This week, we shall use the 8 remaining days of the year to study the Book
of Joel and the Book of Malachi in the Old Testament.
Book of Joel
Joel mentions the “Lord your God” seven times in this short book of prophecy which coincides with the meaning of his own name Joel which means “the Lord is God”. As there is nothing within the Canon of Scriptures nor from the Book of Joel itself that could give us a more accurate dating of the book, I tend to agree with David Hubbard that because of the contents of 3:1-8, it was most likely written in the post-exilic period after the completion of the second temple, making Joel a contemporary with Haggai and Zechariah in the vicinity of 500 B.C.
The prophecy appears to be prompted by a recent devastating invasion of locusts which the prophet uses to warn of the future destruction by God in the Day of the Lord. The entire book intertwines darkness with light, destruction with restoration, foretelling the eventual judgment of the nations and the full restoration of Israel.
For New Testament believers, the most famous part of the Book of Joel is 2:28-32. This was quoted by Peter in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost, signifying the dawn of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Joel is using a recent catastrophe to warn the people (of Judah):
(1) What kind of a catastrophe has happened to the land? (v. 4; see Note below)
(2) Whom does the prophet appeal to and what does he ask them to do? (vv. 2-3)
(3) Why does the prophet liken the people to drunkards and call them to wake up—to wake up from what? (v. 5)
(4) Why does the prophet liken these locusts to a nation and a mighty army? (v. 6; see Prov. 30:27)
(5) In light of natural disasters of this proportion, what do people in the modern days do? How do they react to such disasters (like a hurricane or earthquake, for example)?
(6) Why would the prophet call on the people (and that includes priests, farmers, and growers) to mourn like a virgin grieving for her betrothed? (vv. 8-12)
(7) If they are not in despair and are not mourning ...
a. ... why aren't they?
b. .. what then are they doing in view of such disasters?
(8) Now, the prophet directs his call to the priests in particular (vv. 13-14)
a. What in essence does the Prophet ask the priests to do?
b. Why?
(9) The Day of the Lord (vv. 15-20) — The statement, “the Day of the Lord is near” is found verbatim in Obadiah 15; Zephaniah 1:7 and Isaiah 13:6, meaning that this is something which Joel’s hearers would know the meaning of.
a. How devastating is the current catastrophe? (vv. 16-20)
b. Why does the prophet use this incident to point to the Day of the Lord and that it is near? (v. 15)
(10) If a catastrophe of such a magnitude were to happen today, could we use it to remind people of the Day of the Lord and that it is near? Why or why not?
(11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
“the four names given to the locust….are not the names applied to in natural history to four distinct species, or four different generations of locust…The thought is rather this: one swarm of locusts after another has invaded the land, and completely devoured its fruit.”
(K&D, 120-1)
(1) To whom does the prophet sound the alarm? (v. 1)
(2) How near is the Day of the Lord? (v. 1b)
(3) This “day” of darkness (likely denoting the judgment of God) is likened to the coming of a large and might army: What language does the prophet use that signifies the finality of this destruction? (v. 2b)
(4) More details are given concerning this mighty army of destruction (vv. 3-11)
a. Its destructive power (vv. 3-5)
- How does the prophet depict the utter destruction it will leave behind? (vv. 3, 5b)
- What appearance do they have? (vv. 4-5)
- Compared to the army of locusts (Rev. 9:3ff) and horses (Rev. 9:17ff) that the Apostle John sees in his vision concerning the last days, what are their similarities and differences?
b. Its discipline (vv. 6-9): The description appears to depict more than locusts, but a well-trained army.
- How disciplined is this army? (vv. 7b-8a)
- How powerful are they? (vv. 8b-9)
c. How do other objects in nature cooperate with this judgment? (v. 10)
d. With the combination of this army, nature and God’s command, what conclusion does the prophet draw with his rhetorical question in v. 11b?
(5) Call for repentance (vv. 12-17): How this occasion in foretelling the future Day of the Lord is used:
a. In urging them to repent genuinely (vv. 12-14)
- What does the Lord emphasize concerning their attitude?
- What reason does He give for hope?
