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PEOPLE OF THE BIBLE

Introduction

Tonight we continue our study of the Old Testament Prophets of God by looking at the Old Testament Prophet Joel.

The name Joel means “Jehovah is God” or “The LORD is God.”

The name Joel was a common Jewish name and there are 14 men mentioned in the Scripture by that name.

Little or nothing is known about most of these men and their personal lives including the Prophet Joel.

About all that we are told about the Prophet Joel is that his father’s name was Pethuel.

This book was written in the ninth century B.C. (830 - 820 B.C.). This would make him a contemporary of Elisha.

Joel was a prophet to the whole nation of Israel, but primarily to the nation of Judah.

One of the key themes of this book is “The day of the LORD.”

1.         This can refer to some extraordinary happening in the present. (Like a locust plague.)

2.         This can refer to some an event in the near future. (Like the destruction of Jerusalem or the defeat of enemy nations.)

3.         This can refer to future events happening in the final period of history:

            a.         This can refer to the seven years of tribulation.

            b.         This can refer to the day of the battle of Armageddon.

            c.         This can also refer to the millennial reign of Christ on the Earth.

Even when the Day of the Lord refers to a present event, it also pictures the final day of the Lord.

The context must determine which time frame is in view.

The significance of “the day of the LORD” emphasizes the intervention of God into the affairs of men.

The background for this book is this–During Joel’s day, Wicked Queen Athaliah seized power in a bloody coup, but was overthrown after a few years. Joash was crowned king, but he was only seven years old and in great need of spiritual guidance. Joash followed God in his early years, but then turned away from Him.

A plague of locusts had come to discipline the nation. Joel called the people to turn back to God before an even greater judgment occurred.

The message of Joel is this: God judges people for their sins, but is merciful to those who turn to him, and offers them eternal salvation.

I.         THE LOCUST INVASION. (1:1-20)

This opening chapter describes the effects of a severe locust plague which had swept over the land.

This was a plague brought devastating economic losses and immense suffering to both man and beast.

However, this plague signaled an even worse calamity that was to come–the destructive day of the LORD.

            A.        The Uniqueness Of The Destruction. (1:1-3)

                        Nothing like this had ever happened before on this large of scale.

They were urged to pay attention to what God had done, to learn from it, and to rehearse it in the ears of their children and grand children for the generations to come.

                        George Santayana said, “Those who disregard the past are bound to repeat it.”

            B.        The Completeness Of The Destruction. (1:4)

The event in view here was a massive invasion of locusts which completely destroyed the lands vegetation.

Four terms are used for the locusts here which emphasize the successive “waves” of locusts in the invasion.

                        1.         The Palmerworm–cutting locust.

                        2.         The Locusts–swarming locust..

                        3.         The Cankerworm–hopping locust.

                        4.         The Caterpillar–destroying locust.

A locust plague can be as devastating as an invading army. The locusts gather in swarms too great to number and fly several feet above the ground, seemingly darkening the sun as they pass by. When they land, they devour almost every piece of vegetation in their path.

The threefold reference to the leftovers of one wave of locusts being devoured by the next emphasizes the thorough nature of the destruction.

            C.        The Vastness Of The Destruction. (1:5-12)

                        1.         It Affected The Wine. (1:5-7, 12)

                                    The people’s moral senses were dulled, making them oblivious to sin.

                                    So, God destroyed even that which caused their drunkenness.

Our moral senses can be dulled by many things in this prosperous society that we live in. However, we need to keep in mind that God can take it all away in a moment of time.

                        2.         It Affected The Figs. (1:7, 12)

                        3.         It Affected The Grain. (1:10-11)

                        4.         It Affected The Trees. (1:10, 12)

II.       THE CALL TO REPENTANCE. (1:13-14)

            A.        Gird Yourselves. (i.e. with sackcloth.) An act of humility.

Sackcloth was a coarse, dark cloth which was worn in mourning rites as an outward expression of sorrow.

            B.        Lament–“To tear the hair and beat the breasts (as Orientals do in grief); by implication to wail.”

            C.        Howl–“To cry out with a wailing tone.”

            D.        Fast–A period of time when no food was eaten and people approached God with humility, sorrow for sin, and urgent prayer.

In the Old Testament, people often fasted during times of calamity in order to focus their attention on God and to demonstrate their change of heart and true devotion.

            E.        Solemn Assembly–Were not called too often. Mostly called in a time of national crisis.

III.      THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PLAGUE. (1:15-20)

This locust plague was meaningful because of its role as a foreshadowing of the future day of judgment– the Day of the LORD (i.e. The Tribulation Period).

            A.        It Will Also Be Unique.

                        Matthew 24:21–“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

            B.        It Will Also Be Complete.

                        Affecting every aspect of life.

            C.        It Will Also Be Vast.

                        Affecting the entire world.

We need to remember though that the future Day of the Lord will not only be a time of judgment, but it will also be a time of blessing and restoration as well.

Verses 16-20 contain a description of the aftermath of the locust plague. By concentrating on the unique nature of this disaster, the prophet Joel supported his contention that the destructive day of the Lord was around the corner.

Conclusion

So we see that Joel was sent by God to point out that the locust invasion was from the LORD.

Joel issued a call to repentance and then he pointed out the significance of the plague as just a foreshadowing of the coming day of the LORD.

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