The word of the Lord that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel:
Hear this, you elders;
give ear, all inhabitants of the land!
Has such a thing happened in your days,
or in the days of your fathers?
3 Tell your children of it,
and let your children tell their children,
and their children to another generation.
4 What the cutting locust left,
the swarming locust has eaten.
What the swarming locust left,
the hopping locust has eaten,
and what the hopping locust left,
the destroying locust has eaten.
5 Awake, you drunkards, and weep,
and wail, all you drinkers of wine,
because of the sweet wine,
for it is cut off from your mouth.
6 For a nation has come up against my land,
powerful and beyond number;
its teeth are lions' teeth,
and it has the fangs of a lioness.
7 It has laid waste my vine
and splintered my fig tree;
it has stripped off their bark and thrown it down;
their branches are made white.
8 Lament like a virgin wearing sackcloth
for the bridegroom of her youth.
9 The grain offering and the drink offering are cut off
from the house of the Lord.
The priests mourn,
the ministers of the Lord.
10 The fields are destroyed,
the ground mourns,
because the grain is destroyed,
the wine dries up,
the oil languishes.
11 Be ashamed, O tillers of the soil;
wail, O vinedressers,
for the wheat and the barley,
because the harvest of the field has perished.
12 The vine dries up;
the fig tree languishes.
Pomegranate, palm, and apple,
all the trees of the field are dried up,
and gladness dries up
from the children of man.
A Call to Repentance
13 Put on sackcloth and lament, O priests;
wail, O ministers of the altar.
Go in, pass the night in sackcloth,
O ministers of my God!
Because grain offering and drink offering
are withheld from the house of your God.
14 Consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly.
Gather the elders
and all the inhabitants of the land
to the house of the Lord your God,
and cry out to the Lord.
15 Alas for the day!
For the day of the Lord is near,
and as destruction from the Almighty it comes.
16 Is not the food cut off
before our eyes,
joy and gladness
from the house of our God?
17 The seed shrivels under the clods;
the storehouses are desolate;
the granaries are torn down
because the grain has dried up.
18 How the beasts groan!
The herds of cattle are perplexed
because there is no pasture for them;
even the flocks of sheep suffer.
19 To you, O Lord, I call.
For fire has devoured
the pastures of the wilderness,
and flame has burned
all the trees of the field.
20 Even the beasts of the field pant for you
because the water brooks are dried up,
and fire has devoured
the pastures of the wilderness. Joel 1 ESV
Joel 1 Locust
1-3 The word of the Lord - This is a bold claim, not to be taken lightly, as so many in our day do, attaching "thus saith the Lord, God showed me, I felt or I dreamed". People blame all sorts of dribble on the Holy Spirit, but they will have to answer for claiming to be sent when they weren't, and for claiming to be the voice of God when He did not speak to them.
The LORD - This is Jehovah or Yahweh (YHWH - Hebrew had no vowels) which "speaks of intimacy and a relationship bonded metaphorically through the covenant likened to marriage and thus carries special significance to Israel (Ex 3:14)." (MacArthur)
Joel, the son of Pethuel - Joel means "The Lord is God", and Pethuel means "Persuaded of God". We do not know much now of Joel or his father, and I have seen some try to speculate which tribe he came from, and as fascinating as I find such things, it's too reaching in this case. I will agree with most commentators, from the reading, that he is a pre-exilic prophet.
Pethuel - Only mention in Scripture. Some suggest that because there is no additional description this suggest the prophet was well known and therefore needed no additional introduction. Derived from the verb pathah meaning to be spacious, wide or open. So the name Pethuel is variously interpreted to mean "Enlargement of heart," "Openheartedness of/toward God," or “Persuaded of God." (See devotional on the name Pethuel). - Precept Austin
Hear this, give ear - This is from God, yet it still needs a call to attention, awake the faculties of the mind, drop what you are doing, for many it is a great difficulty to listen. Not only do we need to listen, but we need to pass on the words of God to our children and grandchildren, carefully handing down God's truth.
Has anything like this happened in your days Or in your fathers' days? - Joel is drawing his readers into his message (using interrogative statements is always a good way to arrest your audience's attention and draw them to mentally engage in the discourse!) Further, Joel's rhetorical questions emphasize to the audience, the utter uniqueness of this present plague. This rhetorical question is to be answered with a firm “No!” Joel is calling the old men to confirm the fact that there had never been one like this plague in Judah's history. This calamity is unprecedented. Of note is the fact that here Yahweh sent on His own chosen people the very plague He sent on Pharaoh! Jehovah does not play favorites. Sometimes I think to myself, "Well I can get away with this sin because I'm His son." How foolish and deceptive is such manner of thought. In fact, I have an even greater degree of culpability than the pagan who does not know Him! Woe! (cf Ro 2:1-4-note) - Precept Austin
4-7 Locust has eaten - There are different types or possibly waves of locust here, but also a comparison to the size of the army of the coming invaders. A locust judgment or drought would lead to famine conditions. The same when invading armies enter the land; they harvest what they did not plant, dress what they did not raise. Israel knew of this from stories of Egypt, and the famine that led Israel to Egypt. Even the elders now though had seen nothing like this in their day.
12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt and beat every plant of the land, even all that the hail has left.”
