The Title. C1 A 1:2,3. Call to hear. B 1:4-13. Judgments. Inflicted. A 1:14-2;17. Call to repent. B 2:18-3:21. Judgment. Removed.
Joel's prophecy is undated. No references are made to time, because it looks onward to the time of the end, and to the events that will usher in "the Day of the Lord".
As Hosea was sent to guilty Israel, so Joel was sent to guilty Judah. Hosea's "burden" relates to the end of the Northern Kingdom; Joel's prophecy relates to the end of the Kingdom of Judah, and probably covers the last 7 years of Zedekiah. In that case it would commence in the 5th year of Jehoiachin's captivity, the very year that Ezekiel begins, and 100 years after Isaiah ends. If "Joel completed his prophecy before Amos collected his" [as alleged], then, in the period of Uzziah-Jeroboam II, which ended in 687 B.C., there is no historical background for Joel's burning words concerning Judah and the great "Day of the Lord".
Similar passages in Joel 3:16 and Amos 1:20 no more prove that Amos quoted Joel than any prove that Joel quoted from Amos. The same may be said of Joel 1:15 and Isa. 13:6.
In Joel's summons to fasting and prayer, many as are the classes invited, no mention is made of the royal house; and, throughout his prophecy, no king of Judah is mentioned later than Jehoshaphat, and then only in connection with his "valley".
But if the period covered by Joel be taken as from 488 to 477 B.C., then we have, as contemporaries:-
Jeremiah in Jerusalem; All prophesying during the last 7 years of the kingdom of Judah.
Joel in Judah; "
Daniel in Babylon; "
Ezekiel in Babylon and "
in the Land. "
Joel = Yahaveh is God. Gives you a picture of how things will be just before the Lord's Day [Millennium].
488-477 B.C. ?
Joel 1)
1 The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel. (Which is to say, "Joel" is to say, So this is straight from our Father YAHAVEH.)
2 Hear this (note this indication of the formula of Joel's prophetic utterances), you old men (not official elders, but those who memory goes back farthest), and give ear, all you inhabitants of the land. Has this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers? (The story will not be in prior history.)
3 Tell you your sons of it (cp. Deut. 4:9; 6:6,7; 11:19), and let your sons tell their sons, and their sons another generation. (Until it comes to pass on the 7th Trump.)
B A1 4. The Destroyers. Symbolical and General. A2 5-13. The Destruction. Literal and Particular.
4 That which the palmerworm (this is named of 4 different stages of the locust. English = hairy caterpillar, Heb. = gnawer. The pupa stage) has left has the locust eaten (Hebrew - arbeh, Arab, Arabian, locust); and that which the locust has left has the cankerworm (= the devourer) eaten; and that which the cankerworm has left has the caterpiller eaten. (= the consumer. The larva stage. No commodity will be left. Cp. 2:25, and Nah. 15:16. These 4 words show the completeness of the destroying agencies. The Hebrew reads:-
'Gnawer's remnant,
Swarmer eats;
Swarmer's remnant,
Devourer eats;
Devourer's remnant,
Consumer eats.'
Also know as the 4 'hidden dynasties': 1) Political; 2) Monetary; 3) Education; 4) Religion. See Rev. 9:3-11. Satan eats away in various stages as he comes out from the hidden into plain sight and grows bolder until the flashing wing of the locust. He does things that are so bold before your very eyes, but you are so far drifted away from the truth at this time, that all you are is steeped in the traditions of men that you wouldn't recognize the negative if it came before you. How can truth be possibly taught if the so-called 'ministers' themselves are so steeped in traditions that they don't know the truth? The 'Rapture' is a false teaching. Sad day coming for them, not you, the elect. Again we are in the stage of the swarmer. The devour is coming, so pay attention to prophesy and pay attention to times).
A2 B a 5-. People. Call to Awake and Howl.
b -5-7. Reason. Vine and Fig. Laid waste.
C c Land. Call to Lament.
d 9,10. Reason. Offerings cut off.
B a 11-. People. Call to be Ashamed and Howl.
b -11,12. Reason. Corn and Wine perished.
