TODAY’S SPECIAL: Joel 2:12-19

TO CHEW ON: "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 2:13

Suppose you did something bad like got mad at your little sister and hurt her. Now you feel really sorry. You wish you hadn’t hurt her and you’re also worried that you might get punished.

1. What thing from the list below will convince your parents you really are sorry and won’t do it again:
a] you cry
b] you apologize to your sister
c] you promise to never hurt your sister again
d] from now on treat your sister with kindness.

Though crying, apologizing and making promises might convince your parents you’re sorry, they’ll know you’re really sorry by watching how your actions have changed.

When the people of Judah stopped following God and again worshiped idols, they were like a kid who had done something wrong. Prophet Joel told them God was going to punish them by sending locusts and drought. But there was still a way to avoid this punishment. It was by coming back to God and showing Him they were truly sorry and had changed inside.

In Bible times, some ways people showed they were sorry was to cry, fast (not eat food) and tear their clothes. But God told the people He wanted them to do more than that. He wanted them to tear (“rend”) their hearts and be sorry in the deepest part of them.

Illustration by Annie Vallotton from the Good News Bible © American Bible Society 1976, 1992

An inside change like this is called repentance. It means we not only say we’re sorry, but show by our actions that we’re turning away from our bad way of acting. We’re changing directions and won’t do the bad thing again.

Would God stop the locusts and the drought if He saw the people were really sorry and had repented?

Read More about Repent = Change Direction »

Tags: repent judgment Judah Joel God’s character consequences


Kid's Bible Maps
Bible History Online

The Geography of the Bible

© Bible History Online (https://bible-history.com)
Made by Network Local

 

Bible Warrior on Horseback
Kids Bible Maps
About Us
Contact Us
To Parents
To Teachers
Kids Bible Blog
Using Our Maps
Mission Statement
Doctrinal Statement
Instructions

Popular Bible Maps

The Journey of Abraham
Moses and the Exodus
Joshua and the Land
The Kingdom of David
The Kingdom of Solomon
Israel in Jesus' Time
Paul's First Journey
The Land of Israel
The Land of Egypt
The Land of Assyria
The Land of Babylon
The Land of Persia
The Land of Greece
The City of Rome
Noah's Ark and Mt. Ararat
The Tower of Babel
The Old Testament World
The New Testament World
Ancient Empires
Moses and the 10 Plagues
Ancient Peoples
The 10 Commandments
The 12 Tribes of Israel
The Ministry of Jesus

Bible Stories with Maps

Daniel in the Lions Den
David and Goliath
Baby Moses
Jesus and the Little Children

Coloring Book Images

Coloring Book
Donkey
Camel
Lamb
Noah's Ark
Noah's 3 Sons
Abraham
Sheep
Lion