2:12-17 A Call to Repentance The Lord commanded his people to return to him, but he also reminded them that repentance is impossible without him. However, God made repentance possible because of his character and covenant commitment to them—and us. In the grip of suffering and disability, we must remember who God is and repent before him. The words “repent” and “remember” are verbs, and God is actively working in our lives to make them a reality.
2:18-27 The Lord’s Response God’s promised response to his people’s acts of repentance and remembrance is astonishingly hopeful: The land will be restored, the people will rejoice in the Lord, and he will restore to them the years consumed by the locusts. The day of the Lord is a day of hope for those who suffer, but also for those who have the vision to see what God will do in the future.