A huge plague of locusts connected with a great drought gave the occasion for writing this book. Such incidents however are so frequent in wide parts of the east that one cannot draw any conclusions from it as to the historical background. As the Holy Scriptures are silent as to the time of writing we ought to respect this.

2. Purpose of Writing

The prophecy of Joel draws a wide circle from the calamity of his days up to time when the people of God will be oppressed and restored and blessed at the day of Christ. So Joel may be correctly called the prophet of the day of Jehovah. This day of Jehovah is mentioned five times (see paragraph 3. Peculiarities).

The great locust plague and the drought were a punishment of Jehovah. Already Moses and Solomon had prophesied such forms of judgement (Deuteronomy 28:38-39 and 1 Kings 8:37). But the people of Israel would not recognize the hand of Jehovah in it. This is why, in chapter 1 , the prophet calls the old men and the priests to lamentation and to repentance.

Chapter 2 shows an extended view. Here we see not only the locusts but an army of enemies invading the land from the north and destroying it. An alarm is sounded in mount Zion and the people repent. Now comes the day of Jehovah in which He Himself saves His people from the army of the north. The land is not only blessed outwardly by the early and the latter rain but the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon all flesh. Although Peter in Acts 2:16-21 repeats these words of Joel's verbally the final fulfilment of this prophecy is yet to come.

The last chapter describes the judgment of the nations which will happen in the day of Jehovah in the valley of Jehoshaphat. This chapter also lets us know about the full blessing of the millennium.

3. Peculiarities

The Day of Jehovah