Erica's Bible Study and Journal: Joel

Joel 3:1-21 Summary

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:20:43 GMT

As is usually the case, this chapter is a continuation of the previous. God told Joel that in the days when God sends His spirit to all men and the gifts thereof, he will forever reverse the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem. He will gather all nations in the valley of Jehoshaphat to judge them for the way they treated Israel. They devalued His people as they saw fit. They would trade a boy for a prostitute and a girl for wine to drink. Despite Israel’s disobedience throughout history, they are still God’s chosen people and they will be vindicated. He said His promises to them were forever.

God disassociates Himself from Tyre and Zidon (also Sidon), and all the coasts of Philistia. He asks them were they going to judge Him. (The word translated as “recompense” speaks of the way a person is treated and can be good or bad. As you continue in this verse and the following, you see God is speaking of ill treatment.) If they presume to punish God, He will turn that punishment back on them. They were the ones who had taken His possessions into their idolatrous temples. They had sold his children to other nations. But God had determined He would bring them back and undo and repay all that His enemies had done.

God says to proclaim to the Gentiles to prepare for war. They were to gather arms and come to battle God where they would be judged for their pride and sin. When God comes as judge, His people need not fear because He is their hope. However, those who have fought against Him or rejected Him will not be spared. After this judgment, all will know that He is God and all creation will flourish and produce plenty. Those nations that warred against God would be desolate because of they way they treated Israel, but Judah and Jerusalem will be forever. He will then cleanse them of their wrongdoing.

Whenever God talks to His people of judgment or chastening He never leaves them without hope of restoration. We have only to turn from our sin and turn to Him and He will gladly accept and restore us.

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Joel 2:1-32 Summary

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:46:14 GMT

This chapter begins with God telling Joel to sound the alarm warning the people of what was at hand. The plague that was coming would be like nothing they had seen. The swarms of locusts and worms would cover everything and nothing could hold them back. They would cover and penetrate all walls. They would be in tight formation like an army. In front of them, everything would be lush like the Garden of Eden, but behind them would be nothing but desolation. The sound of all these insects would be like the sound of chariots. They would obey the command of the Lord, but nothing else could stop them or deter them.

Even though, this swarm was on its way, God still wanted them to know that if they would turn their hearts to him, fast, and cry and mourn over their sin He would hear them. If they would rip open their hearts (internal) in acknowledging their sin, and not just rip their robes (external show), He could be moved with compassion and mercy for them. If they would to this, He would even bless them instead of judging them.

Joel encouraged them to all gather together and repent. He encouraged the priests to intercede and plead for God’s mercy. If they would recognize how they had wronged God, He would turn the course of the coming army. Then the land would have nothing to fear. The flocks and herds would be spared and they could remain fruitful. Then they would know that He alone was God and He would continue to care for them.

Joel goes on to prophecy that a time was coming where God would pour out His spirit on all people and everyone would be used of God, not just a few. There would be great signs on the earth. There would be supernatural evidences of God’s power in all of nature, but whoever called on God for deliverance would receive it.

That time is now.

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Joel 1:1-20 Summary

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 11:06:19 GMT

I had to do some research as to when Joel was written. Most commentaries agree that he was a prophet in Judah during the reign of Joash. From what I can gather, he is either writing about an event that is happening or one that is eminent. This isn’t critical to understanding the book, but it slightly affects the tone. If it is happening, then he is recounting the details of it to show this is God’s handiwork and they need to repent. If it hasn’t happened yet, then they can avert it by repenting. Whichever is the correct time frame, they needed to repent of their sin.

Joel, the son of Pethuel, called the peoples’ attention to what was going on around them. There apparently was a plague on the land like they had never experienced. He implored them to impress upon their children how serious and devastating this was so they would pass it on to the coming generations.

A variety of locusts and caterpillars had eaten all the vegetation. The drunkards were mourning because there were no grapes for new wine. The locusts had consumed the grape vines and even the bark on the trees. There was nothing left to offer God and the priests mourned. The crops were destroyed; the olive trees produced no olives for oil. There was no fruit or vegetable untouched by these swarms.

Joel called on the priests to mourn. He told them to gather the people into the temple for fasting and crying out to God in repentance. They had nothing left and even the cattle and flocks were suffering. It was time to turn from the foolishness of idolatry and sin and return to God.

As long as things seem to be good, the sinful are always hesitant to turn to God. But He knows how to bring about circumstances that will at least point them to Himself even if they still reject Him.

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