C c 13-. Priests. Call to Lament.
d -13. Reason. Offerings withheld.
5 Awake, you drunkards, and weep; and howl, all you drinkers of wine,
because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth. (You better wake up, there's nothing left. You have been stripped bare [spiritually also.)
6 For a nation (see 2:20; and cp. Dan. 11. Put for the great destroying powers which are symbolized in v.4 by the locusts. Satan's conspiracy, one world system. Cp. 2:2,11,25. Rev. 9) is come up upon My land (so called because Yahaveh is about to put in His claim. The end-time is here referred to, when He will do this: "the Day of the Lord". See v.15, and 2:1,&.), strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he has the cheek teeth of a great lion.
7 He (the nation of v.6) has laid My vine (Israel) waste, and reduced to chips (cp. Hos. 10;7) My fig tree (note this "My", for Yehovah is about to recover His People Israel, as the issue of "the Day of the Lord". Cp. Ps. 80:8,14. Isa. 5:1-6; 27:2. Hos. 10:1. Also for the fig-tree cp. Hos. 9:10. Matt. 21:19. Luke 13:6,7): he has made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white. (Family tree- heritage, slips away, lack of faith.)
8 Lament like a virgin girded (ready for battle) with sackcloth for the husband of her youth. (Cp. Mark 13:17. 2 Cor. 11:3,4.)
9 The meal offering (Lev. 2. Cp. 2;14) and the drink offering (Ex. 29:40. Lev. 23:13. Num. 15:3-10) is cut off from the house of the LORD (churches, starved for truth); the priests, the LORD'S ministers (Num. 3:6,&c.), mourn.
10 The field is wasted (vv.10-12 show why the offerings cannot be brought), the soil mourns; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languishes.
11 Be you ashamed, O you husbandmen; howl, O you vine-dressers,
for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
12 The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languishes; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
13 Gird yourselves, and lament, you priests: howl, you ministers of the altar (Ex. 30:20): come, lie all night in sackcloth (symbol of mourning), you ministers of my God:
for the meat offering and the drink offering is withheld from the house of your God. (The truth is withheld.)
A D F 1:14. Call to Fast.
G 1:15. Reason.
H 1:16-20. Consequences.
E J 2:1-. Call to Blow the Trumpet. People.
K 2:-1. Reason. "
L 2:2-11. Consequences. "
D F 2:12-13-. Call to Fast.
G 2:-13. Reason.
H 2:14. Consequences.
E J 2:15-17-. Call to Blow the Trumpet. Priests.
K 2:-17. Reason. "
L 2:18-3:21. Consequences. "
14 Sanctify you a fast (Christianity is not a religion, it's a reality), call a day of restraint (Lev. 23:37. Num. 29:35. Deut. 16:8), gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry to the LORD (Beg for forgiveness.),
15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand (see Isa. 2:12. 2 Pet. 3:8 This is the great subject of Joel's prophecy, already then "at hand"), and as a mighty destruction from the All-bountiful shall it come. (Shaddai. In this connection it is similar to 'the wrath of the Lamb' [Rev. 6:16,17] in its violent contrast.)
16 Is not the meat cut off before our eyes (after milk. Deeper truth. Not much left), yes, joy and gladness from the house of our God? (They are cut off too. Price if being deceived.)
17 The seed is rotten under their clods (seed was never planted), the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down (empty); for the corn is withered. (Died in the field)
18 How do the beasts groan! (from hunger. Not a pleasant sound to hear. cp. Hos. 4:3) the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; ye, the flocks of sheep are made desolate. (Lost sheep of the house of Israel.)
19 O LORD, to You will I cry (Cp. Ps. 50:15): for the fire (cp. 2:3) has devoured the pastures of the common land, and the flame has burned all the trees of the field. (What it looks like after locust swarm through it. The One World System will do this.)
20 The beasts of the field cry also to you: for the rivers of waters (waters of the Aphikim. See 2 Sam. 22:16. Pollution everywhere. PCB's. Fish not even edible) are dried up, and the fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness.