Joel
Joe 1:11 Joel
Meaning Jehovah is God.
Joe 1:21 Hear
Verses 2-4 show the seriousness of the prophecy.
Joe 1:41 cutting
[ par. 1 2 3 ]
Joe 1:41 [1] Four words for locust are used in this verse, probably referring to one kind of locust in various stages of growth. The four stages of this one kind of locust refer to the nations that devastated Israel in four consecutive empires: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, including Antichrist, who will be the last Caesar of the Roman Empire (Rev. 17:8-11). The armies of these empires were like locusts (2:25) coming to devastate and consume Israel totally, devouring her people, land, fields, produce, food, and drink and cutting off her offerings. These empires correspond to the four sections of the great human image in Dan. 2, to the four beasts in Dan. 7, and to the four horns in Zech. 1. They will be overcome and terminated by Christ, who will set up the kingdom and reign among the saved Israel in the age of restoration (ch. 3; Dan. 2:34-35 and notes).
Joe 1:41 [2] Beginning approximately two hundred years before the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, God sent the prophets to warn Israel, to advise them, and to call them to return to God. However, Israel did not listen to the prophets. This forced God to send the four kinds of locusts to chastise His people. Israel has been suffering the cutting, swarming, licking, and consuming of the locusts for twenty-seven centuries. God’s purpose in allowing Israel to suffer under the locusts was to bring forth a couple, Joseph and Mary, so that God could be born in man, of man, and out of man to become no longer only God but a God-man (cf. Matt. 1). Hence, God used the suffering of the Jews to bring in the incarnation, an unprecedented event that brought God into man and mingled God and man as one. Furthermore, God has used the locusts to afford all the necessary facilities in the environment for the carrying out of His purpose. The Roman Empire, the aggregate of the four empires, afforded everything necessary for the incarnated God to live and move and work on earth. It also provided the means for Christ to be crucified for the accomplishing of God’s redemption (John 18:31-32), the occasion for the pouring out of the Spirit as the processed and consummated Triune God upon all flesh to produce the church as the organic Body of Christ (Acts 2), and the facilities for the spreading of the gospel to the entire inhabited earth (Matt. 28:19; Acts 1:8).
Joe 1:41 [3] The Bible is a record of two histories: the history of man, the human history, and the history of God, the divine history. The former is like an outward shell, and the latter, like the kernel within the shell. In the Minor Prophets the human history is clearly defined and is signified by the four kinds of locusts mentioned in this verse. The divine history within the human history is also revealed in considerable detail. The divine history, as the divine mystery of the Triune God in humanity, began in eternity past with the eternal God and His eternal economy (Micah 5:2c; 1 Tim. 1:4; Eph. 1:4-5, 9-11). It continues with Christ’s incarnation (Micah 5:2a); His death, burial, and resurrection for the spreading of God’s redemption and salvation to all the nations on earth (Jonah 1:17; 2:10); His pouring out of the consummated Spirit to produce the church as the corporate expression of the Triune God (2:28-32); His second coming as the Desire of nations (Hag. 2:7a) and as the Sun of righteousness (Mal. 4:2a); His coming with His overcomers as His army to defeat Antichrist and his army (3:1-15); and His reigning in Zion in the thousand-year kingdom (3:16-21; Micah 4:7). Eventually, the kingdom will consummate in the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and the new earth for eternity. The New Jerusalem will be the ultimate, the consummate, step of God’s history.
Joe 1:4a locust Deut. 28:38; Joel 2:25
Joe 1:61a nation Prov. 30:27; Joel 2:2, 11, 25
The coming of such a nation is likened in v. 4 to one kind of locust in four stages (see note 41).
