NOTES ON The Book of JOEL
 
Joel speaks of the same judgments that Amos does: whence it is probable they appeared about the same time, Amos in Israel, and Joel in Judah. Now Amos prophesied in the days of Jeroboam the second. (Amos 7:10.) In this prophecy,

The desolation made by armies of insects is described:
The people are called to repentance;
Promises are made of mercy to the penitent, and of the pouring out of the spirit in the latter days.
The cause of God's people is pleaded against their enemies, and glorious things are spoken of the Gospel - Jerusalem.


Joel Chapter 01 An Invasion of Locusts, A Call to Repentance
 
Chapter I

The unheard of judgment of caterpillars and locusts, ver. 1 - 7. All sorts us people are called on to lament it, ver. 8 - 13. And to humble themselves before God, 14 - 20.

1 Came to Joel - Probably in the latter end of Jeroboam the second's reign over Israel and in the days of Uzziah, over Judah.
2 Old men - The oldest among you, who can remember things done many years ago.
4 Palmer - worm - Four sorts of insects, are here mentioned, which succeeded each other, and devoured all that might be a support to the Jews, whence ensued a grievous famine.
5 Is cut off - Suddenly cut off even when you are ready to drink it, and totally cut off by these devouring vermin.
6 A nation - An innumerable multitude of locusts and caterpillars, called a nation here, as Solomon calls the conies and the ant, Prov 30:25,26, and perhaps a prognostick of a very numerous and mighty nation, that ere long will invade Judah. Strong - Mighty in power, and undaunted in courage, if you refer it to the Assyrian or Babylonians; if to those vermin, they are, though each weak by itself, yet in those multitudes, strong and irresistible. A great lion - Such waste as lions make, these the locusts do, and the Assyrians will make.
8 The husband of her youth - Espoused to her, but snatched away by an untimely death.
9 The drink - offering - By the destruction of the vines, all wine (out of which they ought to offer the drink - offering) failed.
10 The corn - The wheat and barley, is eaten up in its greenness. Dried up - The drought was so great, that the vines were withered, and all their hopes of new wine cut off. The oil - The olive - trees. Languisheth - This is a plain account of the reason why the priests were called to mourn, and why the meal - offering and drink - offering were cut off.
11 Be ye ashamed - This is a just cause why you should lament and enquire why God is so displeased with you.
14 Sanctify ye - Ye priests, set apart a day wherein to afflict yourselves, confess your sins, and sue out your pardon. Into the house - The courts of the temple, where the people were wont to pray.
15 The day of the Lord - A day of greater trouble than yet they felt, troubles which God will heap upon them. Shall it come - Unless fasting, prayers and amendment prevent.
16 Cut off - Devoured by locusts, or withered with drought.
17 Laid desolate - Run to ruin because the owners discouraged with the barrenness of the seasons, would not repair them.
19 The fire - The immoderate heats. The wilderness - The world, only means places not ploughed, and less inhabited than others.
20 Cry - They utter their complaints, their sad tones, they have a voice to cry, as well as an eye to look to God.

John Wesley Explanatory Notes




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