The Book Of Joel
"Notes"

The Book Of Joel, Outlines and Notes
J. Deering, AncientPath.net


Joel - "Yahweh is God"

Time of Writing:
Between 875 B.C. and 835 B.C.

Historical Time and Place:
King Joash becomes King @ 7 years of age at about the time Joel writes (835 B.C. Joash reigns for 39 years (until 796 B.C.). The land is filled with severe drought, which brought on an invasion of waves of Locusts infestations, until everything was devoured.

Joel's Perception:
The invasion of Locusts was brought about as punishment of national sin and was an harbinger of a future military campaign (finalized with a future military campaign in "The Day of the Lord."

Locust meanings in Joel (Hebrew):
shearer, swarmer, lapper, devourer

The Day of the Lord:
The day of the Lord, the major theme of this prophecy, involves God's special intervention in the affairs of human history. Three facets of the Day of the Lord are discernable:

(1) the historical, that is , God's intervention in the affairs of Israel (Zephaniah 1:14 - 18; Joel 1:15) and heathen nations (Isaiah 13:6; Jeremiah 46:10; Ezekiel 30:3);
(2) the illustrative, whereby an historical incident represents a partial fulfillment of the eschatological Day of the Lord (Joel 2:1-11; Isaiah 13:6-13);
(3) the eschatological. this eschatological "day" includes the time of the Great Tribulation (Isaiah 2:12-19; 4:1), the second coming of Christ (Joel 2:30-32), and the Millennium (Isaiah 4:2; 12; 19:23-25; Jeremiah 30:7-9).


Outline #1 Of Joel (Ryrie):
I. The Title Verse: The Author, 1:1
II. desolation, 1:2-2:17

A. The Character of the Desolation, 1:2-12
B. The Reactions to the Desolation, 1:13-14
C. The Picture of the Desolation, 1:15-20
D. The Prophecy of Future Desolation, 2:1-11
E. The Exhortation in View of Desolation 2:12-17

III. Deliverance, 2:18-3:21

A. The Promise of Immediate Deliverance, 2:18-27
B. The Promise of Future Deliverance, 2:28 - 3:21

1. Its initiation, 2:28-32
2. Its judgments, 3:1-17
3. Its consummation, 3:18-21


Outline #2 Of Joel (D. Pentecost):
Introduction: 1:1
I. The Historical Visitation, 1:2-20

A. The Desolation by Locusts, 1:2-14

1. The destruction, 1:2-4
2. The appeal to the drunkards, 1:4-7
3. The appeal to the people, 1:8-12
4. The appeal to the priests, 1:13-14

B. The Desolation by Drought, 1:15-20

II. The Prophetic Revelation, 2:1-3:21

A. The Invasion of the Land, 2:1-11

1. The description of the Day of Jehovah, 2:1-2
2. The destruction in the Day of Jehovah, 2:3
3. The desolator in the Day of Jehovah, 2:4-11

a. The appearance of the desolator, 2:4-5
b. The anguish by the desolator, 2:6
c. The accomplishments of the desolator, 2:7-11

B. The Invitation of Jehovah, 2:12-17

1. The invitation to repentance, 2:12-14

a. The sign of repentance, 2:12-13a
b. The basis of repentance, 2:13b
c. The result of repentance, 2:14

2. The invitation to prayer, 2:15-17

a. The call to prayer, 2:15-17a
b. The substance of prayer, 2:17b

C. The Intervention of Jehovah, 2:18-32

1. The removal of the invaders, 2:18-20
2. The restoration of blessings, 2:21-27
3. The reception of the Holy Spirit, 2:28-31
4. The regathering of Israel to the land, 2:32

D. The Indignation of Jehovah on Gentiles, 3:1-21

1. The call of the nations, 3:1-2b

a. The time, 3:1
b. The place, 3:2a
c. The purpose, 3:2b

2. The cause for judgment, 3:2c - 8

a. Conquest, 3:2c-3a
b. Slavery, 3:3b-4
c. Plunder, 3:5-6
d. The recompense, 3:7-8

3. The challenge to war, 3:9-16

a. The call, 3:9-11
b. The judgment, 3:12-16

4. The consummation of blessing, 3:17-21

a. Blessing on Jerusalem, 3:17
b. Blessing on Judah, 3:18
c. Removal of all enemies, 3:19
d. Permanence of blessing, 3:20
e. Basis of blessing, 3:21


Outline #3 of Joel (Topical) (Deering):
I. Locust Plague and its Removal, 1:1-2:27
II. Future Day of The Lord, 2:28-3:21

A. Spirit of God to be poured out, 2:28-32
B. Judgment of the Nations, 3:1-17
C. Blessing Upon Israel Following Judgment, 3:18-21


Special Notes:

1:13 Because judgment is public - Repentance must be public

1:19 The true prophet identifies with his people (Like Moses)

2:2 Near and Far views - unparalleled JOY coming in a latter day

2:3-7 Near View - Assyrian Army

2:10- Far View - Mt 24 "except the days be shortened"

2:12-13 Christ foreshadowed through the prophets 1 Peter 1:10-12

2:16 Joel, like Moses, interceding for his people

2:17 Final Prophet, Jesus interceding as Prophet-Priest

2:18 Near view... Far view---- When Christ Comes

2:21-27 Millennium - Day Of The Lord

2:28-32 The Coming of the Holy Spirit - Partial fulfillment at Pentecost, :28-25 in Acts 2, :30-32 Not in Acts 2 - Rev. 6:12-14, Mt. 24:29, Isa. 13:10

2:28 Not all Israel saved, only those present on the Day of Atonement, Romans 9:30-33

3:1-21 The Judgment and Consummation of The Day Of The Lord

3:10 Plowshares to Swords VS Micah 4:3 Swords into Plowshares and Isa. 2:4

3:17 Jerusalem will be Holy when God is there

3:20 Far View

3:21 What the Day Of The Lord is all about


2012-11-21