When the Locusts Come

The Book of Joel and the Sin We Keep Ignoring

There are moments in life where everything feels broken.

The marriage feels strained. Your peace is gone. Your joy feels distant. Your soul feels exhausted. Nothing satisfies anymore. You keep trying to patch things up, but no matter what you do, nothing seems to hold together.

That is exactly where the people of Israel were in the book of Joel.

A devastating plague of locusts had swept through the land. Crops were gone. Fields were destroyed. The economy had collapsed. There was no food, no security, and no hope in sight.

And in the middle of all that devastation, the prophet Joel steps in with a message that honestly feels uncomfortable at first.

Because Joel says the real issue is not ultimately the famine.

The real issue is the heart.

A Destruction They Would Never Forget

Joel opens with this shocking statement:

“Hear this, you elders; give ear, all inhabitants of the land! Has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your fathers? Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation.”
Joel 1:2–3

Joel says, “Do not forget this.”

Why?

Because the destruction was unlike anything they had ever seen.

“What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten.”
Joel 1:4

This was not one quick moment of destruction.

It was layer after layer. Wave after wave. Total devastation.

Locusts would come through and consume everything. Crops. Grass. Leaves. Vines. Even the bark off the trees.

The land looked lifeless.

But Joel says something important.

The locusts were not just a disaster.

They were an illustration.

What the Locusts Did to the Land, Sin Does to the Soul

That is the heartbeat of Joel.

The plague was revealing something deeper.

Before the locusts ever consumed the land, sin had already consumed the people.

Israel had drifted from God. They worshiped idols. They trusted other things more than the Lord. Their hearts had wandered.

And Joel is showing us that sin works exactly like locusts.

It destroys in stages.

Sin rarely destroys a life overnight.

It starts small. Quiet. Manageable. A little compromise. A hidden habit. A secret addiction. A bitterness you refuse to release. A relationship that slowly pulls your heart away from God.

But unchecked sin never stays small.

Pornography addictions in your twenties often become affairs in your forties because sin reforms the heart.

Sin sets a direction.

And direction eventually determines destination.

If you drive south long enough, you eventually hit Florida. If you drive north long enough, you eventually hit New York.

And if your life keeps moving in the direction of sin, eventually destruction is where you arrive.

That is what Joel is warning us about.

Sin is never satisfied with part of you.

It always wants more.

The Lie of “Manageable Sin”

One of the most dangerous things about sin is that it often feels harmless in the beginning.

That is why people stay in it.

At first it feels manageable.

At first it feels exciting. Comforting. Entertaining. Distracting.

But what feels manageable today can enslave you tomorrow.

I think one of the greatest lies in modern Christianity is the idea that we can casually play with sin and still remain spiritually healthy.

We cannot.

Sin is not a pet.

It is a predator.

It may look small now, but it grows.

And if left unchecked, it eventually devours everything.

That is why John Owen famously said:

“Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.”

That is not dramatic theology.

That is biblical reality.

The Locusts Were Also a Warning

Joel says the plague was not only an illustration.

It was also a warning.

Something worse was coming.

The Babylonians would eventually invade Israel because the people refused to repent and return to God.

Joel 2 paints the picture:

“A day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness...”
Joel 2:2

Joel is warning them that judgment is coming.

Now this raises an uncomfortable question.

Did God really allow this?

Yes.

And Scripture is honest about that reality.

Sometimes God allows consequences to wake us up.

There is what theologians often call passive wrath and active wrath.

Sometimes God simply allows us to experience the natural consequences of our choices.

Other times God intervenes directly to shake us awake.

But hear this clearly:

God is not trying to destroy His people.

He is trying to bring them back before something worse happens.

That is the mercy of God.

Sometimes the Greatest Mercy Is Being Woken Up

I know this is not the kind of message our culture loves.

But it is true.

Sometimes suffering exposes what comfort hides.

Sometimes God allows things to fall apart because He loves us too much to let us keep drifting.

Joel is one long shout.

Wake up.

Return to God.

Come home.

And maybe that is where some of you are right now.

You keep chasing things hoping they will satisfy you. More money. Another relationship. Another purchase. Another accomplishment. Another distraction.

But nothing is working.

Because the deepest problem in your life is not horizontal.

It is vertical.

You were created for God.

And until your heart rests in Him, nothing else will satisfy you.

Real Repentance Is More Than Feeling Bad

Joel eventually calls the people to repentance:

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
Joel 2:12

Then Joel says something incredibly important:

“Rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Joel 2:13

In other words, God is not interested in outward performance without inward surrender.

Repentance is not behavior management.

It is heart transformation.

A lot of people feel bad about sin.

