Locust-Like Destruction
I must commend Lawrence G. Green to you today - a South African legend, who wrote such stunning pieces about our country and its natural beauties. In this chapter about the springbok migrations I have tried to draw spiritual lessons from the pictures he painted, and let me close by reading one last paragraph from the chapter:
"Mr. T. B. Davie of Prieska recorded his impressions of four great springbok migrations between 1887 and 1896. 'The whole country seemed to move, not in any hurry or rush, but a steady, plodding march, just like voetganger locusts,' he declared. Mr Davie saw the springbok in one continuous stream for forty-seven miles plodding on, and just moving aside far enough to avoid the wheels of his cart."
Wow! It must have been something to see those buck in such large groups in those days.
Locusts of Judgement
But what caught me in this section was the comparison to locusts. In the Old Testament, God often used locusts to bring judgement on groups of people - one of the Egyptian plagues, of course, was a great big swarm of locusts devouring everything. But shortly after, God told the Israelites that if they were not faithful to Him, He would send locusts to do the same thing to them.
In fact the prophet Joel, who was prophesying that Judah should return to God or get swarmed by locusts, said this: "What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten." (Joel 1:4) Later in the book we learn that this is symbolic language - it was an army from Babylon that would sweep over Judah like locusts, and carry God's people into exile as punishment for their sin.
Restoration Through Jesus
But towards the end of the book, Joel speaks this word from God: "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten— the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm — my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed." (Joel 2:25-27)
I believe that this prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus came to earth. He is the Bread of Life, the Living Water, and so those who believe in Him have plenty to eat, so to speak, and praise the name of the Lord, and are not ashamed because He has taken away our shame.
The springboks in those days would wreak havoc when they swept through the country in their millions. And those who reject God also end up finding that their lives get wrecked - even if only on the other side of the grave.
But those who have trusted in Jesus have found that redemption is theirs! Sin caused destruction in our lives, but in His grace God restored us and brought us back to life and spiritual richness.
Praise God today, that for those in Christ, that which the locusts took away has been restored!
