Vague question on the book of Joel

[Whitehorse]

I was reading it tonight. Anyone have any reflections? Does it seem like it might also be pointing to the final judgment? Because I had always been told that the judgment for Christians is going to be all reward, but that's not what I'm picking up from Ecclesiastes and from Jesus's own teachings. Hm. I'd be grateful to hear what you have to say.

[Royo]

Hello my brother Whitehorse.
Regarding the judgement of Christians, and rewards, perhaps this will help.
"For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
each ones work will become manifest; for the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.
If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." [1 Cor. 3.11-15].

When I asked the Holy Spirit to give me understanding of this, this is what I believe He showed me.
The day we are born again, we start a new life, and anything that happened before that day is "as if it never was." So what is being refered to here has only to do with our life after becoming a born again Christian. (a child of God).
All our works, after becoming a Christian, will be judged. In fact, we are told that "....judgement begins at the house of God..."[1 Peter 4.17].
The above verses in 1 Cor. 3.11-15 show that the works we have done in obedience to God, and in faith, (gold, silver, precious stones), we will be rewarded for. But the works of the flesh, or sin, (wood, hay, straw), for these we will "suffer loss". The best way to explain what The Holy Spirit revealed to me about how we would "suffer loss" is this: we now see "through a glass darkly", but when we go to be with Him, we will "know as we are known". In other words, we will then see things as God Himself sees things. So, when we "suffer loss", it will be only for a moment; but in that moment we will see all the times in our life as a Christian that we sinned against God, and failed to live for Him. But we will see this with the knowledge and understanding of God. Even now there are times it pains us because we know we have displeased God. Imagine how it will be when we see it from His point of view. That is how we will "suffer loss", but be "saved, yet so as through fire."
I can maybe give an example of sorts.
In my testimony I tell how my Mom was praying for 3 days as I lay unconcious after having tried to kill myself.
About 5 years after becoming a child of God, I was at my sisters, and watching a movie with Robby Benson where he was an Indian who went to college as a runner. (I was all by myself watching this). One day he went back to the reservation to see his older brother, whom he greatly loved, but who had many problems. He walked into the back bedroom and found his brother dead on the bed, with a gun in his hand. (he had committed suicide). Robby Benson fell backwards against the wall, totally devastated by this. His performance was superb.
Tears began to fall down my face in buckets. God was touching me, and I praised Him for it. You see, I had always known in my mind that I had hurt my Mom, my best friend in life, the time I had tried to kill myself, (actually more than one time), but I had not known it in my heart. God used that movie to cause me to see and feel it in my heart.
I sat there with tears rolling down my face, but singing praises to God for revealing this to me, for I knew it was needed. Even now, so many years later, just telling it has a similar effect.
I hope the truth I have shared helps to answer your queston.
Your brother in Love. Roy.

[aw]

Correct brothers. There is therefore now no condemnation(judgment) to those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1,2) Being born again places one "in Jesus," and we are baptized into His body by the Holy Spirit/(1 Cor 12:13, I think).

Plus John 5:24- we will NEVER come into judgment.

aw

[Whitehorse]

I guess I'm trying to crack the riddle of why the book of Joel doesn't reveal what it is that Israel is about to be judged for. Most prophecies have a long list of sins: idolotry, sacrificing their children, etc. But not Joel, which is puzzling to me. Also there are two judgments in the book-one for Israel, and a separate one for the surrounding nations, afterward. Since we are going to return to judge the earth with Christ, I wondered if this book was really a prophecy about end times, a prophecy to be fulfilled more than once. Back when it was written, and the future as well as the OT prophets seem to be. Strange riddle, that book.

[Allinall]

Jesus paid the price of our judgment on the cross of calvary.  However, I am reminded of certain "wood, hay and stubble..."

[Symphony]

Because I had always been told that the judgment for Christians is going to be all reward, but that's not what I'm picking up from Ecclesiastes and from Jesus's own teachings

"But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man."  (Luke 21:36)

Yes, whitehorse, my take is that standing in judgement will be no piece of cake for believers either.   I can't help wondering if our lives won't be played back like everyone else's , us getting a chance to see all the damage we've done, but only at the last moment to see it then erased or washed clean when Jesus says, "He's/she's mine."

if this book was really a prophecy about end times, a prophecy to be fulfilled more than once

I'm guessing much of scripture is applicable variously-- because of the way in which Jesus handled scripture:  "And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24:27)   So Jesus was "cherry picking" through scripture, and his many other quotes piecing together phrases from multiple OT sources, indicate to me multiple applications--the authenticity of which we can only "know" by being spiritually discerning(I Corinth. 2:14b).

Joel comes across definitely apocolyptic.  Just a cursory reading again just now leaves me feeling that, if Isaiah contains the number of books in the Bible(66 chptrs), perhaps we might say that in Joel's mere three chapters are collapsed the entire meaning of the whole Bible itself--from judgement, to redemption and forgiveness(2:18,19), to prophecy of endtimes.  Perhaps Joel is a miniature of the Bible.