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Learning from locusts

Moses told Israel that unfaithfulness to the covenant God made with them would result in curses coming upon the nation (Deuteronomy 28:15ff).  Locusts are mentioned twice (v. 38, 42), as being part of the destructive forces that would come their way.  Solomon acknowledged this in his prayer at the dedication of the temple and asked God for mercy if the insects came upon them in judgment (1 Kings 8:37-40). 

This is the context for the book of Joel.  Locusts have come upon the land of Israel in unprecedented fashion (1:2-4).  The devastation caused by them has touched every sector of life.  Elders, drunkards, farmers, and priests are all called upon to ponder the significance of what has happened and respond accordingly (1:2ff, 5ff, 11ff, 13ff). If they don’t repent, the day of the Lord will come upon them (2:1,11). 
 
Manifestly, this isn’t be the return of Jesus at the end of time --- but whatever its exact nature (an invading army, another attack of locusts, or something else), it would be even worse than what they had experienced with the locusts --- and that was no picnic!  The IVP Bible Background Commentary has this to say:

                A locust will consume its own weight each day.  Locust swarms have

                been known to cover as many as four hundred square miles, and even

                one square mile could teem with over 100 million insects.  If the locusts

                laid their eggs before being blown out to sea (see 2:20---BG), the
                problem would recur in cycles.  A single female laying her eggs in June
                could potentially result in eighteen million offspring within four months.

 

After Jesus healed him, He told the man who had been unable to walk for thirty-eight years, “Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you,” (John 5:14).  This is what Israel is being told by Joel.  As God called the sluggard to learn from the ant (Proverbs 6:6-8), He calls Israel to learn from the locusts.  If they do, a greater judgment will be avoided. 

 

But there’s more.  Not only will He remove His instrument of discipline (2:20), and bless them with abundance (v. 19,21-24).  “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten,” (v. 25).   This is the kindness of God that is meant to lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4).  It is the grace that psalmist recognized when he said, “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities,” (Psalm 103:10).

 

Not every event in life comes with a note from God attached to it explaining why it happened and how we should respond. In this regard, the people in biblical times had it only slightly better than we do. (Although to hear some people tell it, there was never any mystery about anything for them). Nonetheless, if we can stay alert to life, sensitive to God, and at the same time avoid the pitfall of overanalyzing everything, there is a lot to be learned. Israel's experience reminds us that we never know what our "teacher" will look like!
 
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