Study From the Book of Joel,1

                                                     Introduction

The book of Joel starts with natural disaster, a plaque of ravenous locusts. It is the vivid warning of the power of God of judgement and a clear appeal to run to the Lord for mercy.

The author: it is clear from the first verse; it was Joel the son of Pethuel.  He was from Judea that is obvious from the description of the Temple and Jerusalem. He can be a priest because of his description of the priest’s works in the Temple but also he could be a farmer from his description of the destruction of the crops as the result of the locusts.

The date: we have here two options. The first ,most likely,  it was as early as 830 B.C when the king of Joash became king of Judea. If that was true the book was written before the exile and destruction of Jerusalem that happened at 586 B C . The other option is later at 600 B.C, shortly before the destruction of the Temple and the exile.

The purposes of writing the book are two folds: first, Joel calls the nation to repentance, on the basis of the recent locus plaque to avert further disasters. The second reason is the prophecy with future salvation and blessings in the Day of the Lord.

Structure of the book:

1. The devastating locus plague
2. The coming Day of the Lord
3. The Day of the Lord starts by night of judgement
4. The Day of the Lord of day time of blessings.

NB:  we notice here the prophetic word, the Day of the Lord. There are three Days (period of time that can be extended  to thousands years  or even infinite period )in the Bible.

Day of the Nations: according to the Book of Daniel, we live in this day. The world is governed by the nations’ leaders(but still God is in control) . It also refers to the Day of Grace and the Day of the Church.

Day of the Lord: after the rupture of the Church in Jesus second coming when the believers meet Him on the air, then the seven years of great tribulation (night) with the judgment of livings at the end. Then the 1000 years (day time), when the Lord Jesus reigns (the Satan and his followers will be tied up)

Day of God : begins with judgement of the dead  as the book of revelation says and 2 Peter 3: 12, when the heavens and earth will be dissolved , being on fire and the elements will melt with fervent heat  and  the start of new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.   (The Satan and his followers  will be thrown in hell forever).