Final Thoughts on Joel

We’ve been looking at the second chapter of Joel’s prophecy in the Old Testament. We’ve seen that the promise of the outpouring of God’s Spirit had a partial fulfillment on the day of Pentecost in that the very same Spirit is at work. But the specific fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy is awaiting a later time. We noticed that the darkening of the sun and moon did not take place on the day of Pentecost. In verse 31 we learn a little bit about the timing of these events. They take place before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. “Day of the Lord” is a phrase used several times in the book of Joel and refers to a time of judgment from God. The immediate context that the people would have had was the onslaught of locusts that had just come upon them. The prophecy here in verse 31, however, is of a greater and more cataclysmic day of the Lord.

On that day it shall come to pass that “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” In Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance. I don’t see any other way to interpret this other than literally. I’m not a big prophecy buff, but it certainly seems to me that in That Day Jerusalem will be the focal point of the action.

Joel goes on to say in chapter 3, “Behold in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there.” Why will He judge the nations? He will judge them for what they have done to His people, Israel. He calls on the nations to arm themselves and fight. “The day of the Lord is near.” He repeats the fact that the sun and moon will grow dark. The Lord is going to roar from Zion. He is jealous for His people. Here again, it seems to me that this is a real judgment on nations which have attacked and plundered God’s people Israel.

But the Lord will be a shelter for His people, the mountains will drip with new wine, a fountain will flow from the house of the Lord. Egypt and the other nations will be a desolation but Judah will abide forever. And then here comes the amazing promise in verse 21, “For I will acquit them of the guilt of bloodshed, whom I had not acquitted; for the Lord dwells in Zion”.

God judges His people, but in the final analysis, they are His people and He will be merciful and forgiving for His own sake and for the sake of the covenant that He has made with them.

Next time we’ll go back pick up some of the lessons I’ve been learning from the book of Joshua.