Introduction to
Joel
Overview
This book is presented as a message from God given to Joel. Although it is not explicitly stated, it seems clear from the content of the book that it was directed to the southern kingdom of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem (Joel 2:1, 15; 3:1, 6). The message begins with a description of a coming plague of locusts (1:2–12; cf. Interpretive Challenges for discussion on understanding these references to locusts). The people are encouraged to meet in corporate worship and cry out to the Lord, for the day of the Lord is at hand (1:15). This day will be a day of darkness and gloom (2:1–2). Joel’s encouragement to the people is his repeated call to return to the Lord with all their hearts (2:12–13). The assurance is given that God, who had revealed his character to Moses (cf. Ex. 34:6–7), would show mercy and spare his people (Joel 2:17). The locusts will be removed, the land will again produce in abundance, and the people will realize that the Lord their God is indeed in their midst (2:27). The promise is given of an abundant outpouring of God’s Spirit, along with a supernatural revelation of his power in heaven and earth. The final chapter (ch. 3) is devoted to the themes of judgment on the Gentile nations (3:1–16) and expectation of a glorious future for Judah (3:17–21). Judah and Jerusalem are promised blessing, but God will render judgment on their neighbors so that all may know that the Lord who dwells in Zion is a refuge and stronghold for his people (3:16–17, 21).
Title
The title of the book is simply yoʼel in Hebrew, which the Septuagint (LXX) transliterated as Iōēl and which is rendered in English as Joel.
Author
The author is named as “Joel, the son of Pethuel” (1:1). Nothing more is known of either man. The name Joel is a combination of an abbreviated form of the covenantal name of God, Yahweh (“the LORD”), with the common Hebrew word for God, ʼel, and thus means “Yahweh is God.” The prophet Joel shares this name with about twelve other men in the OT but cannot be identified with any of them. The name “Pethuel” occurs nowhere else in the OT, and its meaning is uncertain.1 That Joel refers several times to the work of the priests at the temple (cf. 1:9, 13–14; 2:14–17) suggests he came from a priestly family.
Date and Occasion
The book of Joel differs from many of the other Prophetic Books of the OT in that it contains so little information regarding the historical period in which the prophet ministered or the circumstances prompting this message from the Lord. In the Hebrew Bible, the so-called Minor Prophets (Hosea to Malachi) seem to be listed in what was considered a chronological order. Joel follows Hosea, who prophesied in the mid-eighth century BC, and precedes Amos, who ministered in that same period. This ordering should be noted, but it provides no definitive dating for the book, since the process of divine inspiration of the books of the OT surely did not extend to their ordering, which came much later. The LXX exhibits a slightly different order, placing Joel after Micah and thus fourth in the order of the minor prophets.
Any proposed dating must therefore be dependent on information provided in the book of Joel itself or on other factors such as the use of similar content in other Prophetic Books. While it is possible to interpret the book without determining its precise date, dating can influence interpretation of the book as well as affect the understanding of how it was used and received at the time. Two major positions have been adopted on this question of dating. Both assume that the date of composition comes later than the division of the kingdom in 930 BC into Judah and Israel (note the mention of “Judah” in 3:1, 6, etc.) and that Joel’s mention of the temple (1:9, 13) means it was in operation (thus excluding the period of 586 to 516 BC).
Aside from this agreement, however, the positions come to very different conclusions. On one hand, it has long been claimed that various strands of evidence point to an early date. Unlike many of the other Prophetic Books, Joel makes no reference to later enemies of Israel such as Syria, Assyria, and Babylon, while he does mention ancient foes such as the Phoenicians and Philistines (3:4) and the Egyptians and Edomites (3:19). Failure to mention the later enemy nations suggests they were not contemporaneous with Joel’s ministry. This and other factors suggest a date as early as the reign of Jehoram (848–841 BC; cf. 2 Chron. 21:16–17 for reference to an invasion of Judah by the Philistines). Others, however, have maintained that the evidence points to a date around the time of the exile. Support for this position includes absence of references to a king or to the northern kingdom, addressing the priests as if they were in control, and hints of parallels with Zephaniah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.
