Joel 1
An Invasion of Locusts (1:1–12)
1 The word of the LORD . . . came to Joel; Joel was a true prophet of God. The name Joel means “The Lord (Yahweh) is God.” Though the dates of Joel’s ministry are not known (see Joel: Introduction), the location of his ministry was in Judah—most likely in Jerusalem because of his references to the temple (verses 9,13).
2–4 Joel describes an invasion of locusts that some time previously had swarmed over Judah like an army, like an enemy nation1 (verse 6). Joel, inspired by the HOLY SPIRIT, knew that this was a warning from the Lord, just as the plague of locusts in EGYPT was a warning to Pharaoh that he should let the Israelites go (see Exodus 10:1–20). Though Joel does not describe the SINS of Judah, it can be assumed that the people of Judah were not fully devoted to the Lord and that they valued the abundance of the land—the grain, wine and oil (verse 10)—more than they valued their relationship with God.
The invasion of locusts, therefore, served both as a punishment for past sins and as a warning of future judgment if the people did not repent. The locusts were sent by God; everything is “sent” by God, whether it be natural disasters or human armies. God is the Lord of the universe; nothing happens outside His sovereign will. And everything that happens in God’s universe has a purpose, and Joel’s task (with the Spirit’s enabling) was to explain to his people—and to us—God’s purpose in sending the locusts to Judah.2
5–7 Here Joel calls the people of Judah to weep and wail, to mourn and grieve over what has happened to their land. He starts with the drunkards—who, now that the grape vines have been destroyed, have lost their source of wine! (verse 5).
8–12 Next Joel addresses the community in general; he tells them to mourn like a betrothed virgin whose intended husband has died just before the wedding (verse 8). Just as a woman grieves at the loss of her husband, so should the people of Judah grieve at the loss of the temple worship; the daily offerings can no longer be offered because there is no grain or wine (verse 9). All the agricultural produce of the land has been destroyed; let priests and farmers alike lament (verses 10–12). The joy of mankind has withered away; the blessings of God have been withdrawn.3
A Call to Repentance (1:13–20)
13–14 Here Joel calls for a period of national prayer and mourning. Declare a holy fast,4 he says. Summon . . . all who live in the land to come to the temple and cry out to the Lord5 (verse 14). Only the Lord can help them; the same Lord who has destroyed the land can also heal it. God is both Judge and Savior.
15 Joel, as one of the nation’s spiritual leaders,leads the people in crying out to God. He recognizes that the day of the LORD is near. It hasn’t come yet; but when it does, it will bring even greater destruction than the previous plague of locusts produced.
This “day of the Lord” is mentioned by other prophets (Isaiah 13:6,9), and it is a central theme of Joel’s message. Basically, the term “day of the Lord” refers to any direct intervention of God in human history. This intervention most commonly takes the form of judgment upon the ungodly—including God’s chosen people if they are disobedient. Thus Joel sees ahead to an even greater day of judgment coming on Judah—a great and dreadful day of the LORD (Joel 2:31)—and so he urges his people to repent and pray to God for mercy.
However, the “day of the Lord” has an additional meaning: it also refers to the day when Jesus Christ will return to earth. That day will bring not only judgment on the ungodly but also blessings on the godly—on those whose sins have been forgiven through FAITH in Christ. Thus this final “day of the Lord” will be both a day of terror for unbelievers and a day of joy for believers. The Apostle Peter, in his quotation of Joel 2:28–32, called it the great and glorious day of the Lord (Acts 2:20). It is the day that, even now, Christians look forward to with anticipation and hope.
16–20 Joel continues reminding the people of their dire circumstances. On behalf of the people he calls out to the Lord (verse 19). A fire—a “fire” of locusts, a fire of judgment—has devoured the land.
Locusts are still a problem in parts of the world today, and so we can be sure they were an even greater problem in the purely agricultural societies of Joel’s day. However, the locusts in the book of Joel can also symbolize for us any kind of disaster by means of which God tries to get our attention. Apparently when the locusts struck ancient Judah, the priests, the farmers—and the drunkards too—all shrugged it off as “just one of those things,” as an accident, as “bad luck.” But God sent Joel among them to reveal the true meaning of the locusts: God was indeed trying to get the people’s attention! And likewise, when disasters occur today we need to ask ourselves: Is God trying to get our attention? The answer virtually always will be “Yes.”
