God's Merciful Love

Sunday School Lesson, March 19, 2017

Renewed Call to Repentance (2:12–17)

Before such an invincible army the nation’s only hope was to turn immediately (“even now,” v. 12) to the Lord in repentance. This section contains two formal appeals for repentance (vv. 12–14, 15–17). The first concludes with a motivational section (introduced by “for,” vv. 13b–14).

A. An appeal for a sincere change of heart (2:12–14)

1. the appeal (2:12–13a)

2:12–13a. The Lord Himself urged the people to repent with genuine sincerity (cf. with all your heart and rend your heart and not your garments) accompanied by fasting and weeping and mourning. Repentance is the desired outcome of the Lord’s judgments (cf. Deut. 4:30; 30:1–2; Hosea 3:4–5; Amos 4:6–11).

2. the motivation (2:13b–14)

2:13b. A recognition of the nation’s relationship to the Lord her God and of His gracious nature should have motivated His people to repent. The expression “the Lord your God” was well known to Israel (this phrase occurs 263 times in Deut.) and testified to the covenantal relationship between God and the nation. The words gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love (ḥeseḏ, “loyal love”) recall Exodus 34:6 (cf. Neh. 9:17; Pss. 103:8; 143:8; Jonah 4:2), where the same affirmation preceded the renewal of the covenant after the sin of the golden calf. Because God’s character is merciful, He often relents from sending calamity. Again the golden calf episode is recalled. On that occasion Moses begged the Lord to “relent” and “not bring disaster” on His people (Ex. 32:12). The Lord responded favorably to his request (Ex. 32:14).

2:14. The words who knows testify to the Lord’s sovereignty in the matter (cf. 2 Sam. 12:22; Jonah 3:9). Even if sinful Israel repented, she could not presume on God’s mercy as if it were something under their control which He had to grant automatically. They could only hope that He would turn and have pity (cf. Mal. 3:7) by averting the disaster (cf. Joel 2:20) and restoring their crops (cf. v. 25). Agricultural blessing would mark a reversal of the curse that had come on them (in the form of the locusts; cf. Deut. 28:38–42) and would make it possible for grain … and drink offerings to be presented again (cf. Joel 1:9, 13).

B. An appeal for national involvement (2:15–17)

The second part of this call to repentance is an appeal to the nation to congregate for a formal ceremony of lamentation and prayer.

2:15. The opening words of verse 1, Blow the trumpet in Zion, are repeated. The fear elicited by the sound of the watchman’s trumpet (v. 1) was to prompt another sound of the ram’s horn, this time calling the people to a holy fast and sacred assembly (cf. 1:14). For the blowing of a ram’s horn was also used to call religious convocations (cf. Lev. 25:9; Ps. 81:3).

2:16. The entire worshiping community (assembly) was to gather, from the oldest (elders) to the youngest (those nursing at the breast). Not even newlyweds were exempted (cf. Deut. 24:5).

2:17. The priests were to lead the ceremony by weeping before the Lord in the court of the temple (i.e., between the temple porch and the bronze altar of burnt offering; cf. Ezek. 8:16) and by offering a prayer for deliverance.

The prayer was to include a twofold petition: (a) spare (ḥûs, “pity or have compassion on”; cf. Jonah 4:11 for the same word, where the niv renders it “be concerned about”) and (b) do not make, a question aimed at motivating God to action. The concern of the latter was God’s reputation. If Israel, God’s own inheritance (cf. Deut. 4:20; 9:26, 29; Pss. 28:9; 33:12; 78:62, 71; 79:1; 94:14; Micah 7:14, 18), were to become an object of scorn (cf. Joel 2:19), the nations might erroneously conclude that He lacked the power and/or love to save those who belonged to Him (cf. Ex. 32:12; Deut. 9:26–29; Ps. 79:4, 10).

The rendering, a byword among the nations, though not the only way to translate the Hebrew here (cf. kjv, “that the heathen should rule over them”), is favored by the poetic structure (cf. the parallel phrase “object of scorn”; also see Jer. 24:9).

A. The Lord’s gracious response described (2:18)

The relationship between verses 18–19a and the preceding context is problematic. The NIV translation (cf. also nasb, kjv), which employs the future tense (“will be jealous,” etc.), interprets these verses as a promise conditional on the people’s positive response to the call to repentance in verses 12–17. However, that interpretation of the Hebrew verbal forms in this context is unlikely (cf. S.R. Driver, A Treatise on the Use of the Tenses in Hebrew. 3rd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1892, p. 95; Keil, “Joel,” in Commentary on the Old Testament in Ten Volumes, 10:200). The forms seem better translated with the past tense (cf. niv marg., nasb marg., rsv) and the text understood as a description of the Lord’s turning to His people in Joel’s time. This would, of course, imply they had responded positively to the appeal of verses 12–17 (cf. Allen, The Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah, p. 86).

