Collection: They Will Inherit the Earth

ARTIST: Julie Lonneman

ARTWORK NARRATIVE:

And do you, O children of Zion, exult and rejoice in the LORD, your God!
He has given you the teacher of justice: he has made the rain come down for you,
the early and the late rain as before.
The threshing floors shall be full of grain and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
And I will repay you for the years which the locust has eaten,
The grasshopper, the devourer, and the cutter, my great army which I sent among you.
You shall eat and be filled, and shall praise the name of the LORD, your God,
Because he has dealt wondrously with you; my people shall nevermore be put to shame.
(Joel 2:23-26)

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An Army of Locusts:

1 Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy hill.
Let all who live in the land tremble,
for the day of the LORD is coming.
It is close at hand-

2 a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness.
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
a large and mighty army comes,
such as never was of old
nor ever will be in ages to come.

3 Before them fire devours,
behind them a flame blazes.
Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,
behind them, a desert waste—
nothing escapes them.

4 They have the appearance of horses;
they gallop along like cavalry.

5 With a noise like that of chariots
they leap over the mountaintops,
like a crackling fire consuming stubble,
like a mighty army drawn up for battle.

6 At the sight of them, nations are in anguish;
every face turns pale.

7 They charge like warriors;
they scale walls like soldiers.
They all march in line,
not swerving from their course.

8 They do not jostle each other;
each marches straight ahead.
They plunge through defenses
without breaking ranks.

9 They rush upon the city;
they run along the wall.
They climb into the houses;
like thieves they enter through the windows.

10 Before them the earth shakes,
the sky trembles,
the sun and moon are darkened,
and the stars no longer shine.

11 The LORD thunders
at the head of his army;
his forces are beyond number,
and mighty are those who obey his command.
The day of the LORD is great;
it is dreadful.
Who can endure it?

 

Rend Your Heart:

12 "Even now," declares the LORD,
"return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning."

13 Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.

14 Who knows? He may turn and have pity
and leave behind a blessing—
grain offerings and drink offerings
for the LORD your God.

 

(Joel 2)