God’s discipline restores His followers.
Joel’s listeners enjoyed an easy life until they were caught unaware by devastation unlike anything they or their ancestors had ever seen. Ravenous locusts swarmed across the land and stripped crops bare, with a severe drought further cutting off the people’s supply of food and water. This nationwide disaster pointed to an even greater catastrophe looming on the horizon. What the prophets called “the day of the LORD” would cause calamity far surpassing that of the locust plague. The exact timing of this judgment was unknown, but its arrival was certain. Bible writers describe “the day of the LORD” in a variety of ways, and even within the Book of Joel it carries several distinct meanings (see “The Day of the Lord in Joel” at Joel 1:15).
This imminent judgment called God’s people to repent, for the repentant receive the Lord’s mercy (2:12–14). Joel promised a restoration for God’s humbled people (2:28–32) that included the Lord pouring out His Spirit “on all flesh” (2:28). This promise was fulfilled centuries later when the Holy Spirit descended on early followers of Jesus during the feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4, 16–21).
Joel prophesied to the southern nation of Judah. It is unknown exactly when he lived, but he may have preached during the reign of King Joash of Judah (835–796 B.C.; 2 Kin. 11:4—12:21). Other scholars date him to the time of the prophet Zephaniah, in the years just before Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians in 587 B.C.
Key Verses in Joel
• “For the day of the LORD is coming … a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness” (Joel 2:1, 2).
• “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28).
• “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD” (Joel 2:31).
• “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Joel 2:32).
• “Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, ‘I am strong‘ ” (Joel 3:10).
• “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision” (Joel 3:14).