Verse 1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
Zion is another name for Jerusalem. It means a “parched place”. The word “parched” means dried out with heat or extremely thirsty. In the natural or physical, Zion or Jerusalem and the rest of Israel has always been a geographical location that gets very warm during the summer months and the wilderness areas become very dried out. Metaphorically or spiritually, Zion or Jerusalem and the nation Israel has dried up spiritually but there has always been a thirst for the Word of God which wavered in intensity depending on the political and economical condition of the people and the nations surrounding them. During prosperity or “good times” the people ran after other gods and goddesses. During physical drought, war, and captivity or “bad times”, the people became more religious, although they often still rejected the words of the prophets God sent to them to convict them of their sins.
Trumpets have been used for centuries to communicate a message: a call to battle, a message to members of an army regarding military strategy, a warning of impending danger, or the announcement of the coming of a person of prominence. Metaphorically, the trumpet announces a movement by God. In this case, the trumpet in Zion is sounding a warning alarm that something terrible is about to happen. This trumpet is causing fear and trembling among the people as they do not know what to expect. The prophet Joel once again announces the coming of the day of the LORD and, as stated in chapter one, it is from the Almighty and it is destructive.
Verse 2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
The Hebrew word translated as “darkness” is “choshek” and it means darkness or obscurity. The Hebrew word translated as “gloominess” is “aphelah” and it means darkness, gloominess, calamity and wickedness. So this day of the LORD when He brings judgement upon Israel in the natural is a day of calamity, but in the spiritual, it is a day of wickedness in that Israel has rejected their God and become a spiritual harlot running after pagan gods and goddesses and being idolatrous. When “the morning spread upon the mountains” happens, the sunlight first hits the tops of the mountains and then the light slowing goes down the mountain as the sun rises in the sky. This conquering army was the largest ever amassed in history up to that time although the exact number is not known. Spiritually, the people of Israel were in darkness and the picture here is of a foreign nation descending upon the land and its people like light descends upon the mountains so that they will know their God has judged them in the light and found them wanting.
Verse 3 A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
In the natural, the land is always destroyed by an invading army. Think about all the Agent Orange that was sprayed upon the Vietnam people and their land, not to mention American military, for the purpose of defoliating it and poisoning those living on it. For Israel there was no getting away from the destruction. Spiritually, fire cleanses and purifies and God is a consuming fire. “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” Deuteronomy 2:24 So the land that had been polluted with needless bloodshed and sin was going to be cleansed by fire. Spiritually, the sin and the people who were living there in darkness and rebellion against God were going to be removed so that there would be a spiritual cleansing as well.
Verses 4-5 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. 5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
Horses and chariots were used by the ancient Egyptians so centuries later it stands to reason that there would be horse soldiers and chariots making up a mounted army in the Babylonian military. But the prophet Joel is using a comparison in the verses above. In English the use of ‘as’ or ‘like’ to compare two different things is a figure of speech called a simile. So the appearance of this army is likened to horses and horsemen and chariots in strength and speed. The nation Israel was not known for its horsemanship, so they would not be able to pit their foot soldiers against mounted soldiers. But metaphorically, this army was going to descend upon the land with great strength and speed and destroy it.
Verses 6-7 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. 7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:
This again is a picture of a mighty army and one that is disciplined and ready to win the battle.
Application: Spiritually, Satan and his devils kill and destroy people physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and make their lives desolate. The Good News is that the LORD Jesus Christ can and will repair all the damage done if allowed into the lives of these people and will make their lives on Earth worth living and provide eternal life in Heaven.
Verse 8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.
This conquering army as seen by the prophet Joel would be a disciplined and precision army where the members fight and function as one unit. They would even kill themselves if necessary for the cause of the battle. Wounded men slow an army down, but dead men can be left by the side of the road for the birds of prey and other animals to deal with and not hinder the forward movement of the living.
Application: Spiritually, the Church is an army that should be fighting against spiritual darkness and against devils. Does the Church march together as one unit towards victory? Does the Church even believe victory is possible? Does the Church die to self as members of the army of God? If one believing soldier falters, does the whole unit falter and disperse or does the Church carry their wounded to victory? Does the Church cease to battle so that the enemy is given an opening which can lead to defeat? Think about it.
