The word of the LORD through Joel, son of Pethuel
1-12 Lament over the Ruin of the Country (Judah)
- Nothing like this has happened in your days, or the days of your ancestors. It's something to tell your children about.
- Locusts have destroyed the land. A metaphor for invading armies?
- Wake up! A powerful and destructive nation has invaded my land.
- Mourn, for there are no offerings being made to God, and the priests mourn.
- Dismay, farmers and vine dressers, for the ruin of your crops. As they wither, so does the joy of my people.
- Priests, you should be lamenting in sackcloth, for the lack of grain and drink offerings
- Gather together the elders and the people and sanctify a fast
- The day of the LORD is near, and with it destruction
- The crops are failing, the cattle are dying, fire has devoured the pastures, even the wild animals are crying out for water
1-9 Warnings of Things to Come
- Warn the people: The Day of the LORD is coming, when darkness will cover the earth, and a great and powerful army will come.
- They will destroy everything in their path. They are well-organized, and they are deadly.
- The LORD leads this army, and his host is numberless.
- You can still repent with fasting and weeping, rending your hearts, not just your clothing
- Return to God, who is "gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love."
- If you do, he may relent from this destruction.
- Proclaim a fast, gather the people, sanctify the congregation.
- Let the priests weep on behalf of the people, and save your generation from mockery among the other nations.
- When the people repent, the LORD has pity and restores the land to produce grain, wine, and oil.
- He removes the northern army and drives it into the sea.
- He returns green to the wilderness, fruit to the trees.
- So rejoice, people of Jerusalem, for he will send you rains all season long, and your land will produce its crops. He will make up for the years of locusts.
- You will eat plenty, and will never again be put to shame.
- Afterward, "I will pour out my spirit on all flesh..." (The famous prophesy fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost.)
- There will be ominous signs in heaven and earth, showing a great and terrible day of the LORD. But all who call on the LORD's name will be saved, and will escape the destruction of Jerusalem. According to my understanding, prophetically, this marks the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, the official end of Israel as God's people, for it destroys the records vital to Jewish heritage.
1-8 Restoration of Judah
- God speaking, "I will restore the fortunes to Judah and Jerusalem...and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat." This may refer back to 2 Chronicles 20, where Jehoshaphat and his army prepare to fight Edom, only to find that God has already defeated them.
- Prophetically, it's a warning to all who are wicked (particularly Tyre , Sidon, and Philistia in this instance) that God is in control, and he will overcome their cruelty, their prostitution, their thievery.
- Tell the nations to prepare for war. "Beat your plowshares into swords...." The opposite of Isaiah's instruction (2:4).
- Tell that nations to gather in the valley of Jehoshaphat, for I (the LORD) will judge them.
- [Ministers of justice], it's the day of reckoning. Harvest your crops, for their wickedness is great.
- Make up your minds: the day of the LORD is near. He roars from Jerusalem; but He is a refuge for his people.
- Jerusalem will be holy, with not a stranger in it.
- Its mountains will flourish with wine, milk, and water.
- On the other hand, Egypt and Edom will be desolate because of the violence they have done to Judah.
- I will avenge their blood; "for the LORD dwells in Zion."
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