A Teaching Outline for the Book of Joel

Before sending the Israelites into the Promised Land, Moses taught them that if they obeyed God, being careful to do all His commandments, God would prosper them. This prosperity would be not only for the people themselves, but also for the animals and the land (cf. Deut. 28:4-5, 11). Yet, Moses also warned them that if they disobeyed God, it would result in numerous judgments, one of which would be the destruction of their crops by swarms of locusts and crickets (cf. Deut. 28:38, 42).

Thus, after years of ongoing sin and apostasy, it should have come as no surprise when a terrible locust plague devastated the agriculture of the southern kingdom of Judah. The spiritually lethargic people had brought it upon themselves. They needed to be rebuked, they needed to repent, and they needed to know the way back to God. And the prophet Joel was God’s chosen man to deliver such a message.

The prophet’s message began with a call to examine just how dire the situation was: “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?” (Joel 2:1). Using terms for four different varieties of locusts (just as today we might use multiple terms like “cricket” and “grasshopper” to refer to a particular species), Joel spoke of this swarm as a “nation” sent by God to wipe out the crops (cf. Joel 1:6). The fig trees were stripped bare, the fields were ruined, and even the vineyards—which were beloved by the drunkards in the nation—were left desolate (cf. Joel 1:5-10). God’s righteous judgment had come upon this disobedient nation, and they had no one to blame but themselves.

But the reality is that the locust plague was a representative preview of an even greater judgment. The “day of disaster” that the people experienced was actually but a foretaste of future judgment in the “Day of the Lord”—the period of time beginning immediately after the Rapture of the Church, continuing through the seven-year Tribulation, and completing in the Millennial Kingdom. As Joel went on to explain, the coming catastrophe would be far worse. In the future, an army of locust-like beings will be unleashed upon the earth, and they will not only be supernaturally sent, but supernaturally strengthened. Tormenting men like that of a scorpion’s sting, the pain will be so bad that “in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them” (Rev. 9:6).

It was as if Joel’s point was, “If you think this local plague is bad, just wait until you see God’s wrath across the entire globe.” Yet, idly waiting around for God’s wrath would actually be the worst thing they could have done. As Joel explained, the day of the Lord is near, indicating that it’s fast approaching (cf. Joel 1:15). In God’s timing, a thousand years is as a single day (cf. 2 Pet. 3:7-8). What they needed to do was repent—and right away.

For that reason, Joel addressed all classes of people: from the civic leader to the farmer, from the priest to the average citizen. Speaking to the city itself (representing all of its inhabitants), Joel called for it to grieve the way a young widow would grieve over her deceased husband (cf. Joel 1:8). And the grief needed to be more than skin deep: “Rend your heart and not your garments,” was his message (Joel 2:13). Though it was customary to tear one’s clothes in times of grief (cf. Job 1:20, 2 Sam. 3:31, et. al.), Joel wanted them to feel anguish over their sin, not merely their situation. Genuine repentance requires a broken heart, not a shredded coat.

Of course, Joel didn’t leave them with the bad news. Reminding them that God is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindess” (Joel 2:13), he explained that a glorious future awaited those who genuinely turned to God with their whole heart.

According to God’s promise, the nation will one day truly repent and experience spiritual, national, and material blessings. The Holy Spirit will be poured out upon all of them, such that they will all hear from God directly (cf. Joel 2:28). The nations that subjugated Israel would be defeated by God and then subjugated to Judah (cf. Joel 3:8-12). And the land would be more abundant than anything they could ever imagine (cf. Joel 3:18).

Though the time of Israel’s nationwide repentance is yet to come (cf. Rom. 11:25-26), the promise holds firm. When Israel recognizes Jesus as the Messiah crucified for their sins (cf. Isa. 53), they will repent, trust in Him, and enter into the promised kingdom in which these blessings will be poured out. “The mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk” (Joel 3:18). Moses led the Israelites into a land flowing with milk and honey; Jesus will lead them into the land overflowing with milk and honey.

In the meantime, those who trust in Christ today also become heirs of this coming kingdom. As proof, the apostle Peter quoted from the book of Joel at the start of the Church on the day of Pentecost—not to assert that Joel’s prophecy was being fulfilled at that time—but to explain that the blessing of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was but a preview of the blessings to come in the Day of the Lord (cf. Acts 2:14-21). In that way, the book of Joel proves itself to be a foundational text for us as well (cf. 1 Thess. 5:2). Like the people of Judah, the way for us to be ready for the Day of the Lord is not by preparing food, supplies, or shelter, but by preparing our hearts through repentance and faith in Christ alone.

To that end, Joel’s short book offers a stark depiction of God’s wrath (cf. Joel 2:15-18), a compelling description of true repentance (cf. Joel 2:13), and an encouraging declaration of future blessing (cf. Joel 3:18). For those leading others in the faith, there is perhaps no better triad of truth than those three themes. May the Lord bless you as you help others prepare. The following outline is offered to help.

A Day of Disaster Is Here (Joel 1:1-14)

Leaders: Hear, Listen, Tell (Joel 1:1-4)

Drunkards: Awake (Joel 1:5-7)

Citizens: Wail (Joel 1:8-10)

Farmers: Be Ashamed (Joel 1:11-12)

Priests: Lament (Joel 1:13-14)

The Day of the Lord Is Near (Joel 1:15-2:17)

Proof in the Current Crisis (Joel 1:15-20)

Promise of the Coming Catastrophe (Joel 2:1-14)

Prayer with the Correct Concern (Joel 2:15-17)

The Grace of the Lord Will Appear (Joel 2:18-3:21)

Material Blessings (Joel 2:18-27)

Spiritual Blessings (Joel 2:28-32)

National Blessings (Joel 3:1-21)