Lesson #01

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Joel

September 21, 2015

Lesson #02

January 7, 2010

Lesson #03

January 7, 2010

RETURN TO THE LIST OF LESSONS

JOEL
|Lesson #01
INTRODUCTION

• Introduction:
  • An important note about Bible prophecy:
    • We will discover in this prophetic book as well as in all the prophetic books of the Bible, a very important principle to understanding Bible prophecy.
      • The Principle:

      Bible prophecy has the concept of double fulfillment.

      • In other words, when the prophet gave a Word from the Lord, the people could expect two fulfillments of that specific prophecy.
      • Of what value are the two fulfillments of a Biblical prophecy?
        • The first fulfillment often occurred shortly after the time the prophecy was spoken.
        • The first fulfillment accomplished two things:
          • =1= The first fulfillment validated the prophet as a true prophet of God.
            • Read Deu 18:19-22
              • True prophets of God are 100 % accurate in their prophetic details.
          • =2= The first fulfillment gave people the signs of what to expect in a second fulfillment. In other words, the first fulfillment becomes a written history that is repeated in the distant future.
        • The second fulfillment usually occurs some time near the second coming of Christ, or as the Bible puts it, “in the latter days”.
          • The second fulfillment is frequently more profound and on a grander scale than the first fulfillment, and sometimes more specifically completes every detail.
            • This aspect makes the first fulfillment a shadow of the second fulfillment.
  • The book of Joel is a small book that is included in the section of scripture that is called the Minor Prophets.
    • There is nothing minor about his message. On the contrary, this book is very important to the body of prophetic knowledge.
      • This book is timeless in its message.
      • This book is powerful in its imagery.
    • The apostle Peter quotes from this book at the birth of the New Testament church in Act 2:16.
  • The Author
    • The prophet, Joel, is the author of the book.
    • However, we know nothing about him other than the name of his father and the meaning of his name.
      • Joe 1:1 tells us is father’s name was Pethuel.
        • The name, Pethuel, means = God’s opening.
      • The name, Joel, means = Jehovah is God.
        • As is often the case, the meaning of the name of the prophet gives us some indication of the message of that prophet.
          • The name, Jehovah, is the covenant making name for God, who faithfully fulfills His promises to man.

• The Historical Period
  • We do not know exactly when Joel wrote this book because he does not mention the names of any kings.
    • Because of this there is a great deal of discussion and difference of opinion as to the exact date of this book.
  • However, we can place the historical period.
    • The historical period that gives context to this book is the Divided Kingdom when Israel existed as two separate nations.
      • The Northern Kingdom of Israel that sometimes was called Ephraim after the tribe that caused the division of the nation after the death of King Solomon. The Northern Kingdom consisted of 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel.
        • Assyria finally defeated the Northern Kingdom in 722-721 BC. They took the people captive and transported them to captivity in Babylon.
      • The Southern Kingdom of Judah consisted of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
        • The Babylonians finally defeated the Southern Kingdom in 586 BC. They took the entire population captive and transported them to captivity in Babylon where the people of the Northern Kingdom were already held captive.
  • There are some theologians that think Joel wrote the book after the Babylonian Captivity and some that feel he wrote it before the captivity.
    • I am of the opinion that Joel wrote this book in Jerusalem before the Babylonian Captivity and directed his message to the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
      • His messages therefore, predict the fall of the city of Jerusalem and the destruction of the beautiful temple built by King Solomon.
• The possible historical background:
  • It is possible that Joel was one of the early prophets of the divided kingdom around the time of the prophets Elijah and Elisha in the Northern Kingdom.
  • The king of the Southern Kingdom at that time was possibly King Joash (Jehoash) (879-839 BC).
    • What do we know about King Joash?
      • This king had two names, Joash is the short form for the name Jehoash. Both names have the same meaning = Jehovah has given.
      • Joash (Jehoash) was the son of King Ahaziah and the ninth king of Judah and reigned 40 years. His story would make an interesting movie.
      • Read 2Kin 11:1-21
        • Athaliah was the daughter of evil King Ahab. When her son died, she took the throne for herself by killing all the people with royal blood. However, Jehoiada, the high priest protected his nephew, Joash, by hiding him in the temple for 6 years. Then at the proper time, Joash was established as the rightful king.
      • During the reign of King Joash, idols were removed from the temple. The temple was repaired and the true religion of Jehovah was restored for a period of time.
        • Jehoiada, the high priest that protected Joash, as a child, encouraged the RETURN to the worship of Jehovah. When he died, King Joash gradually permitted idolatry to RETURN to the Southern Kingdom.
      • Finally, threats from Syria caused Joash to take the golden objects from the temple and send them to Syria as a peace offering.
        • Shortly after this, Joash was killed by his own soldiers.