2:18. In response to this genuine repentance, the Lord was jealous for His land and took pity on His people. The Lord’s jealousy is His passionate loyalty toward what is His, a loyalty that prompts Him to lash out against anything that would destroy it (cf. Isa. 26:11; Ezek. 36:5–6; 38:19; Zech. 1:14; 8:2). The military protection described in Joel 2:20 is in view here.

A. Spiritual renewal and deliverance (2:28–32)

2:28–29. The Lord announced that His “day” (v. 31) would be accompanied by an outpouring of His Spirit on all people (lit., “all flesh”). The following context indicates that “all people” refers more specifically to all inhabitants of Judah (cf. the threefold use of your in v. 28, as well as the parallel passages in Ezek. 39:29; Zech. 12:10). This will be true regardless of age, gender, or social class (Joel 2:29 is better trans. “and even on the male and female servants”; cf. nasb).

At that time recipients of the divine Spirit will exercise prophetic gifts (will prophesy … will dream dreams, and will see visions) which in the past had been limited to a select few (cf. 1 Sam. 10:10–11; 19:20–24). This is probably an allusion to Numbers 11:29, where Moses, responding to Joshua’s misguided zeal after an outpouring of the divine Spirit on the 72 elders (cf. Num. 11:24–28), declared, “I wish that all the Lord‘s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit on them!” This extensive outpouring of the Spirit will signal the advent of divine blessing (contrast 1 Sam. 3:1, where the absence of prophetic visions characterized a period of sin and judgment).

2:30–31. The great and dreadful day of the Lord will be preceded by ominous signs (wonders) of impending judgment (cf. v. 10; see also Ezek. 32:6–8 for literary parallels). Blood and fire and billows of smoke suggest the effects of warfare. The turning of the moon to blood refers in a poetic way to its being darkened (cf. the parallel line, The sun will be turned to darkness, and Joel 2:10; 3:15). Though such phenomena will signal doom for God’s enemies, His people should interpret them as the precursors of their deliverance (cf. Matt. 24:29–31; Mark 13:24–27; Luke 21:25–28).

2:32. At this time of universal judgment, everyone who calls on (i.e., invokes) the name of the Lord will be saved (i.e., delivered from physical danger; cf. comments on Rom. 11:26). “Everyone” does not refer to all people, but the Spirit-empowered people of God mentioned in Joel 2:28–29. In Romans 10:13 Paul related this passage to Gentile (as well as Jewish) salvation, but he was suggesting a mere analogy, not a strict fulfillment of Joel 2:32, which pertains to Israel.

In the day of the Lord Jerusalem will be a place of refuge for the survivors whom the Lord calls. This remnant with whom the Lord initiates a special relationship (for the sense of “call” here, see Isa. 51:2) should probably be equated with the group described in Joel 2:28–29, 32a (cf. Wolff, Joel and Amos, pp. 68–9), though some (e.g., Driver, The Books of Joel and Amos, pp. 68–9) see this as referring to returning exiles.

On the day of Pentecost the Apostle Peter quoted Joel 2:28–32 in conjunction with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 2:17–21). His introductory words (cf. Acts 2:16, “this is what was spoken by the Prophet Joel”) may seem to indicate that he considered Joel’s prophecy as being completely fulfilled on that occasion. However, it is apparent that the events of that day, though extraordinary, did not fully correspond to those predicted by Joel.

In attempting to solve this problem one must recognize that in the early chapters of Acts the kingdom was being offered to Israel once more. Peter admonished the people to repent so that they might receive the promised Spirit (cf. Acts 2:38–39 where he alludes to Joel 2:32). Shortly thereafter Peter anticipated “times of refreshing” and the return of Christ in response to national repentance (cf. Acts 10:19–21). Not until later did Peter come to understand more fully God’s program for the Gentiles in the present age (cf. Acts 10:44–48). When he observed the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost he rightly viewed it as the first stage in the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. Apparently he believed that the kingdom was then being offered to Israel and that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit signaled the coming of the Millennium. However, the complete fulfillment of the prophecy (with respect to both the extent of the Spirit’s work and the other details) was delayed because of Jewish unbelief (for further discussion see comments on Acts 2:16–21; 3:19–21).