But feeling bad is not the same thing as repentance.

Sometimes we are only upset because we got caught. Or because of consequences. Or embarrassment. Or guilt.

But biblical repentance happens when our hearts break because we realize we have offended a gracious and merciful God.

That changes everything.

The Character of God Changes the Heart

Joel reminds us who God is:

“Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love...”
Joel 2:13

That verse matters deeply.

Because repentance is not fueled merely by fear.

It is fueled by seeing the goodness of God.

When you realize how gracious He is, how patient He is, how merciful He is, you stop wanting distance from Him.

You want Him.

That is the beauty of the Gospel.

Joel Points Us to Jesus

One of the most powerful parts of Joel is the imagery of judgment and darkness.

Joel spoke of a coming day where the sky would grow black under the wrath of God.

And ultimately, that points us forward to Jesus Christ.

Because there was a day when darkness covered the sky.

Jesus was beaten. Mocked. Crucified. Nailed to a cross for our sin.

And while He hung there, the sky turned black.

Why?

Because the wrath we deserved was being poured out on Him.

Jesus took the wrath so we could receive mercy.

That is the Gospel.

Not that we cleaned ourselves up enough for God.

But that Jesus stepped into our place.

He died for sinners. He rose from the grave. And now mercy has the final word.

“I Will Restore”

One of the most beautiful promises in Joel is found in chapter 2:

“I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten...”
Joel 2:25

That verse has encouraged generations of believers.

Because all of us know what it feels like to lose years to sin. Years to bitterness. Years to addiction. Years to wandering. Years to rebellion.

And yet God says:

“I restore.”

That does not mean there are never consequences.

But it does mean grace is greater than your failure.

It means Jesus can redeem what sin tried to destroy.

It means no one is too far gone.

Next Steps: How Do We Respond?

1. Stop Managing Symptoms and Deal With the Heart

Do not just focus on appearances. Ask God to reveal the deeper issue.

Where have you drifted? What sin have you normalized? What are you looking to for satisfaction besides God?

2. Confess What You Already Know

Deep down, we usually already know what God is addressing.

Stop hiding it. Bring it into the light. Confess it to God. Talk to a trusted believer. Kill sin before it kills you.

3. Return to Jesus Completely

Not halfway. Not emotionally. Not temporarily. Completely.

Jesus is not asking for part of your heart. He wants all of it.

4. Pray for Spiritual Awakening

Joel ultimately became a book of hope.

In Joel 2:28, God promised:

“I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh...”

Peter preached that very passage at Pentecost in Acts 2 after the resurrection of Jesus.

The same Spirit that awakened hearts then can awaken hearts now.

Pray for revival in your home. Pray for revival in your church. Pray for revival in your community.

Final Thoughts

The book of Joel is not ultimately about locusts.

It is about the mercy of God pursuing sinful people.

It is about a God who warns because He loves.

A God who convicts because He restores.

A God who disciplines because He desires relationship.

And maybe today, God is trying to wake you up.

Not to shame you.

Not to destroy you.

But to bring you home.

Relentless Love: The God Who Comes After You

Text: Hosea 1–3

There are some passages in Scripture that confront you. They don’t just inform you—they expose you.

The book of Hosea is one of those passages.

It doesn’t begin like a storybook. It doesn’t say “once upon a time.” It roots itself in history—real kings, real timelines, real people. Hosea is not a character in a parable. He is a real man with real emotions, real dreams, and a real love for God.

And God gives him an assignment that makes absolutely no sense.

A Command That Shocks Us

Hosea 1:2 says, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom… for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.”

God tells Hosea to marry a woman who is actively living in sin.

Not someone with a past. Not someone who has cleaned herself up. Someone currently in rebellion.

And Hosea obeys.

He marries Gomer. They build a family. They have children. And for a moment, it looks like things might actually work.

But they don’t.

Gomer leaves. She runs back to her old life. She chases other lovers. She gives herself to another man who uses her, abuses her, and ultimately discards her.

And Hosea… keeps loving her.

That should bother you.

Because it’s supposed to.

This is not ultimately about Hosea.

This is about God.

The Real Problem: Spiritual Adultery

Hosea’s marriage is a living picture of God’s relationship with His people.

God took Israel in. He rescued them from slavery (Exodus 6:6). He provided for them in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:3). He led them, protected them, and made them His own.

And they turned away.

They chased other gods. They trusted other sources. They looked elsewhere for joy, security, and identity.

Scripture calls this spiritual adultery.

James 4:4 says, “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?”

Here is the truth we cannot ignore:

Sin is not just breaking God’s law. It is breaking God’s heart.

It is not just what we do. It is what we choose instead of Him.

Romans 1:25 says we “exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.”