Verse 9 They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
This is a picture of how a conquering army takes a city. The soldiers systematically and quickly move through a city until it falls. The Hebrew word translated as “run to and fro” is “shaqaq” and it means to be eager or greedy or thirsty, to run, and to rush back and forth. In the natural, this conquering army the prophet Joel is writing about will not slack their pace when they enter a city, but swarm it rapidly so that the inhabitants have no time or strength to repel the attack. In those days, the soldiers in an army were allowed to keep the booty seized in war. So the soldiers were anxious to take a city and plunder it.
Application: “And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” Job 2:2 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” 1 Peter 5:8 The spiritual enemy of God and of Christian believers is Satan and his fallen angels. So the enemy is going to and fro upon the entire Earth all the time. He has a battle plan. He is systematic. He wants to take the wall of protection from believers. The LORD Jesus Christ is the believers’ wall, a defense or a hedge of protection because of His shed blood. Christian believers need to maintain that wall by staying close to the LORD through Bible study, prayer, and offensive actions against spiritual enemies. If the wall is let down, the devils enter like thieves: quietly, stealthily, and unannounced and unnoticed. Soon believers are oppressed and wondering why.
Verse 10 The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:
History does not report any great earthquakes with the movement of the Babylonian military might, so the quake here is most likely a metaphor for fear. The sun, moon and stars are metaphor for the people or nation of Israel. This goes back to Genesis 37 where Joseph reported a dream that God had given him. “And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. and he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?” verses 9-10 Jacob, his wives, and his sons were the basis for the nation Israel. Notice that these objects do not fall from the sky, but are simply darkened so that their light is gone. Spiritually, the nation Israel was already in darkness and not being the spiritual light to the pagan nations around them that God had desired. There was no difference between them, “God’s chosen people,” and the heathen world. The prophet Joel was announcing an end to the nation Israel due to future captivity and exile.
Application: A similitude of prophecy can be seen here today regarding “God’s chosen people, the Church”. When churches act like the world so that there is no difference between them and the unsaved people outside of the church, they have lost their “light” and are at risk for judgement from Almighty God. Rock and roll music, Bingo, puppet shows and other displays of entertainment simply mimic the heathen. When churches are more worried about what people think about them than what God thinks about them, they have lost their light. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
Verse 11 And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
Notice that the foreign, invading army was great (numerous, strong), it was the LORD’s, and it was going to execute or bring about His word as recorded by the prophets of old and by the prophet Joel. He was going to use Babylon for judgement of Israel. Ultimately, “the day of the LORD” was something awesome that Israel could not control.
Verse 12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
The people of Israel were being warned beforehand. It was time to repent.
Application: God extends His forgiveness, mercy and grace to all if true repentance occurs. God always warns His people before bringing judgement.
Verses 13-14 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?
Repentance must be inward and of the heart and not outward for show. Back in these days, people would demonstrate emotional distress by tearing or rending their clothing and often by putting ashes from a fire on their heads. It was a very outward demonstration for all to see. But God doesn’t care about the outward appearance as He sees the attitudes of the heart.
Application: The character of God is revealed in the verses above. He does not want to chastise His people and bring judgement because of His great love and mercy, but He cannot allow sin to go unpunished. These characteristics are also the ones each and every Christian believer should possess if they are truly followers of Jesus Christ.
Verses 15-16 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: 16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
The prophet Joel is telling the people to gather and to prepare their hearts to be sincere and right with the LORD. All the people are to be included from the old people to the children and babies. All other activities need to stop. The bridegroom and bride that are planning their future together need to stop their activities as without national repentance there will not be a future outside of captivity. The prophet Joel is presenting a picture of immediate action needing to be taken by the people of Israel. He was sounding the alarm.
Application: Notice that the children are to participate also. So often today children are excluded form the congregation of adults and cloistered in Sunday School classes so that they do not see the adults in their lives rend their hearts and repent or give praise and worship to the LORD.
Verse 17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?
The religious leaders were to truly repent and to intercede for the people. They did not want to be ridiculed by the heathen nations around them or to be in bondage to a foreign power as they were in the days of the Egyptian captivity.