The Nature of Repentance (2:12–13a)

The present crisis and impending day of Yahweh required immediate action. The term “now” establishes an agenda for the citizens. There is a logic to this word. There is also an urgency here.The action about to be recommended is the only one that can stem the tide of judgment. Should they fail to follow the prophetic prescription immediately, they will be swept away in the devastation described in the preceding verses. This was Israel’s last chance.

The prophet stresses that his call for spiritual action is not merely a pragmatic suggestion by which they might postpone national destruction. Joel was presenting Yahweh’s own summons to action. This he indicates by the words “declares Yahweh” (ne’um Yahweh), the most solemn declaration of divine revelation possible in the Hebrew language. That the Lord himself invited repentance is an indication that real repentance would serve to assuage his holy anger.

The Hebrew word “return” (shubh) has the basic connotation of going back to the point where one got off the track. The word presupposes a covenant relationship with the Lord into which they should return. The preposition used here (‘ad) connotes arrival at the goal. Hence the Almighty called here for his people not just to turn in his direction, but to reestablish a shattered spiritual relationship.

Biblical repentance is not just a feeling or a fear. It is more than remorse and confession of sin. It goes beyond merely cessation of some conduct which may be causing personal distress. Repentance is a radical change of moral purpose implied in an honest renunciation of all sin and full surrender of heart and life to God. It is not just trimming the tree of sin, but cutting it down. It is not just turning over a new leaf, but casting away the old book.

Their “return” must be wholehearted. Yahweh would not be placated with a perfunctory show of repentance. Fasting and weeping would be outward manifestations of the sincerity of their repentance. Care, however, must be exercised that they do not substitute outward symbols for inward sincerity. Hence God called upon them to go beyond the traditional rituals of lamentation such as the tearing of their clothes. The classic cry of God through Joel is “rend your heart and not your garment.” The “heart” to Joel was the center of moral purpose and resolve. Thus Yahweh was calling for a resolution of the will, a stout determination to obey the word of God.

True heart-felt repentance would display itself in various outward acts. In ancient Israelite culture heart-deep repentance surfaced in demonstrations of humility and distress. Here Yahweh called for three signs: fasting, weeping, and lamentation. Joel had already called for fasting as part of a national service of lamentation (cf. 1:14). In ancient Israel fasting served the purpose of indicating (1) self-renunciation; (2) submission to God and circumstances; and (3) earnestness in the petition which grew out of the fasting. Weeping and lamentation were evidence of sorrow over a life of sin.

A missing ingredient in this particular call for repentance is the mention of any particular sins of which Israel should repent. Obviously Joel viewed the locust plague as a punishment for violation of covenant stipulations. He apparently left it to the people to search their own hearts for evidence of the sin for which they had been suffering. A humble heart engaged in introspection will not be long discovering that which offends the Lord.

B. Inducements to Repentance (2:13b–14)

The Lord always accompanies demands for radical change with inducements of sufficient weight to persuade sinners to submit to his will. First, he speaks the wonderful name. They should return to Yahweh. That name had particular significance for the Israelites. Under that name the Almighty delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage. Under that name he entered into a covenantal relationship with that nation. That glorious name would evoke in the minds of Joel’s audience recollections of past deliverances, triumphs and blessings.

Second, the special relationship between Israel and Yahweh is indicated in the phrase “your God.” Yahweh had a special claim upon Israel and vice versa. For better or worse he had married Israel at Sinai. As sinful and rebellious as they had become, they were still his people.

Third, Joel speaks of the nature of Yahweh (cf. Exod 34:6). He is “gracious and compassionate” to those who seek his face. The word “gracious” points to the favorable disposition which a superior party shows to one who is inferior. “Merciful” describes parental care for the life of one who is helpless and endangered. He is “slow to anger,” i.e., he exercises great patience with the fallen sons of Adam. He is “abounding in covenant faithfulness.” This expression refers to the abundance of kind deeds, great and small, by which relationships are built and affirmed.

Fourth, Joel reminds his audience that Yahweh “relents concerning calamity.” He acknowledges a change on the part of his people by canceling or postponing a threatened calamity.

Fifth, sometimes God goes beyond mercy (i.e., withholding a punishment justly due) and bestows grace upon his people, i.e., he gives them something they do not deserve. Joel cannot guarantee God will so act in this present situation. His nature and past record would suggest the great possibility that sincere repentance on the part of Israel would cause Yahweh to “return” to a previous positive disposition toward them and to “relent” (NIV “have pity”) respecting the present calamity and threatened worse calamity to follow.

