William P. Griffin, Ph.D.

The prophet Joel is the second of the so-called Minor Prophets, traditionally holding the spot between Hosea and Amos. Almost nothing is known about the prophet himself, and the historical references in the book are so vague that it is difficult to date.

There are literary and thematic affinities with many Old Testament prophetic books, but especially with Amos, Micah, and Isaiah. For example, the well-known peace passages of Micah and Isaiah, "they shall beat their swords into plowshares", is stated in reverse fashion as a call to war in Joel 3.

The overriding theme in the entire book is "the Day of Yahweh". This term is applied to different situations: a major catastrophe of Joel's day in the form of a locust plague and drought, judgment on Israel's enemies in the context of the outpouring of the Spirit, and judgment upon the nations who have oppressed Israel. The first one is not eschatology, while the latter two are.

The book of Joel has three main messages which are from different periods of the prophet's ministry. The first, 1:2-2:27, is a manual for rectifying what we would call "natural disasters". Joel uses language with a high emotional impact to speak to people in desperate situations. Within this framework he instructs his readers to implore Yahweh to change their situation. The passage describes a locust plague and drought which caused extensive agricultural damage. Joel makes it clear that this destruction is ultimately the doing of Yahweh. The people are called to mourn and turn to God. On the basis of a central theological confession concerning Yahweh's faithfulness and mercy, Joel argues that it is possible to get Yahweh to change His mind and bring restoration. This is brought to fruition: God brings restoration to the land, along with gladness and joy.

This part of the book can be neatly divided into four sections. The first three sections make it clear that the people are powerless to do anything in the situation except call upon Yahweh for mercy, for He is the originator of the destruction. But Joel does not leave the people in despair. Each section contributes to the message in the fourth section: Yahweh will act and bring restoration, just as He did in the days of Joel.

The second message, 2:28-32, says that God's Spirit is going to be poured out broadly on God's people, regardless of their societal status or gender, so that they engage in prophetic activities and experiences. Once again Day of Yahweh imagery is invoked, this time pointing toward the distant future. It is a time of wrath, but this time against the enemies of God's people. All who call upon the name of the LORD will be saved, implying that those who do not will not be saved. This passage is quoted in Acts 2:17-21 as being fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost; one should probably view the situation as beginning to be fulfilled--its ultimate fulfillment is at Christ's return.

The third message, chapter 3, describes a time of wrath against the nations who have exploited God's people. While the specific historical circumstances are unclear, at least insofar as a date is concerned, the type of situation is clear. Israelites were being sold into slavery to the Greeks by the Phonecians and the Philistines. The LORD says that He will repay these nations for their evil deeds. He calls them to war, a battle which will be against His army; as one would expect, the nations will be no match. Other nations will also be judged (Egypt and Edom). Again the Day of Yahweh is invoked, a day of wrath against the enemies of Israel. As the passage progresses it shifts from a being a description of times past into speaking of a future restoration of Israel: a time of peace, prosperity, holiness, and God's presence.