Society has embraced the idea of settling for imitations.
* God is not going to settle for imitations from us.

Joel 1:1-12
* We do not know much about Joel.
* We aren't for sure if the plague of locusts was real or not.
* Joel speaks in his prophecy of a difficult circumstance that is widely known.

Joel 1:13-14
* Joel gives suggestions on how to respond to the calamity.
* Directly after 9-11-2001, people turned to God, even if it only was for a brief while.
** After the recent calamity of covid, the spiritual desire to turn to God has greatly lessened.

Joel 2:1-11
* Joel describes another army of humans.
** The army will come at an unexpected time.
* The "Day of the Lord" is used 5 times in Joel.
** This day involves judgment & mercy.
*** God's people constantly kept going through the cycle of turning to God, being blessed, falling away, accepting punishment, then crying out to God again.

Joel 2:12-17
* Joel tells the people what God is going to do because the people have been rejecting God again.
* God wants a real relationship with the people.
** "Rend your hearts"

Joel 3:14-16
* Joel speaks of the end times.
** There definitely will be a time of judgment.
* Peter gives an explanation of how the people should be when the end time arrives.
** 2 Peter 3 (whole chapter)