THE BOOK OF JOEL

INTRODUCTION:

1.Joel was a Pre-Exile Prophet to Judah (Israel is not even mentioned).

2.DATE: About 830 BC (some assign a later date).

3.CONTEXT: 2Ch 24; 2Kg 12.

4.MESSAGE: Doom of the Gentile Nations, and the ultimate glory of Jehovah’s cause.

5.TITLE: JOEL (meaning: “JEHOVAH IS GOD”); This is appropriate to the theme of the Book, emphasizing God’s sovereign acts in history.

6.The BOOK begins in gloom, but closes with anticipation of a bright and glorious day to come -- A vision of the Gospel age.

7.SUMMARY: A plague of locusts; A later terrifying invasion of locusts; A call to repentance and prayer; A promise of forgiveness, restoration, and spiritual blessings.

8.This BOOK has been called a “Literary Gem” because of its polished and fluent style of writing.

1.THE DAY OF THE LOCUST: CHAPTER 1 -- A HISTORIC INVASION.

A.1:1-12, Devastation and desolation of the land by a great locust plague (successive locust ravages, Verse 4); Terror.

1.A black cloud of insects (we would call them “grass-hoppers”) stripped the vines and trees, and ruined the grain harvest.

a.Excerpts from Van-Lennep, as quoted by Baxter: “They advance more slowly than a devouring fire, but the ravages they commit are scarcely inferior or less to be dreaded. Fields of standing wheat and barley, vineyards, mulberry orchards, and groves of olive, fig, and other trees are in a few hours deprived of every green blade and leaf, the very bark being often destroyed. On they move, covering the ground so completely as to hide it from sight, and in such numbers that it often takes three or four days for the mighty host to pass by. They ‘have no king’ nor leader, yet they falter not, but press on in serried ranks, urged in the same direction by an irresistible impulse, and turn neither to the right hand nor to the left for any sort of obstacle. When a wall or a house lies in their way, they climb straight up, going over the roof to the other side, and blindly rush in at the open doors and windows.”

b.Other writers tell of millions upon millions of them leaping until the air is filled to about twelve feet high. The noise they make as they leap and fly and eat sounds like a heavy rain shower approaching. They eat every blade of grass, and all other vegetation, stripping all leaves from the trees, and even all the bark from young trees. They flood into houses and eat any kind of food, and also anything made of linen, wool, or leather.

2.The economy of the Nation was brought to a standstill; The people were brought into a desperate situation.

B.1:13-14, God issued a call to fasting and repentance.

C.1:15-20, The prophet continues to discuss the locust plague; He seems to use the plague to speak of a terrible calamity yet to come upon the Nation because of its ungodliness, Verse 15.

1.If this view of the text is correct, the first plague was, at that time, a present desolation.

2.This view seems to be confirmed by 2:25.

2.THE DAY OF THE LORD: CHAPTER 2:1-17 -- A PROPHETIC INVASION.

A.2:1-11, THE INVASION OF THE LAND.

1.The then-present locust plague (of Chapter 1) foreshadowed a greater plague to come; A terrible locust army would swarm over the land of Judah; Devastation would be speedy and dreadful.

2.It meant trouble which is here called THE DAY OF THE LORD.

a.Isaiah used the expression THE DAY OF THE LORD to indicate the day when a nation received the just due for its sin - cf Isa 13:1,6,9-13.

b.THE DAY OF THE LORD in the New Testament seems to indi-cate the present reign of Christ: To the people of His time He said He would be on His throne in that present generation - Mt 16:28. Mal 4:5 says Elijah was to come before THE DAY OF THE LORD, and Christ said John the Immerser was that Elijah - Mt 13:11-14. Peter, on Pentecost, said that Christ is now reigning - Ac 2:30-36. So, this suggests that THE DAY OF THE LORD is the day of His reign (His dispensation) - cf 2Co 6:2.

c.The ultimate DAY OF THE LORD (foreshadowed by all other times of judgment in history) will be the final judgment at the end of time - 2Pe 3:10-12.

B.2:12-17, THE INVITATION TO REPENT.

1.It is not too late for the people to avert the disaster if they will turn back to God; Thus the appeal to repent.

2.But, tragically, God’s gracious offer fell on deaf ears.

3.THE DAY OF DELIVERANCE: CHAPTERS 2:18-3:21.

A.2:18-32, PROMISED BLESSING.