Verses 18-19 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. 19 Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:
If a nation truly turns back to God, He will heal it and restore that which was destroyed. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 The steps of repentance are clearly shown in this verse. Repentance requires a humbling of self, praying for forgiveness, seeking the face of God and willingly turning away from all sin.
Application: When the individual Christian falls, God removes His protection for a season to cause the person to realize the need to repent and go back to Him. When a nation falls, God removes His protection and provision, often using another nation to hopefully cause the people of that nation to realize their need to repent and go back to Him.
Verse 19 above is a picture of restoration that will occur after true repentance. God promises to once again provide for His people and to restore the reputation of the nation Israel among the heathen nations surrounding Palestine. After true repentance, God will also restore to the individual those things that were lost when rebelling against the authority and the Word of God.
Verse 20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.
The army is from the north. The army was sent by God. Geographically, the nation of Assyria which took Israel captive and which was then conquered by the nation Babylon which took Judah captive was located primarily to the north of Palestine and then eastward around the Arabian Desert. Spiritually, Scripture states that God dwells in the sides of the north. “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.” Psalms 48:2
Verse 21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.
Remember that this (pity for His people, restoration, removal of the northern invading army, and the LORD doing great things) is all predicated upon repentance of the people of the nation Israel.
Application: Fear is an evil spirit. The fear referred to in the verse above is not the healthy fear of God that all Christian believers should have, but the fear that causes distress, worry and that robs people of their peace. The Christian believer should never fear. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 Fear is from the enemy, so rebuke it, ignore it, and trust the LORD Jesus Christ.
Verse 22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
God’s critters know and hear His voice. They know where to go for safety and for food, when to migrate to warmer places, and when to avoid mankind. They do not operate on “instincts” but on the love and wisdom from above. God is always concerned about the Creation, both the animals and the plants, so much so that He had the prophet Joel pen the words above.
Verse 23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
The agricultural nation of Israel relied upon rain for their crops to grow and flourish. That rain was provided by God in the past, and here the prophet Joel is saying that if the nation repents, God will again provide rain, the former which was needed to moisten the soil when the seeds were planted, and the later to water the sprouts and establish them.
Application: Rain in Scripture is also metaphor for the Holy Ghost/Spirit. When someone repents and converts to follow the LORD Jesus Christ, His Spirit indwells them because, like the promise of natural rain, the LORD promised to send His Spirit to refresh the souls of believers.
Verse 24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.
This is a picture of a return of prosperity and of productivity. The picture also represents a healthy diet of grains (wheat), fruit (wine), and fats (oil). There is a surplus.
Application: Christian believers are to produce spiritual fruits and to be prosperous in the things of the Spirit. The believer needs a healthy spiritual diet in life as well as a healthy physical diet. The wheat represents bread or the Word. The wine represents the shed blood of Jesus. And the oil represents the infilling of each believer with the Holy Ghost/Spirit.
Verses 25-26 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. 26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
Whether the army was composed of insects or of man, if there was repentance, God promised to restore everything. Then there was the promise of provision which should lead to praises from the people to God for what He does.
Application: Spiritually, whenever Satan or his angels causes grief/destruction, God will always restore what His people have lost. The book of Job describes just that as Job lost everything including his children, and everything was restored double, including his children. How was his children restored? God gave him more children to physically replace those that were in Heaven. Spiritually, Christian believers are always fed by the Word of God and should always be satisfied. There should never be a hunger for the Word as God has provided 66 books from which to draw comfort, guidance, and hope. Furthermore, the Christian believer is never alone and the LORD is always with him/her manifested as the indwelling Holy Ghost/Spirit. “. . . and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:20
Verse 27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
When repentance takes place, God’s presence is always there. He restores the relationship between Himself and His people, and between the men and women of the Church. When Jesus started His ministry on this Earth, God was physically in the midst of the physical nation Israel. Today He is spiritually in each Christian believer.