In light of the evidence, on balance it seems the early date is more probable. The absence of any reference to the later foes of Judah points this way, while the supposed evidence cited by those advocating a late date could be explained in other ways. Moreover, the language, style, and contents of Joel are closest to the eighth-century-BC prophets—Amos, Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah. This position asserts that similarities with other prophets are the result of their borrowing either from Joel (and not vice versa) or from a common pool of teaching. Further, if Joel had been composed late in OT history, some greater precision, especially concerning the day of the Lord, could have been expected.
Genre and Literary Structure
Joel displays many of the features common to biblical prophecy. For example, it is poetic in form, lacks specific dates either of composition or in relation to the outcome of its messages, and combines warnings and encouragements comparably to other prophets. In addition, it is difficult to be certain about any time gap between the events Joel describes, as it uses phrases like “in that day” and “in those days” that do not reveal whether an event is near at hand or still far off.
The structure of the book is relatively straightforward. The locust invasion is detailed in 1:1–2:17, while 2:18–3:21, in addition to its warnings, contains pictures of future blessing. Some scholars have postulated that the two sections come from different authors, but no textual or other evidence can substantiate this. Nor is it possible to prove, as some suggest, that the book formed a liturgical text for worshipers in the later years of Judah. Most of Joel lacks the precision of statement necessary for a document to be used frequently in the temple or synagogue.
Theology of Joel; Its Relationship to the Rest of the Bible and to Christ
Readers of the book of Joel cannot expect it to contain the same wealth of theological content found in larger prophetic books such as Isaiah or Jeremiah. However, its contents bear many similarities to those books, for it is likewise addressed to the covenant people of God. Although the actual word “covenant” (berit) does not occur in Joel, there are, nevertheless, several other indicators pointing to the covenantal relationship between God and his people. Thirty-three times in the book God is referred to by his covenantal name “the LORD” (Yahweh). From the time of the exodus, that had become the standard name by which to refer to Israel’s God (cf. Ex. 3:13–17). In the book of Joel this “LORD” refers to Judah as “my people” (Joel 2:26, 27; 3:2) and “my heritage” (3:2) and calls Palestine “my land” (1:6; 3:2). Joel calls the temple “the house of our God” (1:16) and in addressing God refers to Judah as “your people” and “your heritage” (2:17). The double appearance of the declaration “I am the LORD your God” is significant (2:27; 3:17), for it echoes the opening words of the Decalogue (Ex. 20:2; Deut. 5:6). Furthermore, the double use of the name “Israel” (Joel 2:27; 3:2) to describe the southern kingdom of Judah is also an important indicator, for although the northern kingdom had usurped that name for itself when the kingdom split (cf. 1 Kings 12:16), the Lord still regarded Judah as his own, his Israel.
The theological message of Joel flows out of this covenantal relationship. God is bringing punishment on his people in the form of a locust plague. This judgment is declared to be “the day of the LORD,” a great and awesome day that had no precedent. God, who controls the natural world and utilizes both insect plagues and supernatural events to effect his will, will visit his people because of their sins.
But mercy is still foremost in God’s attitude to his covenantal people. The invitation is given to return in penitence to him and find him to be gracious and compassionate (Joel 2:12–13), using the language of Exodus 34:6 that had virtually become a creedal statement for Israel and Judah. The promise is that days of blessing will come again when the people recognize that the Lord is God and “there is none else” (Joel 2:27). These words are an assertion of God’s uniqueness, echoing Deuteronomy 4:35, 39 and paralleling Isaiah (cf. Isa. 43:11; 44:6; 45:6, 14, 22). The God who dwells in Zion (Joel 2:32; 3:16, 21) will be a refuge and a stronghold for them.
