Joel 2

But God says, “In spite of these disasters that you have experienced, you can still reconcile yourselves to me in your inner being. Weep, and mourn, and fast {to show that you are sorry that you have abandoned me}.” 13 Do not tear {only} your clothes {to show that you are sorry}; {more importantly,} show in your inner being that you are truly sorry and {in that way} reconcile yourselves to God your God. {Do this} because God is merciful and kind; he does not quickly become angry; instead, he greatly and faithfully loves us, and he does not like to punish us. \* 14 It is possible that he will change his mind about punishing {you} and, instead, act mercifully {toward you}. If he does that, he will bless you by giving you plenty of grain and wine so that you can offer {some of} those things for sacrifices to our God, God. \* 15 Blow the {signal} horns on Mount Zion! Gather the people together! Set apart time to fast{, to show that you are sorry for your sins}. 16 Gather everyone together and prepare them for a special meeting for God. Bring everyone— the old people and the children, even the babies; yes, even summon bridegrooms and brides from their rooms. \* 17 Tell the priests who serve God to cry all the way from the entrance of the temple to the altar and to pray this: “God, be merciful to us, your people; do not allow people from other nations to despise us; do not allow them to rule over us and say among themselves, ‘Their God has abandoned them!’” \* 18 Then God showed that he cared deeply about his people and that he would act mercifully toward them.

When the people prayed, God answered and said, “I will give you plenty of grain and wine and olive oil, and you will be satisfied. I will no longer allow other nations to insult you. \* 20 When an army from the north comes {to attack you}, I will force them to continue {past Jerusalem} into the desert. Some will go into the {Dead} Sea in the east, and some will go into the {Mediterranean} Sea in the west. {There they will all die,} and their bodies will stink powerfully, because they were powerful in what they did.” \* 21 Do not be afraid, people, for what might happen to the land. You can rejoice, because God will be powerful in what he does!

And the wild animals should not be afraid, because the meadows will soon become green again; the fig trees and other trees will be full of fruit, and the grapevines will be covered with grapes. 23 You people of Jerusalem, rejoice about what God, your God, will do {for you}. He will send rain to deliver you at the right time— before planting and before harvesting, as he did previously. \* 24 The ground where you thresh the grain will be covered with grain, and your vats where you store the fresh grape juice and olive oil will be full. 25 God said, “I will repay you for everything that those great swarms of locusts destroyed, that enormous army that I sent to attack you. \* 26 Then you will eat until your stomachs are full. Then you will praise me, God, your God, for the wonderful things that I have done for you, and never again will I let others shame you, my people. 27 When that happens, you will know that I am {always} among you, that I am God, your God, and that there is no other {God}. Never again will I let others shame you.” \* 28 “Some time later, I will give my Spirit to many people. You sons and daughters will proclaim messages that come directly from me. Your old men will have dreams that come from me, and your young men will have visions that come from me. 29 At that time, I will generously give my Spirit even to servants, both men and women. \* 30 I will do unusual things on the earth and in the sky. On the earth, there will be much bloodshed, {and there will be} very large fires and smoke that resembles huge clouds. 31 In the sky, the sun will become dark, and the moon will become {as red as} blood. {Those things will happen} before that great and terrible day when I, God, come {to judge all people}. \* 32 And I will do this: I will save everyone who worships me. As I have said before, ‘On Mount Zion in Jerusalem I will make a way for them to escape; those whom I have chosen will survive.’” \*