Welcome To The Study Of The Book Of Joel

The Prophet

The Book of Joel was written by the prophet Joel, Acts 1:16-17 / Acts 2:39, whose father’s name was Pethuel, Joel 1:1. Although there are twelve other men with the same name mentioned in the Bible, we can’t identify them with the author of this book.

In fact, all we know about Joel is what’s found within the book itself. We do know that His name means, ‘The Lord is God’, and he was a very powerful prophet who boldly spoke the word of God. He was from Judah and was addressing the nation of Judah, especially southern Judah.

Date

The date of the book is pretty much uncertain, some place it as written around 900 B.C., some place it around 400 B.C. which means they believe it was written after the exile, and still others date it around 830 B.C. It was probably written around the same time as Obadiah, Elijah and Elisha and around the time of King Joash.

Summary of the Book

Basically, God through His prophet Joel, warns the people of Judah, that they need to repent but if they don’t repent of their sins, then judgment would come, and they would be punished severely.

The book was written in response to a devastating event which totally destroyed the land, a plague of locusts had devoured everything in the land, of which we have no record and then a drought followed, it’s during this drought which Joel writes his prophecy because at this time the whole land, all the animals and everyone living in it were suffering greatly, Joel 1:9.

Joel really wanted the people to understand that the locust plague and drought were God’s doing in order to bring about their repentance.

If they didn’t repent, then even more destruction would come upon them. The good news is that within all the doom and gloom there was hope for the future, Joel 2:28-32.

Outline

1. Introduction. Joel 1:1

2. The Locust Plague and Deliverance. Joel 1:2-2:27

3. God Will Act on the Day of the Lord. Joel 2:28-3:21

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