Application: In the Old Testament days, the Syrian descendants of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, along with those people from other nations that assimilated into the nation Israel were the Israel spoken about in the verse above. Later, because of their living in Jerusalem, they became known as Jews. However, today, this promise of the LORD being in the midst of Israel is a similitude of prophecy as today, true Israel is not a geographical location and the people living in it, but a spiritual Israel, the Church, and the people from every nation, tongue, and tribe throughout the Earth that love and follow the LORD Jesus Christ. Read the epistles of the Apostle Paul to confirm this. “Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:” Romans 9:6 “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:6-9 and 29
Verses 28-29 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
This prophesy was fullfilled after the day of Pentecost as recorded in the book of The Acts of the Apostles. “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit: and they shall prophesy. And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:1-4, 12-21
What does the “afterward” refer to? Since this prophesy was fulfilled after the death, burial and resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ, the afterward must be after the first coming of Jesus when He as God was in the midst of His people only to be rejected by them, and after His ministry on Earth was completed, leaving that ministry to be carried on by the Church.
Verse 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
Much of the book of Joel has been and is used to support an end-time scenario that just is not supported in Scripture. Most Bible scholars and church pastors put the verse above and the verse following into the end-time scenario they have adopted from the teachings of Cyrus I. Scofield. This writer does not. The prophet Joel is dealing with judgement of the nation Israel, not judgement of the entire Earth. However, since there are similitudes of prophecy, it is possible that these verses may play out in the future. But knowing what is known today, this writer believes that these verses refer to the old system of worship put in place by Moses at the direction of God when in the wilderness and when building the tabernacle, and to the events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The blood represents the sacrifice of millions of animals, and the fire and pillars of smoke represent the presence of God. For a very long time, God was present in the wilderness tabernacle and then in the Jerusalem Temple as seen by the pillar of smoke and of fire that first led the children of Israel when in the wilderness and then settled over the place of worship in Jerusalem. This visual demonstration was a “wonder in the heavens and in the earth”. So at the Tabernacle/Temple these three elements were present and so these three things were actual, tangible things that all could see. Then forwarding hundreds of years, the blood of the LORD Jesus Christ was shed as the final sacrifice for mankind’s sin and Jesus, being God, very God, was present in Jerusalem just as He had been when inhabiting the wilderness tabernacle and the Temple.
Application: Under the Old Covenant, God was present at the place of worship. Under the New Covenant God is present in His people which is now the place of worship. There is no longer a need for a building or central place of worship.
Verse 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
This verse came to pass at the crucifixion of the LORD Jesus Christ. “And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.” Luke 23:44-45 The Jewish day started at today’s 6 AM so the sixth hour would have been today’s 12 noon and the ninth hour would have been today’s 3 PM, the brightest and hottest times of the day. The crucifixion of Jesus was “the great and the terrible day of the LORD”. Luke reports that the darkness was over all the earth. All means all. Historically, at the time of the crucifixion there was darkness over the whole world. Ancient historians reported darkness in the city of Rome. Apparently, pagan world leaders at that time knew that a “king” had died because of their superstitions and beliefs and because of the darkness. And of course, they were right as the LORD Jesus is King of Kings.
Verse 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. (Joel 2)
Application: Verse 31 above cannot be the last day referring to the end-time scenario preached today as, according to the verse above, people can still call on the name of the LORD. If it was the last day of time, all would be over. The crucifixion took place at Jerusalem in Zion and there was still a remnant who believed in and followed Jesus. This remnant evangelized the whole world. There will always be a remnant of people following Jesus. So where does deliverance come from? Not from physical Mount Zion and Jerusalem in Israel of old, but spiritually from Jesus in the Mount Zion and Heavenly Jerusalem above.
Application: Looking at the verses in this chapter from the prophetic view of the coming of Jesus Christ, the meaning could be as follows as paraphrased by this writer. Joel, sound the alarm to my people that they should tremble at my day which is coming. It will be a dark and gloomy day for physical Israel. It will be a day that has never been before and that will never be again. Because they refuse to repent, I will devour with the fire of my Spirit. What I provided to my people was a garden of Eden, a land flowing with milk and honey, but it has become a spiritual wasteland. I will allow the enemy to destroy, and the land will become a wasteland and my people will not escape. I will bring my nation, Rome, against them and Israel, that nation established by my servants, Abraham, Issac and Jacob, will no longer have a light. At my visitation the earth shall quake and the lights in the heaven shall be darkened and they will know that I Am the LORD. They will have no excuse. If Israel will repent and turn from their wicked ways and seek me while there is yet time, then I will turn from my wrath and save my people and my land. But if they will not, judgement will come.