Introduction: The book of Joel is a prophetic book in the Old Testament that speaks of a time of judgment and restoration for the people of Israel. Joel 2 calls the people to repentance and promises the outpouring of God’s Spirit. In this outline of Joel 2, we dive deeper into the meaning of the chapter, and explore the significance of the the message. We will look at all the themes of judgment, repentance, and restoration are woven throughout the chapter and how they could be relevant to our lives today.
I. The Trumpet is Sounded (Joel 2:1-2)
These verses describes a coming day of judgment, with the visions of a locust plague and darkness. The trumpet is sounded as a warning to the people to prepare for the Lord’s coming. The description of the day of the Lord as “great and terrible” is like the speaking used in Zephaniah 1:14-15 and Malachi 4:5. The “day of the Lord” described as great and terrible, and the judgment of locusts also puts us in mind of what Jesus said about the last days in Matthew 24:21, For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
II. The Locust Army (Joel 2:3-11)
The prophet continues to describe the locust army, which is the analogy used here for the judgment of God. The imagery of fire and destruction is similar to what is seen in Revelation 9:1-11, where the locusts are also used as symbols of judgment. The locusts in Revelation 9:7-10 seem to be of a supernatural type of locust, designed for one purpose; to torture those who take the mark of the beast mentioned in Revelation 13:18. The call for the people to tremble before the Lord brings to mind Philippians 2:12, where believers are called to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. The relationship we have with Jesus Christ is a personal relationship that each individual has to work out in their own heart, it’s not between us and a spiritual leader, it is a personal relationship of the heart toward God.
III. The Lord Urges the People to Return to Him (Joel 2:12-17)
These verses is a call to repentance, with the Lord urging the people to return to Him with all their hearts. The call to fasting, weeping, and mourning is similar to the call to repentance in Isaiah 58:6-9. The promise that the Lord is gracious and compassionate is echoed in Psalm 103:8, which speaks of the Lord’s character as slow to anger and abounding in love.
IV. Promise of Restoration after Repentance (Joel 2:18-27)
The Lord promises to restore the land and bless the people if they repent. The promise of abundant rain and restored crops is similar to the blessings promised in Leviticus 26:3-5 for obedience to the Lord. The promise that the people will never again be put to shame can be read in Isaiah 54:4, where the Lord promises to remove the shame of His people.
V. Outpouring of God’s Spirit (Joel 2:28-32)
The final verses of Joel 2 ends with the promise of the outpouring of God’s Spirit on all people. This is fulfilled in Acts 2:17-21, where Peter quotes this passage on the day of Pentecost. The promise of salvation for all who call on the name of the Lord is also seen in Romans 10:13 and John 3:16. We live in the day of God’s grace when whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord can be saved, and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion: Joel 2 is a chapter that speaks to the faithful believer of God’s judgment, God’s desire for people to repent, and God’s promise of restoration. It calls the people to turn back to the Lord with all their hearts and promises the outpouring of God’s Spirit. The themes of this chapter are just as relevant for us today as they were for the people of Israel. As we read and thing on this chapter, let us all be reminded of the Lord’s call to repentance and His promise of restoration for those who turn to Him.
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