1.2:18-27, THE RECOVERY OF THE PEOPLE.

a.2:18-20, The swarming, creeping, stripping, gnawing locusts will be removed.

b.But the people will not repent and the judgment will come; But it will be followed by great blessing.

c.2:21-27, The promise of deliverance, restoration, and the blessings of material prosperity are for those who will repent of their sins.

2.2:28-31, THE RECEPTION OF THE SPIRIT.

a.This is God’s promise to bless all mankind through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

1)Therefore, a promise of great spiritual blessings to come AFTERWARD (that is, after the material blessings of Verses 21-27).

2)AFTERWARD is equated with THE LAST DAYS (so identified by Peter with the words THIS IS THAT - Ac 2:16-17).

b.ALL FLESH: This is a world view; ALL shall be beneficiaries of the Holy Spirit and His work.

c.This began for the Jews on Pentecost, AD 33 - Ac 2; Then was extended to Gentiles - Ac 10; Now there is no distinction - Gal 3:28-29; See Mk 16:15-16.

d.It seems the prophet is describing the end of one dispensation, and the beginning of another.

1)Symbolic language in Verses 30-31 seems to be referring
to the falling of Jewish dignitaries, the casting down of authorities and powers; The end of Jerusalem, and the end
of the Jewish State as darkness settled over them.

2)So it is a prophecy of the beginning of the Gospel Age, the final dispensation.

e.2:32, Blessings to flow in the Gospel Dispensation.

1)WHOSOEVER responds by obeying the will of God is to be saved - Ac 2:21,37-38,41; 22:16.

2)ZION, Heavenly JERUSALEM: The spiritual dwelling place of God among His people - Heb 12:22-23 (Those who come to God in this Spiritual City).

3)Paul applied this to salvation available to Jews and Gentiles who trust in Christ - Rom 10:12-17; 11:5.

B.3:1-21, FINAL TRIUMPH.

1.3:1-17, THE RETRIBUTION UPON THE NATIONS.

a.3:1, THOSE DAYS . . . THAT TIME (That is, “those days” and “that time” of the Spirit’s blessings - cf 2:32).

1)3:2-5, VALLEYS (of JEHOSHAPHAT and of DECISION) of Verses 2,14 seem to be a series of judgments on all who persecute God’s people through the ages (the prophetic telescope perhaps was looking even all the way to the final judgment).

2)3:6-8, Nations will give account to God Who will judge all rebellious people.

b.3:9-16a, The judgment of God against heathen nations is emphasized - cf Jer 25:9-33.

c.3:16b-17, There is a joyful day coming to those who repent and look to God for salvation.

2.3:18-21, THE RESTORATION OF THE PEOPLE.

a.JOEL here envisions the new dispensation with full kingdom blessings under Christ - cf Eph 1:3.

b.There may be a historical application of these prophecies to the fortunes of Israel and Judah, and the heathen nations that were surrounding them.

c.But more important is the obvious spiritual fulfillment in the new dispensation -- the spiritual plenty we enjoy in Christ and in His kingdom - Col 2:10; Eph 3:19.

d.The “how and when” of peace between Jew and Gentile is made clear in the revelation to Paul - Eph 2:11-18.

e.THAT DAY (of Verse 18) in context is the time of spiritual ZION in the New Testament.

**JOEL IN FIVE WORDS:

The Day Of The Lord.

**CONTRIBUTION OF THE BOOK OF JOEL TO THE BIBLE:

1.The BOOK illustrates that the courses of nature and of nations are in God’s Hand.

2.Joel has been called “The Prophet Of The Holy Spirit,” and “The Pentecost Prophet.”

3.The chart below is copied from GOD’S PROPHETIC WORD, by
Foy E. Wallace, Page 183:

PENTECOST:

JOEL 2 ------- ----- EPHESIANS 2

ISAIAH 2 ----- ACTS 2 ----- COLOSSIANS 2

DANIEL 2 ---- ----- HEBREWS 2

**CHRIST IN THE BOOK OF JOEL:

1.Christ promised the apostles the Holy Spirit would come to them after His ascension - Jn 16:7-15; Ac 1:4-5,8.

2.This happened on Pentecost (Ac 2), in accord with Joel 2.

**CONCLUSION:

1.Such beautiful and accurate prophecy should fill us with wonder, and with reverence for its Divine Author.

2.The privilege to be part of the fulfillment of God’s prophecy is unspeakable! - Ac 10:34-35.

3.Let us prepare now for the final DAY OF THE LORD - Ac 17:30-31.