• The major themes:
  • The book graphically gives us the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem and a promised restoration under the prophetic phrase, the day of the Lord or the day of Jehovah.
    • Joel mentions the day of the Lord 5 times in this short book (1:15, 2:1-2, 2:10-11, 2:30-31, 3:14-16). Therefore, this phrase has a specific prophetic significance.
      • The prophet, Obadiah, was the first prophet to introduce this phrase, the day of the Lord, to prophetic literature, but the prophet, Joel, expanded and explained it.
      • The major prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel all refer to the day of the Lord.
      • The prophecies of Zechariah refer to the day of the Lord as “that day”.
    • What is the day of the Lord or the day of Jehovah?
      • In the same way that a day is a specific period of time that is marked by specific increments of time, the day of the Lord is also a specific period of time marked by specific increments of events in that time period.
      • In the Jewish mind, a day begins at sunset progressing first into darkness and then comes the light with the rising of the sun.
        • God’s account of creation states this sequence in Gen 1:5.
        • The prophetic day of the Lord is a period of time that begins with increasing spiritual darkness. Then is sudden spiritual light for a long period of time.
          • The day of the Lord prophetically refers to the increasing spiritual darkness of the tribulation period that continues for 7 years. At the end of the seven years, there is sudden spiritual light that occurs at the appearing of Jesus Christ in the clouds. The spiritual brightness of day increases as Jesus Christ will establish his kingdom on earth for 1000 years.
          • Therefore, the prophetic day of the Lord will last for 1007 years and will include:
            • The seven year tribulation period.
            • The battle of Armageddon.
            • The second coming of Jesus Christ.
            • The judgment of nations.
            • The millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ on earth for 1000 years.
  • Another major theme is repentance and the reaping of the consequences of sin.
    • Unlike the book of Hosea that mentioned frequently the sin of idolatry, Joel does not mention the sin of idolatry. Instead he mentions only one sin, the sin of drunkenness.
  • There is the promise of a sovereign move of restoration by the Holy Spirit
    • While there is the promised physical restoration of the nation of Israel, the restoration goes beyond the physical to the spiritual restoration.
  • Christ in the book of Joel:
    • Jesus Christ is the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit. (Mat 3:11)
  • The significance of Joel’s message to the Christian life:
    • The nation of Israel suffered much desolation and destruction through the centuries to become a defeated people instead of a victorious people that God had planned.
    • Many times in our lives we have come to Christ out of a past of moral desolation and destruction. As a result, we often still bear the consequences of past sin. Even so, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to bear the consequences and to learn from them as the Spirit gives us the encouragement of future victory and restoration.
• The theme for our study:
  • Dealing with the consequences of sin.
    • We are going to consider the aspects of living with the consequences of past sin by the power of the Holy Spirit so as to gain victory in life.
      • Because Peter quotes Joel’s prophecy in Act 2:16 at the birth of the New Testament church, Joel’s message is especially important to New Testament Christians.
      • Because the birth of the New Testament church coincides with the coming of the Holy Spirit, Joel’s message is especially important in light of the fact that the New Testament believer lives by the power of the Spirit.
• Outline of the book of Joel:
  • I. The plague (1)
    • A. The introduction (1:1)
    • B. The prophet’s appeal (1:2-4)
    • C. A call to mourn (1:5-13)
    • D. A call to repentance (1:14)
    • E. The significance of the plague (1:15-20)
  • II. The Day of the Lord Will Come (2:1-11)
    • A. The Lord’s army is near (2:1-2)
    • B. The power of the Lord’s army (2:3-5)
    • C. The Lord’s army on the move (2:6-9)
    • D. The Lord’s army is invincible (2:10-11)
  • III. A new call to repentance (2:12-17)
    • A. An appeal for a changed heart (2:12-14)
    • B. An appeal for a national repentance (2:15-17)
  • IV. God’s forgiveness and restoration (2:18-27)
    • A. God’s grace (2:18)
    • B. God’s promise (2:19-27)
  • V. The glorious future (2:28-3:21)
    • A. Spiritual restoration and deliverance (2:28-32)
    • B. The judgment of the nations (3:1-16)
    • C. The ultimate restoration of Israel (3:17-21)
• The resources for our study:
  • Thru the Bible Commentary: Hosea and Joel

  by J. Vernon McGee

  • The Bible Knowledge Commentary: the Old Testament

  ; editors: John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck

  • Chronology of the Old Testament

  by Floyd Nolen Jones

  • Matthew Henry’s Commentary

  by Matthew Henry

HOMEWORK
JOEL 1
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Preparation for Joe 1
  • Read Joe 1:1-20
    • If you were to think of the worst thing that has happened on earth in your lifetime, what event would you name?

• Why did you choose that event?

• Symbolically speaking, to what does the “new wine” refer in verses 5 and 10? (Mar 2:22 Act 2:12-13)

• Memory Verse: Joe 1:15