About the Book of Joel
The Book of Joel has a strong message of apocalyptic imagry, meaning messages and foretellings of judgment day, such as in the book of Revelation. Joel was a prophet around the year 400B.C. and lived in Jerusalem. The predominant theme in the book of Joel is the Day of the Lord.
At the beginning of the book of Joel, a swarm of locusts invade Jerusalem. The invasion was so great, famine came upon Jerusalem. Everyone paniced except for Joel. Joel had faith in the Lord. He was inspired to speak the word of God and told the people to have faith in the Lord. Joel said that the Day of the Lord was coming. In spite of all of this mayhem, Joel instructed the people to repent and turn to the lord with fasting and weeping. The priests were to assemble and pray for deliverance. The Lord answered their prayers and drove the locusts away. The Lord blessed the land with peace and prosperity.
Twards the end of the book of Joel there is a poem which pictures judgment day in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. The image of judgment day at first becomes a picture of mass destruction, but suddenly the oracle became a picture of Israel being safe and secure from all of their enemies.
Who is Joel?
Joel is said to be a cult prophet and part of the Jerusalem Temple-Community. Joel might have been a temple official, but he never really identified himself as a priest. He lived around the year 400B.C. in Jerusalem as part of the tribe of Judah. Joel had the people repent and pray to the Lord to get rid of the locusts wroughting famine on the land.
An Outline of the Book of Joel
Salvation History
Joel, along with many other prophets, became a very important figure in salvation history. Joel showed that God can be found in all things, whether he is in a breeze on the beach, a rainbow after a storm, or even in a swarm of locusts.
My Favorite Quote
My favorite quote from the book of Joel is from Joel Ch. 2: verses 21-23:
"21Fear not, O land!
exult and rejoice!
for the Lord has done great things.
22Fear not, beasts of the field!
for the pastures of the plain are green;
The tree bears its fruits,
the fig tree and the vine give their yield.
23And do you, O children of Zion, exult
and rejoice in the Lord, your God!
He has given you the teacher of justice:
he has made the rain come down for you,
the early and the late rain as before."
The main reason I particularly like this passage is because it tells of how great the rejoicing was once the Lord had gotten rid of the locusts. ( I know I was not there 2400 years ago but I am guessing it must have been extremely relieving once God had rid the land of locusts).
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