Joel 1 - Armies of Locust

by Lance Ponder⁽⁹²⁾
http://fkiprofessor.xanga.com

Introduction to the book of Joel

The book of Joel is compelling, rich, and complicated with its many layers. Second in the list of Minor Prophets, there is no way of knowing for certain exactly when it was written except to say it was definitely between the time of the divided kingdoms (9th Century) and the time of Alexander (4th Century). There is compelling evidence suggesting it was toward the latter, but other evidence suggests it was much earlier. The first verse only tells us the name of Joel's father - a fact which does not help at all in narrowing it down. Of course this question has little bearing on the content of this short book. Joel is very apocalyptic in nature. It clearly describes conditions on the day of the crucifixion and the coming of the Holy Spirit in power at Pentecost, among other very specific things. It is important to remember that from the perspective of the writer, all the prophecies were of the future. It is difficult if not impossible to differentiate when specific prophesies would take place relative to one another. In some cases prophetic details could easy apply to more than one point in time and could be both symbolic and literal. Joel has another interesting distinction. The last five verses of the second chapter form their own chapter in the Jewish bible. Chapter and verse numeration is useful for study purposes, but we must keep in mind that these divisions are an afterthought and not part of the original text. The book of Joel has a lively flow with certain clearly distinct elements. For example, Joel 2:28 (3:1 in the Jewish bible) provides a clear literary and prophetic break point where a new section begins. Much of the earlier part of the book, particularly the events of the first chapter, point to pre-Christ history. The second chapter, including the last few verses, appears to speak of Christ’s message, death, resurrection, and Pentecost. The last chapter seems to look forward to the end times when our Lord returns for complete fulfillment. These are general sweeping statements which are just that. Regardless of how we perceive the specific fulfillments, there are practical applications for us today embedded in Joel. These are well worth the time spent studying Joel whether we properly understand prophetic detail or not.

Tell the Story

Joel 1:1-3 The word of the Lord that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel: Hear this, you elders; give ear, all inhabitants of the land! Has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your fathers? Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation. This first segment is a call to the people to listen. To him who has an ear, let him hear - so to speak. The prophesies here are for many generations to chew on. Understanding has value, but belief is what really matters. The message to tell the children echoes the message of Dt 4:9-10 where the command was given to pass on the history of God’s glory.

Locust Armies

Joel 1:4 What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten. Swarming locust was a relatively common problem in the Middle East then and still is today. While some look to this passage to try and nail down a date for the writing of the book based on a specific pattern in nature of locust swarms, it seems far more likely the locust represent armies. Several times in scripture locust are used to symbolically represent armies (Jg 6:5, 7:12, Jer 51:14,27, Rev 9:3,7). This appears to be one of those occasions. There were four types (or stages) of locust mentioned and there were four superpowers who conquered ancient Israel. The first locust mentioned was the cutting locust (ESV), gnawing locust (NASB) or palmerworm (KJV). In 722 the Assyrians " cut off " the Northern Kingdom, leaving only Judah in the South. The second lucust was the swarming locust (ESV/NASB) or locust (KJV). The Babylonians swarmed the Southern Kingdom of Judah until finally Jerusalem itself fell in 586 BC. Exiles from Judah eventually began returning to Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple (516 BC). The third locust was the hopping locust (ESV), creeping locust (NASB) or cankerworm (KJV). In 333 Alexander led the Greeks on a fast and furious series of conquests hopping across the Middle East to Persia. Jerusalem was not materially destroyed, but the Greeks forced their culture on the Jews in this era of Hellenization. The fourth locust was the destroying locust (ESV), stripping locust (NASB) or caterpillar (KJV). The Romans came to power in the region in 63 BC and destroyed the temple 70 AD following a Jewish rebellion. The last Jewish rebellion was put down in 132 AD ending any form of ancient Jewish nationalism. There were four types of locusts, each aptly describing four conquerors of the Israel and Judah. This passage is probably the most compelling reason to suggest Joel was written at an earlier date since it " predicts " four locusts with startling accuracy.

Wake Up

Joel 1:5 Awake, you drunkards, and weep, and wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine, for it is cut off from your mouth. Something big is going to happen. People are so involved in their own little worlds and their own problems they can't be bothered with the tumultuous things God is preparing for them. Is this message from God to ancient Israel really any different than God's message to us today? God still has big things in store for us. There will be great wonder and blessing, but there will also be gnashing of teeth and fiery agony in this world before the fruit is fully ripe and the marriage of the Lamb is finally completed. This is a message to us all: WAKE UP!!! Are we to remain drunk on the pleasures of this world and not intently focussed on the things of God? Do we not intoxicate our minds with worldly pleasures? Do we not suffer in self-delusion? I know I am far from fully awake and fighting constantly the pull of the wine of this life - to be drunk on self-absorption. I live in my own world and I like it there. We all do. Let us become awake. Let us become alert to the call and the commands of our True Lord and Master - not ourselves. If it were a simple thing why would God give us such a grand work as Joel and the other myriad of sacred writings we contend is our Bible?