The book of Joel does not contain oracles against the Gentile nations such as those found in Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, but the same teaching as in these books is expressed in Joel. The nations are answerable to God for their misdeeds, especially for how they scattered his people through trade with distant places. God, in his sovereignty, will gather these nations for judgment in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, the valley of decision (Joel 3:2, 12, 14).
Joel’s prophecy does not contain any direct messianic teaching, but the NT uses it in three ways. Peter quotes from Joel 2:28–32 in his speech on the day of Pentecost to demonstrate that proclamation of the news of salvation would be the task not of a select few but of many who would receive the Spirit (Acts 2:17–21). Second, Paul in Romans 10:13 quotes from the same passage to which Peter appealed, focusing especially on the words, “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Joel 2:32). He applies the title “LORD” to Jesus, and in the context the “calling” spoken of comes from a genuine conviction that salvation is found in him. Then, John in the book of Revelation exhibits knowledge of Joel’s prophecy and incorporates ideas from it into his presentation of eschatological events (cf. Rev. 6:17; 9:7; 14:14–16).
Preaching from Joel
To understand and preach from Joel, one must understand where the book fits into the development of OT biblical theology. It is important to begin by noting that the prophets were God’s provision for continuing divine revelation in Israel/Judah. They were not originators of new teaching but rather were called to challenge the commitment of the people to God’s covenantal requirements in the Mosaic law. They guarded the relationship between God and his people and applied both the blessings and the curses of the covenant set out in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 4 and 27–28. This is what Joel is doing here: he is acting as covenant enforcer among the people.
The second point to emphasize is that a particular prophet like Joel (and especially such a small book) cannot be properly assessed independently of other prophets. Noting the connections among the teachings of the Prophetic Books helps us to grasp the significance of their message and renders presentation of it in preaching considerably easier. Smaller books like Joel are illuminated by passages in longer Prophetic Books, enabling us to grasp the breadth of teaching stated much more concisely in the smaller books. In this regard, the teaching of Joel matches many other passages in the other prophets, especially those of the eighth century BC (Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, and Micah). In particular, Joel and Amos seem very close (cf. Joel 1:4 and 2:25 with Amos 4:9, and Joel 3:18 with Amos 9:13). Both books are notable for their presentation of the day of the Lord (Joel 1:15; 2:1–2; Amos 5:18–20). In cases like this, it is impossible to prove which prophet was the earlier one. It is also possible there could have been common teaching shared by several prophets (cf. the almost identical passages in Isa. 2:2–4 and Mic. 4:1–3).
The task of preaching from Joel is the same as preaching from any other OT Prophetic Book. The prophets were messengers of the covenant, seeking to reclaim people to adherence to it while pointing forward to a new day when the covenant would be refined into something far superior. Joel can be taken as another illustration of the principle that God will hold his own people accountable for their sins. They cannot gloat over the sins of others, for judgment begins with the house of God (1 Pet. 4:17). However, when his people are persecuted, he will vindicate them.
But above all, preaching from this book must include a message of grace and hope. The covenantal God is the God of compassion and mercy. Although that was demonstrated in many ways in the OT, both by sacrificial ritual and by spoken word, in Christ’s coming and work it reached its perfection. Two songs in Luke 1, Mary’s Magnificat (1:46–55) and Zechariah’s Benedictus (1:68–79), are important for demonstrating the covenantal continuity linking the OT and the NT. Both songs rejoice in God’s saving work reaching its fulfillment in Christ’s coming and ministry. He came to help Israel “in remembrance of his mercy” (1:54), and salvation and forgiveness are grounded upon “the tender mercy of our God” (1:77–78). Anyone preaching from Joel must make the link between his understanding of grace and forgiveness and the fulfillment that his message, and that of his fellow prophets, found in Christ.
