Date and Setting

Joel uses a recent calamity in the nation of Judah to teach his hearers a prophetic lesson. A
locust plague had invaded the land, destroying every green thing in its path. Grapevines were
stripped clean; grain fields lay bare; fruit trees stood leafless and unproductive. The devastation
was so complete than even grain offerings to God were impossible. Joel uses the locust
invasion as the starting point of his sermon. As bad as the locust plague was, it would pale by
comparison with what God was about to bring upon His people. An army from the north would
come to attack the nation, leaving behind devastation even more complete than that of the
locusts. The only hope for Joel´s hearers: heartfelt repentance before that terrible day arrives.

Focus Day of The Lord in Retrospect Day of The Lord in Prospect

1:1-1:20 2:1-3:21

Divisions Past Day of the Past Day of the Imminent Day of Ultimate Day of
Locust Judgment the Lord the Lord
1:1 - 1:12 1:13 - 1:20 2:1 - 2:27 2:28 - 3:21

Topics Historical Invasion Prophetic Invasion

Past Judgment on Judah Future Judgment and Restoration of

 Judah

Place Southern Kingdom of Judah

Time C. 835 Years

Introduction and Title

Disaster strikes the southern kingdom of Judah without warning. An ominous black cloud
descends upon the land -the dreaded locusts. In a matter of hours, every green living thing has
been stripped bare. Joel, God's spokesman during the reign of Joash (835-796 A.C.), seizes
this occasion to proclaim God's message. Although the locust plague has been a terrible
judgment for sin, God´s future judgments during the day of the Lord will make that plague pale
by comparison. On that day, God will destroy His enemies, but bring unparalleled blessing to
those who faithfully obey Him.

The Hebrew name Yo´el means “Yahweh Is God.” This name is appropriate to the theme of the
book, which emphasizes God's sovereignty work in History. The courses of nature and nations
are in His hand. The Greek equivalent is Ioel, and the Latin is Joel.

Author
Although there are several other Joels in the Bible, the prophet Joel is known only from this
book. In the introductory verse, Joel identifies himself as the son of Pethuel (1:1) meaning
“persuaded by God.” His frequent references to Zion and the house of the Lord (1:9, 13-14;
2:15-17, 23, 32; 3:1, 5-6, 16-17, 20-21) suggest that he probably lived not far from Jerusalem,
Because of his statements about the priesthood (1:13-14; 2:17), some think Joel was a priest as
well as a prophet. In any case, Joel was a clear, concise, and uncompromising preacher of
repentance.

Date and Setting

Since this book includes no explicit time references, it cannot be dated with certainty. Some
commentators assign a late date (usually postexilic) to Joel for these reasons: (1) It does not
mention the northern kingdom and indicates it was written after the 722 B.C. demise of Israel.
(2) The references to priests but no kings fit the postexilic period. (3) Joel does not refer to
Assyria, Syria, or Babylon, perhaps because these countries have already been overthrown. (4)
If chapter 3, verse 2, refers to the Babylonian captivity, this also supports the postexilic date. (5)
The mention of the Greeks (3:6) argues for a late date.

Commentators who believe Joel was written in the ninth century B.C. answer the above
arguments in this way: (1) Joel´s failure to mention the northern kingdom is an argument from
silence. His prophecy was directed to Judah, not Israel. (2) Other early prophets omit references
to a king (Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, and Habakkuk). This also fits the political situation during
841-835 B.C. when Athaliah usurped the throne upon the death of her husband Ahaziah. Joash,
the legitimate heir to the throne, was a minor and protected by the high priest Jehoiada. When
Athaliah was removed from power in 835 B.C. Joash came to the throne but ruled under the
regency of Jehoiada. Thus, the prominence of the priests and lack of reference to a king in Joel
fit this historical context. (3) It is true that Joel does not refer to Assyria or Babylonia, but the
countries Joel mentions are crucial. They include Phoenicia, Philistia, Egypt, and Edom -
countries prominent in the ninth century but not later. Assyria and Babylonia are not mentioned
because they had not yet reached a position of power. Also, if Joel were postexilic, a reference
to Persia would be expected. (4) Chapter 3, verse 2, does not refer to the Babylonian captivity
but to an event that has not yet occurred. (5) Greeks are mentioned in Assyrian records from
the eighth century B.C. It is just an assumption to state the Hebrews had not knowledge of the
Greeks at an early time.

Evidence also points to a sharing of material between Joel and Amos (cf. Joel 3:16 and Amos
1:2; Joel 3:18 and Amos 9:13). The context of the books suggests that Amos, an eighth-century
prophet, borrowed from Joel. Also, Joel´style is more like that of Hosea and Amos than of the
postexilic writers. The evidence seems to favor a date of about 835 B.C. for Joel. Since Joel
does not mention idolatry, it may have been written after the purge of Baal worship and most
other forms of idolatry in the early reign of Joash under Jehoiada the priest. As an early prophet
of Judah, Joel would have been a contemporary of Elisha in Israel.