Joe 1:7b fig Matt. 21:19; 24:32; Luke 13:6
Joe 1:13a sackcloth 1 Kings 21:27; 2 Kings 19:1; Jer. 4:8; Jonah 3:5; Rev. 11:3
Joe 1:14a fast 2 Chron. 20:3-4; Joel 2:15-16
Joe 1:151a day Isa. 13:6; Jer. 30:7; Ezek. 30:3; Joel 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14; Amos 5:18; Obad. 15; Zeph. 1:7, 14-15; 2:2-3; 2 Pet. 3:12
The day of Jehovah is the day of the Lord in the New Testament (Acts 2:20; 1 Cor. 5:5; 1 Thes. 5:2; 2 Thes. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:10), which is also the day of God (2 Pet. 3:12). The final day of Jehovah will begin at the sixth seal (Rev. 6:12-17) and end at the judgment of the great white throne (Rev. 20:11-15). It will comprise various calamities, plagues, and woes for the Lord’s punishing judgments and governmental dealings on the heavens, the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, men, Satan, and the demons to clear up the earth and the entire universe for the coming of the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:1) for His eternal kingdom. The time from the sixth seal to the beginning of the thousand-year kingdom will be a little more than three and a half years. The main part of that time will be the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21). The judgment at the great white throne will take place after the thousand-year kingdom. Thus, the day of the Lord will last for about one thousand three and a half years. See note 123 in 2 Pet. 3.
Joe 1:171 clods
Or, shovels.
Joe 1:19a fire Jer. 9:10; Joel 2:3
Joe 2:1a trumpet Joel 2:15; Jer. 4:5; 1 Cor. 14:8
Joe 2:1b day Joel 1:15; Obad. 15; Zeph. 1:14
Joe 2:2b darkness Amos 5:18, 20
Joe 2:2c people Joel 1:6; 2:5, 11, 25
Joe 2:2d There Exo. 10:14; Dan. 12:1; Mark 13:19
Joe 2:3b Eden Gen. 2:8; 13:10; Isa. 51:3
Joe 2:3c wilderness Zech. 7:14
Joe 2:10a quakes Psa. 18:7; Rev. 6:12
Joe 2:10b sun Joel 2:31; 3:15; Isa. 13:10; Ezek. 32:7; Matt. 24:29; Mark 13:24; Rev. 6:12; 8:12
Joe 2:12a Turn Jer. 4:1; Hosea 12:6; 14:1
Joe 2:13a hearts Psa. 34:18; 51:17
Joe 2:13b garments Gen. 37:34; 2 Sam. 1:11; Job 1:20
Joe 2:13c compassionate Exo. 34:6; Psa. 86:15; Jonah 4:2
Joe 2:14a Who 2 Sam. 12:22; 2 Kings 19:4; Jonah 3:9
Joe 2:141 meal
The meal offering and the drink offering are blessings to Israel. When Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, Israel lost the place appointed by God where they could offer their offerings to God (Deut. 12:5-6). Also, God’s army of locusts (v. 25) destroyed the produce of the land, leaving no grain to make a meal offering and no grapes to make wine for the drink offering. Thus, Israel lost both the ground and the materials to offer the meal offering to feed God and the drink offering to cheer God. Today both God and Israel are still suffering the loss of this blessing.
Joe 2:151 Blow
To blow a trumpet is to make a declaration in a triumphant spirit.
Joe 2:15a trumpet Joel 2:1; Jer. 4:5
Joe 2:152 Sanctify
This fast was not to be common; rather, it was to be sanctified, separated for God.
Joe 2:153 solemn
Such an assembly is a great blessing, something that should not be missed.
Joe 2:17b altar Ezek. 8:16; Matt. 23:35
Joe 2:17c Why Psa. 42:10; 79:10; 115:2; Micah 7:10
Joe 2:181 His
The Holy Land is God’s land. Cf. Isa. 8:8 and note.
Joe 2:19a grain cf. Joel 1:10; Mal. 3:10-12
Joe 2:20b stench Ezek. 39:12-16
Joe 2:23a early Lev. 26:4; Deut. 11:14; 28:12; James 5:7
Joe 2:231 early
The rain in the Scriptures signifies the Spirit of God sent by Him from the heavens to water His people (cf. Gen. 2:5; Deut. 11:14). The outpourings of the Spirit referred to in vv. 28-29 and in Zech. 12:10 are the fulfillment of the early rain (the autumn rain) and the late rain (the spring rain). See notes 31 in Hosea 6 and 281, par. 1, in this chapter.
Joe 2:25a locust Joel 1:4; Rev. 9:3
Joe 2:26a full Lev. 26:5; Psa. 22:26; Micah 6:14
Joe 2:27a midst Lev. 26:11-12; Ezek. 37:26-28
Joe 2:27b God Isa. 45:5, 21-22; Joel 3:17
Joe 2:28a And vv. 28-32a: Acts 2:17-21
Joe 2:281 pour
[ par. 1 2 ]
Joe 2:281 [1] This prophecy concerning the pouring out of God’s Spirit as the early rain for Israel’s salvation was fulfilled as a foretaste by the pouring out of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4, 16-21), and it will be fulfilled as a full taste by the pouring out of the Spirit a second time, before the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21), for the salvation and regeneration of many of the returned Israelites. This second outpouring is different from the pouring out of the Spirit as the late rain on the last day of the tribulation for the salvation of the remnant of the Jews under Antichrist’s besieging (Zech. 12:10).
