Joel 1: A Land Devastated, A People Called to Lament
The word of the Lord that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?
Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.
Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.
Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the Lord; the priests, the Lord’s ministers, mourn.
The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord,
Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.
How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
O Lord, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.
The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.
Joel 1 serves as a stark and vivid introduction to the book of Joel, immediately plunging the reader into a scene of devastation and calling for profound repentance. It establishes the authority of Joel's prophetic voice and sets the stage for the urgent message that follows.
The Authority of the Messenger (Joel 1:1)
Joel begins his prophecy with a declaration of divine origin: "The word of the LORD that came to Joel." (Joel 1:1). This simple statement is paramount. It emphasizes that the message is not Joel's own invention or opinion, but a direct revelation from God. Joel did not seek out this message; rather, he was chosen and commissioned by God to deliver it. This divine mandate underscores the weight and importance of the prophecy that unfolds. It's a king speaking to his servant, commanding obedience and attention.
An Unprecedented Calamity (Joel 1:2-3)
To capture the attention of his audience, Joel poses a compelling question: "Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your ancestors?" (Joel 1:2). This question immediately draws the elders and all inhabitants of the land into the narrative. It suggests that the events about to be described are not merely common occurrences but a catastrophe of unparalleled magnitude. By urging them to "Tell your children about it, and let your children tell their children, and their children the next generation" (Joel 1:3), Joel amplifies the sense of urgency and historical significance. He compels the listener to ask, "What is this unprecedented event that demands such remembrance?"
The Plague of Locusts (Joel 1:4-7)
The answer to Joel's question arrives in the form of a devastating locust plague. Joel describes successive waves of locusts, each with a different name suggesting a different stage of development or a different manner of destruction: "What the devouring locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust has left, the young locust has eaten; and what the young locust has left, the destroying locust has eaten" (Joel 1:4). This relentless onslaught of locusts has stripped the land bare, leaving utter desolation in its wake. The destruction of crops reaches unprecedented levels, making this pestilence a historic event. Joel even likens the locusts to a foreign invading army (Joel 1:6), emphasizing the totality of the devastation. The grapevine and fig tree, two essential sources of sustenance, are left barren (Joel 1:7), symbolizing the complete collapse of the agricultural foundation of the society.
Mourning and Lamentation (Joel 1:8-12)
In response to this catastrophic loss, Joel calls for a profound expression of grief. He instructs the people to "Mourn like a virgin in sackcloth grieving for the husband of her youth!" (Joel 1:8). The wearing of sackcloth, a rough and uncomfortable fabric, symbolized deep internal sorrow and repentance. The destruction of the crops brings grief to all segments of society, including priests and farmers (Joel 1:9-12). The priests are deprived of grain and drink offerings, leaving them without their portion of food (Joel 1:9). The farmers, whose livelihoods depend on the harvest, face economic ruin (Joel 1:11). In this agrarian society, the loss of the harvest leads to the drying up of human joy (Joel 1:12), highlighting the intimate connection between the land's prosperity and the people's well-being.
A Call to Sacred Assembly (Joel 1:13-14)
The magnitude of the disaster demands a collective response. Joel calls for a "sacred fast, a solemn assembly" (Joel 1:14). He urges everyone to lament, gather at the house of the LORD, and cry out to Him. This is more than just a natural disaster; it is a sign, a prelude to something even more significant. The locust plague, as terrible as it is, foreshadows a greater judgment to come.
The Day of the LORD (Joel 1:15)
Joel introduces a crucial theme that resonates throughout the book: "Woe because of the day! For the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty" (Joel 1:15). The "day of the LORD" is a recurring motif in the Old Testament prophetic books (see Isaiah 13:6, 9; Ezekiel 13:5; Amos 5:18, 20; Obadiah 15; Zephaniah 1:7, 14). It often signifies a time of God's judgment in history upon the sins of Israel or other nations. However, it can also refer to the ultimate day of judgment at the end of time (see 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5). In Joel's context, the locust plague serves as a microcosm of the devastation that will accompany the day of the LORD.
Impending Judgment (Joel 1:16-20)
Joel emphasizes that the judgment is already unfolding upon Israel. The locust plague has cut off their food supply, leading to the loss of joy and gladness (Joel 1:16). Storehouses and granaries are ruined, and animals groan for lack of pasture (Joel 1:17-18). Joel cries out to the LORD, acknowledging the severity of the situation and pleading for mercy (Joel 1:19-20). This present suffering foreshadows the greater judgment that awaits, urging the people to recognize their need for repentance and reconciliation with God.