Yet God is sovereign. Past experience is not an infallible guide to what God might do in the present or in the future. Perhaps Yahweh would cause his locusts to leave behind a small blessing—enough grain for an offering and enough wine for a libation in the temple. Even in that dark hour worship was uppermost in the mind of the prophet. “The ‘perhaps’ of hope is appropriate to the humility of one who prays; in the proclamation of the messenger it underscores the fact that the one called to return stands, for the time being, under the message of judgment and has to face up to it.”

C. Prescription for Repentance (2:15–17)

Joel did not leave his audience in the dark as to exactly what steps should be taken to demonstrate national repentance. Speaking specifically to the priests, he repeats the instructions of 1:14 and 2:1. They should (1) blow the trumpet (shophar) in Zion; (2) sanctify a fast; and (3) call an assembly (2:15).

They should “sanctify the congregation” (qahal), i.e., the people assembled for worship. The term “sanctify” in this context means to make complete preparations for worship. In the Old Testament dispensation that would involve such things as desisting from work, food, and sexual intercourse (cf. 1 Sam 21:5). The holy assembly should include (1) the people, (2) the elders—here probably the older citizens rather than the office holders, (3) the children, (4) the infants, (5) the newly married, and, of course, (6) the priests. The entire population must be involved. All joyous activity must cease. Even the newly married, generally excused from civil responsibility for one year, are to be present. National repentance was the necessity of the hour, and all segments of society must be present (2:16).

The priests should lead out in the national mourning. As those who “minister before Yahweh” the priests led the great festivals when joy was the order of the day. So now they must officiate when the national mood should be one of sorrow. The priests were to stand in the temple court “between the porch and the altar.” The priests were to congregate in their customary place in the inner court, while the laity assembled in the outer one. Presumably they directed their prayer of intercession toward the temple in the spirit of 1 Kings 8 (2:17a).

Joel leaves nothing to chance. He even structures a prayer for the priests to use at the solemn assembly. The prayer contains two petitions. First, they should begin with the strongest possible appeal to Yahweh: “Spare your people!” In the Hebrew this is an emphatic imperative. Second, they should plead that Yahweh would not cause them to be put to shame by permitting foreign nations to “rule over them” (NKJV). The focus of the prayer which Joel recommends is “the destruction of Jerusalem as the people of God in the midst of the surrounding nations.” 6

The two petitions are linked with phrases which form oblique incentives for Yahweh to act. The phrase “your people” acknowledged their relationship to Yahweh, and at the same time used this relationship as an inducement for the Lord to respond favorably to their cry. The phrase “your inheritance” likewise reminded the Lord that he had a vested interest in the fate of this people.Yahweh’s inheritance was the land of Israel.

The end of national Israel as the covenant people is involved in the threat of the day of Yahweh. If both the people of Israel and the land of Israel were totally destroyed, then Gentiles would conclude that the God of Israel must be impotent. They would mockingly ask “Where is their God?” The essence of this priestly prayer recommended by Joel is that God’s honor is at stake in the fate of his people (2:17b).

This model prayer is the climax of Joel’s efforts to move the people from indifference to the things of God. The tone of the prayer suggested urgency. The content of the prayer underscored their inability to save themselves. Only Yahweh can save them. They must therefore cast themselves upon his mercy and trust his grace.

The second half of Joel answers the mocking question which Gentiles would ask when the nation of Israel experienced destruction and exile. God’s program and people in this world would not come to an end. After judgment would come restoration, vindication and glorification.

A TIME TO HEAL

A Vision of Restoration

Joel 2:18–29

Joel envisioned how Yahweh would respond to national repentance. The immediate result of repentance would be the removal of the locust plague. In the more distant future, God would send a wonderful teacher to those who were humble of heart to receive him.

A. The Plague Removed (2:18–22)

First, Yahweh would be “zealous” for his land, driving out the locusts which were devastating it. Second, he would take “pity” on his people. Immediate physical needs would be supplied first—grain, wine and oil. Third, Yahweh would answer his people, i.e., respond to their cries for help, with a positive word. The divine proclamation is introduced with a formula pledging immediate intervention. Joel uses the interjection “Behold!” (hineni) plus a participle to express imminent action: “I am about to send you grain, etc.” Once Yahweh’s people have enough to fully satisfy them, the reproach of the land and people would be removed. The coming deliverance would prove to the heathen that Israel’s God can indeed do mighty things (2:18–19).

