Joel 2

Joel 2 builds on the warnings of the previous chapter, introducing a more intense vision of destruction and calling for national repentance. The chapter describes an invading army as a symbol of God’s judgment and warns of the approaching Day of the Lord. Yet, amidst these warnings, God offers hope, calling His people to return to Him with all their hearts. He promises restoration, blessings, and the outpouring of His Spirit, culminating in a powerful prophetic vision that points to both the Day of Pentecost and the final events of Earth's history.

Joel 2:1-2 (NKJV)
1 Blow the trumpet in Zion,
And sound an alarm in My holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble;
For the day of the Lord is coming,
For it is at hand:
2 A day of darkness and gloominess,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains.
A people come, great and strong,
The like of whom has never been;
Nor will there ever be any such after them,
Even for many successive generations.

Joel begins with an urgent call to alarm, using the trumpet to warn of the impending Day of the Lord. The imagery of darkness, clouds, and an approaching army conveys the overwhelming nature of God’s judgment. The invading army symbolizes a crisis so severe that it has no equal in history, emphasizing the seriousness of the people’s need for repentance.

Joel 2:3-5 (NKJV)
3 A fire devours before them,
And behind them a flame burns;
The land is like the Garden of Eden before them,
And behind them a desolate wilderness;
Surely nothing shall escape them.
4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses;
And like swift steeds, so they run.
5 With a noise like chariots
Over mountaintops they leap,
Like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble,
Like a strong people set in battle array.

Joel describes the army as relentless and destructive, consuming everything in its path. The contrast between the lush land before them and the barren wasteland left behind underscores the completeness of their destruction. Their swiftness and power are likened to horses and chariots, painting a vivid picture of their unstoppable advance.

Joel 2:6-10 (NKJV)
6 Before them the people writhe in pain;
All faces are drained of color.
7 They run like mighty men,
They climb the wall like men of war;
Every one marches in formation,
And they do not break ranks.
8 They do not push one another;
Every one marches in his own column.
Though they lunge between the weapons,
They are not cut down.
9 They run to and fro in the city,
They run on the wall;
They climb into the houses,
They enter at the windows like a thief.
10 The earth quakes before them,
The heavens tremble;
The sun and moon grow dark,
And the stars diminish their brightness.

The invading army is portrayed as disciplined and unstoppable, moving with precision and strength. Their advance causes widespread terror, and their power seems almost supernatural, disrupting even the natural order. The cosmic disturbances symbolize the gravity of the Day of the Lord, when all creation acknowledges God’s judgment.

Joel 2:11 (NKJV)
11 The Lord gives voice before His army,
For His camp is very great;
For strong is the One who executes His word.
For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible;
Who can endure it?

This verse identifies the army as God’s instrument of judgment. The Day of the Lord is described as both great and terrible, emphasizing that only those who seek refuge in God will endure His righteous judgment.

Joel 2:12-14 (NKJV)
12 “Now, therefore,” says the Lord,
“Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
13 So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm.
14 Who knows if He will turn and relent,
And leave a blessing behind Him—
A grain offering and a drink offering
For the Lord your God?

In the midst of warnings, God extends an invitation for repentance, calling for heartfelt, sincere turning to Him. He reminds the people of His character: gracious, merciful, and willing to forgive. This demonstrates that even in judgment, God’s ultimate goal is restoration and blessing.

Joel 2:15-17 (NKJV)
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion,
Consecrate a fast,
Call a sacred assembly;
16 Gather the people,
Sanctify the congregation,
Assemble the elders,
Gather the children and nursing babes;
Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber,
And the bride from her dressing room.
17 Let the priests, who minister to the Lord,
Weep between the porch and the altar;
Let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord,
And do not give Your heritage to reproach,
That the nations should rule over them.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’ ”

God calls for a collective act of repentance, involving every member of society, from elders to children, even interrupting life’s most joyous events. The priests are tasked with interceding for the people, pleading with God to spare them and restore His honor among the nations.

Joel 2:18-20 (NKJV)
18 Then the Lord will be zealous for His land,
And pity His people.
19 The Lord will answer and say to His people,
“Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil,
And you will be satisfied by them;
I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.
20 But I will remove far from you the northern army,
And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land,
With his face toward the eastern sea
And his back toward the western sea;
His stench will come up,
And his foul odor will rise,
Because he has done monstrous things.”

In response to genuine repentance, God promises to restore His blessings and remove the invading army. This reflects His faithfulness and His desire to bless His people, turning their sorrow into joy and their desolation into abundance.

Joel 2:21-27 (NKJV)
21 Fear not, O land;
Be glad and rejoice,
For the Lord has done marvelous things!
22 Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field;
For the open pastures are springing up,
And the tree bears its fruit;
The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.
23 Be glad then, you children of Zion,
And rejoice in the Lord your God;
For He has given you the former rain faithfully,
And He will cause the rain to come down for you—
The former rain,
And the latter rain in the first month.
24 The threshing floors shall be full of wheat,
And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.
25 “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
The crawling locust,
The consuming locust,
And the chewing locust,
My great army which I sent among you.
26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And praise the name of the Lord your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
And My people shall never be put to shame.
27 Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel:
I am the Lord your God
And there is no other.
My people shall never be put to shame.

God reassures His people of His faithfulness, promising to restore abundance and joy. The mention of the former and latter rain symbolizes the outpouring of His blessings, both physical and spiritual. The former rain was partially fulfilled at Pentecost, while the latter rain points to the final outpouring of the Holy Spirit before the second coming. These verses highlight God's power to fully restore His people and His desire to dwell among them.

Joel 2:28-32 (NKJV)
28 “And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
32 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

Joel concludes with a powerful prophecy of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which began at Pentecost and will culminate in the latter rain. The cosmic signs indicate the approach of the great and awesome Day of the Lord. Despite the judgment, God promises salvation to all who call on His name, assuring deliverance for His faithful remnant in Zion. This prophecy connects the spiritual revival of the past with the ultimate restoration in the end times.