|
Joel Chapter Two An Army of Locusts ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1) Where did Joel tell them to blow the trumpet, where are they to sound the alarm, and why will all who live in the land tremble?
______________________________________________________________________________ Joel was still describing the devastating effects of the locust plague (see 2:25). The alarm showed that the crises was at hand. However, Joel implied that the locust plague would be only the forerunner of an even greater crisis if the people didn't turn from their sins. 2) What did Joel say was close at hand, like dawn, what was spreading across the mountains, what devours before them, what is behind them, what is the land like before them, and behind them, what is the land like?
______________________________________________________________________________ That "day" of judgment will be one of
darkness and gloominess, of clouds and thick darkness (cf. Amos 5:18-20). With
the suddenness of dawn spreading over the mountains, a mighty army has appeared,
which cast its shadow over the entire face of the land. This army was unrivaled
in records prior to Joel's day, and even then Assyria's fall would be due as
much to inner stresses as to the combined efforts of the Scythians, Medes, and
Babylonians. 3) What does this army have the appearance of, how do they gallop along, how do they sound as they leap over the mountains, and at the sight of them, who is in anguish?
______________________________________________________________________________ The double figure of locusts and armies must
be kept in mind. On the one hand, the locusts had appeared like horses (cf. Job
39:19-20; Revelation 9:7). Not only had their swiftness and orderly change been
like a well-disciplined cavalry unit, but their very form was horselike. The
clamor of the locusts' flight had been like the din of the dreaded war chariot
or the crackling of blazing stubble ignited by a wild fire. The regularity of
their advance had been like that of men set in battle array. The awesomeness of
their approach had caused great anguish of heart. 4) How do they charge, how do they scale walls, how do they march, what do they not do to each other, how do they march, how do they plunge through defenses, what do they rush upon, where do they run to, and how do they climb into the houses?
______________________________________________________________________________ The attack of that mighty army was like a locust swarm. They performed as heroic warriors: they climbed the walls of the city, rushed through its streets, and reached the innermost recesses of every place. The mighty men of war first rushed against, then over the walls. All the while each moved straightforward (cf. Joshua 6:5), holding his rank and course. Joel depicts the invincibility of the invading soldiers as they unswervingly continued through the city's defenses. Their attack was powerful and swift; they rushed unrestricted throughout the city. (taken from The NIV Bible Commentary, Zondervan Publishers) 5) Before them, what shakes, what trembles, what are darkened, what no longer shines, from where does the LORD thunder, what are his forces, who are those who obey his command, what is the day of the LORD, and for what reason can no one endure it?
______________________________________________________________________________ Joel brings this section to a close by explaining this army's sure success. Its leader was none other than the omnipotent and sovereign God himself. Utilizing epithets that were well-known to every Israelite since the Exodus, Joel depicts God as moving with great might before the Assyrian host, "his army." There were signs on earth (a great shaking) and in heaven (the luminaries darkened). Before the advancing army the thunderstorm raged. The sight of the Assyrian host ought to have been enough to strike terror into the hearts of the people. The accompanying signs of God's visible presence leading that powerful battle array would melt the stoniest of hearts. It was nothing else than the day of the Lord's judgment against his own. Who could endure his visitation. (taken from The NIV Bible Commentary, Zondervan Publishers) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rend Your Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6) In what way did the LORD tell his children to return to him, what were they to rend instead of their clothes, and for what reason did Joel tell them to return to the LORD?
______________________________________________________________________________ God told the people to turn to him while
there was still time. Destruction would soon be upon them. Time is also running
out for us. Because we don't know when our lives will end, we should trust and
obey God now, while we can. Don't let anything hold you back from turning to
him. 7) What does Joel say God may turn and do, what will be for the LORD, what were they to do in Zion, what were they to declare, what were they to call, who were they to gather, who were they to consecrate, who were they to bring together, who were they to gather, who did they let leave his room, and who could leave her chamber?
______________________________________________________________________________ From a human point of view, God would
seem to have "changed his mind" or "repented concerning the evil" (cf. Exodus
32:14; 2Samuel 24:26). God might even restore the fortified blessings and the
fertility of the land so that the discontinued sacrifices might again be
offered, this time out of a pure heart. 8) Who minister before the Lord, where did Joel say to let the priests weep, who did they ask the LORD to spare, what did they ask the LORD not to make his inheritance an object of, and what would they question among the peoples?
