Locust, the BBC, and Repentance

I was watching the Planet Earth on DVD last night and again saw the locust plague. It was quite interesting to watch and I had written a note about it the first time, which is the basis for this post. (Although I have expanded it.)

Watching the destruction brought by the swarm and hearing David Attenborough describe the various instars of locust brought to mind the book of Joel. (Apparently locust too young to fly move about by jumping and are called ‘hoppers’.) Now while many would be reminded of the plague of locust against the Egyptians at the time of the Exodus, or the wild description of locust in Revelation, my mind was brought to the plague that gives the prophecy of Joel context, which Joel says was brought against Israel, God’s people, by God himself.

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 ESV (English Standard Version)

(Without delving too deeply into the difference between formal equivalence ‘word-for-word’ [e.g., KJV, ESV, NASB] and dynamic equivalence ‘thought-for-thought’ [e.g., NIV, TLV, the Message] I was shocked at how some dynamic versions translated the text, the worst example probably being the CEV [Contemporary English Version]:

Swarm after swarm of locusts has attacked our crops, eating everything in sight.

Where is the majesty of this? Joel, written in poetry, has been turned into prose, vapid prose at that. But I digress, this is a topic for another time.)

The text continues to state that the elements of the grain and drink offering are devoured, and Israel can no longer offer those sacrifices. How would we respond if the vine and grain were destroyed, if we could no longer commune with God in the sacraments? The presence of God would be in some sense removed from his people. Yet we see in 2:12 that the Lord calls his own to a life of repentance (Cf. Luther’s 95 Theses) ‘Rend your hearts and not your garments.’ True repentance does not consist of outward signs. Even weeping, while good, is not sufficient, but repentance, prompted by the Holy Spirit, must affect our whole being. And although pity is not owed us (repentance is not the cause of grace), the Lord promises grace in Christ to those who believe and repent.

I will restore to you the years
that the swarming locust has eaten,
the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
my great army, which I sent among you.
Joel 2:25