13 So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord directed an east wind on the land all that day and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind 1brought the locusts.
14 The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled in all the territory of Egypt; they were very 1numerous. There had never been so many 2locusts, nor would there be so many 3again.
15 For they covered the surface of the whole land, so that the land was darkened; and they aate every plant of the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Thus nothing green was left on tree or plant of the field through all the land of Egypt. Exodus 10: 12-15
…45He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them. 46He gave their crops to the grasshopper, the fruit of their labor to the locust. 47He killed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore-figs with sleet.… Psalm 78: 45-47
Awake, you drunkards and weep - They will when they wake to realizing their excesses are gone, that they have been drunk up by another, the grapes and the vine have been destroyed. People will steal for their excesses, kill for their conveniences, and hate those that point out the nature of their reasoning as wrong. This is the first wave, the weakest and most easily affected, our indulgent natures.
8-10 Lament like a virgin wearing sackcloth - Your groom is gone, dead in the prime of his youth. Sackcloth was comparable to the goat and camel hair warn by the prophets; it was humble, itchy, uncomfortable, just like the words of the prophets. It is for both the young virgin bereft of her husband and for the prophet, their clothes of mourning. The words of judgment, no matter that they are true and just, yet they are horrible in the gut, painfully bitter to the teller; the office of a true prophet was not glamorous, few ever responded well. They were laughed at, hated, beaten, burned, sawn in half, yet for the sake of money some pretend to be one of them.
1Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. 2Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes.… James 5: 1-2
The priest mourn - Without the wine and wheat they could not perform their duties, and they were also dependent upon what was brought in for their food. God is in a sense removing the form of religion, the comforts of it, and pushing them to look at the heart of their famine. It has spiritual origins.
38 “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two one year old lambs each day, continuously.
40 and there shall be one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering with one lamb.
41 “The 1other lamb you shall offer at 2twilight, and shall offer with it 3the same grain offering and 4the same drink offering as in the morning, for a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.
42 “It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the doorway of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. Exodus 29: 38-42
11-12 Be ashamed, O tillers of soil - Men, for all their ability, it is yet from God and tilling His soil. In this day, with our technology, we produce bumper crops, some have noted that even the homeless in the United States are fat, and though we plan and prepare against drought, yet it can come beyond our means. They made aqueducts, we now have massive dams, pumps that drive water from deep wells, and insecticides to prepare against the day of the locusts, yet store shelves when without stock because of "Covid". This is what the farmer is known for, yet his hands are tied, the earth is dried up and the locust eat whatever sparse leaf is left. The demand is greater, the mouths are many, but I cannot feed them.
…3The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns, but find no water; their jars return empty. They are ashamed and humiliated; they cover their heads. 4 The ground is cracked because no rain has fallen on the land. The farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads. 5Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass.… Jeremiah 14: 3-5
Be ashamed (0954)(bosh from root = “to become pale” or “to blush”) is a verb which conveys the primary meaning of to fall into disgrace, normally through failure, either of self or of an object of trust. It is both an external and a subjective experience, ranging from disgrace (Hos. 10:6) to guilt (Ezra 9:6) When failure or sin occurs, there is a disconcerting feeling, a flushing of the face. This Hebrew verb bosh often occurs in contexts of humiliation and shattered human emotions, and can include the feeling of public disgrace. The confusion, embarrassment, or dismay when things do not turn out as expected. - Precept Austin
13-14 Put on sackcloth and lament, O priests - It is a call to repentance, as "blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted", but the priests must lead the way in mourning over their sin, for the sin of the people.
Cry to the Lord - The people need to repent too, not just the priest.
…3Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah. 4So the people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD, and indeed, they came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him. 2 Chronicles 20: 3-4
15-18 For the Day of the Lord in near - The day of judgment. The cup of God's wrath is full and ready to be poured out on Israel, just like Egypt and all else who sin, for the Lord is Holy and just. Sadly, they often looked forward to Messiah but most missed the time of His visitation, and those who refused to humble themselves will find that they cannot stand. So many calls to repent, to lament over our sins, yet we take stock in our comforts, our strong towers, our sprinkler system, our hope for good governance.
16 Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, the Lord,
“There is wailing in all the plazas,
And in all the streets they say, ‘Alas! Alas!’
They also call the farmer to mourning
17 “And in all the vineyards there is wailing,
Because I will pass through the midst of you,” says the Lord.
18 Alas, you who are longing for the day of the Lord,
For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you?
It will be darkness and not light; Amos 5: 16-18
How the beasts groan - We have had an effect in our falling, upon everything that was placed beneath our feet and under our care.
…4for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.) 5Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring and every valley. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive so that we will not have to destroy any livestock.” 6So they divided the land to explore. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.… 1 Kings 18: 4-6
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, 1in hope
21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. Romans 8: 18-22
19-20 I call - There is nothing but desolation, and man must often be brought to this place, where he has looked far and broad only to find all the wells dried up. Israel went to Egypt, to Assyria; Judah showed off foolishly before the visitors from Babylon. They had their own kings who were inferior to the word of God, who often went against God, taxed for their own luxuries, to reward their close companions, indulging at the price of the poor, sacrificing the lives of their own families and children.
…14Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High. 15Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.” 16To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips?… Psalm 50: 14-16
