Study 1. Joel 1:2-14
Icebreaker
What is the most expensive accident you have ever had in your life?
Responding to Crisis
It was a quiet morning for the fishermen of Tohoku. They had finished their night of finishing and they
were pulling back to harbor, what happened next would change their lives forever. It was 2.46 Friday
March 11th 2011, and there were about to experience one of the five strongest earthquakes since
modern record keeping began in 1900. The earthquake triggered waves as high as 13 story building,
that travelled 6 miles inland, and shifted the earth on its axis by approximately by 5 inches.
On 12 March 2012, a Japanese National Police Agency report confirmed 15,867 deaths, 6,109 injured
and 2,909 people missing. Estimates placed insured losses from the earthquake alone at US $14.5 to
$34.6 billion. The World Bank's estimated economic cost was US$235 billion, making it the most
expensive natural disaster in world history.
A crisis can capture anyone's attention. But the response to a crisis can vary greatly from person to
person. Some become bitter and hardened. Others quietly endure but learn nothing from the
experience. A few, however, find their lives are purified, deepened and strengthened.
Discovering the Word
Read Joel 1:2-14 out loud, split the verses among the group so everyone gets a chance to read.
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Experiencing the Word
Describe the devastation left by the locust plague.
How will the plague affect the drunkards (v. 5), the priests (vv. 9, 13) and the farmers (v. 11)?
Why do you think these groups are singled out?
What are some other well-known occurrences of locusts in the Bible (see Exodus 10:4-6, 12-15;
and Revelation 9:7-10)? Is there any connection between those other occurrences and the book
of Joel?
For what purpose does God use locusts?
Why locusts and not some other means?
Joel compares the people of Judah to a virgin mourning for her husband (a fiancé was referred to
as husband or wife) (v. 8). What does this metaphor say about the depth of relationship
between God and his people?
In vs. 13-14 Joel calls the people to repent. How are they to demonstrate their repentance?
Call to Action
● In what ways does God discipline His people today, either individually or corporately?
● In what meaningful ways can we express our repentance today, both individually and
corporately?
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Response
Ask God to show you where your inner life is in crisis and how you need to repent.
Dig a Little Deeper
Author
JOEL 605-586 B.C (meaning "one to whom Jehovah is God," that is, worshipper of Jehovah) seems to
have belonged to Judah1. Joel must have lived during the early Eighth Century B.C., and prophesied in
Judah during the days of King Uzziah (792-740 B.C.), because he does not mention Assyria, Babylon or
Persia2. From this book, we can see that he was acquainted with the land, the farming and the
geography.
Background
The prophet Joel lived during the golden period of King Uzziah’s 52 years extended rule. His was the
time of great expansion in every aspect: militarily, administratively, commercially, and economically. It
was a period of great expansion and solidification. It was a period of peace and prosperity second only
to Solomon’s time.
Further Reading
What is Repentance
Repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it. We shall not renounce sin unless we see
its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart, there will be no real change in the life.
There are many who fail to understand the true nature of repentance. Multitudes sorrow that they have
sinned and even make an outward reformation because they fear that their wrongdoing will bring
suffering upon themselves. But this is not repentance in the Bible sense. They lament the suffering
rather than the sin.
When the heart yields to the influence of the Spirit of God, the conscience will be quickened, and the
sinner will discern something of the depth and sacredness of God’s holy law, the foundation of His
government in heaven and on earth. The “Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,”
illumines the secret chambers of the soul, and the hidden things of darkness are made manifest. John
1:9. Conviction takes hold upon the mind and heart. The sinner has a sense of the righteousness of
Jehovah and feels the terror of appearing, in his own guilt and uncleanness, before the Searcher of
hearts. He sees the love of God, the beauty of holiness, the joy of purity; he longs to be cleansed and to
be restored to communion with Heaven.
