Bible

Here in the Bible room today, we are reading the summary of the three chapters of the of book of Joel.

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Joel

Introduction to Joel:

Writer: Unknown.

Scope: It is not known when the prophecies of Joel were written or spoken.    

Chapter 1. Wasted

The day is coming when the grain will be ruined, the fields wasted:

• The father of the prophet Joel is named Pethuel;
• The Lord has spoken to the prophet Joel;
• A vast swarm of locusts is coming to the land;
• It will be like nothing anyone has ever seen before;
• Chewing, crawling, consuming insects will eat everything;
• There will be no grapes for wine, no grain in wasted fields;
• He says the drinkers, the drunks, will be very sorrowful;
• The priests will mourn for there is no grain for offerings;
• No bread and wine for the sacraments, no oil for lamps;
• The grain will be ruined, the fields will be wasted;
• The wine will all dry up, and there will be no oil;
• Farmers and vinedressers will be devastated;
• There will be no fruit as every fruit tree will be destroyed;
• The animals will suffer from lack of feed and water;
• The prophet says there should be a nationwide prayer meeting;
• Everyone should gather to pray to God, asking for His help;
• Finally, fire will destroy everything: fields, barns, even water.

Chapter 2. Rejoice

The Lord tells His people to be glad and rejoice, His blessings are coming:

• But first, there is coming a very dark, cloudy day;
• They are going to be invaded by a great and powerful enemy;
• This will be unlike anything before them or after them;
• Before this invasion the land will be like the Garden of Eden;
• But afterwards it will be a desolate wilderness;
• When they come the earth will shake, the stars will turn dim;
• This will be the day of the Lord;
• The Lord says “Turn to Me with fasting and weeping”;
• The Lord is gracious and slow to anger;
• The people should blow the trumpet, call everyone to assemble;
• The priests should pray to the Lord for mercy;
• The Lord will answer their prayers and send blessings;
• He will drive out the invading army;
• He will restore the land, make it fruitful again;
• The people should be glad and rejoice for the Lord’s blessings;
• He has provided the former rain and will give the latter rain;
• The Lord will restore the damage done by the locusts;
• In the future the Lord will pour out His Spirit on all flesh;
• Sons and daughters will prophesy, old men shall dream;
• And young men will see visions;
• There will be wonders in the heavens and on earth;
• The sun will grow dark, the moon will turn to blood;
• This will mark the coming of the great day of the Lord;
• Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Chapter 3. Decision

On the day of the Lord multitudes will be gathered in the valley of decision:

• The time will come when the captives of Judah will return;
• The Lord will gather them in the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
• Along with all the nations they will face His judgement;
• The Lord says the nations have abused His people, Israel;
• These nations have stolen sacred objects of gold and silver;
• They have sold the people of Israel into slavery;
• The Lord says He will turn everything around;
• He will make the nations become slaves to His people;
• And they will be likewise sold to other foreigners;
• The Lord says His people should get ready;
• Prepare the fighting men for war;
• Plows are to be made into swords, pruning tools into spears;
• Those who were weak must declare themselves strong;
• Everyone is called to gather at the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
• There will be a great multitude of people;
• The Lord calls this the valley of decision;
• The sun and the moon will become dark, the stars will dim;
• The Lord’s voice will sound from Jerusalem;
• It will be loud, cause the earth to shake;
• But the Lord’s people, Israel, will be protected;
• He will never again allow a foreign enemy into Jerusalem;
• From that day the Lord will cause His people to prosper;
• Israel’s enemies will become desolate;
• The Lord will forgive the sins of Judah and Jerusalem.

End of the summary of the book of Joel.