The change of fortune envisioned by Joel would come about because God would drive “the northerner,” i.e., the locusts, out of the land. Apparently the locust plague of Joel’s day, like the similar plague of 1915, came from the north. That insect army would be driven into “the parched and desolate” desert, into “the eastern (Dead) sea, and into the western (Mediterranean) sea.” The stench of decaying locusts would be a pleasant odor to those who had suffered such devastation in this plague. The destruction of this innumerable army will enable believers to declare that “he has done great things” (2:20).

In view of the impending deliverance from the locusts—the “great things” which God was about to do—Joel bids the land to replace fear with gladness and rejoicing. “Do not fear” is the traditional introduction to an oracle of salvation with which Yahweh might respond to a lamentation by his people (cf. Lam 3:57). The command to end fear occurs frequently in the context of an enemy attack (e.g., Num 21:34; Josh 8:1). The land and indirectly even the animals have been attacked by the locusts. Neither had anything further to fear from the insect invaders. The open pastures would again become green, the fruit trees would again produce in abundance (2:21–22).

Joel intends in this paragraph to reverse the bad news which he was forced to deliver in the opening chapter of the book. Whereas joy and gladness were absent from the land (1:16), now he twice urges both upon the people (2:21, 23). Whereas the land had experienced a drought (1:17–20), now an abundance of rain would fall (2:23). The wild beasts which had suffered (1:20) would now have abundant pasture. The pastures which were barren (1:19–20) would again be clothed with green verdure (2:22). Fruitless trees (1:19) would again produce fruit (2:22). Repentance is the key which unlocks the bounty of God’s grace. In chapter 1 Joel called upon drunkards, farmers and priests to lament (1:5, 8, 11, 13). Now he calls on land, beasts and people to rejoice (2:21–23).

Joel 2:28–29

After the coming of the Teacher unto righteousness, God promised to send his Spirit (ruach). The reference is to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead. Old Testament prophets regarded the Spirit as the hallmark of the messianic age. The Spirit would effect a new creation (Isa 32:15; 44:3f.). Messiah himself was depicted as anointed with God’s Spirit (Isa 42:1; 61:1). Joel now explores the ramifications of that coming day of the Spirit.

A. The Outpouring of the Spirit (2:28–29)

The Spirit would be “poured out.” This verb (shaphach) points to the abundant measure of the gift. The verb is used figuratively, for it would not be possible literally to “pour out” a person, and the Holy Spirit is a person. Peter declared that on Pentecost the enthroned Messiah had “poured out” all which was seen and heard in the temple courts (Acts 2:33).

The Spirit would be poured out “on all flesh,” i.e., all kinds of people, Jew and Gentile alike. Needless to say the gift is only available to those who receive it. In Old Testament times the Spirit endowed chosen individuals for leadership or other skills. In the messianic age a more general dispensing of the Spirit was anticipated by the prophets (cf. Ezek 39:29; Zech 12:10). Joel stresses that the Spirit would be poured out regardless of sex, age, or societal status. Even lowly servants would receive the Spirit in those days. Paul would later echo the same thought with regard to those who are in Christ (Gal 3:28). Peter was probably alluding to the phrase “your sons and your daughters” when he told the Jews on Pentecost that the promise [of the Spirit] was “to you and to your children” (Acts 2:39).

The outpouring of the Spirit would inaugurate a new age of revelation. Recipients of the Spirit would “prophesy.” The Spirit is frequently linked to prophecy in the Old Testament (Num 11:25; Mic 3:8). Visions and revelatory dreams would also be evidence of the commencement of that Spirit age. Visions and dreams were two means by which God revealed his will to prophets (Num 12:6).

B. The Fulfillment of the Prophecy

The Apostle Peter identified the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy of the outpouring of the Spirit. The crowds heard the Apostles speaking in the temple courts in languages they had never studied. Some among the perplexed multitude thought the Apostles were drunk. Peter pointed out that the early hour made it highly improbable that they were under the influence of wine. He then went on to affirm that “this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel” (Acts 2:16).

Those witnessing the Pentecost demonstration realized that Joel’s prediction involved much more than they were witnessing that day. Joel’s prophecy contemplated an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, not only on the men then before them, but on “all flesh,” i.e., persons of all nationalities. Peter must have meant—and his audience must have understood him to mean—that the age of the Holy Spirit began on that Pentecost. Within a decade the household of Cornelius, a Gentile soldier, received the same outpouring of the Spirit experienced by the Apostles on Pentecost (Acts 11:15). Philip had four virgin daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:9). Certain women in the church at Corinth also prophesied (1 Cor 11:5). Thus Pentecost marked the beginning of the fulfillment of Joel’s words.