And this God has done, and is still doing. He left the line of Aaron, and took his apostles indiscriminately from any tribe. He passed by the regular order of the priesthood, and the public schools of the most celebrated doctors, and took his evangelists from among fishermen, tent-makers, and even the Roman tax-gatherers. And he, lastly, passed by the Jewish tribes, and took the Gentile converts, and made them preachers of righteousness to the inhabitants of the whole earth. The same practice he continues to the present day; yet he did not then pass by a man brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, no more than he would now a man brought up in a celebrated seminary of learning. He is ever free to use his own gifts, in his own way; and when learning is sanctified, by being devoted to the service of God, and the possessor is humble and pious, and has those natural gifts necessary for a public teacher, perhaps we might safely say, God would in many cases prefer such: but he will have others, as intimated in the prophecy, that we may see the conversion of men is not by human might, nor power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts. The learned man can do nothing without his Spirit; the unlearned must have his gifts and graces, without which both their labours would be unprofitable; and thus the excellency of the power is of God, and no flesh can glory in his presence. See my sermon on this passage.

John Gill's Bible Commentary

Joel 1:1-7 The most aged could not remember such calamities as wer about to take place. Armies of insects were coming upon the land to ea the fruits of it. It is expressed so as to apply also to the destruction of the country by a foreign enemy, and seems to refer to the devastations of the Chaldeans. God is Lord of hosts, has ever creature at his command, and, when he pleases, can humble and mortify proud, rebellious people, by the weakest and most contemptibl creatures. It is just with God to take away the comforts which ar abused to luxury and excess; and the more men place their happiness in the gratifications of sense, the more severe temporal afflictions ar upon them. The more earthly delights we make needful to satisfy us, the more we expose ourselves to trouble.

Joel 1:8-13 All who labour only for the meat that perishes, will sooner or later, be ashamed of their labour. Those that place their happiness in the delights of sense, when deprived of them, or disturbe in the enjoyment, lose their joy; whereas spiritual joy then flourishe more than ever. See what perishing, uncertain things ou creature-comforts are. See how we need to live in continual dependenc upon God and his providence. See what ruinous work sin makes. As far a poverty occasions the decay of piety, and starves the cause of religio among a people, it is a very sore judgment. But how blessed are the awakening judgments of God, in rousing his people and calling home the heart to Christ, and his salvation!

Joel 1:14-20 The sorrow of the people is turned into repentance an humiliation before God. With all the marks of sorrow and shame, sin must be confessed and bewailed. A day is to be appointed for thi purpose; a day in which people must be kept from their commo employments, that they may more closely attend God's services; an there is to be abstaining from meat and drink. Every one had added to the national guilt, all shared in the national calamity, therefor every one must join in repentance. When joy and gladness are cut of from God's house, when serious godliness decays, and love waxes cold then it is time to cry unto the Lord. The prophet describes ho grievous the calamity. See even the inferior creatures suffering for our transgression. And what better are they than beasts, who never cr to God but for corn and wine, and complain of the want of the delight of sense? Yet their crying to God in those cases, shames the stupidit of those who cry not to God in any case. Whatever may become of the nations and churches that persist in ungodliness, believers will fin the comfort of acceptance with God, when the wicked shall be burned u with his indignation __________________________________________________________________

Original Hebrew