The Book of Joel
Joel, a prophet of Judah, who probably exercised his ministry during the reign of Joash (2 Chron 22-24).
In his youth he may have known Elijah, and most certainly was a contemporary of Elisha.
The plagues were token and illustrative of what was to come by way of divine chastening, which was to be given as an occassion for "The day of Jehovah", in its two aspects ofr judgement on the gentiles and blessing for Israel.
Joel is chiefly in 3 parts:
(1) The Plagues by the various types of Locusts (1:1-20)
(2)The day of Jehovah 2:1-3, 8
(3) Retrospect of the day of Jehovah and the full Kingdom blessings (3:9-21)
The essential fact is that, according to the usual method of the spirit of prophecy, some local circumstance is shown to be of spiritual significance, and is made the occassion of far reaching prophecy (e.g Isaiah 7:1-14 where the Syrian Army Invasion and the unbelief of Ahaz give occassion of the prophecy of verse 14).
Here the plagues as described by Joel have a significance, but for a future time period which is still to be seen. This is developed more in Chapter 2, where the plagues are left behind, and the future day of Jehovah fills the scene.
The whole picture is of the End TIME scenario, the end of this present age we now find our selves in, and the one we are about to go into, "the times of the gentiles", and the following battle of Armageddon, the regathering of Israel and the Kingdom blessings (Luke 21:20, 24, Revelation 16:14, 19).
Its amazing that Joel, coming at the very begining of written prophecy, gives the fullest consummation of all written prophecy (836 B.C).
The Order of Events
(1) The Invasion of Israel from the North by gentile forces/world powers headed up by Antichrist and the false prophet (Joel 2:1-10).
(2) The Army of God and the destruction of the Invaders (Joel 2:11, Revelation 19:11-21).
(3) The repentance of Judah in the land (Joel 2:12-17).
(4) The answer of Jehovah (Joel 2:18-27).
(5) The effusion of the spirit in the (Jewish) last days (Joel 2:30-32, Acts 15:15-17).
(6) The return of Christ in the setting up of the kingdom by means of regathering of the nations and judgement of those nations (Joel 3:1-16).
(7) The full and permament Kingdom blessing (Joel 3:17-21, Zechariah 14:1-21).
The Invading Army is described up until verse 10. At verse 11 it is called Jehovahs Army.
The call to repentance is based upon Gods promise of deliverance 12-17.
At verses 18-20, we see that deliverance.
Kingdom blessings 21-27.
Verses 28-32 describe the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and verses 29-32 the cosmical signs which will be seen before Christs final coming, these preceding the day of Jehovah.
"Afterward" (Hebrew: acherith="latter" or "last" Greek: eschatos), this afterward means in the last days, days which we are still to see as we go into the last 7 year time frame of mankinds history.
Chapter 3
Verses 9-17 of Chapter 3 refer to Armageddon
Verses 15-16 are parallel with Joel 2:30-32
From 9-16 we have a resume of Joel 2:9-32
Elijah Returns