- What blessing does He promise should He relent? Why is it a blessing?
b. Commanding the priests (vv. 15-17)
- What are they to do? (v. 15)
- Who should be gathered? (v. 16) Why?
- How should they take the lead in this repentance? (v. 17)
- What should their prayers be? (v. 17b) Why?
- How may we emulate this prayer today?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how you may apply them to your life?
God answers their prayers:
(1) What should they (or their priests) be praying for? (v. 17)
(2) God promises (a) to give them not just enough food to survive, but to be fully satisfied (v. 19a) and (b) to silence the mocking nations (v. 19b).
a. What is God’s motivation? (v. 18)
b. How will God silence the mocking nations? (v. 20)
- Who might they be (given the likely defeat of Babylon by the Persians in the time of Joel)?
- Will the northern horde be a symbol of anti-God nations as depicted in Revelation 18?
c. Enough to be fully satisfied (vv. 21-27)
- Who will benefit from the “great things” the Lord will do for them? (vv. 21-22)
- With these blessings, how should they rejoice? (v. 23a) What does it mean?
- As much as the devastation by the locusts was great, stripping everything bare with their successive swarms, what would genuine repentance produce? (v. 25)
- How will this promise be used by us today?
- Today there are people who mock us by asking, “Where is their God?" (v. 17). What should our attitude be? (v. 27)
(3) Joel’s prophecy already realized in
our days (vv. 28-32):
Peter quotes the entire passage here (from vv. 28-32) in
his sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:17-21).
a. What happened on that day that caused the people in Jerusalem to be amazed and perplexed (Acts 2:1-12)
b. As Peter quotes from Joel 2:28-32, which part of this prophecy has literally been fulfilled?
c. What part, do you think has yet to be fulfilled?
d. By referring to this prophecy (and others), what was the response of the hearers? (Acts 2:37)
(4) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Joel’s oracle concludes with greater detail of the time when the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem are restored:
3:1-16—The Judgment of the Nations
(1) Where will they be put on trial? (v. 2)
(2) How will they all go to that place? (v. 2)
(3) What are the charges against them? (vv. 2b-3)
a. How heinous are these crimes?
b. In laying out the charges, what personal pronouns are repeated quite a few times? What does that mean?
(4) Which nations are being singled out as representatives of “all nations”? (v. 4)
a. What are the two charges laid against them? (vv. 5-6)
b. What will be their judgment? (vv. 7-8)
(5) The gathering of the nations is elaborated (vv. 9-16)
a. Judging from the words used for the call to war (vv. 9-11)
- How widespread will this call be?
- While the call in fact comes from God, do you think these nations are passive or active participants to this battle? Why?
b. The prophet now calls upon the Lord to bring “down” His warriors to judge the nations (vv. 11-13):
- Who are these warriors?
- What will they do to judge the nations? (v. 13; see Rev. 14:14-20)
- What does this imagery portray and why?
(6) The valley of decision (vv. 14-16)
a. Why is this place also called the “valley of decision”?
b. As the Lord roars from Zion, why would even nature is also affected? (vv.15-16; see also 2:10 and Matt. 24:29; Isa. 13:10; 34:4; Ezek. 32:7; Rev. 6:12 [6th seal]; 8:12 [4th trumpet])
c. While all the people of the nations should be afraid, should God’s people be afraid too? Why or why not? (v. 16)
3:17-21—The Lord Dwells in Zion
(7) “In that day” when the Lord dwells in Zion
a. What will happen to Zion and Jerusalem? (v. 17)
b. What is the implication that no foreigners will invade her anymore?
(8) A picture of abundance is depicted in v. 18:
a. From where will that fountain flow out? (v. 18)
b. What kind of fountain is it? (Jn. 4:14; 7:37-38)
(9) What will happen to the land of Egypt and Edom? Why? (v. 19)
(10) What will happen to the land of Judah and Jerusalem? Why? (vv. 20-21; see Rev. 21:10ff)
(11) As we come to the end of the book of Joel, take a bit of time to reflect on your notes or scan through the book once again, and see what might the key messages be to you and how may you apply it to your life?