Locusts in the book of joel

Joel 2 niv an army of locusts blow the trumpet bible. Carlyle marney, beggars in velvet, 11920 the work of the prophet joel, recorded in the book of joel in the old testament, is a response to one of these devastating invasions of locusts, who swarmed the crops in the field and even the people in their houses. Four names arbeh 1, gazam 5, yeleq 6 and chacil 7, are found in joel 1. The locust horde and the day of the lord desiring god. Chapterbychapter bible studies joel when disaster strikes. Though god will judge israel for her apostasy with locust invasionlike. God compares the past to the future in the book of joel. The book of joel tells us more about satans children these men are likeness to locusts. Therefore, the prophet joel called all the people to fast and pray joel 1. In ancient times, however, the land of israel was frequently subject to invasions by the desert locust, schistocerca gregaria.

A locust invasion precipitated the vision of the next book in our yearlong study of the old testament writing prophets. From joel i 4 until the end of the book, the interpretation of joel depends upon a decision about the identity of the locusts. Joel uses this verb 3 times in this book, all in joel 1 commanding wailing from the drunkards, the vine dressers and the priests. For more detailed discussions of locusts and locust plagues, see stanley baron. Apr 10, 2021 these are, as joel says, the years that the locust has eaten. Joel goes on to say that the locusts are in fact gods army.

Joel also predicts the good news, the coming of the holy spirit to empower us and the second coming of jesus to save us. The plague of locusts and the day of the lord rapture and. The above chapter notes have been taken from the following books. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet joel from the seventh century bce, and is a part of the book of the twelve minor prophets. Basically, it is that, the day of the lord is coming to bring judgment for gods enemies and restoration for gods people. They are a metaphor which clarifies and enforces the characteristics of a human army in its action against the people and the land. King of the north in the book of joel by gene brown. First, i need to clarify the structure of joel so that we can focus on the part of the book where locust terminology plays a role. In general, two interpretation have been held regarding the plague of locusts in joel 1.

What joel saw happening and what he saw in the future are clear, even if we cant date the book. Dec 12, 2018 today, few readers of the book of joel are likely to experience a locust plague, because with current eradication methods, a locust swarm in modem israel is indeed a rare phenomenon. Mar 25, 2020 a versebyverse commentary on the book of joel, concerning the judgment of god, and the applications past, present, and future. Judah, the setting for the book, is devastated by a vast horde of locusts. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the lord is coming. Two major takeaways from joel 1 are the invasion of locusts and the call for repentance. While tragedies such as a locust swarm are not always a sign of gods judgment on a community, joel said that, in israels case, the invasion of locusts was a call for gods people to repent in fasting and sackcloth. The prophet joel scolds the israelites after a devastating locust swarm destroys their crops and vegetation. Swarms of locusts and the book of joel lagrange daily.

Summary of the book of joel the story of the bible. General history took no notice of plagues of locusts which were of frequent occurrence, and it is an arbitrary. Joel also has a lot to say about the gentile nations and their collision course to armageddon. The book of joe is largely occupied with the description of a plague of locusts. We refer to the book of joel, which describes a plague of locusts under the old covenant as a type of the day of the lord joel 1. The primary theme in the book of joel is the day of the lord. Joel 2 niv an army of locusts blow the trumpet bible gateway. This is the only thing we know about joel that he was the son of an unknown man, and was an instrument of god. Commentators differ as to whether it should be interpreted literally or allegorically see joel. Translating the locust invasion in the book of joel. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. The prophet exhorts the people, the elders, and the priests to don sackcloth and beseech gods mercy through repentance, fasting, and prayer. I can understand why the commentaries should discuss elaborately the different hebrew words for locust, for they can thereby avoid the question of what it all might be intended to mean.

The book of joel was likely written between 835 and 800 b. Whiting, jerusalems locust plague, national geographic, december1915, pp51150. The plague of locusts and the day of the lord rapture. Swarms of locusts and the book of joel lagrange daily news. Lament over a great locust plague and a severe drought 1. A devastating locust plague had attacked israel and left virtually no vines or grain. Symbolically, locusts are the ways of the world that we allow to chew and destroy spiritual teachings, leaving us spiritually barren. And finally, one may observe that the central horror of the book of joel is a plague of locusts, one type of which is called the gazam cutter joel 1. Joel s concern, however, is not limited to these disasters. In the renewal of judahs hillsides by the winter rains, the prophet sees the revitalization of the. In the ancient liturgies of the babylonian god tammuz, the locust plague is one of the calamities that occur during his absence. What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. The crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which i sent among you. The invaders are referred to as a people numerous and mighty and as powerful men.

Contentedit lament over a great locust plague and a severe drought 1. The book of joel states that its author was the prophet joel joel 1. The contents of the book may be analyzed further as follows. Moses had warned israel of the consequences of disobedience saying. The book of joel can be seen as a shortstory with a powerful plotline. Joel vividly portrays the dependence of human life upon gods favor. Locust swarms are not uncommon in the middle east, but this one will be. Perhaps a similar thing happened to the horde of locusts. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten esv.

