THE GROUNDS FOR SEEING CHAPTER 1 AS REFERRING TO REAL LOCUSTS AND CHAPTER 2 AS REFERRING TO AN INVADING ARMY. Clearly the arguments above support the first part of this position, and the second part is based on the kind of language used in chapter 2. This would be a fairly strong case if all that w... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MARCH OF THE YOUNG LOCUST/GRASSHOPPERSS (JOEL 2:4). Joel then describes the onward ‘march' of the young locusts in their mass movement made up of sheer numbers, advancing like a huge ‘army' covering many miles of territory, a living converging mass, and he does so in picturesque terms. He likens... [ Continue Reading ]
YHWH'S APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE TO REPENT AND TURN TO HIM (JOEL 2:12). This is probably to be seen as all in the words of YHWH in spite of the change to the third person half way through and the question ‘who knows?' at the end. Such a change in person is a regular feature of YHWH's appeals to His peop... [ Continue Reading ]
JOEL CALLS THE PRIESTS AND PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE IN THE HOPE THAT YHWH WOULD TURN AWAY HIS JUDGMENT (JOEL 2:12). The call to repentance divides into two sections, the first an appeal to the people by YHWH for them to turn to Him from their sin, and the second a call by Joel to bring the whole people... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CALL GOES OUT FOR THE WHOLE OF JUDAH TO GATHER TOGETHER FOR A TIME OF NATIONAL REPENTANCE IN ORDER TO REMEDY THE SITUATION IN THE LIGHT OF GOD'S CALL TO THEM (JOEL 2:15). Joel then gives his instruction to the priesthood to have a time of national mourning for sin because of what has happened, a... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING ACCEPTED HIS PEOPLE'S REPENTANCE YHWH PROMISES TO DELIVER THEM FROM THE PLAGUES OF LOCUSTS BY CASTING THE LOCUSTS INTO THE SEAS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE LAND AND THAT HE WILL THEN RESTORE THE FRUITFULNESS OF THEIR LAND (JOEL 2:18). After the plagues came the deliverance, presumably because the pe... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PROMISE OF GREAT SPIRITUAL BLESSING YET TO BE ‘POURED OUT' AND PORTENTS OF JUDGMENT TO COME (JOEL 2:28). And as a result of their restoration to Him through repentance and their turning to Him, He promised that once they had seen the fulfilment of these promises they would at some stage see the... [ Continue Reading ]