The Message of Joel – The Day of the Lord

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The Message of Joel

Introduction: Our understanding and study of the prophets is critical. Paul said to Timothy, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:14-15).

It is wonderful that you are taking this summer to pursue this study. However, as you would know, one lesson on a prophet can only give you a taste in order to pursue a full understanding of the message so that we are truly made wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 

1. Overview of the Book
   1. No one knows the date of Joel. Estimates are anywhere from the 9th to 6th centuries. We do know that the temple was still standing since the “house of the Lord” is mentioned four times in the book. Obviously, God did not see fit to give us a time marker, since the message of the book is so timeless that it would not matter when it was read, the message would apply and need to be heard.
   2. Joel’s message contains two primary parts:
      1. 1:2–2:17 Joel is the primary speaker who recounts a recent locust invasion that is the worst Israel had ever seen. The invasion had been sent by the Lord as a warning of a future more devastating invasion from their northern enemies, in which not only would the vegetation be destroyed, but also the people.
      2. The call to the people to repent is found in 2:12-17. Notice especially 2:12-13… “return to me with all your heart.” Will God turn and relent from the coming judgment? “Who knows?” But your repentance is your only chance.
      3. Beginning in 2:18, God is the speaker in answer to the people if they truly repent and turn to him. The message of God’s blessings on those who return and judgment on their enemies is the message of the rest of the book.
   3. Keys to the book:
      1. “The Day of the Lord” is used five times in the book. The day is spoken of as a temporal judgment warning the people of a future day of the Lord when the judgment will be permanent. But the day of the Lord is also a day of deliverance for the righteous and devastation of the wicked.
         1. 1:2-1-18 the locust invasion 
         2. 2:1-11 the coming of the northern armies 
         3. 2:28–3:1 the future day of the lord: Final judgment and restoration 
         4. 3:2-16 God’s judgment on the nations
      2. The urgency of repentance 
         1. 1:19-21
         2. 2:12-17
         3. 2:30-32
      3. The third primary message is restoration when God again dwells in their midst. 2:25, 27, 3:1, 17, 21. God restoring us and dwelling in our midst is the key message of the whole Bible. When God departed from Israel and no longer reigned in their midst, they were doomed. We must place in the forefront of our minds that our whole hope is based on God dwelling with us. We need to have a consciousness of his presence so that we are not only comforted by his watchful care, but also urged to holiness in his presence.
      4. Joel is quoted in Acts 2, and it is the beginning of a letter to Theophilus in which the whole theme is restoration. We talk about and study Acts so much, but it has too often just become “church history” to us. Have you noticed that Acts doesn’t end? See 3:19-21. We are God’s body through which the restoration of the Kingdom takes place. Are we aware of this? Or is our concern simply our exclusive “group?” That is not the way Jesus lived and taught. Paul left us an example he commanded us to imitate (2 Cor. 4:10-12; 5:14-15).
2. Joel’s Message for Today
   1. The need for a greater awareness of the coming judgment with an emphasis on being sober and alert and not comfortable, rich, and lukewarm. The people of Joel’s day lived in luxury just as we do (2:3). When Jesus defined a true believer and true disciple in the Gospel John, we discover multitudes of believers that Jesus rejects. As in Luke 14, crowds of believers followed Jesus until he turned and said things like 14:26, 33.
   2. 2:12-13 “Rend your hearts, not your garments” signals the problem of external religion. We need to be fed up with church-goers whose real passion is sports, recreation, hobbies, and the promotion of children and their activities to god-like status. Idolatry within our churches is becoming epidemic, especially when we consider the amount of time spent on the secular compared to our personal time in the scriptures and in pursuing lost souls.
      As I have visited churches today, in many cases I am simply appalled. Brethren are desiring to meet together less and less while pursuing secular desires more and more. And after COVID it has gotten even worse. In some cases it isn’t a surprise since the preaching is so weak and lacks textual study that it feels like a waste of time. How can we think we can fulfill Paul’s directive in Ephesians 4:11-16 for the whole church to be equipped to attain the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to mature manhood?
   3. Joel 2:28–3:1 Importance of the Restoration Message 
      1. The key word of this text is the word “pour.” We often do not give much thought to this and usually equate it to miraculous gifts. However, Isaiah 32:14-18; 44:1-5 give us a more complete picture. There is a reason Isaiah prophesied of John being a “voice crying out in the wilderness.” The nation had become a spiritual wilderness. The pouring out of the Spirit pictured the pouring out of “living water” on parched hearts bringing life to the spiritually dead through Christ.
      2. When we understand that pouring out the Spirit brings life to spiritually dead people, the phrase “all flesh” would refer to everyone (Jew, Gentile) who responds to the teaching of the Spirit.
      3. “Sons and daughters…male and female servants” prophesying refers to how the Spirit is poured out – through revelation of the words of God. However, the miracle itself is not the pouring out, but the sign of the pouring out. The sign is the unusual means by which God’s word is delivered – through common people – later illustrated by the laying on of the Apostles’ hands to those who came to Christ.
      4. Finally, the prophecy foretells the Day of the Lord on Israel and eventually on the whole world. The only escape is to “call on the name of the Lord,” which is the message of Peter’s sermon, culminating on how we call on the name of the Lord in Acts 2:38-41.

Berry Kercheville