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== The book of Joel ==

Joel was originally from Judah/Judea, and, judging from its prominence in his prophecy, was quite possibly a prophet associated with the ritual of Solomon's or even the Second temple. According to a long-standing tradition, Joel was buried in Gush Halav, known in Josephus as Gischala.

Because [[Israel]] had sinned, God would come in judgement on them. Thus, the day of the Lord is about God chastening his people, whether it be through the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem or a locust plague described in [[Joel 2]]:1–11.

Joel's pressing mission is to focus on convincing the people to return to the Lord before it is too late. He is confident that a return to the Lord is the only way not to perish, and he knows that the people want to survive. He announces that there is still time to return to the Lord ([[Joel 2]]:12).

According to the Eastern Orthodox Christian hymns, the ancient hymnographer Anatolius links Joel's prophecy to the birth of Christ. In Joel 2:30, he says that the blood refers to the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, the fire to the Divinity of Christ, and the pillars of smoke to the Holy Spirit.


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Lament over a great locust plague and drought (1:1–2:17) and the effects of these events on and flow of life of the nation effecting the supply of offerings for the Temple in Jerusalem, causing a  for a national lament (1:1–20).

Joel is actually speaking allegorically of an apocalyptic events in the heart and soul of the nation.

Ancient Jewish opinion saw the locusts as allegorical interpretations of Israel's enemies which are within us. This allegorical interpretation has been applied to the church by many and can be applied today to the people of the world.

You can compare the locusts to an army, allowed by God (2:1–11) that choose the evil ways of iniquity, cutting off the flow of charity that made the nation great.

Joel is calling for national [[repent]]ance, to think differently, so the inevitable judgment of God may be reversed.(2:12–17).

There is a promise of blessings (2:18–32 or 2:18–3:5) and the banishment of the locust spirit and restoration of a life giving productivity as a divine response to national repentance (2:18–27).

Future holds gifts for the children of light who repent when they face cosmic cataclysm (2:28–32 or 3:1–5).

Coming judgment on the Kingdom of Judah's enemies: the Philistines, the Kingdom of Edom, and the [[bondage of Egypt|Kingdom of Egypt]] (3:1–21 or 4:1–21) are representative of the curses that com when we stray from the way of God.

In the New Testament, his prophecy of the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit upon all people was notably quoted by Saint Peter in his Pentecost sermon in [[Acts 2]]:16-18. (See also [[Revelation 9]]:3, 7-9.)

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Many scholars date the book of Joel to 835 B.C., who served before the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel (721 B.C.) and the southern kingdom of Judah (586 B.C.). Other pre-exilic prophets include Obadiah, Jonah, Hosea, Amos, Isaiah, and Micah. Joel is one of the earliest prophets – only Obadiah prophesied before his time (845 B.C.).

835 B.C. was a period of turmoil in Judah, from the end of the wicked reign of Queen Athaliah, granddaughter of the evil King Omri of Israel, to the reign of King Joash about six years. 

Omri was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the sixth king of Israel. He was a successful military campaigner who extended the northern kingdom of Israel. Other monarchs from the House of Omri are Ahab, Ahaziah, Joram, and Athaliah.

Joel prophesied possibly at the end of the six-year reign.
“The name Joel means ‘Jehovah is God’ similar to the New Testament confession, ‘Jesus is Lord.’” 

They may have meant real ''locusts'' but they include a time of famine and financial ruin that is the result of sin and neglect. It is a time when to their shame the '''meat offering<Ref name="meat">{{04503}}</Ref> and the drink offering<Ref name="drink">{{05262}}</Ref> is cut off'''.

But we are told that there is also a need to ''Awake, you drunkards:''<Ref name="drunkard">{{05433}}</Ref> because of the devastation the locusts caused. 

Drunk on what?

In (8-12) Judah mourns because of the locusts’ destruction.

What are the locust a symbol of?<Ref name="locust">{{0697}}</Ref>

What was the [[foolishness]] of [[Saul]]?

How did they "Consecrate a fast"?

Why "Call a sacred assembly" and "Gather the [[elders]]"?

How can the religious leaders [[repent]] and gird themselves?

To "Consecrate a fast" is about getting right with God and His [[called out|Called Out]].

Joel 1:9  "The '''meat offering<Ref name="meat">{{04503}}</Ref> and the drink offering<Ref name="drink">{{05262}}</Ref> is cut off''' from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD’S ministers, mourn."

Joel 2:14  "Who knoweth [if] he will return and [[repent]], and leave a blessing behind him; [even] a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?"

{{Joel 1}}

{{Joel 2}}

{{Joel 3}}



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== Footnotes ==

[[Category:Old testament]]
[[Category:Joel]]