What does Joel 2:12-13 mean?

"Yet even now, saith the Lord, turn ye unto 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

Joel 2:12-13 - "Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity."

"Joel 2:12-13 (KJV) says, "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."

The Book of Joel is one of the 12 minor prophets in the Old Testament of the Bible. Scholars believe Joel wrote this book during a time of great turmoil and devastation in the land of Judah. The people had been experiencing a series of severe locust plagues, which had led to a devastating famine. In addition to the natural disasters, the people were also under the threat of invasion by foreign armies. Joel's message to the people of Judah was a call to repentance and a warning of God's impending judgment.

In Joel 2:12-13, the prophet calls on the people to repent and turn back to the Lord with all their hearts. The use of the word "therefore" at the beginning of the passage indicates that this call to repentance is a response to the previous verses, which describe the impending judgment and destruction that the people will face if they do not return to the Lord. The urgency in the language of the passage indicates that the time to repent and turn back to God is now.

The verse emphasizes the need for sincere repentance and a genuine turning of the heart toward God. The use of words such as "fasting," "weeping," and "mourning" conveys the seriousness of the situation and the depth of sorrow that the people should feel for their sins. The act of fasting is a physical demonstration of one's humility and desire to seek God's forgiveness, while weeping and mourning demonstrate the emotional depth of true repentance.

The phrase "rend your heart, and not your garments" is a powerful metaphor for the kind of repentance that God desires from His people. In ancient Jewish culture, tearing one's clothes was a common sign of grief or mourning, but Joel is saying that outward displays of sorrow are not enough. God desires a change of heart, a true and sincere turning away from sin and back to Him. This idea is echoed in other passages of the Bible, such as Psalm 51:17, which says, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

The passage also emphasizes the character of God, describing Him as "gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness." This description of God's character serves as a reassurance to the people that if they do repent and turn back to Him, He is willing and able to forgive them. This message of God's compassion and willingness to forgive echoes throughout the Bible, particularly in the New Testament, where Jesus is described as the ultimate expression of God's grace and mercy.

In conclusion, Joel 2:12-13 is a powerful call to repentance and a reminder of God's gracious and merciful nature. The passage serves as a timeless reminder to all believers of the importance of genuine repentance and turning back to God with all of our hearts. The themes of sincere repentance, the character of God, and the need for turning back to Him are all timeless and relevant to believers today. This passage serves as a timeless reminder of the unfailing love and mercy of God, as well as the urgency of responding to His call to repentance.

Joel 2:12-13 Artwork

Joel 2:28

Joel 2:12 - "¶ Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:"

2 Chronicles 29:12 - "¶ Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah:"

1 Chronicles 5:12 - "Joel the chief, and Shapham the next, and Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan."

Acts 2:16 - "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;"

Joel 2:13 - "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."

2 Chronicles 29:12 (KJVA) 12 Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah:

Joel 2:28 – "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people."

2 Corinthians 13:12 - "Greet one another with an holy kiss."

‭‭James‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

Joel 2:18 - "¶ Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people."

Joel 2:28 – "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people."

Joel 1:1 - "The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel."

Joel 2:28 – "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people."

Joel 3:12 - "Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about."

Joel 2:4 - "The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run."

Joel 2:15 - "¶ Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:"

Joel 2:30 - "And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke."

Joel 3:13 - "Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great."

Joel 2:24 - "And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil."

Joel 2:21 - "¶ Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things."

Introduction Of The Book Of Joel

Joel 2:6 - "Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness."

Joel 2:31 - "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come."