I. Introduction.
A. Joel, a prophet of Judah, probably exercised his ministry during the reign of Joash (2 Chronicles 22 to 24.). In his youth he may have known Elijah, and he certainly was a contemporary of Elisha. The plagues of insects, which were the token of the divine chastening, give occasion for the unveiling of the coming “day of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:12), in its two aspects of judgment on the Gentiles and blessing for Israel.
B. Joel is in three chief parts: The plague of insects, Joel 1:1-20. The day of the Lord, Joel 2:1-8. Retrospect of the day of the Lord, and full kingdom blessing, Joel 3:9-21.
C. The events recorded in Joel cover a period of 39 years (835-796 B.C.)
D. Title Verse: The Author, 1:1. The Word of the Lord that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel.
II. Commentary. Desolation, 1:2-2-17.
A. The Picture Of The Desolation. 1:4. 1:6, 1:15; 19-20.
1. Verse 1:6. For a nation has invaded my land, Mighty and without number; Its teeth are the teeth of a lion, And it has the fangs of a lioness. (note: “a nation. I.e., the locusts).
2. Verse. 1:15. Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near, And it will come as destruction from the Almighty.
3. Comment. The Day Of The Lord, the major theme of this prophecy, involves God’s special intervention in the affairs of human history. This eschatological “day” includes the Great Tribulation (Isa 2:12-19; 4:1), the second coming of Christ (Joel 2:30-32), and the Millennium (Isa 4:2; 12; 19:23-25; Jer 30:7-9).
4. Verses. 1:19-20. To You, O Lord, I cry; For fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness And the flame has burned up all the trees of the field. Even the beasts of the field pant for You; For the water brooks are dried up And fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness.
5. Comment. Even the animals suffer because of man’s sin, and they too cry to God.
B. The Prophecy Of Future Desolation. 2:1-11. (See 1 :4, 1:6)
1. Verses. 2:2-11. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joel+2%3A1-11&version=NASB1995
2. Comment. The locust army is regarded as a foretaste of an invading army in “the day of the Lord. v 1, I.e., in the tribulation period. The future reference may be to the demon-locusts described in Rev 9:1-12, or to the invasion of the king of the North (Ezek 38:15; Dan 11:40). Resembling the Garden of Eden before the invasion, the land of Israel will be introduced to wilderness afterward (v 3). The same (or similar) disturbances described in v 10 are predicted in Rev 6:12-13; 8:12.
3. Key Verse. 2:1. Blow a trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of the Lord is coming; Surely it is near.
C. The Promise of Immediate Deliverance. 2:20.
1. “But I will remove the northern army far from you, And I will drive it into a parched and desolate land, And its vanguard into the eastern sea, And its rear guard into the western sea. And its stench will arise and its foul smell will come up, For it has done great things.”
2. Comment. The northern army will be scattered in the desert, the eastern sea (the Dead Sea), and the western sea (Mediterranean). See Ezek 39:2 for the destruction of the army coming from the North during the Tribulation.
D. The Promise of Future Deliverance. 2:28.
1. It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions.
2. Comment. “after this.” I. e., after Israel’s future repentance and restoration (Zech 12:10, 13:1) in connection with the second advent of Christ, as witnessed by the portents of verse 30 (See Acts 2:16-21, and Ryrie Note). The Holy Spirit will then be poured out on all classes in Israel who belong to the believing remnant (v 12). For Peter’s use of this passage on the Day of Pentecost (See Acts 2:16-21, and Ryrie note).
E. Israel’s Judgments. 3:1-3; 9-17; 18.
1. 3:1-3. “For behold, in those days and at that time, When I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2. I will gather all the nations And bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; And they have divided up My land. 3. “They have also cast lots for My people, Traded a boy for a harlot And sold a girl for wine that they may drink.
3. Comment. At the second coming of Christ, Israel will be gathered in the Land of Israel (Matt 24:31). Also, at the Second coming, the Gentiles will be judged for their treatment of Israel (Matt 25:40, 45) in the valley of Jehoshaphat (which means “Yahweh judges,” and may refer to the Kidron Valley on the east of Jerusalem.)
3.3:9-17. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joel+3%3A9-17&version=NASB1995
4. Key Verse: 3:10. “Beat your plowshares into swords, And your pruning hooks into spears.” (Indicates the violence of the Tribulation). Isaiah 2:4. “And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.” (Indicates the peace of the millennium, which follows the Tribulation.)
5. Comment. A description of the campaign of Armageddon (Rev 16:14). “Your mighty ones (v 11).
6. 3:18. Israel’s Consummation. “On that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine. The hills will flow with milk, and water will flow through all the empty rivers of Judah. A fountain will come from the Lord’s Temple. It will give water to Acacia Valley.
7. Comment. The day of Messiah’s reign in His earthly millennial kingdom.
III. References. See My Page: About My References.
Israel, History And Prophecy 