made the connection between the sins of the people and the judgment of God. They were after all called the ministers of the altar and ministers of God. Their service to God was at the altar - to lead the people in atonement and repentance. But because they had not led the people in repentance all of these years, there was a spiritual decline. So they were to look at the situation and see their part.

So how were the priests to repent? They were to lament radically. We are told that they were to gird themselves and lament. They were instructed to howl. The word gird literally means to put on sackcloth. What is sackcloth? Sackcloth is a material that sacks are made of. It’s rough, thick, scratchy, and very uncomfortable. It’s fit for onions, not as clothes. And the reason why anyone would put on sackcloth is to be uncomfortable. It was to symbolize sorrow. It was to reflect on the outside, what they were feeling on the inside. That upon realizing their sin, they’d see how ugly they’d been. And we learn that they were to spend the whole night in sackcloth - “lie all night in sackcloth” it says. This shows the intensity of the repentance they were to have. To wear sackcloth for an hour is bad enough - but all night? This tells you that their mourning was supposed to stretch. The sackcloth was to acknowledge the ugliness of their sins and their sorrow. The length of repentance was to signify their sincerity. You see, repentance is not something cheap or quick. It takes effort.

Now, we usually want quick fixes. Fixes that deal with the outward. Like safety posters at work, warning labels on cigarettes, or even taking away TV time. We want the quick fixes without the reflection and repentance. There’s trouble in our family. Rather than coming together in repentance before God, led by the father, we look for quick solutions. Patch up jobs. Say sorry to your sister! Sorry! But that’s not true admission of guilt! You’ve been naughty, I’m confiscating your iPad! But unless sin has been addressed, what kind of consequence is only removing an iPad? So we don’t always look at the root problem, or come before God. But when we really see the problem, the solution is repentance. And the ones who are to do it first - are those on top. National repentance requires kings to repent. Problems in church requires officers to repent. Problems at home requires fathers to repent. It starts on top. No quick solution will ever fix the problem

Here’s an example. In 2 Kings 22, when Josiah heard God’s word, he realized the people hadn’t kept God’s law. And he was fearful of the consequences. He asked the priests to find out what would happen. Verse 13 - “Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.” Josiah took it seriously - to seek God. He wanted to know as king what he had to do. And the word of the Lord came back in verses 16-17 - “Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.” There was threat of judgment because the people had forsaken God and worshipped other gods. And because he knew God’s wrath couldn’t be quenched but by judgment or repentance, King Josiah led the people in repentance and obedience before the Lord. And the result was radical. He tore all the idols down and defiled the pagan temples.It was drastic, urgent, and full. To fall down before God all night means there was no sleep.

Do you an issue in your family? Fathers, let there first be repentance on your part. You may need to get right with your child or wife. But sometimes we resort to quick solutions. Say sorry to your sister! Sorry! You’ve been naughty, I’m confiscating your iPad! These may not always be wrong, but if there’s no repentance, it’s just kicking the problem down the road. The problem hasn’t been addressed. Perhaps it’s an issue in church. Let officers lead and model repentance. And it’s hard. Sometimes we’re so overwhelmed we have no bandwidth to think and mourn.

Yes, it starts at the top; but everyone must repent. That’s the second point. In verse 14, after calling the priests to repent, Joel gave another instruction - “Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD.” A solemn fast was called - where everyone would come to the temple, and in a solemn gathering, and cry to God. Repentance was not just the top, not just the elders, but all the inhabitants. But why was it necessary for everyone to come together? For a solemn assembly - not joyful but solemn. There was to be a fast - they’d refrain from eating to pray and repent. You see, the judgment came because of the sins of the people - not just the leaders. And so all had to repent. And you don’t repent when you don’t sin. So since all were called to repent, it means they were all guilty. That’s why the plague was also significant - it affected everyone because everyone had guilt. So this meant everyone would’ve put on sackcloth - not just the priests. But where can you find so many sackcloths? Easy! Sackcloth was used to contain potatoes, onions, wheat, etc - but they were no longer used. No food. The locusts ate up everything; war burned up all the fields. So now, there were many empty sackcloths. They could now use the sackcloth to mourn. Each one could also fast - no choice, no food!

And the repentance required individual spiritual participation. Verse 14 says they were all to go into the temple and cry to God. This would take time. All inhabitant! If this took place post Babylonian destruction, they would’ve seen a pile of rocks. Look at the temple! Don’t see anything? Why not? It’s because we’ve sinned against God! And if the temple was still standing, they would’ve seen no sacrificial smoke, no incense, no burning. Look at the temple! Don’t see any smoke? No sacrifice? Why not? We’ve sinned! Folks, we frequently want to blame those at the top. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Politically, some may say - there aren’t enough flats in the land! Inflation is terrible! What are they doing at the top?! Yes, governments are not perfect; but they aren’t the only ones at fault. We’ve a part to play. We also have fault. Similarly at home - it’s en vogue to blame fathers. Children can also say - my mother was like that when I was growing up, that’s why I’m the way I am. But rebellion grows in the heart of all. We’ve a part to play. And similarly in church - the whole body must work. It’s not just the officers. “I will withhold service and offerings until things improve! Why am I not being ministered unto? Where’s the oversight? I serve so much, but where’s the appreciation?” If we’re not part of the solution to engender patience, wisdom, ministry, love, kindness, unity - then we are part of the problem. We’ve all played a part and we must come together to behold and to repent.

Sometimes, the weight of what has happened at home, in the nation, at church doesn’t always hit us to the point where we see our part. We don’t cry or howl. We blame. When Jonah brought the word of God to Nineveh, the king and people and livestock cried out immediately. But it took Jonah three days in the belly of a whale to cry out to God. And even then, bitterness crept in again. We must take a long hard look. And dearly beloved, when we repent, how shall we do it?

Our repentance must be personally sincere. That’s the last point. Wearing sackcloth the whole night means nothing, unless there is heartfelt repentance. Similarly, being baptized means nothing in the end; unless there’s true washing within. Similarly, coming to church means nothing, unless you love God. And this means that in repentance, there must be sorrow. When David was confronted by Nathan, it had been months after he committed his sin with Bathsheba. David was still offering sacrifices, he was still running the country - but he was not right before God. But once confronted, he truly repented. He expressed in Psalm 51 that his bones had been broken, his heart was broken and contrite. He cried over again - don’t leave me God! He said against thee, thee only, have I sinned and done this evil. You see, sincerity requires knowledge. This is why God brought to David’s attention to his sin. And God brought their attention to their sins. Yes, there can be knowledge without sincerity, but there can never be sincerity without full acknowledgement of their sinful state. In verses 16-20, several things are listed out. They have economic and spiritual significance. Verse 16 asks - “Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?” Verse 18 exclaims how the animals moan with hunger! The cattle wander because they have no pasture. The flocks of sheep are desolate. Why? Because warring plagues like locusts have destroyed the land. No grass, no cattle, no sheep. Verse 17 - the seeds die in the dry ground, the crops fail, the barns are empty. And this showed their spiritual desperation - no more atonement. No animals - no more burnt offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings at the temple. No grain, therefore, no more grain offering. No wine, no more drink offering. No more forgiveness - no more joy and gladness in the temple.

Now, how did this affect Joel the prophet? There was personal sincerity on the part of the prophet. He was God’s prophet who delivered this message. He indicted everyone. From verse 2 onwards, he addressed the elders - hear you old men! You inhabitants. Tell your children. Wake up you drunkards. Be ashamed you farmers. Wear sackcloth and lament, you priests. Everyone repent! But in verse 19, he said, “O Lord, to thee will I cry.” Joel the prophet cried. As he witnessed the very things he called them to witness. And his call to repent affected him. O Lord, I’m part of the problem and to thee will I cry. Dearly beloved, we’re always saying to others - you must reflect and repent and cry to God. Correct? It’s always someone’s fault. Wah, this message is good for so and so. This person must hear this. But Joel followed God’s direction. He personally and sincerely cried and repented. He didn’t see himself separate from the rest. He was part of the nation that committed these atrocities.

Dearly beloved, what are some applications we can make from this passage? Firstly, we’re all broken and sinful people. Yes, you can be easily outraged and that seems to remove blame from you. But your outrage doesn’t help. It’s not more spiritual. But a humble reflection and recognition that we’re all at fault that is spiritual. When Christ addressed the churches of Revelation, it was a call to the angel of the church - the pastor - but it was a call to the whole church who had grown lukewarm, tolerated sin, and permitted heresy. What can we do? Look at the outrage you have - at work, at home, at church. Children, you may say - my parents are like this. Well, how about you? Husbands, you may be bitter against your wives - but isn’t bitterness a sin? We’re all broken. In your marriages, wives, do you blame your ineffective husbands? The curse has made you more domineering. How do you submit with a quiet and gentle spirit? Husbands, how do you love? Members of the church - it’s always someone else’s problem, isn’t it? They’re at fault because they don’t appreciate me. Martha - your much service has made you forget the quiet humble devotion of Mary. She learned so much, that she gave more than you by pouring spikenard on Jesus’ feet. She knew true humble service that you don’t know. And it’s made you forget that the Jews didn’t appreciate Jesus either. But he came to serve. And if our master served and washed feet, how can we servants lord over others? We’re all broken and sinful people. That’s why we must look at our families, calling in the world, and our church, and repent.

Secondly, we must be hopeful people. When Joel wrote this prophecy, the people were going through a terrible time. And he wrote of a worse time to come. He told them to repent. Why? Because the only way to escape from judgment is by repentance. Church of God, it’s one thing if these troubles in your life is leading you to see your sins and cry out to God. This means you are truly in Christ. Like we said the last time, there are sheep and goats in the church. Only at the last day, will they be separated. Children, you are precious. You are growing up in the covenant. You hear the gospel. Would you see your sins and mourn. Young people - some of you are experiencing the great temptations of the world. Your affections for God are being tested. Repent of your immorality and waywardness and secret sins. Congregation of Christ, there are some of you who are living a secret sinful life. These are all warning signs to you to repent to escape the judgment to come. But we are hopeful. The Jew’s repentance was fueled by threats of judgment, but our repentance is by love. Romans 2:4 says, “do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” Christ has taken our judgment on himself - the Day of the Lord is not a frightful day, but a day of rejoicing. And that’s why, when we sin, when we acknowledge our part, when we see our brokenness in our families and church and relationships, we see how good God has been to us, forbearing our sin, and being patient to us - and let that fuel our own repentance and change towards each other. This is why Jesus said, blessed are they who mourn for they shall be comforted. Husbands, Christ your bridegroom has been so patient with you, loving you - can you not love your wives? Put away bitterness. Officers, this is the flock that God has given to you - as Jesus has fed you, will you not feed them and care for them?

1. Repentance Must Come from the Top

A. The spiritual leaders

B. Their radical lamentation

2. Repentance Must Come from All

A. All the inhabitants of the land

B. Their individual participation

3. Repentance Must Be Personally Sincere

A. Sincerity requires knowledge

B. Sincerity is personal