Joel Week 4
Before we start new material let’s revisit where we’ve been
Two crises that are being faced in Joel
Locust famine and loss of food
Impending Day of the Lord and loss of God’s glory
The first one was designed by God and implemented by Him in order to point them to the next one which is the most important one.
In Chapter 2:18-19, we switch to God’s Words to the people where he promises to restore their food and to restore his glory.
Restoring food is easy - kill the locust send the rain (2:20-25)
Restoring glory involves sending His Spirit to save people and justly judging the wicked (2:26-3:8) And we ended on 3:8
Is the Day of the Lord a good thing?
Yes and No
It’s a day of justice and salvation
Good if he pours out his spirit on you, bad if not
So what happens as a result of the Day of the Lord? There are two distinct groups on the day and they will have two distinct ends.
Read verses 9-13 - line under 13
He’s talking to “the nations” - shorthand for not his people
You can see that they are the subject here by the repetition -
Circle nations in vs 9, 11, 12
Underline war words in verses 9-11
God is taunting them to a war. Gather up everybody you’ve got. They’re going up.
The Lord will bring his warriors down. He’s coming down.
There’s fixing to be a showdown!
Where do they meet? At the valley of Jehoshaphat, the Valley of The Lord will judge.
But then it’s anticlimactic with the battle never happening!
It only states verse 13. It’s time for an abundant harvest because their evil is great.
Circle 13 and put an arrow back to 2:24.
It’s a confusing verse. It sounds kind of like they are being judged, but it's hard to tell.
But let’s see how the New Testament handles this -
Turn to Revelation 14:14-20
A clear allusion to our Joel passage - it’s final judgment where God destroys the wicked in his wrath
Back in Joel 3:13, put arrow forward to Revelation 14:14-20
Arrow from harvest to ripe, winepress to full, evil to great - there is no more waiting the time has come
God is telling the nations that their best fight against him will only result in their doom and judgment and the Day of the Lord is the end of all of their fighting and their evil.
Write in big words next to 9-13 - THE RESULTS OF THE LORD’S JUDGMENT
Next Section
Read 3:14-16a
Again, there’s some things we’ve seen before.
Box around the Day of The Lord in 14
What comes with the day of the Lord? Our cosmic language!
Circle sun, moon, stars, heaven, and earth in 15-16
This is familiar. Circle 15-16a and arrow back to 2:10-11
Verse 14 - seems to be calling us to make a decision.
The Day of the Lord is near. You’ve heard the matter.
All the multitudes must make their decision.
But who do we know is making decisions in the valley? It’s God.
The valley is the valley of Yahweh judges.
Final section
Read 3:16b-21
Verse 17 - circle Zion and Jerusalem - arrow back to 2:32
We haven’t mentioned it but these places are mentioned multiple times throughout these final sections. They are real places. Zion is the name of the mount on which the temple is built, but it becomes representative of God’s righteous presence, his kingship and his promises.
Underline sweet wine and milk and water
- write “Super abundance of food”
Underline Valley of Shittim
- Arrow back to Numbers 25:1 - this was last sin before entering the land
- consider the very first sin you can ever remember committing
- write “super cleansing of shame”
Vs 20 Circle Judah, Jerusalem. Underline forever, all generations - God with his people forever
Write RESULTS OF THE LORD’S SALVATION next to 14-21
Before we close Joel I think it’s really important to see how this book is used in the New Testament
Turn to Acts 2
Context
Read Acts 2:1-23
The apostles receive the Holy Spirit. Everyone is confused by it. Peter explains that this is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel.
What is his evidence for this?
There has clearly been an outpouring of his Spirit on people all kinds of people, 120 men and women, young and old
Verse 19 wonders and signs will be shown for all to see and in verse 22 he says that Jesus arrived doing wonders and signs for all to see
Peter argues that the Day of the Lord has begun - now to be clear the “Day” here isn’t a 24-hour day, but is rather a time period (vs. 17 - “in the last days”)
Do you remember how on the Day of the Lord, God was going to restore his glory. That plan had two parts - the first part was pouring out his Spirit and saving his people, the second part was judging the nations or those who refused God.
Peter is saying that this outpouring of the Holy Spirit is evidence of the beginning of the Day of the Lord and is the first part where he is saving his people. It seems Peter is arguing that this is the day we are living in now and the second portion of that day, the final judgment, is coming soon. So call on the name of the Lord.