The Lord Jesus Christ is a God that restores what He took not away (Ps. 69:4; Joel 2:25). Our sins and the loss of joy because of them are our own fault. Our restoration is entirely by His grace.
In the days of Joel's prophecy, the people of Israel lacked spiritual joy. Spiritual enjoyment of the gospel bread and wine was gone (Joel 1:9). God destroyed their crops (outward prosperity) with a plague of insects to illustrate the fruitlessness their spiritual condition. (Joel 1:12) "The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men." (Joel 1:16) "Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?" JOY IS NOT OUR SALVATION. The Scriptural illustrations of believers strong in faith and sorrow are numerous enough to keep us from judging God's salvation by our feelings. The Gentile woman that our Lord called a dog had no apparent joy when she entreated for crumbs from her Master's table. Yet, He commended her for having great faith (Matt. 15:21-28). The woman with the issue of blood fell before our Lord trembling, but she had already received cleansing by faith. However, the believer knows that joy has been purchased by His cross, and it is the end of believing (Rom. 15:13). Therefore, when joy in Christ is gone, God directs us to turn to Him in our impoverished spiritual condition.
We must turn to God in Christ as we are. We cannot possibly improve our condition. We cannot satisfy our hunger, so we turn unto Him with spiritual fasting. "Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning… (Joel 2:12)." "And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God… (Joel 2:13)." Rending my heart is confessing that my heart is worthless, and it is confessing that I can't do anything about it. I cannot be contrite enough for my transgressions. I cannot hunger enough for fellowship with my God. Jesus Christ alone had a perfect heart. He perfectly mourned, and He perfectly submitted Himself with "… prayers and supplication with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death… (Heb. 5:7)." You cannot change your pride and selfish desires. You cannot escape the sinful love of self. Therefore, rending my heart is bringing it to God and confessing it exactly what His Word has declared. "For thus saith the Lord, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous (Jer. 30:12)." The publican recognized that his own heart was the root of all his problems, so he smote upon his breast while praying. He wanted and received propitiation-not the improvement of his old heart, but the covering of his old nature in the blood of Christ and the life of a new creation.
Turn unto God as a sinner because of WHO GOD IS – "… for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil (vs. 13)." God is gracious to give good to the evil. In grace, He rewards us for the obedience of His Son. The Spotless Lamb of God has taken our iniquity unto death, and we have been given His righteousness unto eternal life. We are "… justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:24)." He accomplished our justification through the shedding of Christ's blood. And, He bestows Christ's righteousness upon us by faith to exalt His own glory. Faith excludes all human boasting; it believes God justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5). Faith receives the righteousness that we have not merited (Rom. 4:6). Faith believes that God is merciful to withhold punishment from those that deserve it – "Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered (vs. 7)." Faith believes that God is slow to anger, for "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin (vs. 8)." While we frequently lack joy because of our own blatant disobedience, faith doesn't stagger at God's promise of more grace. Faith doesn't seek to merit God's forgiveness by suffering under the affliction of the Holy Law. Faith believes that what God has promised, He is able to perform. "And therefore it was imputed to [Abraham] for righteousness." Faith gives glory to God for who He is in Christ Jesus the Lord. Therefore, by faith we TURN unto Him with our heart.
When the sinner turns to God according to the truth of the gospel, "Then will the Lord be jealous for his land and pity his people (vs. 18)." The Lord will be jealous for everyone that calls upon His covenant – (vs. 17) "… wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?" God will not allow His Word, the blood of Christ, or the richness of His grace to ever fail.
"Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied… (vs. 19)." Salvation is satisfaction. Unbeliever, like Paul, you will be satisfied with Christ's work on your behalf (Gal. 1:13-16). Your lusting flesh and sin-burdened conscience will surrender to the believing new man. The oppressor will be forever evicted from Christ's house. "But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate… (vs. 20)." When King Jesus conquers the City of Mansoul, there is no opportunity for the devil to return. He has been permanently evicted by the One who is stronger than he is. Satan will afflict from the outside, but sin will never again have dominion. The Lord Jesus has forever barred the door of your heart, He shall cleanse you from every failure, and He shall keep you from apostasy.
Therefore, God exhorts us, "Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things (vs. 21). The Lord Jesus Christ will do all of these things for sinners. This great mercy and great deliverance is not something that you do for yourself. God does this for the sinner that is incapable of changing himself. "Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength (vs. 22)." You shall see that the Lord produces fruit in the desert. Dead, barren, lifeless, joyless, self-condemned sinners bring forth abundant fruit. Therefore, even before mercy has manifestly been received, and according to Christ alone, "Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God… (vs. 23)."