Introductory information in the Jerusalem
Bible indicates that the book may have been written around 400 BC,
post-exile, when there was no king, more focus on public worship and a reliance
on some of the earlier prophets, especially Ezekiel and Obadiah. Joel’s
contribution to the prophetic tradition is his emphasis on “outpouring of the
Spirit on all God’s people in the messianic age” (1140-1141). Early Christians
saw this prophesy fulfilled with the coming of the Spirit on the followers of
Christ at the Pentecost gathering described in Acts 1. “Joel is the prophet of
Pentecost” (1141).
Joel 1 – A plague of locusts and
other vermin has invaded the land and laid it waste. “For a nation has invaded
my country, mighty and innumerable; its teeth are the teeth of lions, it has
the fangs of a lioness. It has laid waste my vines and torn my fig trees to
pieces” (1:6-7).
“The
priests, the ministers of Yahweh, are in mourning. Wasted lie the fields; the
fallow is in mourning. For the corn has been laid waste, the wine fails, the
fresh oil dries up” (1:9-10). And “gladness has faded among the sons of men”
(1:12).
The
ministers of the Lord should put on sackcloth and lament, for “the house of our
God has been deprived of oblation and libation” (1:13). The day of Yahweh is near, Joel says.
Joel 2 – The land is desolate, so
the prophet cries out to Yahweh. “Sound the trumpet in Zion, give the alarm on
my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the country tremble, for the day
of Yahweh is coming, yes, it is near” (2:1).
The
Day of Yahweh will be a day of “darkness and gloom, day of cloud and blackness”
(2:2). The coming of the locusts is described again, this time as if it were an
invading army. “Like fighting men they press forward, like warriors scale the
walls, each marching straight ahead, not turning from his path” (2:7).
But it is the Lord, Yahweh,
who leads this army on. “Yahweh makes his voice heard at the head of his army, and indeed his
regiments are innumerable, all-powerful is the one that carries out his orders,
for great is the day of Yahweh, and very terrible—who can face it?” (2:10-11).
But, instead of urging
destruction as we might expect, the voice of the Lord says this – Come back! “’come back to
me with all your heart, fasting, weeping, mourning.’ Let your hearts be broken,
not your garments torn; turn to Yahweh your God again, for his is all
tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in graciousness, and ready to
relent” (2:12-13).
Everyone
should assemble and pray to God not to
make his heritage a thing of shame. Yahweh will answer this prayer. “Sound
the trumpet in Zion! Order a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly . . . [let
everyone say] ‘Spare your people, Yahweh! Do not make your heritage a things of
shame . . . why should it be said among the nations, ‘Where is their God?’”
(2:17).
Revelation 20 – An angel from heaven comes down with
the “key to the Abyss” (20:1) in his hand. He overpowers the dragon (the devil
and Satan) and chains them up for 1000 years. He will be released at the end of
1000 years, but only for a short time.
The martyrs
come to life then too and reign with Christ for this 1000 years – the “first
resurrection” (20:4), but the rest of the dead stay in the Abyss.
When the 1000
years are over, Satan will be released and will come out to deceive the
nations. Armies will be mobilized for war and they will besiege the saints.
They will soon be overthrown and consumed. Then the One on the great white
throne will see earth and sky vanish and the book of life will be opened. Hades
will be emptied of the dead and all will be judged “according to the way in
which he had lived” (20:14).
“Then Death and Hades will be thrown into
the burning lake. This burning lake is the second death; and anybody whose
name could not be found written in the book of life was thrown into the burning
lake” (20:15).
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