Joe 2:281 [2] In the Bible and in the Minor Prophets four things are unveiled: God’s chastisement on His elect people, God’s punishment of the nations, the manifestation of Christ, and the restoration. These four matters are covered in Joel, a short book of three chapters. First, God sent the locusts to consume Israel (1:2—2:11). This was God’s chastisement because of Israel’s great evils. Then, this book reveals that God will punish and judge the Gentile nations because in their consuming of Israel they are excessive, acting without regard for justice (3:1-16a, 19). God’s chastising of Israel and His punishing of the nations issue in the manifestation of Christ. Regarding this manifestation, Joel speaks here concerning the outpouring of the processed, consummated, compound Spirit, i.e., the Spirit of God compounded with Christ’s humanity, Christ’s death and its effectiveness, and Christ’s resurrection with its power (see note 251 in Exo. 30). This is the Holy Spirit, who was poured out on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4, 16-21), and this Spirit is the consummated Triune God and the realization of Christ for the manifestation of Christ. This manifestation began with the incarnation of Christ and has been confirmed and strengthened by the outpouring of the Spirit, for through that outpouring the individual Christ became the corporate Christ (1 Cor. 12:12-13), the church as the great mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:15-16). The church as the manifestation of Christ will bring in the glorious day of restoration, the age of the millennial kingdom (3:16-21), in which Christ will be manifested in a fuller way. The restoration will consummate in the fullest manifestation of Christ in the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:1-2). See note 41 in ch. 1.
Joe 2:28b Spirit Isa. 32:15; 44:3; Ezek. 39:29; Mark 1:8; Acts 2:4; 1 Cor. 12:13; Titus 3:6
Joe 2:29a Spirit Zech. 12:10
Joe 2:301 show
[ par. 1 2 ]
Joe 2:301 [1] As revealed in vv. 30-31a, God’s saving of the returned Jews by pouring out His Spirit upon them the second time (see note 281, par. 1) will be accompanied by the natural calamities of the sixth seal and the first four trumpets (Rev. 6:12-17; 8:7-12) on the heavens, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the earth as a prelude to the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21). It will take place before the fifth trumpet, the first of the three woes (Rev. 8:13 and note), which are the major structure of the great tribulation, in the great and terrible day of Jehovah (v. 31b). See note 121 in Rev. 6.
Joe 2:301 [2] In spite of such an outpouring of the Spirit, many of the returned Jews will not believe but will continue to be stubborn. Eventually, during the tribulation, Jerusalem will be surrounded by the Gentile armies under Antichrist, whose intention will be to destroy Israel entirely (Zech. 14:2; Rev. 16:13-16). At that juncture the Lord Jesus Christ will descend with His overcomers, His mighty ones (3:11). Furthermore, according to Zech. 12:10, at that time the consummated Spirit will again be poured out, and the remnant of the children of Israel will be saved. Thus, the three outpourings of the Holy Spirit—on the day of Pentecost, just before the great tribulation, and at the Lord’s second coming—work together for the salvation of Israel.
Joe 2:30a wonders Luke 21:11
Joe 2:311b Day Joel 1:15; Mal. 4:5
See note 151 in ch. 1.
Joe 2:321a calls Rom. 10:13; Acts 2:39
This indicates that God’s elect people will be saved through their calling on the name of Jehovah, which in the New Testament is equivalent to calling on the name of the Lord Jesus (see note 211 in Matt. 1). The great outpouring of the Spirit as the consummated Triune God will be upon those Jews who call upon the name of Jehovah and who thus are regenerated to become part of the church for the manifestation of Christ. See notes on Acts 2:21.
