JOEL: TEACHER'S NOTES

B. A more urgent summons to repentance and prayer: for the scourge is a forerunner of the day of judgment. (2:1-17)

1. The urgent summons. (1-11)
a. The trumpet of warning, (1-3). The alarm from Zion signifies a warning from God's dwelling place. The descriptions used here remind us of the descriptions of the plagues against Egypt. Notice the before and after picture. Before: the Garden of Eden. After: a deserted barren wasteland.
b. A more vivid description of the calamity, (4-11). The prophet wants his listeners to experience the sensation of helplessness as he uses very vivid language to express the locust horde. The invaders cannot be stopped. Compare the language of these verses to Mt. 24:29, Mk. 13:25, Lu. 22:25-28, as Jesus describes the destruction of Jerusalem. Also, Rev. 6:12-14, where John describes the fall of Rome. The hordes of locust are seen by the prophet as Jehovah's army, carrying out His terrible judgment against the wicked.

2. A more urgent call to repentance. (12-17)
a. Rend the heart, not the garments, (12-14). But wait! There is time to repent. If the people will turn to Jehovah, He will have mercy. He demands not just an outward sign of contrition, but also a repentance from the heart (inward). If the people repent of there wickedness, then God will repent of the destruction. He would pour out a blessing in the place of the judgment. He provide them with the physical items necessary for them to worship Him.
b. Sincerely repent and fervently pray, (15-17). The outward display of repentance would be an assembly of the people. Here the trumpet is a call to assemble. Everyone was to assemble, including those usually excused, namely nursing babies and their mothers, as well as newlyweds. Prayers for salvation should be made because it would cause their nation and their God to suffer ridicule if they were conquered by a heathen nation.

II. The day of Jehovah: a day of blessing to Israel, a day of terror to her enemies (Jehovah speaks). [2:18-3:21]

A. Blessings promised to Israel (2:18-32)

1. Repentance implied: Jehovah's gracious change. (18)

2. The removal of Jehovah's army; temporal blessings promised. (19-27)
Jehovah will show compassion upon a repentant people by sending food and driving out the locusts. Some would be driven into the eastern sea (Dead Sea), others into the western sea (Mediterranean). The invaders will be completely destroyed. Their death-stench would be a reminder of the dire consequences of judgment for the wicked. Just as they had been called on to weep and mourn, now people are called on to rejoice and be glad. Their food, land, and cattle would be refreshed. The former rain is autumn rain, the latter rain is spring rain. These rains would cause the crops to be plentiful. Their material blessings would be abundant. The people will praise Jehovah, because He is concerned for them, sends the judgments, removes the offenders, and bestows the blessings. Jehovah is to be recognized as the sovereign ruler.

3. Outpouring of the Spirit and approaching judgment. (28-32)
a. Outpouring of the Spirit, (28,29). An outpouring of the Spirit is prophesied following the time of material blessings. Peter declared the fulfillment of this prophecy in Acts 2:16ff. The outpouring began with the Apostles in Acts 2 and continued with the household of Cornelius in Acts 10. Prophets in the NT included men and women, Acts 21:9; 1 Cor. 11:5. The outpouring would hold no distinction of age, sex, or social order. Only under the New Covenant is the principal of "no distinction" recognized, Gal 3:28. The complementary terms "prophesying," "visions," and "dreams" cover the entire gamut of inspiration by the Spirit.
b. Judgment upon the wicked parallel to blessings on Israel, (30,31). Forerunners would precede the great and terrible day of the Lord. Blood suggests death, fire suggests burning cities. Other writers such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, echoed similar language. While Jesus came first to save the world (Jn. 3:17-18), judgment was inevitable (Jn. 3:18-20). Those who reject Christ will receive a just reward.
c. The escape of a remnant in Zion, (32). God always provides a means of escape by obeying His commands or revealed will. This obedience is what is meant by "calling on the name of the Lord." The remnant that is saved will be spiritual Israel.

B. Judgment on the nations (3:1-16a)

1. All wrongs committed against the people are to be avenged. (1-3)
What would happen to the heathen nations who had opposed the people? If we accept that this prophecy is fulfilled during NT times, at Pentecost, then these judgments occurred sometime after that. There is a literal "Valley of Jehoshaphat" but the language here is figurative. It represents an ideal place for judgment to take place. The cruelty of the heathen nations against God's people can be seen in the low estimate of the value of human life that characteristic of societies that reject God.
2. Neighbor nations will suffer the severe judgment of slavery in a far land. (4-8)
The people of the Mediterranean coast are mentioned as having carried away the precious things of God. This included material goods, as well as, the people themselves (Amos 1:6-10) It is hard to pinpoint the exact time of the fulfillment of this prophecy, perhaps it simply represents an avenging judgment of the shameful treatment inflicted on the people of the Lord.

3. Destruction of all heathen powers by a divine decree. (9-16a)
The prophet warns the enemies of God to prepare for war. The tools of peace will be converted into tools of war. This is the opposite character of those in God's kingdom (Isa. 2:4). The nations are called to judgment, because it is time for the judgment. The figures of the harvest of wheat and grapes "pre-calls" Rev. 14:14-20. Many multitudes will be judged.

C. Glorification of the people of God: Israel's final happiness and peace (3:16b-21)
contrasted with the desolation of her enemies (the world powers).
Jehovah will be a refuge to the believers. It is during these times of judgment and refuge that all men will know that Jehovah is God and that He reigns in spiritual Zion. This is the kingdom that cannot be defeated, but will finally be delivered to the Father by the Son (1 Cor. 15:24-28). These things will come to pass in the days after the Messiah. While spiritual Israel will flourish, its traditional physical enemies will decline. The fulfillment of this prophecy continues even today as God dwells among His people, the church.