Joel

JOEL

Author and Date of Composition. The biblical text does not provide any information about Joel, the son of Pethuel, whose name means “The Lord is God.” It also does not specify when he preached: the “enemy from the North” (2:20) could refer to Assyria, which destroyed Israel, or Babylon, which destroyed Judah, or it might represent a general enemy for later writers. The scattering among nations (4:2) suggests exile and is viewed as a past event. The reference to the Greeks (4:6)—if not an addition—also points to a later period and its eschatological significance. The main reason for placing the prophet in the pre-exilic period is that he is positioned between Hosea and Amos, both from the 8th century B.C.

Theme. This work is a compelling literary piece that vividly depicts the art of prophecy. The prophet starts with a terrifying plague of locusts, which could be disastrous for an agricultural society. He has experienced a situation like this; he understands different types of destructive insects; he has observed how waves of invading clouds follow one another; he has seen the devastating effects on crops in detail. In his poetic imagination, the plague transforms into a powerful and organized army that attacks and conquers a city. This marks the initial stage of poetic elevation.
The national disaster calls for a religious act of atonement: a day of fasting and prayer to seek divine mercy. Here, we see elements of Israelite faith, including acts of worship, the prophet’s message, and the participation of priests and the community from their respective roles.
The book presents these liturgical elements straightforwardly, without poetic modification. Everything reaches its peak in the oracle through which God responds to His people, announcing liberation from the plague and the return of traditional blessings to the land.
In this liturgical setting, filled with poetic imagery, Joel elevates the entire event—the plague of locusts—to a religious concept of “the day of the Lord.” This marks a moment in history when God acts with sovereignty, using atmospheric events or human armies as His tools. During “these days,” the Lord publicly judges, punishes, and saves. This “day of the Lord” may become the definitive and final day, as it signals and predicts it.

Religious Message. This reflects the eschatological vision of the “day of the Lord,” which is the central focus of the prophet’s message and remains faithful to God’s liturgical worship. A “day” marked by the ultimate restoration through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all people, regardless of any discrimination. “Their sons and daughters will prophesy; their elderly will dream dreams, and their young will see visions” (3:1). Any form of discrimination—age, gender, or social status—will be eliminated. The phrase used here, “all flesh,” expands the prophecy without boundaries, a point Luke will later emphasize in the Acts of the Apostles (2).