Joe 2:32b Zion Isa. 46:13; 59:20; Obad. 17
Joe 2:32c remnant Isa. 10:22; 11:11, 16; Jer. 31:7; Micah 4:7; 5:3, 7, 8
Joe 3:1a turn Jer. 30:3; Ezek. 39:25
Joe 3:21a gather Zech. 14:2-4; Rev. 16:14
The gathering of the nations to the valley of Jehoshaphat (vv. 2, 11-12, 14) will be for the treading of the winepress of the fury of God in the war at Armageddon (v. 13; Rev. 14:19-20 and note 191).
Joe 3:2b valley Joel 3:12; 2 Chron. 20:26
Joe 3:22 Jehoshaphat
Meaning Jehovah judges.
Joe 3:23 judgment
This is the judgment of Christ on the nations—the judgment on the living (Acts 10:42; 17:31; 2 Tim. 4:1). The purpose of Christ’s judgment will be to recompense the nations’ mistreatment of Israel during the great tribulation (vv. 2b-8; Rev. 12:17; 13:7, 10; Matt. 25:41-46a). In His judgment on the nations, first Christ with His overcomers as the mighty ones (v. 11; Rev. 17:14; 19:11-14) will defeat Antichrist and his armies (the nations) at Armageddon (v. 16a; Rev. 14:19-20; 16:13-16; 17:14; 19:11-21). After Christ casts Antichrist and the false prophet into the lake of fire, He will set up His throne in Jerusalem, and all the living persons among the nations, as the goats and the sheep, will be gathered before Him to be judged by Him. The goats will be the evil ones, those who persecuted the Jews during the tribulation, and the sheep will be the good ones, those who helped the persecuted Jews (Matt. 25:31-46 and notes).
Joe 3:61 Javanim
I.e., Greeks.
Joe 3:9a nations Rev. 11:18
Joe 3:9b Rouse Rev. 16:14
Joe 3:10a plowshares cf. Isa. 2:4; Micah 4:3
Joe 3:111 mighty
These are Christ’s overcomers, who will return with Christ as His army to defeat Antichrist at the battle of Armageddon (Rev. 17:14; 19:11-21) and who will be His co-kings in the millennium (Matt. 19:28; Rev. 2:26-27; 20:4, 6).
Joe 3:11a descend Psa. 103:20; Isa. 13:3; 2 Thes. 1:7; Rev. 19:14
Joe 3:12b nations Matt. 25:32
Joe 3:13a sickle Matt. 13:39; Mark 4:29; Rev. 14:15, 18
Joe 3:13b winepress Isa. 63:3; Lam. 1:15; Mark 12:1; Rev. 14:19-20
Joe 3:16a And Jer. 25:30; Amos 1:2
Joe 3:161b shelter Psa. 27:5
After the defeat of Antichrist at Armageddon, Christ will reign among Israel on the holy mountain of Zion within Jerusalem (vv. 16a, 17, 21b) in the restoration (v. 18). As Christ reigns in Jerusalem, He will be a shelter and a stronghold to the children of Israel. Because of this, no one will be able to damage Israel anymore.
Joe 3:17a Dwelling Psa. 9:11; 76:2; Isa. 12:6; Joel 2:27
Joe 3:17b holy Dan. 11:45; Obad. 16; Zech. 8:3
Joe 3:181 The
This describes the rich situation in the Holy Land during the restoration, which will be brought in by the manifestation of Christ (see note 281, par. 2, in ch. 2). The restoration will include not only Israel but also the whole human race, the earth, and the entire universe. The purpose of the restoration is to restore the God-created and fallen universe, which was defiled and polluted by two rebellions: the rebellion of Satan and the angels who followed him (Isa. 14:12-15; Rev. 12:4a, 9) and the rebellion of man (Gen. 3:1-6). The consummation of the restoration will be the new heaven and the new earth with the New Jerusalem as the center (Rev. 21:1-2). See notes 261 in Isa. 30 and 111 in Hosea 6.
Joe 3:182c fountain Psa. 46:4; Ezek. 47:1; Rev. 22:1
This points to the situation in the New Jerusalem, where a river will flow out of the throne of God and of the Lamb to water the holy city (Rev. 22:1).
Joe 3:191a Egypt Isa. 19:1
All the enemies surrounding Israel will be punished (vv. 19-21a). Thus, the nations will be punished, Israel will be restored, and Christ will be manifested. This will be a prelude to the new heaven and new earth with the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:1-2).
Joe 3:19b Edom Jer. 49:17; Ezek. 25:12-13; Amos 1:11
Joe 3:21a dwells Joel 3:17; Rev. 21:3