Thursday, December 15 A nation has come up into my land.​—Joel 1:6.

[Áine]

Thursday, December 15

A nation has come up into my land.—Joel 1:6.

 

Joel foretells that a plague of locusts will devastate the land of Israel, devouring everything in sight! (Joel 1:4) For many years, we have applied that prophecy symbolically to the way in which Jehovah’s people, like an unstoppable swarm of locusts, engage in their preaching activity. We understood that this activity has devastating effects on the “land,” or the people who are under the control of the religious leaders. However, when we consider the prophecy in its context, we see that a different understanding is appropriate. Notice Jehovah’s promise with regard to the plague of locusts: “I will drive the northerner [the locusts] far away from you.” (Joel 2:20) If the locusts represent Jehovah’s Witnesses as they obey Jesus’ command to preach and make disciples, why would Jehovah promise to drive them away? (Ezek. 33:7-9; Matt. 28:19, 20) Clearly, Jehovah is driving away, not his faithful servants, but something or someone who is hostile to his people. w20.04 3 ¶3-5