THE BOOK OF JOEL
I.
Prophet Joel
Besides the brief description of
Joel recorded in the book of Joel, we know very little about his background and
his life. His name "Joel" (
) indicates the expectation his parents have for him: "The Lord is
God." The word of God came to him
and his prophecy was later fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. The prophecy is
also fulfilled in "True Jesus Church" in the end day before the
"great dreadful day of the Lord" arrives. Not only did he prophesy about the Early Rain
(Autumn Rain) which was to come on the day of Pentecost, he also prophesied
about the Latter Rain (Spring Rain) which is still descending at this present
time.
II.
Date of the completion of the book
There are various views on this
issue. Some conservative theologians
believe that it was done in the 9th century B.C. while the radical theologians agree it to be
a work of after the nation was captured by the Babylonians. In the midst of these different views, the
question we should ask is: "What is the message of God to us through the
prophet Joel?"
III.
Outline of this book
The Hebrew Bible (BHS Biblia
Hebraica Stuttgartensia) divides the book of Joel into four chapters. The Latin version (Vulgata), however, divides
this book into three chapters; making the chapter three of the Hebrew Bible
into chapter two verse 28-32. The English Bibles adhere to the tradition of the
KJV, dividing it into three chapters.
The Chinese version follows the English version.
A.
Introduction (1:1)
B.
An Invasion of locusts predicates the day of the
Lord (1:2-20)
1.
An Invasion of Locusts (1:2-4)
2.
Great disasters (1:5-14)
a.
Drunkards - weep! (1:5-7)
b.
My people - lament! (1:8)
c.
Priests - mourn! (1:9-10)
d.
Farmers - ashamed! (1:11-12)
e.
Priests - despair! (1:13-14)
3.
Lamentation (1:15-18)
4.
Calling on God in moaning and groaning (1:19-20)
C.
Proclaim an army of locust comes with the great
dreadful day of the Lord (2:1-17)
1.
Proclaim the day of the Lord is coming (2:1-3)
2.
Description of the enemy's invasion (2:4-11)
3.
Urge the people to return to God (2:12-14)
4.
Urge the people to call on God (2:15-17)
D.
God answers the people (2:18-32)
1.
“God heeded” - introduction (2:18)
2.
Promises harvest (2:19a)
3.
Promises the departure of the enemy (2:19b-20)
4.
Be glad and rejoice: land(2:21), beasts of
the field(2:22), people of Zion(2:23-25)
5.
God's self-fulfillment (2:26-27)
6.
Prophesy the descent of the Holy Spirit
(2:28-29)
7.
Signs of the great dreadful day (2:30-31)
8.
Promise salvation (2:32)
E.
The day of the Lord (3:1-17)
1.
Judge all nations (3:1-8)
2.
Declare wars among nations (3:9-10)
3.
The prayer and proclamation of the prophets
(3:11)
4.
The final judgment (3:12-15)
5.
God will be the refuge of His people (3:16-17)
F.
The everlasting Jerusalem (3:18-20)
IV.
Special Topics in the Book of Joel
A.
The study of the dreadful plague of locust over
the space of time
1.
The actual historical plague of locust (1:2-4)
2.
The plague of locusts represents enemy (1:6,
2:2,3-10,20)
a.
A nation has invaded my land, powerful and
numberless (1:6)
b.
A great and powerful people, their like has
never been from of old (2:2)
c.
From the north (2:20)
d.
All nations (3:2,9,12)
B.
Unprecedented disasters in the end days
1.
Earth quakes, heavens tremble, sun and moon are
darkened, stars withdraw their shining (2:10)
2.
Show wonders in the heavens and on the earth,
blood and fire and billows of smoke. The
sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood (2:30-31)
3.
The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars
withdraw their shining (3:15)
C.
The analysis of "the Lord's day" in
the book of Joel
1.
The day of the Lord is at hand"
a.
“For the day of the Lord is near, and as destruction
from the Almighty it comes.” (1:15)
b.
That is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of
clouds and thick darkness! Like dawn
spreading across the mountains (2:2)
c.
The day of the Lord is near the valley of
decision (3:14)
2.
"The day of the Lord is coming"
a.
The day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand (2:1)
3.
"The day of the Lord is great and
dreadful"
a.
Who can endure it?
b.
The Holy Spirit will be poured out on all flesh,
showing wonders in the heavens and on the earth, and everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord will be saved (2:28-32)
D.
What are "grain offerings and drink
offerings?" What is their
significance in the book of Joel?
1.
cf. Lev. 23:18,13; Num 6:15; 15:24; 28:3-9;
29:11,16-39
2.
Joel 1:9,13: Cut off from the house of the Lord
Joel 2:14: Who knows? He may leave
behind a blessing
E.
After the Holy Spirit descended on the day of
Pentecost, the disciples preached boldly.
The reference made in the first part of the first sermon is recorded in
Joel 2:28-32. Try to analyze the
structure of the passage and the fulfillment of this event in history.
F.
The people of Zion shall be glad because of
"showers", the autumn rain and spring rain. Please read and compare the following verses
relating to the early rain and the latter rain. Think about their fulfillment
in the course of history.
G.
In Joel 3:10, "Beat your plowshare into
swords, and your pruning hooks into spears" signifies a preparation for
war, but in Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3, "They shall beat their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks" signifies a
"peace" (Zech 9:10; Hosea 2:18; Psalms 46:9). What is the explanation of this
contradiction?
H.
"Two different harvests with the same
pruning hook"
1.
Please explain Joel 3:13; Rev 14:15-18; Mat
13:37-43; Jer 51:33
I.
Discussion on "the everlasting Jerusalem" (Joel
3:18-20)
J.
Why the "strangers shall never again pass
through [Jerusalem]"(Joel
3:17)?
K.
Discussion on "Everyone who calls on Him
will be saved" (Joel 2:32)
L.
What are the meaning and differences of
"rending heart" and "rending garment"? (Joel 2:13)