Keys to Joel
Key Word: The Day of the Lord
Key Verses (2:11, 28-29) - “The Lord utters His voice before His army; His camp is indeed
very great, fFor mighty is one who carries out His word. The day of the Lord is indeed
great and very awesome, And who can endure it?” (2:11)

“It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons
and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, your young men will
see visions, and even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those
days.” (2:28-29)

Key Chapter (2) - The prophet calls for Judah's repentance and promises God´s repentance
(2:13-14) from His planned judgment upon Judah if they do indeed turn to Him. Though the offer
is clearly given, Judah continues to rebel against the Lord, and judgment is to follow. In that
judgment, however, is God´s promise of His later outpouring, fulfilled initially on the Day of
<pentecost (Acts 2:16 ff) and ultimately when Christ returns for the culmination of the day of the
Lord.

Christ in Joel
Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit after His ascension to the Father (see John 16:7-15;
Acts 1:8). When this was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost, Peter said, “This is that which was
spoken by the prophet Joel” (see Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21). Joel also portrays Christ as the
One who will judge the nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (“God judges,” 3:2, 12)
Contribution to the Bible
Joel is characterized by graphic style and vivid descriptions. He makes striking use of a
historical event as an illustrative foundation for the overall message of the book. Although
Obadiah was the first prophet to mention the day of the Lord (Obad. 15), Joel was the first to
develop this important biblical theme. Other references to the day of the Lord include: Isaiah
2:12, 17-20; 3-7-18; 4:1-2; 13:6-9; Jeremiah 46:10; Ezekiel 13:5; 30:3; Amos 5:18; Zephaniah
1:7, 14; Malachi 4:5; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:2. It is clear from 2 Thessalonians 2:2
and 2 Peter 3:10 that the day of the Lord is a future event from the New Testament perspective.
Peter quoted Joel (2:28-32) in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:16-21, but stopped
in the middle of verse 32. In His Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24:29), Jesus associated the events
mentioned in Joel 2:10, 31; 3:15 with the signs of His second coming. The apostle Paul applied
chapter 2, verse 32, to the salvation available to Jews and Gentiles who trust in Christ (Rom.
10:12-13).

Survey of Joel
The brief Book people of Joel develops the crucial theme of the coming day of the Lord (1:15;
2:1-2, 11, 31; 3:14, 18). It is a time of awesome judgment upon people and nations that have
rebelled against God. But it is also a time of future blessing upon those who have trusted in
Him. The theme of disaster runs throughout the book (locust plagues, famine, raging fires,
invading armies, celestial phenomena), but promised of hope are interspersed with the
pronouncements f coming judgment The basic outline of Joel is: the day of the Lord in
retrospect (1:1-20) and the day of the Lord in prospect (2:1-3:21)

The Day of the Lord in Retrospect (1:1-20): Joel begins with an account of a recent locust
plague that has devastated the land. The black cloud of insects has stripped the grapevines and
fruit trees and ruined the grain harvest. The economy has been brought to a further standstill by
a drought and the people are in a desperate situation.

The Day of the Lord in Prospect (2:1-3:21): Joel makes effective use of this natural
catastrophe as an illustration of a far greater judgment to come. Compared to the terrible day of
the Lord, the destruction by the locust will seem insignificant.The land will be invaded by a
swarming army; like locusts they will be speedy and voracious. The desolation caused by this
army will be dreadful: “For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; who can endure it?”
(2:11).

Even so, it is not too late for the people to avert disaster. The prophetic warning is designed to
bring them to the point of repentance (2:12-17). “Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to me
with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning”” (2:12. But God promises that
judgment will be followed by a great blessing in a material (2:18-27) and spiritual (2:28-32)
sense.

These rich promises are followed by a solemn description of the judgment of all nations in the
valley of decision (3:14) in the end times. The nations will give an account of themselves to the
God of Israel who will judge those who have rebelled against Him. God alone controls the
course of History. “So shall you know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion My holy
mountain” (3:17). Joel ends with the kingdom blessings upon the remnant of faithful Judah: “But
Judah shall abide forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation” (3:20).

Outline of Joel
I. The Day of the Lord in Retrospect, 1:1-20
A. The Past Day of the Locust, 1: 1-12
B. The Past Day of the Drought, 1:13-20

II. The Day of the Lord in Prospect, 2:1-3:21

A. The Imminent Day of the Lord, 2:1-27
1. Prophecy of the Imminent Invasion of Judah, 2:1-11
2. Conditional Promise of the Salvation of Judah, 2:12-27
B. The Ultimate Day of the Lord, 2:28-3:21
1. Last Events Before the Terrible Day of the Lord, 2:28-32
2. Events of the Terrible Day of the Lord, 3:1-21
a. Judgment on the Gentiles, 3:1-16
B. Restoration of Judah, 3:17-21

Enfoque Día del Señor en Retrospectiva Día del Señor Previsto

1:1-1:20 2:1-3:21

Divisiones Día Pasado de Día Pasado del Día del Señor Día del Señor al
las Langostas Juicio Inminente Final
1:1 - 1:12 1:13 - 1:20 2:1 - 2:27 2:28 - 3:21

Temas Invasión Histórica Invasión Profética

Juicio Pasado de Judá Juicio Futuro y Restauración de

Judá

Lugar Reino del Sur de Judá

Tiempo C. 835 Años