That is the root of sin.

God is not enough for us.

Where Do You Run?

Let me ask you something honestly:

When life falls apart… where do you go?

When you are lonely, do you run to relationships?
When you are anxious, do you run to control?
When you feel insignificant, do you run to success or approval?

Whatever you run to for ultimate hope…

That is your functional god.

Jeremiah 2:13 says, “My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me… and hewed out cisterns for themselves… broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

We leave the source of life… and chase things that cannot satisfy.

And those things will eventually break us.

The Relentless Pursuit of God

The story does not end with Gomer’s rebellion.

It reaches its climax when she is completely broken—standing on an auction block, used up and discarded.

And God tells Hosea:

“Go again.” (Hosea 3:1)

Hosea goes. He finds her. And he buys her back.

Not because she earned it. Not because she deserved it.

But because he loved her.

Romans 5:8 says, “God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Notice that:

Not after you cleaned yourself up. Not after you got your life together.

While you were still running.

God came after you.

The Cost of Redemption

Hosea paid to redeem Gomer.

But that was just a shadow.

1 Peter 1:18–19 says, “You were ransomed… not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.”

Jesus did not come to improve your life.

He came to buy you back.

Isaiah 53:5 says, “He was pierced for our transgressions… crushed for our iniquities.”

The shame, the suffering, the cross…

That was the price.

God did not remove the cost. He paid it.

The Power of Grace

Here is where everything changes.

Gomer did not fix herself before going home.

And you do not fix yourself before coming to God.

Love is not the reward. Love is the power.

Titus 2:11–12 says, “The grace of God has appeared… training us to renounce ungodliness.”

Grace does not come after change.

Grace produces change.

John 8:11 — Jesus says, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

Acceptance comes first. Transformation follows.

Next Steps: What Do We Do With This?

1. Identify Your “Other Loves”

What are you looking to for joy, peace, or security outside of God? Be honest. Name it.

2. Repent and Return

Hosea 14:1 says, “Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God.” Repentance is not just feeling bad—it is turning back to Him.

3. Receive Grace, Don’t Earn It

Ephesians 2:8–9 reminds us we are saved by grace through faith. Stop trying to fix yourself first. Come to Him as you are.

4. Walk in Newness of Life

Romans 6:4 says we are raised to walk in new life. Because you are loved, you can now live differently.

5. Go After Others

Just like God came after you, we go after others. Pray for your one. Invite. Serve. Share the gospel.

Come Home

Some of you feel too far gone.

Some of you feel like you have messed up too much.

Some of you have been running for a long time.

God is still saying, “Go again.”

He is still pursuing you. He is still loving you.

And today…

You can come home.

Graduate Recognition

When the Locusts Come

The Book of Joel and the Sin We Keep Ignoring

A Destruction They Would Never Forget

What the Locusts Did to the Land, Sin Does to the Soul

The Lie of “Manageable Sin”

The Locusts Were Also a Warning

Sometimes the Greatest Mercy Is Being Woken Up

Real Repentance Is More Than Feeling Bad

The Character of God Changes the Heart

Joel Points Us to Jesus

“I Will Restore”

Next Steps: How Do We Respond?

1. Stop Managing Symptoms and Deal With the Heart

2. Confess What You Already Know

3. Return to Jesus Completely

4. Pray for Spiritual Awakening

Final Thoughts

Relentless Love: The God Who Comes After You

A Command That Shocks Us

The Real Problem: Spiritual Adultery

Where Do You Run?

The Relentless Pursuit of God

The Cost of Redemption

The Power of Grace

Next Steps: What Do We Do With This?

Come Home

First Baptist Church of Mooresville

Graduate Recognition

AA Support Group

AA Support Group

When the Locusts Come

The Book of Joel and the Sin We Keep Ignoring

A Destruction They Would Never Forget

What the Locusts Did to the Land, Sin Does to the Soul

The Lie of “Manageable Sin”

The Locusts Were Also a Warning

Sometimes the Greatest Mercy Is Being Woken Up

Real Repentance Is More Than Feeling Bad

The Character of God Changes the Heart

Joel Points Us to Jesus

“I Will Restore”

Next Steps: How Do We Respond?

1. Stop Managing Symptoms and Deal With the Heart

2. Confess What You Already Know

3. Return to Jesus Completely

4. Pray for Spiritual Awakening

Final Thoughts

Relentless Love: The God Who Comes After You

A Command That Shocks Us

The Real Problem: Spiritual Adultery

Where Do You Run?

The Relentless Pursuit of God

The Cost of Redemption

The Power of Grace

Next Steps: What Do We Do With This?

Come Home

First Baptist Church of Mooresville