Joel 3 background information with maps and images. This is parallel to the four different types of locust that joel enumerates twice in the book 1. The land is like the garden of eden before them, but after them, a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them. This chapter contains the allusions to the day of the l ord as an awesome and terrifying manifestation of god and his army. Cut off in the more literal usage means cutting something off or down and in a sense the grapes are cut off by the devouring locusts which cuts off the supply of wine. Joel sets his message up by pointing to a literal locust plague which he poetically morphs into a eschatological day of the lord. First, i need to clarify the structure of joel so that we can focus on the part of the book where. As long as they are in their solitary phase, they are grasshoppers, but for some reason and under certain circumstances they can transform into. Joel is referred to only once in the new testament acts 2. Jan 02, 2020 while tragedies such as a locust swarm are not always a sign of gods judgment on a community, joel said that, in israels case, the invasion of locusts was a call for gods people to repent in fasting and sackcloth. From this book, we can see that he was acquainted with the land, the farming and the geography. Evidently joel is a prophet to judah, as he makes several references to the house of the lord see also vv. Still today, when tragedy strikes, it can be a reminder to turn to god.

He sees them as symbols of deeper significance the day of the lord. The last picture is of jerusalem in the end of days experiencing a time of complete peace, a peace that will spread out to everyone as it becomes a house of prayer for all nations. Bible passages with detailed images of locusts and historical accounts of locusts devastation to crops are found in exodus, psalms, jeremiah, joel, and revelation. Judgment prophesied in the book of joel part 1 the. It may be that the hordes of locusts that covered the sky and blotted out the sun and the moon and the stars 2. The author281 the name joel means, the lord is god. Why did god use a locust swarm to punish israel joel 1. Now joel, pointing to the plague of locust, informs the children of judah that this plague was just a signal of the future day of judgment, the invasion by chaldeans which god will bring on them if they. There are only two explicit references to the locusts in. The book of joel in the two speeches that make up this book, joel uses an agricultural crisis to measure his audiences knowledge of its god, warn them of a worse disaster if they ignore his preaching, and express his conviction that all faithful judahites would someday enjoy a secure future.

A locust swarm can be a plague that cause economic catastrophe to an agricultural province. Sep 04, 2018 its a vivid picture of divine warning and judgment from above and joel predicts, unless gods people repent, a time of judgment advancing like a dark cloud of locusts. What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten. Locusts in the bible symbolism and meaning for the end times. Joel was a prophet in the southern kingdom of judah during the period of the divided kingdom 930722 bc. His father, pethuel, is mentioned nowhere else in the bible. The book of joel describes the day of the lord through locust swarms, war scenes, and powerful imagery in order for readers to comprehend its magnitude. The greek septuagint lxx, and latin vulgate versions follow the hebrew masoretic text, titling this book after joel the prophet, the recipient of the message from god 1. At stake is what the two descriptions describe and whether they are about two different things or. The book of joel is apocalyptic in nature, referring to the day of the lord.

Chapters 12 refer to a plague of locusts which ravaged judah at the time. The locust plagues ravaging of the land and the repentance of the people. An army of locusts joel chapter 1 discussion notes 1. Misplaced prophet of the locust plague my jewish learning. Judgment prophesied in the book of joel part 1 the coming. The book of joel mentions four types of locusts that would destroy the agriculture of israel. Joel 2 is the second chapter of the book of joel in the hebrew bible or the old testament of the christian bible. I am going to include the entire book of joel as it is important for us to actually see the words and read the story as it is a relatively short book and quick read. The book of joel prophecies of disaster for jerusalem similar to the plague on egypt. Most of the time, locusts are at best a curiosity and at worst, a nuisance. For eyewitness accounts of devastating locust plagues, see s. Following the invasion of locusts at one point in the history of gods people, the lord sent joel to warn them that a worse day of judgment was yet ahead for the impenitent. The book of joel is the second work in the collection of the minor prophets known as.

Certain prophecies from joel have an association with descriptions in the last book of the bible, revelation, as the following verses show. What joel describes is an attack by invading swarms of locusts. This is what was spoken by the prophet joel desiring god. Joel often drew upon natural imagerythe sun and the moon, the grass and the locustsand in general seemed to understand the reality that truth must have. The first verse of the book does not convey, as other prophetic books do, a definite date, nor do the discourses contain any references to the events of the period, which might form a basis for the chronology of the prophet. Joel prophet whose preaching ministry produced the book of joel. Apr 09, 2021 the value of the book remains, even so. When god was delivering israel from slavery in egypt, he sent a plague of locusts on the egyptians crops. Highlights from the books of joel and amos watchtower. Its an important book because it records israels place in gods program. Mar 07, 2020 the book of joel gives us an overview of the entire tribulation from the plague of locusts to armageddon. Joel takes this as a sign that people should lament and repent. Twelve other men in the old testament have this name, none of whom can be identified with the author of this book.

A decision about this issue enables the possibility for discerning a political dimension throughout the book. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle. After a superscription ascribing the prophecy to joel son of pethuel, the book may be broken down into the following sections. God used locusts in the time of joel the prophet as a punishment to call ancient israel to repent of its wickedness. As he goes on to relate, the devastation has been so complete that nothing is forthcoming. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. Joel and the locust invasion reformed bible studies. Then in verses 311 joel describes the locust horde again as a raging army with horses and chariots and warriors. Martin collins, reiterating that the devastating locust plague in joel prefigures the devastating day of the lord, following a great tribulation and frightful heavenly cataclysms engineered by the prince and power of the air, asserts that god will judge with fury the heathen nations who have aligned themselves against his. The prophet joel showed up in israel during a time of the most terrible plague of locusts in the nations history. Joel came and prophesied to the land of judah before the plague came. Book of joel overview insight for living ministries.

Joel showed up when the plague of locust struck the land of judah. The author of the prophecy is identified only as joel the son of pethuel. Much of the book of joel concerns a terrible locust plague that causes starvation for animals and humans. The locusts are almost the only vivid thing about the book of joel.