Rend Your Heart (Joel 2:12 – 18)

Scripture Text:

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Joel 2:12 – 18

1. When, if ever, have you fasted from food? Drink? Dates? TV?

2. What was your incentives? The results? Would you do it again?

3. With destruction at the Lord’s hand near, what does Joel expect?

4. What is meant by “rend your heart and not your garments” (verse 13)? What else should prompt them to return to God (see Exodus 34:6, 7 and Nehemiah 9:16, 17)?

5. Why are daily temple offerings so key (verse 14; see Daniel 8:11 – 13)? For what blessings does Joel hope?

6. Who is this event for? Why “everyone”? Why does the bridal party “never” fast (verse 16; see Mark 2:19, 20)?

7. What is the point in the priests’ prayer for Israel (verse 17)?

8. Can repentance of the heart be true without “fasting and mourning”? How?

9. What would a spiritual fast include today? How would that differ from a spiritual diet?

10. What would corporate repentance require for the church? For the nation? What role should clergy take?

11. Do others ask, “where is your God” of your nation or you? When was that said of Christ (Matthew 27:43 – 46)?

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