Interpretive Challenges
The Poetical Nature of the Book
If the book of Joel is regarded as early (cf. Date and Occasion), it forms a bridge between the work and ministry of the earlier prophets and the later writing prophets. While the ministry of earlier prophets, such as Elijah and Elisha, was oral, not written, later prophets started to minister God’s word by writing as well as speaking their messages. The other significant characteristic of their ministries was the essentially poetic form of this written body of work.
Poetry can be an incredibly powerful way to communicate. It does not speak in abstractions but rather utilizes simile and metaphor to convey truth in concrete forms. Readers or hearers of poetry do not simply listen to or read an abstract idea; they experience the content by means of powerful images to which they can easily relate. Joel’s use of imagery, most of it in warning passages, must have brought home to those of his day—in a very dramatic way—the awful reality of God’s judgments.2
But the use of imagery also presents challenges. Some of Joel’s images are not common today, and it can be difficult to know if a particular image is metaphorical or real (cf. the following discussion on locusts). It is also true that poetry—whether in ancient Hebrew or in modern English—uses language that differs from prose, which presents an additional challenge. While the English text must be an accurate translation, modern interpreters and preachers must search for appropriate present-day equivalents or illustrations to convey the same truths to readers or listeners. This adds to the task of applying biblical poetry to our contemporaries, but it is a necessary part of the interpreter’s role.
Locusts
Discussion concerning the locusts featuring so prominently in Joel goes back at least to the early church fathers. It was considered probable by early Christian commentators that the locusts had to be interpreted allegorically, representing future world powers opposed to Christ. This view has generally been abandoned. More common today is the view that the locusts were a metaphor for ordinary soldiers. Hence it is asserted that Joel is in fact describing an invading army coming from the north (cf. 2:20), and the picture of locusts is employed by him to portray graphically the drastic consequences for Judah and Jerusalem of such an invasion.
However, there are several clues in the book itself that an invasion of actual locusts is being described. Joel’s descriptions of the invasion involve activities impossible to humans (e.g., the description in 2:8–9), and it seems most unlikely that he would describe an army of real soldiers as “like a powerful army” or real horses as “like the appearance of horses” (2:4–5). Moreover, the wording concerning the promised restoration (2:14, 18–27) supports this interpretation. Restoration is stated in terms of repair of the country not from the ravages of an invading army but from the results of famine caused by a locust plague.3 Examples of such locust invasions in Palestine can be cited from several occasions in the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries; the 1915 plague is particularly well documented. The reference to the north (2:20) fits perfectly with this example, as it is from the north that the locusts of 1915 came. Finally, among the signs and wonders God performed in Egypt at the time of the exodus was a plague of locusts (Ex. 10:1–20). There is no reason to exclude the possibility of another visitation in judgment of a similar kind at this later point in biblical history.
The Day of the Lord
The concept of the day of the Lord in Joel has several facets. First, it is used to refer to a day of judgment for Israel, and this may well have been a surprise to the people, who had positive anticipation of such a day (cf. comment on 1:15). The imminence of the judgment may well have added to this surprise. Secondly, the phrase “the day of the LORD” can refer to a special visitation when God’s saving power on behalf of his people is demonstrated (cf. comments on 2:28–29; 3:14–16). Moreover, as these passages show, the phrase could refer to both an imminent day of deliverance and such a day in the distant future. This explains why the NT writers at times applied such passages to their own day: they realized that the end-time events were the ultimate demonstration of the concepts of judgment and deliverance spoken of by the prophets. An important parallel can be drawn to the way in which the OT prophets used the exodus concept for the return of the people after exile (Jer. 16:14) and the way in which that concept was used in the NT of Jesus’ saving ministry, the ultimate act of “exodus” from exile for God’s people (cf. ESV mg. at Luke 9:31).
Outline
- I. Superscription (1:1)
- II. The Immediate Disaster (1:2–20)
- III. The Day of the Lord (2:1–17)
- IV. Divine Compassion (2:18–3:16)
- V. Blessing for Judah and Jerusalem (3:17–21)