Invasion

Joel 1: 6-7 For a nation has invaded my land, Mighty and without number; Its teeth are the teeth of a lion, And it has the fangs of a lioness. It has made my vine a waste And my fig tree splinters. It has stripped them bare and cast them away; Their branches have become white. Any notion that the previous verses refer to literal insects is dispelled by this follow-up passage. Joel goes on at considerable length in the verses that follow illustrating the degree of desolation resulting from this invading force. With regard to the Northern Kingdom, many of the descriptions fit well with the invading Assyrian army. Israel was enjoying relative prosperity before Assyria invaded. After they exiled Israel there was almost nothing left. The mighty invader could also refer to Babylon coming upon Judah or even the Romans destroying the second temple and effectively ending any form of Jewish nationalism. The message here may also be interpreted as spiritual. We are engaged in spiritual warfare against an organized enemy much like the one Joel describes. Satan roams about looking for whatever he may devour (1 Pe 5:8). Christianity is a powerful force, but it faces a powerful enemy. The spiritual health of Israel degraded through the centuries until finally the nation was destroyed. Satan is still in the business of destroying God’s people whenever possible.

Sorrow

Joel 1:8 Wail like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the bridegroom of her youth. The destruction to come will not eliminate everyone, if for no other reason than the prophecy indicates someone will be left to lament. After the Assyrian exile, only the very young, very old, or otherwise very feeble were left in Israel. Babylon was likewise selective, leaving only the least desirable people behind when they exiled Judah. The reference to a virgin weeping for her young husband is a very powerful image, particularly to an audience in Joel’s time. Joel explains the sorrow of the people will be as profound as the devastation of a girl widowed from her new groom. Godly repentance necessarily involves Godly sorrow for our past sin (Job 42:6, Ez 20:43, Mt 11:21, 2 Cor 7:9). This verse bridges the preceding reference to invasion with the following reference to loss of natural resources.

Loss

Joel 1:9-12 The grain offering and the drink offering are cut off from the house of the LORD. The priests mourn, the ministers of the LORD. The field is ruined, the land mourns; for the grain is ruined, the new wine dries up, fresh oil fails. Be ashamed, O farmers, wail, O vinedressers, for the wheat and the barley; because the harvest of the field is destroyed. The vine dries up and the fig tree fails; the pomegranate, the palm also, and the apple tree, all the trees of the field dry up. Indeed, rejoicing dries up from the sons of men. Joel predicts there will be a time of no more sacrifices and a loss of resources. Sacrifices could not be made at the temple after it was destroyed (first by Babylon and then by Rome). In the case of the Babylon, the population was relocated and the region of Palestine was left largely to ruin without people to manage its agriculture. In the case of Rome, the temple was destroyed and has not been rebuilt since. The Jewish population suffered intense losses during the Jewish revolts of the first and second centuries AD. Although a Jewish population remained in the area of Jerusalem and Judea, there was never an attempt to organize any sort of Jewish state or rebuild the temple until the 20 th century. When Satan invades he destroys the good. When the Holy Spirit indwells, he destroys evil. At this point Joel is still speaking of an evil force that does harm to God’s people. Later on we will read of God’s intervention to overcome evil.

Repent

Joel 1:13-14 Gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament, O priests; wail, O ministers of the altar! Come, spend the night in sackcloth O ministers of my God, for the grain offering and the drink offering are withheld from the house of your God. Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly; gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. As mentioned above, repentance involves Godly sorrow for sin. Sin is rebellion against God. Repentance is the change of heart and mind from rebellion to obedience. In order to repent, we must realize and reject our sin. We should hate our sin just as God does. We should grieve what we have done. This is not the same as wallowing in self-pity. Self-pity is the opposite of Godly sorrow precisely because it is selfish. After we realize our sin and process the sorrow, we must then place our faith in God’s firm promise to forgive our past sin and walk in faith (obedience) to His will. God will dole out wrath in His divine justice, but for the faithful forgiven He promises salvation.