______________________________________________________________________________ The priests were to be the first to experience repentance in their lives. Then they were to lead the people in doing the same. The main business was to implore the God of all grace to spare his people, not only for their good, but also that his inheritance be not a reproach before the world or his name be brought into disrepute because of what they had done. (taken from The NIV Bible Commentary, Zondervan Publishers) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The LORD's Answer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9) What will the LORD be jealous for, who will he take pity on, what is the LORD sending to them, and what will God never make them again?
______________________________________________________________________________ God promised the repentant heart that his godly jealous love (as a husband for his wife) would move him to have pity on his people. He would immediately restore all that had been lost in the locust plague; they would be fully satisfied (cf. Deuteronomy 6:10; 8:7-10; 11:13-15) and would no longer be a reproach among the nations. (taken from The NIV Bible Commentary, Zondervan Publishers) 10) Who will God drive far from them pushing it into a parched and barren land, where will its front columns go, where will those in the rear go, what will go up, what will rise, and what has God done?
______________________________________________________________________________ God also pledges to remove "the northern
army," most likely a reference to a foreign invader (i.e., the Assyrians)
descending from the north. This prediction is built on the incident of the
locust plague. If the people would return to God in genuine repentance, he would
drive that army into a dry and desolate land, no doubt the desert west of the
Dead Sea and south and southeast of Judah. 11) Who does Joel tell not to be afraid, and what did he tell the land to do?
______________________________________________________________________________ Joel contrasts the fear of God's judgment (2:1) with the joy of God's intervention (2:21). On the day of the Lord, sin will bring judgment, and only God's forgiveness will bring rejoicing. Unless you repent, your sin will result in punishment. Let God intervene in your life. Then you will be able to rejoice in that day because you will have nothing to fear. Before, there were fasting, plagues, and funeral dirges; then, there will be feasting, harvesting, and songs of praise. When God rules, his restoration will be complete. In the meantime, we must remember that God does not promise that all his followers will be prosperous now. When God pardons, he restores our relationship with him, but this does not guarantee individual wealth. Instead, God promises to meet the deepest needs of those who love him-by loving us, forgiving us, giving us purpose in life, and giving us a caring Christian community. 12) For what reason does Joel tell the wild animals not to be afraid, what is bearing their fruit, what are yielding their riches, for what reason does he say for the people of Zion to be glad and to rejoice in the LORD their God, what does God send, what will be filled with grain, and what will the vats overflow with?
______________________________________________________________________________ The first object of God's consoling words was
the ground that had suffered so much. It would rejoice and be glad (cf. 1:16);
for God himself, who does great things (verse 20), would undertake for it. Next
God's comfort was directed to the beasts of the field (cf. 1:18-20), who would
have an abundance of food. Furthermore, the fig tree and the vine (cf. 1:7, 12),
symbols of Israel's relation with her Lord, would bear again in full strength. 13) What will God repay the Israelites for?
______________________________________________________________________________ God would thoroughly restore the years that the devastating plague had caused them to lose (cf. 1:4, 10, 17; 2:19). (taken from The NIV Bible Commentary, Zondervan Publishers) 14) What will they have until they are full, who will they praise, what has God done for them, never again , what will the people be, and then, what will they know?
___________________________________________________________________ If the Jews would never again experience a disaster like this locust plague ("never again will my people be shamed"), how do we explain the captivity in Babylon, the Jews' slavery under the Greeks and Romans, and their persecution under Hitler? It is important not to take these verses out of context. This is still part of the "blessings" section of Joel's prophecy. Only if the people truly repent would they avoid a disaster like the one Joel had described. God's blessings are promised only to those who sincerely and consistently follow him. God does promise that after the final day of judgment, his people will never again experience this kind of disaster (Zechariah 14:9-11; Revelation 21). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (2) The day of the LORD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 15) Afterward, what will God pour out on his people, what will their sons and daughters do, what will their old men do, what will their young men do, what wonders will God show in the heavens and on the earth, when will the sun turn dark and the moon to blood, who will be saved, and where will there be deliverance?
______________________________________________________________________________ Peter quoted this passage (see Acts
2:16-21)-the outpouring of the Spirit predicted by Joel occurred on Pentecost.
While in the past, God's Spirit seemed available to kings, prophets, and judges.
Joel envisioned a time when the Spirit would be available to every believer.
Ezekiel also spoke of an outpouring of the Spirit (Ezekiel 39:28, 29). God's
Spirit is available now to anyone who calls on the Lord (2:32). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Answers Joel Chapter Two ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1) in Zion...on his holy hill...for the day of
the LORD is coming ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Taken from The NIV Life Application Study Bible, Zondervan Publishers |