The Prophet Joel The timeline of God: from the beginning of the last days to the great and notable Day of the LORD!

Preview of Joel Immediate day of the LORD - Joel 1:15 –Plague of locusts –Proposed plan of action for revival Judgment of Captivity - Joel 2:10,11 –Great and powerful enemy from the north –Even now return to God Final Judgment - Joel 3:14-16

Flow of Joel Acts of nature, acts of God Judgment on a nation Judgment on the world “For a nation has come up against my land, powerful and without number; its teeth are lions’ teeth, and it has the fangs of a lioness. It has laid waste my vines, and splintered my fig trees; it has stripped off their bark and thrown it down; their branches are made white.” (Joel 1:6,7 RSV) “Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming, it is near, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been from of old, nor will e again after them through the years of all generations.” (Joel 2:1,2 RSV) “And the LORD roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shake. But the LORD is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel.” (Joel 3:16 RSV)

Outline of Joel Plague of locusts -- Joel 1:1-12 A Plague Portending Doom -- Joel 1:13-20 Coming Day of the LORD -- Joel 2:1-11 A Call to Repentance -- Joel 2:12-17 The Answer to Prayer -- Joel 2:18-27 Future Blessings -- Joel 2:28-32 The Valley of Judgment -- Joel 3:1-12 Judgment and Promise -- Joel 3:13-21

Plague of locusts Joel 1:1-12 A disaster on the land from the locusts. A similar plague in 1915, and in 1865 Solomon was told that God might send locusts -- II Chronicles 7:12-14

Sudden Disaster can Come ! Joel 1:13-20 Brushes with disaster are reminders The whole creation groaneth The wages of sin is death Eating, marrying, giving in marriage Significance of a deeper meaning on two levels

Coming Day of the LORD Joel 2:1-11 An Army like locusts will come from the Northeast: Assyria Nineveh and Assyria noted for fierceness Assyria took Israel captive in 722 B.C. and all but Jerusalem in 701 B.C. The historical locust plague and the allegorical one of the army would provide background for Revelation 9:1-10

Prayer and Repentance Joel 2:12-27 Only a remnant was left in Judah King Hezekiah accepted the call of Joel, and sent for Isaiah An angel of God slew the army of Sennacherib: Isaiah 37:36-38 God gave the reason for this rescue in Isaiah 37:35

Was Judah any more Righteous than Israel? Samaria and Israel destroyed 722 B.C. by Assyria Most of Judah taken captive, all except Jerusalem, by 701 B.C. In spite of the warnings from Joel, Amos, Hosea, and Isaiah, Israel remained unrepentant.

Future Blessings Joel 2:28-32 With the doom was a message of hope that Peter quotes on the day of Pentecost Things are changing for Israel as a chosen nation of God –Obviously God chose them initially –Warned them often of the consequence –The covenant broken during Hosea’s time –Peter’s quote of a more individualistic blessing

The Valley of Judgment Joel 3:1-12 The valley of Jehosaphat The destruction of Sennacherib’s army The valley of Hinon The valley of decision of Revelation

Judgment and Promise Joel 3:13-21 The ultimate Day of the LORD The shaking of heaven and earth The sun, moon, and stars darkened The new heaven and the new earth The tree of life