Joel 2

1 Blow the trumpet in Jerusalem; shout a warning on my holy mountain. Let all the people who live in the land shake with fear, because the Lord's day of judging is coming; it is near.

2 It will be a dark, gloomy day, cloudy and black. Like the light at sunrise, a great and powerful army will spread over the mountains. There has never been anything like it before, and there will never be anything like it again.

3 In front of them a fire destroys; in back of them a flame burns. The land in front of them is like the garden of Eden; the land behind them is like an empty desert. Nothing will escape from them.

4 They look like horses, and they run like war horses.

5 It is like the noise of chariots rumbling over the tops of the mountains, like the noise of a roaring fire burning dry stalks. They are like a powerful army lined up for battle.

6 When they see them, nations shake with fear, and everyone's face becomes pale.

7 They charge like soldiers; they climb over the wall like warriors. They all march straight ahead and do not move off their path.

8 They do not run into each other, because each walks in line. They break through all efforts to stop them and keep coming.

9 They run into the city. They run at the wall and climb into the houses, entering through windows like thieves.

10 Before them, earth and sky shake. The sun and the moon become dark, and the stars stop shining.

11 The Lord shouts out orders to his army. His army is very large! Those who obey him are very strong! is an overwhelming and terrible day. No one can stand up against it!

12 The Lord says, "Even now, come back to me with all your heart. Go without food, and cry and be sad."

13 Tearing your clothes is not enough to show you are sad; let your heart be broken. Come back to the Lord your God, because he is kind and shows mercy. He doesn't become angry quickly, and he has great love. He can change his mind about doing harm.

14 Who knows? Maybe he will turn back to you and leave behind a blessing for you. Grain and drink offerings belong to the Lord your God.

15 Blow the trumpet in Jerusalem; call for a day when no one eats food. Tell everyone to stop work.

16 Bring the people together and make the meeting holy for the Lord. Bring together the older leaders, as well as the children, and even babies that still feed at their mothers' breasts. The bridegroom should come from his room, the bride from her bedroom.

17 The priests, the Lord's servants, should cry between the altar and the entrance to the Temple. They should say, "Lord, have mercy on your people. Don't let them be put to shame; don't let other nations make fun of them. Don't let people in other nations ask, 'Where is their God?'"

18 Then the Lord became concerned about his land and felt sorry for his people.

19 He said to them: "I will send you grain, new wine, and olive oil, so that you will have plenty. No more will I shame you among the nations.

20 I will force the army from the north to leave your land and go into a dry, empty land. Their soldiers in front will be forced into the Dead Sea, and those in the rear into the Mediterranean Sea. Their bodies will rot and stink.

21 Land, don't be afraid; be happy and full of joy, because the Lord has done a wonderful thing.

22 Wild animals, don't be afraid, because the open pastures have grown grass. The trees have given fruit; the fig trees and the grapevines have grown much fruit.

23 So be happy, people of Jerusalem; be joyful in the Lord your God. Because he does what is right, he has brought you rain; he has sent the fall rain and the spring rain for you, as before.

24 And the threshing floors will be full of grain; the barrels will overflow with new wine and olive oil.

25 "Though I sent my great army against you -- those swarming locusts and hopping locusts, the destroying locusts and the cutting locustsn that ate your crops -- I will pay you back for those years of trouble.

26 Then you will have plenty to eat and be full. You will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has done miracles for you. My people will never again be shamed.

27 Then you will know that I am among the people of Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and there is no other God. My people will never be shamed again.

28 "After this, I will pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.

29 At that time I will pour out my Spirit also on male slaves and female slaves.

30 I will show miracles in the sky and on the earth: blood, fire, and thick smoke.

31 The sun will become dark, the moon red as blood, before the overwhelming and terrible day of the Lord comes.

32 Then anyone who calls on the Lord will be saved, because on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be people who will be saved, just as the Lord has said. Those left alive after the day of punishment are the people whom the Lord called.

Joel 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

God's judgments. (1-14) Exhortations to fasting and prayer; blessings promised. (15-27) A promise of the Holy Spirit, and of future mercies. (28-32)

Verses 1-14 The priests were to alarm the people with the near approach of the Divine judgments. It is the work of ministers to warn of the fatal consequences of sin, and to reveal the wrath from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. The striking description which follows, shows what would attend the devastations of locusts, but may also describe the effects from the ravaging of the land by the Chaldeans. If the alarm of temporal judgments is given to offending nations, how much more should sinners be warned to seek deliverance from the wrath to come! Our business therefore on earth must especially be, to secure an interest in our Lord Jesus Christ; and we should seek to be weaned from objects which will soon be torn from all who now make idols of them. There must be outward expressions of sorrow and shame, fasting, weeping, and mourning; tears for trouble must be turned into tears for the sin that caused it. But rending the garments would be vain, except their hearts were rent by abasement and self-abhorrence; by sorrow for their sins, and separation from them. There is no question but that if we truly repent of our sins, God will forgive them; but whether he will remove affliction is not promised, yet the probability of it should encourage us to repent.

Verses 15-27 The priests and rulers are to appoint a solemn fast. The sinner's supplication is, Spare us, good Lord. God is ready to succour his people; and he waits to be gracious. They prayed that God would spare them, and he answered them. His promises are real answers to the prayers of faith; with him saying and doing are not two things. Some understand these promises figuratively, as pointing to gospel grace, and as fulfilled in the abundant comforts treasured up for believers in the covenant of grace.

Verses 28-32 The promise began to be fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out, and it was continued in the converting grace and miraculous gifts conferred on both Jews and Gentiles. The judgments of God upon a sinful world, only go before the judgment of the world in the last day. Calling on God supposes knowledge of him, faith in him, desire toward him, dependence on him, and, as evidence of the sincerity of all this, conscientious obedience to him. Those only shall be delivered in the great day, who are now effectually called from sin to God, from self to Christ, from things below to things above.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOEL 2

In this chapter a further account is given of the judgment of the locusts and caterpillars, or of those who are designed by them, Joe 2:1-11; the people of the Jews are called to repentance, humiliation, and fasting, urged from the grace and goodness of God, his jealousy and pity for his people, and the answer of prayer that might he expected from him upon this, even to the removal of the calamity, Joe 2:12-20; a prophecy of good things, both temporal and spiritual, in the times of the Messiah, is delivered out as matter and occasion of great joy, Joe 2:21-27; and another concerning the effusion of the Spirit, which was fulfilled an the day of Pentecost, Joe 2:28-29; and the chapter is concluded with the judgments and desolations that should come upon the land of Judea after this, for their rejection of Christ, though the remnant according to the election of grace should be delivered and saved from the general destruction, Joe 2:30-32.