The word of the Lord that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?
Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.
Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.
Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the Lord; the priests, the Lord’s ministers, mourn.
The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord,
Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.
How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
O Lord, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.
The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.
Joel 1 serves as a stark and vivid introduction to the book of Joel, immediately plunging the reader into a scene of devastation and calling for profound repentance. It establishes the authority of Joel's prophetic voice and sets the stage for the urgent message that follows.
The Authority of the Messenger (Joel 1:1)
Joel begins his prophecy with a declaration of divine origin: "The word of the LORD that came to Joel." (Joel 1:1). This simple statement is paramount. It emphasizes that the message is not Joel's own invention or opinion, but a direct revelation from God. Joel did not seek out this message; rather, he was chosen and commissioned by God to deliver it. This divine mandate underscores the weight and importance of the prophecy that unfolds. It's a king speaking to his servant, commanding obedience and attention.
An Unprecedented Calamity (Joel 1:2-3)
To capture the attention of his audience, Joel poses a compelling question: "Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your ancestors?" (Joel 1:2). This question immediately draws the elders and all inhabitants of the land into the narrative. It suggests that the events about to be described are not merely common occurrences but a catastrophe of unparalleled magnitude. By urging them to "Tell your children about it, and let your children tell their children, and their children the next generation" (Joel 1:3), Joel amplifies the sense of urgency and historical significance. He compels the listener to ask, "What is this unprecedented event that demands such remembrance?"
The Plague of Locusts (Joel 1:4-7)
The answer to Joel's question arrives in the form of a devastating locust plague. Joel describes successive waves of locusts, each with a different name suggesting a different stage of development or a different manner of destruction: "What the devouring locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust has left, the young locust has eaten; and what the young locust has left, the destroying locust has eaten" (Joel 1:4). This relentless onslaught of locusts has stripped the land bare, leaving utter desolation in its wake. The destruction of crops reaches unprecedented levels, making this pestilence a historic event. Joel even likens the locusts to a foreign invading army (Joel 1:6), emphasizing the totality of the devastation. The grapevine and fig tree, two essential sources of sustenance, are left barren (Joel 1:7), symbolizing the complete collapse of the agricultural foundation of the society.
Mourning and Lamentation (Joel 1:8-12)
In response to this catastrophic loss, Joel calls for a profound expression of grief. He instructs the people to "Mourn like a virgin in sackcloth grieving for the husband of her youth!" (Joel 1:8). The wearing of sackcloth, a rough and uncomfortable fabric, symbolized deep internal sorrow and repentance. The destruction of the crops brings grief to all segments of society, including priests and farmers (Joel 1:9-12). The priests are deprived of grain and drink offerings, leaving them without their portion of food (Joel 1:9). The farmers, whose livelihoods depend on the harvest, face economic ruin (Joel 1:11). In this agrarian society, the loss of the harvest leads to the drying up of human joy (Joel 1:12), highlighting the intimate connection between the land's prosperity and the people's well-being.
A Call to Sacred Assembly (Joel 1:13-14)
The magnitude of the disaster demands a collective response. Joel calls for a "sacred fast, a solemn assembly" (Joel 1:14). He urges everyone to lament, gather at the house of the LORD, and cry out to Him. This is more than just a natural disaster; it is a sign, a prelude to something even more significant. The locust plague, as terrible as it is, foreshadows a greater judgment to come.
The Day of the LORD (Joel 1:15)
Joel introduces a crucial theme that resonates throughout the book: "Woe because of the day! For the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty" (Joel 1:15). The "day of the LORD" is a recurring motif in the Old Testament prophetic books (see Isaiah 13:6, 9; Ezekiel 13:5; Amos 5:18, 20; Obadiah 15; Zephaniah 1:7, 14). It often signifies a time of God's judgment in history upon the sins of Israel or other nations. However, it can also refer to the ultimate day of judgment at the end of time (see 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5). In Joel's context, the locust plague serves as a microcosm of the devastation that will accompany the day of the LORD.
Impending Judgment (Joel 1:16-20)
Joel emphasizes that the judgment is already unfolding upon Israel. The locust plague has cut off their food supply, leading to the loss of joy and gladness (Joel 1:16). Storehouses and granaries are ruined, and animals groan for lack of pasture (Joel 1:17-18). Joel cries out to the LORD, acknowledging the severity of the situation and pleading for mercy (Joel 1:19-20). This present suffering foreshadows the greater judgment that awaits, urging the people to recognize their need for repentance and reconciliation with God.