Day of the Lord – Destruction

Joel 1:15-16 Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes. Is not the food cut off before our eyes, joy and gladness from the house of our God? The phrase “day of the Lord” is used in various places in scripture. In some cases context strongly points to either the past coming of Jesus (messianic events) or the future return of Jesus (end times). In this case the “day of the Lord” requires more context to properly determine its meaning. Joel’s prophecy up to this point speaks primarily of an overall series of conquerors grinding national Israel/Judah out of existence. The first advent of Jesus fits chronologically at the close of this era, even precipitating the Roman destruction of the temple just a few decades after the crucifixion. Does Joel’s description of the day of the Lord fit the crucifixion? Joel describes it as a day of destruction, loss of food, sadness (1:16), vexation in nature (1:17-20), fear (2:1), darkness (2:2), a super army (2:2-9), earthquakes, and celestial signs (2:10). To some degree, spiritually if not literally, all of these signs are associated with the crucifixion of Jesus. John’s Revelation also mentions many of the same signs. This leads many to believe Joel spoke of the end times. It may be that Joel’s prophecy has more than one fulfillment. Many prophecies have both a primary (literal) and secondary (spiritual) fulfillment. It is also worth noting that it is common in biblical prophecy for events to be recorded out of strict chronological order. It is also important to recall that prophecy is always a revelation from God, but not necessarily a prediction of the future. For example, there are passages in John’s Revelation where prophecy clearly reveals past events. For example, Rev 12:1-5 describes the celestial signs associated with the birth of Jesus. John probably did not understood the meaning at the time, but with computer models we can easily calculate to within a two hour window when those signs existed in the years when Jesus was most likely born. Since Jesus was born before the death of Herod (1 BC according to the most recent scholarship), the most likely date of the census was the spring or fall of 3 BC. The signs of Rev 12:1-5 would have taken place in the early evening hours of September 10 th , 3 BC, on our standard western Calendars. This date, if true, fits nicely with the prophetic aspects of the Jewish Feast of Trumpets which began at dusk on that date. That date also matches closely with another series of celestial events some astronomers feel could account for the Star of Bethlehem. While this may all sound rather speculative, the point is to gather as much information as possible in order to properly understand what the Holy Spirit has to say as He speaks to us through scripture. Our arrogance causes us to apply human understanding which is often fraught with error. Instead, we must each seek God for ourselves (Phil 2:12-13) and seek what He would teach us, not just what men (like me) teach.

Purification

Joel 1:17-20 The seed shrivels under the clods; the storehouses are desolate; the granaries are torn down because the grain has dried up. How the beasts groan! The herds of cattle are perplexed because there is no pasture for them; even the flocks of sheep suffer. To you, O LORD, I call. For fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and flame has burned all the trees of the field. Even the beasts of the field pant for you because the water brooks are dried up, and fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness. This passage appears to deal primarily with consequences to nature. As with any individual element of Joel’s prophecy, it must be viewed in complete context. Here food is lost, animals suffer, trees are ruined, and water is dried up. In contrast, Joel 2:22-26 indicates all lost here will be restored. Joel 2:20 states that the “northerner” will be removed. A plain reading of just that verse strongly suggests Assyria’s destruction (612 BC), but the context suggests something else. Context also suggests that the Roman Empire is not the northerner. Regardless, in the wake of the armies described in 1:4-7 there was great damage done to the land and animals. Jesus often spoke of his followers as herd animals like sheep. This was not to belittle his followers, but to demonstrate the proper character and relationship between himself as Lord and his obedient followers. If we look at the sheep and cattle as God’s followers here, we see them confused and suffering before Jesus comes and we see them joyous and fulfilled after Jesus comes. The world itself suffers from the effects of the curse of sin (Gen 3:17). Only after Jesus rose victorious over death was the power of sin over humanity broken (1 Cor 15:50-58). Nature suffers now (Ro 8:22), but we are promised a new heaven and new earth (Is 66:22, 2 Pe 3:10-13, Rev 21:1) where there will be no more suffering (Is 65:19-20, Rev 22:3-5).

Majoring in the Minors

Joel Chapters:

1 2 3

Article submitted Tuesday, April 13, 2010 & read 757 times.

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» left by Teresa (1 year 296 days ago.)

Good Morning Lance,

What a wonderful way to start the day. Nice breakfast for the spirit. Again, I appreciate the format. Easy to follow and a nice tie in to today's walk for us as individuals. Blessings to you. It's nice to be in the old testatment. I know I am going to enjoy this one as much as Hosea.
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» left by Lance Ponder⁽⁹²⁾ (1 year 291 days ago.)

Thanks. Joel is a short book, but it is one of the most powerfully quoted in the New Testament.

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» left by Anne Linington⁽¹⁸⁶⁾ (1 year 216 days ago.)

Hi Lance. May I make a suggestion- that you break up the very long paragraphs into more bite-size pieces which readers will find more digestible. An obvious break could come between the quoted text and your commentary, but long paragraphs are best split into several smaller ones for today's readers. I hope this is useful and will encourage more reads. Anne Linington
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» left by Lance Ponder⁽⁹²⁾ (1 year 213 days ago.)

Thanks Anne. I think for web usage you are probably right. I have all these written out designed for print and just copying online. Not easy to chop into smaller bits without losing some of the integrity, but I'll see what I can do with future posts. I considered only posting on only a few verses at a time instead of whole chapters, but that has other drawbacks. What do you think?

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