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Joel

TEXT: The book was written by Joel around the year 835B.C.

THEME:The Day of the Lord; when God sends judgment.

INTRO: The name Joel means, “Jehovah is God.” We know little about the prophet other than what is given to us in this prophecy. We see in the first verse that Joel was the son of Pethuel but his father is never again mentioned in scripture. Even though our information on Joel is limited, some conclusions can be made from the book itself. Joel was most likely a prophet to the Southern Kingdom known as Judah and prophesied most likely from Jerusalem itself. There are many verses that reference the sacrifices and offerings made in the sanctuaryinJerusalem. We can also determine that Joel prophesied fairly early in the reign of Joash between 835 and 796 B.C. The enemies of the Southern Kingdom are the ones known to have troubled Judah during the early reign of Joash; there is no mention of the Assyrians or the Babylonians which came later.

The emphasis of the book is the complete destruction of Judah by an army sent by God; an army of locusts. The destruction was both literal and prophetic. The prophecy was literal in that history shows there was a great swarm of locust that devoured Judah during the time period Joel wrote the prophecy. The prophecy is also prophetic in that it symbolizes the “Day of the Lord,” when the Lord will return to utterly destroy His enemies. The phrase “Day of the Lord” is mentioned five times in this short three chapter prophecy.

  1. The author of the book of Joel. (1:1)
  1. The desolation sent by God. (1:2~2:17)
  2. The uniqueness of the desolation. (1:2~3)
  3. The agent of the desolation; locusts. (1:4)
  4. The lament over the desolation. (1:5~14)
  5. The drunkards. (1:5)
  6. The nation under the figure of the virgin. (1:8)
  7. The priests. (1:9)
  8. The land. (1:10)
  9. The farmers and vinedressers. (1:11)
  10. The source of the desolation; The Lord. (1:15)

- This “Day of the Lord” is the theme for most of the Minor Prophets. Since the “Day of the Lord” is such an important theme in a lot of prophetic scripture there is a need to define differences between the “Day of the Lord” and other “days”

mentioned in the Word of God.

1)“Man’s Day” or “man’s judgment” as Paul calls it in 1 Cor. 4:3 is now, the time when man has rule over the earth as we now know it. (Dan. 2)

2)“Day of Christ” in Phil. 1:6 is a reference to the day the Church is raptured.

3)“Day of Jehovah” or “Day of the Lord” occurs immediately following the rapture of the Church. The “Day of the Lord” is also referred to as the Great Tribulation, the “seventieth week of Daniel,” the “Day of visitation,” the “Day of wrath,” the time of “Jacob’s trouble,” and occasionally just “that day.”

4)“Day of God” which occurs at the end of the Millennium when all the elements have been melted with fervent heat and there is a new Heaven and a new earth where God is all in all for eternity.

  1. The extent of the desolation. (1:16~20)
  2. The prophecy of future desolation. (2:1~11)
  3. Attention is called to the coming Day of Judgment. (2:1~3)
  4. The appearance, sound and actions of God’s army. (2:4~11)
  5. The exhortation after the desolation. (2:12~17)
  6. The call to turn to God and repent. (2:12~14)
  7. None are exempt from the call to repent. (2:15~17)
  1. The deliverance of the people of God. (2:18~3:21)
  2. The promise of immediate deliverance. (2:18~27)
  3. God answers the people. (2:18~20)
  4. Rejoicing of the restoration of blessings. (2:21~27)
  5. The promise of future deliverance. (2:28~3:21)
  6. The initiation of the deliverance. (2:28~32)

-In the Hebrew Bible these 5 verses are a separate chapter; chapter 3. Our 3rd chapter of Joel is the 4th chapter in the Hebrew Bible. That doesn’t change the fact that the prophecy is inspired by God; the words are God’s words the chapter and verse separations are an invention of man.These 5 verses are very important prophetically and need to be correctly understood especially in light of Peter’s statement on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:16~21; a “pre-filling” of Joel’s prophecy. Let us consider the details of Joel’s prophecy.

a)The timing of the prophecy is “after” Israel’s restoration. (vs. 28)

b)The spirit will be poured out on “all” flesh in Israel. (vs. 28, 29)

- Notice the use of “your” sons and daughters, meaning Jews.

c)Wonders will be shown in “the heavens” as well as in the earth. (vs. 30)

d)The sun will be darkened and the moon will be turned to blood. (vs. 31)

- meaning their appearance.

e)These events happen “before” the Day of the Lord comes. (vs. 31)

- These events resemble the Tribulation time before the final battle.

f)Deliverance will come from Jerusalem in MountZion. (vs. 32)

- Jesus Christ will set up His Messianic Kingdom from Jerusalem.

  1. The judgments on the enemy during the deliverance. (3:1~17)
  1. The place of judgment is the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
  2. The reason for judgment is the mistreatment of His people.
  3. God calls them out to gather themselves together for war.
  4. The consummation of the deliverance. (3:18~21)
  1. The blessings after the battle. (3:18)
  2. The aftermath of the battle on the enemy. (3:19~21)