The Book of Joel, Background
Quick Rundown
This prophecy from the somewhat obscure prophet, Joel,
describes a terrible agricultural disaster and resulting economic collapse, all
alluding to a time when God will carry out total punishment to those who oppose
Him. Joel describes a terrible invasion of locusts and a devastating drought in
Palestine. In these events, he sees a sign of the coming day of the Lord, a
time when the Lord punishes, but also calls to His people to repent. With
repentance comes the promise of restoration and blessing for the people of God.
Noteworthy is the promise that God will send His Spirit upon all people, men
and women, young, and old alike.
Title
The Greek Septuagint (LXX) and Latin Vulgate (Vg.)
versions follow the Hebrew Masoretic Text (MT), titling this book after Joel
the prophet, the recipient of the message from God (1:1). The name means “the
Lord is God” and refers to at least a dozen men in the OT. Joel is referred to
only once in the New Testament in Acts 2:16-21.
Author and Date
Dating the book relies solely on canonical position,
historical allusions, and linguistic elements. Because of: 1) the lack of any
mention of later world powers (Assyria, Babylon, or Persia); 2) the fact that
Joel’s style is like that of Hosea and Amos rather than of the post-Exilic
prophets; and 3) the verbal parallels with other early prophets (Joel 3:16/Amos
1:2; Joel 3:18/Amos 9:13), a late ninth century B.C. date, during the reign of
Joash (ca. 835-796 B.C.), seems most convincing. Nevertheless, while the date
of the book cannot be known with certainty, the impact on its interpretation is
minimal. The message of Joel is timeless, forming doctrine which could be
repeated and applied in any age.
Background and Settings
Tyre, Sidon, and Philistia had made frequent military
incursions into Israel (3:2ff.). An extended drought and massive invasion of
locusts had stripped every green thing from the Land and brought severe
economic devastation (1:7-20), leaving the southern kingdom week. This physical
disaster gives Joel the illustration for God’s judgment. As the locusts were a
judgment on sin, God’s future judgments during the Day of the Lord will far
exceed them. In that day, God will judge His enemies and bless the faithful. No
mention is made of specific sins, nor is Judah rebuked for idolatry. Yet,
possibly due to a calloused indifference, the prophet calls them to a bona fide
repentance, admonishing them to “rend your heart and not your garments” (2:13).
Historical and Theological Themes
The theme of Joel is the Day of the Lord. It permeates
all parts of Joel’s message, making it the most sustained treatment in the
entire Old Testament (1:15; 2:1; 2:11; 2:31; 3:14). The phrase is employed 19
times by 8 different Old Testament authors (Is 2:12; 13:6,9; Eze 13:5; 30:3;
Joel 1:15; 2:1,11,31; 3:14; Am 5:18 [2x], 20; Ob 15; Zeph 1:7,14 [2x]; Zec
14:1; Mal 4:5). The phrase does not have reference to a chronological time
period, but to a general period of wrath and judgment uniquely belonging to the
Lord. It is exclusively the day which unveils His character–mighty, powerful,
and holy, thus terrifying His enemies. The Day of the Lord does not always refer
to an eschatological event; on occasion it has a near historical fulfillment,
as seen in Ezekiel 13:5, where it speaks of the Babylonian conquest and
destruction of Jerusalem. As is common in prophecy, the near fulfillment is a
historic event upon which to comprehend the more distant, eschatological
fulfillment.
The Day of the Lord is frequently associated with seismic
disturbances (e.g., 2:1-11; 2:31; 3:16), violent weather (Eze 15:5ff.), clouds
of thick darkness (e.g., 2:2; Zep 1:7ff.), cosmic upheaval (2:3, 30), and as a “great
and very awesome” (2:11) day that would “come as destruction from the Almighty”
(1:15). The latter half of Joel depicts time immediately prior to and
subsequent to the Day of the Lord in terms of promise and hope. There will be a
pouring out of the Spirit on all flesh, accompanied by prophetic utterances,
dreams, visions (2:28,29), as well as the coming of Elijah, an epiphany
bringing restoration and hope (Mal 4:5,6). As a result of the Day of the Lord
there will be physical blessings, fruitfulness, and prosperity (2:21ff.;
3:16-21). It is a day when judgment is poured out on sinners that subsequently
leads to blessings on the penitent, and reaffirmation of God’s covenant with
His people.
Interpretive Challenges
It is preferable to view chap. 1 as describing an actual
invasion of locusts that devastated the Land. In chap. 2, a new level of
description meets the interpreter. Here the prophet is projecting something beyond
the locust plague of chapter 1, elevating the level of description to new
heights, with increased intensity that is focused on the plague and the
immediate necessity for true repentance. The prophet’s choice of similes, such
as “like the appearance of horses” (2:4) and “like mighty men” (2:7), suggests
that he is still using the actual locusts to illustrate an invasion which can
only be the massive overtaking of the final Day of the Lord.
A second issue confronting the interpreter is Peter’s
quotation from Joel 2:28-32 in Acts 2:16-21. Some have viewed the phenomena of
Acts 2 and the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 as the fulfillment of the
Joel passage, while others have reserved its fulfillment to the final Day of the
Lord only – but clearly Joel is referring to the final terrible Day of the Lord.
The pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was not a fulfillment, but a
preview and sample of the Spirit’s power and work to be released fully in the
Messiah’s kingdom after the Day of the Lord.
Outline
Following 1:1, the contents of the
book are arranged under 3 basic categories. In the first section (1:2-20) the
prophet describes the contemporary Day of the Lord. The land is suffering
massive devastation caused by a locust plague and drought. The details of the
calamity (1:2-12) are followed by a summons to communal penitence and
reformation (1:13-20).
The second section (2:1-17) provides
a transition from the historical plague of locusts described in chapter 1 to
the eschatological Day of the Lord in 2:18-3:21. Employing the contemporary
infestation of locusts as a backdrop, the prophet, with an increased level of
intensity, paints a vivid and forceful picture of the impending visitation of
the Lord (2:1-11) and, with powerful and explicit terminology, tenaciously
renews the appeal for repentance (2:12-17).
In the third section (2:18-3:21),
the Lord speaks directly, assuring people of His presence among them (2:27;
3:17,21). This portion of the book assumes that he repentance solicited
(2:12-17) had occurred and describes the Lord’s zealous response (2:18,19a) to
their prayer. Joel 2:18-20 forms the transition in the message from lamentation
and woe to divine assurances of God’s presence and the reversal of the
calamities, with 2:19b,20 introducing the essence and nature of that reversal.
The Lord then gives 3 promises to assure the penitents of His presence:
material restoration through the divine healing of their land (2:21-27),
spiritual restoration through the divine outpouring of His Spirit (2:28-32), and
national restoration through the divine judgment on the unrighteous (3:1-21).
I. Day of the Lord Experienced: Historical
(1:1-20)
A.
Source of the
Message (1:1)
B.
Command and
Contemplate the Devastation (1:2-4)
C.
Completeness
of the Devastation (1:5-12)
D.
Call to Repent
in Light of the Devastation (1:13-20)
II.
Day of the Lord Illustrated: Transitional (2:1-17)
A.
Alarm Sounds
(2:1)
B.
Army Invades
(2:2-11)
C.
Admonition to
Repent (2:12-17)
III.
Day of the Lord Described: Eschatological (2:18-3:21)
A.
Introduction
(2:18-20)
B.
Material
Restoration (2:21-27)
C.
Spiritual
Restoration (2:28-32)
D.
National
Restoration (3:1-21)
MacArthur Study Bible, NASB, Updated Edition. 2006. Nelson Bibles,
Thomas Nelson. La Habra, CA.
