A God-Given Message to Judah
The prophet Joel directed his message to Judah and, more specifically, to the city of Jerusalem. Joel was an educated, well-read leader who knew not only the writings of the other prophets, but also the current events of his day. He used them all to illustrate the message God had given him.
Joel effectively used an invasion of locusts that occurred during his day as his primary word picture. He utilized this natural catastrophe to underscore his message of repentance. He spoke of the “day of the LORD” which would come much like the locusts—surprising and terrifying. He attempted to awaken the people of Judah from their spiritual apathy and disobedience and provoke them to return to the Lord.
Joel teaches us that leaders must see the future clearly and project what steps must be taken to thrive in it. Joel called the leaders of his day to sound a warning of repentance to successive generations he would never meet—a futurist in the truest sense of the word.
Second, leaders must read and interpret current events. Joel saw and explained the locusts of his day in a way that made his message vivid and memorable. He took a physical reality and capitalized on it to illustrate a spiritual reality. His mind focused on both current events and eternal outcomes.
Third, corporate or community repentance begins with the leader. People usually act en masse when a leader sounds the trumpet and provides an example of what must be done. This proved true in Joel’s case. Joel called the priests to model repentance with sackcloth and mourning. People do what people see.
Fourth, leaders must never cry out for change without providing some solutions. It does little good to merely complain. Leaders must sound the alarm, but then say, “And here are some steps we can take to improve.” Along with his warning of judgment, Joel talks about the promise of the Holy Spirit and the need for his filling. He spoke of the coming day of the Lord and the need to call on God for deliverance. He listed the steps of repentance the people of Judah needed to take if they were to renew themselves and find restoration in the grace of God.
God’s Role in Joel
God is the Ultimate Leader in control, the One who sends the locusts and the One who will come on the day of the Lord—a day far more terrifying than mere locusts. God sometimes uses the natural realm to direct us to truths in the spiritual realm. God uses the disastrous locust plague to illustrate a far greater spiritual catastrophe to come if his people refuse to return to him.
Leaders in Joel
Joel
Other People of Influence in Joel
Leaders in Jerusalem and Judah
Lessons in Leadership
• Leaders are realistic futurists—they define reality and distribute hope.
• Great leaders communicate in relevant ways, connecting the known to the unknown.
• If leaders project a problem to the people, they must propose a plan for the people.