The name Joel means "Jehovah is God."
It is likely that Joel has lived and prophesiedin Jerusalem. It would, therefore, in his youth,known Elijah and Elisha. Probable date: 830 years before Christ, at the time of King Joash.
Joel has been called "the prophet of the revival." He understood that sincere repentanceis the basis of true spirituality and was forthis to happen to his people that he was struggling.
The basic content of his book is the call to repentance. Studying with interestits great lessons are edified.
I - WHEN WE PREACHED JOEL When the prophet Joel preached their messages, the economic situation was desperate because of an attack of locusts unique. He leaves this fact to alert people to the practice of sanctification, the brokenness, and greater submission to the Lord, 1: 14, messages that make the book very timely. Joel also announces the Lord's day and prevents under the imminence of a military attack would come by a foreign nation and ends the book with the most precious message about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
a) The plague of locusts - Among the more than 80 varieties of locusts, Joel says four: the cutter, the migrator, the devourer and destroyer, v. 4, had ravaged the land of Israel. The people fell silent as a sign of grief. All dried up and the field produced nothing.
b) The lessons of devastation - The news of this calamity should be passed from generation to generation, see 3, because it refers to a time trial of the Lord in the pleasures of life were removed and there was a general lament. Even the drunks regretted because the locusts devoured the vines, v. 5, and had no more wine, they destroyed a fig tree, stealing away the peels, see 7. Because of this misery to young people wept, v. 8. Whole grain is lost and the tenants were embarrassed and bewildered, vv. 10, 11, because the court came across a small enemy, but in large numbers and wise, Proverbs 30: 27.
c) Reactions to debauchery, 1: 10-14 - With the destruction of pastures and crops, even the priests complained because there was no evidence for sacrifices to the Lord, v. 9. As a general calamity, sin also had devastated all areas of life. This is where the Lord says: "Wail, priests."When the church experiences scourge of such nature engulfed in troubles, sins and diseases that devastate families after families, 1 Corinthians 11: 30-32, biblical teaching to solve this situation is that ministers and people return to the Lord with the same sincerity, intensity , repentance and interests described in Joel 1: 13-14 and 2: 12-17e Deuteronomy 4: 30-31.
II - THE DAY OF THE LORD. The prophet describes this terrible scene to prepare people about what they would talk about the "Day of the Lord," v. 15, which also come as a destruction. It is noticed that Joel sees something behind this plague of locusts, he sees beyond, sees a day of desolation throughout the land. The event by which the people wept when it was foreshadowing of another day in court: a trial to be shed in the final days of this world.
a) An army prepared against Judah, 2: 1-11. Joel announced that he was about to happen a major military invasion. Compare that to a devastation by locusts that had plagued the land.He asks: "You've heard throughout his life, throughout the history of his people, something like?" The answer to v. 2 would only be an emphatic no!
b) Judgement Day - Joel uses almost his entire book to talk about the Lord's Day, 2: 1, 11, 31, 3: 14; this will be the final adjudication of God over all evil and also the end of this era.This day will begin with the Rapture of the Church, 1 Thessalonians 4: 15-17, 5: 2; includes seven years of tribulation, which is the last week of Daniel 9: 24-27, and will culminate with the return of Christ with his Church to reign on earth, Revelation 20: 1-6.
c) A call to repentance, 2: 12-17. The disaster that affects Israel in times of Joel leads the nation, politically, to chaos. But this divine intervention is merely illustrative. As the worst is yet to come, God raises Joel disquiet the priests and to urge the people to repentance, v. 13, and that this return humbly to the Lord, not with empty hands, but with the sacrifice of genuine sorrow and mourning, fasting and prayers by the mercies of God, v. 12. To do so, they should proclaim a solemn assembly, 2: 15-17. No one should miss, nothing excuses, and vv.15 16. And the priests would pray with everyone crying, "Spare thy people, O Lord," v. 17.
d) Outpouring of the Holy Spirit, 2: 28-32. In a future time, marked by the adverb 'then', v. 28, the Holy Spirit would be poured out upon all flesh. Examining The 3: 5, we see that this promise covers the last days Israel, starting with the tribulation and into the reign of the Messiah, which comes next.Compare, Isaiah 2: 2 with Acts 2: 17.
Time is emphatic in v. 29. God wishes to repeat that this will happen "in those days." That is, after repentance and future restoration of national Israel, Zech 11: 10: 13: 1, events will be simultaneous with the Second Coming of Christ.This "great and terrible Day of the Lord" will be presented with wonders of God on earth and in heaven, vv. 30-31.
But Zion and Jerusalem will remain, v. 32, and will happen after that ... the Holy Spirit will be poured out faithful remnant. Note that there is no restriction on the receipt of this gift: no differences in age (young and old) or sex (sons and daughters), and even social status (male and female slaves). What happened in Acts 2 was the fulfillment of this prophecy, but full compliance is yet to come: Is 32: 15, 44: 3.4; Ez 36: 27.29, 37: 14: 39: 29. Thus, the study of the prophet Joel reminds us that the Church must live in a permanent climate of revival in order to do the will of the Lord.
