In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the book of Joel and the importance of Joel's ministry. He speaks about the locust plague that devastated the land, causing a lack of food and drink. The preacher urges the people to lament and mourn over the destruction, comparing it to a virgin mourning for her husband. He also encourages the priests to intercede for the people and ask God to spare them from reproach. The sermon ends with a call to blow the trumpet in Zion and gather the people for a solemn assembly, as God promises to provide for them and protect them from their enemies.

Well, that was a good ending. Amen, brother. By the way, we've still got a couple of... Thank you. We've still got a couple of books there in the stall for sale. Learning to Resist Temptation, specially written for Christian workers and ministers. An important little volume. The authority of the Bible, easy to read, helpful and valuable for those who wish to understand the significance of the Bible for today's world. They're there on the other side, and maybe my wife will be there, and maybe you can get her to sing the Old Fashioned Meeting again. He's run away now. We read from Joel chapter 2. It's been great to be with you, friends. God bless you all, as you continue to work for him here, and labor in his vineyard. We're all busy in various places, aren't we? And we all need God, and we all need the power of the Lord to witness effectively whatever we are. But we've been speaking about revival these days, and I came here with one deep message on my heart, that of soul travail, of intercessory prayer. That's the price that has to be paid for any movement of the Spirit of God. No shortcut. That's the way it goes. And I want to speak to you just a little bit about that same subject again here in Joel chapter 2. We read from verse 12. Therefore also now saith the Lord, Turn ye even to me, with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning, and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God. For he is gracious, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return, and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering, and a drink offering unto the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts. Let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people. And the Lord will answer, and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith, and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen. But I will move far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hind apart toward the uttermost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savor shall come up, because he hath done great things. Fear not, O land, and be glad, and rejoice, for the Lord will do great things. Now, just a moment of prayer. Blessed Lord, we thank thee for this time which we have spent together. Many of us are tired after all the concentration which we have put into this weekend, or these couple of days, and we pray that thou would refresh us, even in thy presence, as we wait before thee. We praise thee, Lord, thou art great and greatly to be praised. We worship at thy holy hill where thy dwellings be, and we pray now that thou wouldst again bring to our notice that which is needful for the moving of the Spirit of God here in this place. In Jesus' name, amen. Competent literary authorities declare that from the standpoint of style, and this small book is a literary gem, the book of Joel, characterized by smoothness and fluency, strength and tenderness, Joel is known as the prophet of revival. And he saw that genuine repentance lay at the root of real revival, and this he labored to produce. A rent heart is followed by a rent veil, and then a rent heaven. So Joel's ministry is very important. He speaks about the locust plague. There was devastation here in this country, and the first chapter we read of it. He says there, hear this, the second verse, old men give ear, hath there been in your days, or even in the days of your father, tell it, tell your children of it, and let your children tell of their children, their children and another generation, that which the palmer worm hath left, hath the locust eaten, that which the locust hath left hath the canker worm eaten, that which the canker worm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten, all different aspects of one great plague, the locusts, wake ye drunkards, and weep, they didn't have anything to drink, because the land had been devastated. Verse eight, lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth, for a husband of a youth, that's the whole nation.