Meaning of JOEL (Book)

We have in this book no precise indication of the prophet's time. But certain details seem to militate powerfully against an earlier date than Isaiah. It is thought to be set at the time of the religious revival early in the reign of Joash (2 Kings 12:1, 16; 2 Chron. 24:1).

Since Joel does not mention the king, but speaks of the priests and the regular ceremonies of worship (Joel 1:9, 13; 2:12-17), this situation harmonizes with the time of King Joash's minority. , when power was exercised by the high priest Jehoiada as regent (2 Chron. 23:2, 3).

On the other hand, Joel makes no mention of the Assyrians or the Chaldeans, while he alludes to enemies that did not exist as nations at the time of the great empires, or that did not represent a threat to Judah then:
the Edomites (Joel 3:19),
Phoenicians and Philistines (Joel 3:4).

He makes no mention of the northern kingdom. Therefore, it can be placed around the year 800 BC. It can be added that many prophets used entire passages from Joel (cf. Am. 9:13 and Jl. 3:18; Is. 13:6, 9, 10 and Jl. 1:15; 2:1, 10; Zeph. 1:14, 15 and JI. 2:1, 2; Ez. 47:1 and Jl. 3:18; Abd. 17 and Jl. 2:32). The position of those who seek to place the prophecy in the time of Jeremiah, or even after the exile in Babylon, is untenable.

Joel's prophecy has as its essential perspective the time of the end. Joel starts from a very common catastrophe in the East, an invasion of locusts followed by a terrible drought, to describe the terrible time of the judgment of God's wrath on his people and the nations, the Day of darkness and darkness, great and very terrible, the great and terrible day of Jehovah (cf. Jl. 1:15; 2:1, 2, 11, 31).

The prophet reveals this "day", which will not be a solar day, but a period of several years, a period that must correspond to the reign of the Adversary (Antichrist) according to Dan. 9:24-27 and that Jesus described in Mt. 24:29-30, Peter in 2 Pet. 3:10-13, and John in Rev. 7 ff.
Joel presents us with the following stages:

(a) The dawn of the day of Jehovah. Punishment of unfaithful Judah (in Joel, Judah represents the entire people), which will consist of the sudden invasion of the country by an innumerable people (Joel 1:6). This people is identified (Jl. 2:20): those of the north. Ezekiel gives impressive details about this enemy (Ez. 38:1-9, 14-16).

This people, including within it an entire group of nations, will be so numerous that Joel compares it to an invasion of locusts (Joel 1:4), attributing to it the same destructive power (Joel 1:6, 7). In Ez. 38:9 He is seen as a cloud that will cover the land. Jl. 2:1-11 constitutes an apocalyptic vision of this invasion: chariots and horses, flame of fire, darkened sky, trembling earth, trembling heavens.

It could be identified with a battle involving nuclear weapons. "Who can bear it?" (Joel 2:11). The prophet specifies the place of the battle: “the valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:2, 12), around Jerusalem. "That is where the outcome of this war will be decided."

(b) The result of the cataclysm: If God has to punish, he also wants his salvation. Therefore, he addresses urgent appeals to him to repent (Jl. 1: 13-14; 2: 12-17). The punishment will be for Judah like a crucible of purification. And the terrible and swift storm will be followed by a miraculous deliverance.

God Himself will intervene to break the spirit of the invader and annihilate him (JI. 2:18-20). The parallel description of this divine intervention given by Ezekiel is even more detailed and cataclysmic (Ez. 38:17-23; 39:1-7); the enemy from the north will find his total ruin there (Ez. 39: 11-17). "This is the day of which I have spoken" (Ez. 39:8).

Certain commentators doubt whether this defeat of the northern enemy should be placed at the beginning of Daniel's seventieth week (Dan. 9:27), or whether it should be considered a phase of the battle of Armageddon. (See ARMAGEDDON, GOG.). In the first case it would mark the victory of the Antichrist and the starting point of the evil pact that he will make with Israel.

It seems, however, that Joel, like Ez. 38-39, fits better with the point of view of a double fulfillment, before the tribulation and after the Millennium (cf. Alexander, Ralph: "Ezequiel", Pub. Portavoz Evangelico, Barcelona, 1979, PP. 123-134) . Joel deals in particular with the first fulfillment, in the period that closes the Great Tribulation and begins the Millennium (cf. Jl. 3:1-2, 11-13, 18-21).

(c) The pouring out of the Spirit on Israel. JI's passage. 2:28-32 constitutes a separate chapter, chapter 3 in the Hebrew Bible. There has already been a first partial fulfillment of this prophecy at Pentecost, because Peter affirms: "But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel..." (Acts 2:16-21).

The Spirit has been, in effect, given to all believers, whereas in the OT it was only given to certain privileged servants of God. But it is evident that Pentecost was not yet the great Day of the end, marked by cosmic phenomena and by the visible triumph of the Lord.

What also remains to be accomplished is the conversion of "all Israel" to the Messiah, thanks to a particular outpouring of the Spirit that the unbelief of the nation has delayed until now (Jl. 2:28-32; Is. 32:13- 15; 34:16; Ez. 36:24-27; 39:28-29; Zech. 12:10). When this happens, “my people will never again be put to shame” (JI. 2:26-27).

(d) The glory of the messianic reign. Joel proclaims the end of the Day of Jehovah with the announcement of the Lord's advent to Zion (Joel 3:17, 21). Prosperity, peace and security will be assured to God's people (Joel 3:16, 18-20).

This kingdom of Christ on earth is described most fully by Isaiah and other prophets. It will be a time of immense blessings for Israel and for all nations. (See MILLENNIUM.)
Summing up, it can be said that Joel presents the events of the end in the following order:

(a) Invasion of Palestine by the nations, on the Day of Jehovah (Joel 2:1-10; cf. Zech. 14:2; Rev. 16:14).

(b) Destruction of the invaders by the Lord Himself (Joel 2:11; Rev. 19:11, 21).

(c) Repentance of the chosen people (Joel 2:12-17).

(d) Divine promises of deliverance (Jl. 2:18-27).

(e) Outpouring of the Spirit upon Israel (Joel 2:28-29).

(f) Glorious return of Christ, proclamation of his salvation and his kingdom (Jl. 2: 30-32; cf. Acts 15: 15-17).

(g) Judgment of the nations (Jl. 3:1-16).

(h) Description of the messianic kingdom (Jl. 3:17-21; cf. Zech. 14:1-21).