The prayer of David after his fall illustrates the nature of true sorrow for sin. His repentance was sincere
and deep. There was no effort to palliate his guilt; no desire to escape the judgment threatened,
inspired his prayer. David saw the enormity of his transgression; he saw the defilement of his soul; he
loathed his sin. It was not for pardon only that he prayed, but for purity of heart. He longed for the joy
of holiness—to be restored to harmony and communion with God. This was the language of his soul:
1
Fausset, A. R., David Brown, and Robert Jamieson. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's Commentary on the Whole Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Zondervan,
1961) , 1912.
2
Imanuel Christian. August 5, 2001. The Book of Joel. From Creation to the Cross, Richardson, Texas. Accessed September 12, 2012. Available at
http://bible.org/seriespage/book-joel
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Psalm 32:1, 2.
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven.
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord
imputeth not iniquity.
And in whose spirit there is no guile.”
Psalm 51:1-14.
“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to
thy loving-kindness:
According unto the multitude of Thy tender
mercies blot out my transgressions....
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my
sin is ever before me....
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow....
Create in me a clean heart, O God;
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence;
And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation;
And uphold me with Thy free spirit....
Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, Thou
God of my salvation:
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy
righteousness.”
A repentance such as this is beyond the reach of our own power to accomplish; it is obtained only from
Christ, who ascended up on high and has given gifts unto men.
Just here is a point on which many may err, and hence they fail of receiving the help that Christ desires
to give them. They think that they cannot come to Christ unless they first repent, and that repentance
prepares for the forgiveness of their sins. It is true that repentance does precede the forgiveness of sins;
for it is only the broken and contrite heart that will feel the need of a Saviour. But must the sinner wait
till he has repented before he can come to Jesus? Is repentance to be made an obstacle between the
sinner and the Saviour?3
3
White, Ellen Gould Harmon. Steps to Christ. (Fort Worth: Texas, Southern Pub. Assoc, 1908) , p 23.
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Study 2. Joel 1:15-20
Icebreaker
Share a really good or poor decision that you made that affected others as well as yourself.
Costly decisions
In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions, where a small
change at one place in a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences to a later state.
The name of the effect, coined by Edward Lorenz, is derived from the theoretical example of a
hurricane's formation being contingent on whether or not a distant butterfly had flapped its wings
several weeks before.
Nature is a complex system, and responds in incredibly complex ways, to events that we take for
granted. It is not only organic nature, but also entire peoples and nations. In this reading we learn
about the severe consequences of a nation’s decisions.
Discovering the Word
Read Joel 1:15-20 out loud, split the verses among the group so everyone gets a chance to read.
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Experiencing the Word
What does the phrase “Day of the Lord” Yom Yahweh allude to in the bible?
How many facets of the human experience (mental, physical etc) are affected by the famine?
What other life forms are affected by the famine?
Does this reveal anything about the intensity of the punishment?
Is the ubiquity of God’s punitive action a fair response to Israel’s sin?
Call to Action
● How do we communicate God’s character of love to those that are going through periods of
famine in their life?
● Does God sometimes allow others to suffer because of our actions?
Response
Today let us pray that God will give us the foresight to realize that our individual actions can have
reaching consequences, both for good and bad.
Dig A Little Deeper
Day of the Lord
The Day of the Lord is characterized by a pouring out of divine wrath on God’s enemies (Joel 2:1-2; Amos
5:18-20; Zechariah 1:14-15). There is imagery of natural disaster, devastating military conquest, and
supernatural calamity is connected to Day of the Lord references.
On the other hand, the day is also characterized by a pouring out of divine blessing upon God’s people
(Isaiah 4:2-6; 30:26; Hosea 2:18-23; Joel 3:9-21; Amos 9:11-15; Micah 4:6-8; Zephaniah 2:7; Zechariah
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14:6-9). Thus, while divine judgment is certainly a prominent theme in the Day of the Lord, it is only part
of the picture.4
The dual nature of the Day of the Lord is further illumined by its purposes. The writing prophets
describe the Day of the Lord as coming so that people might turn from idols (Isaiah 2:18, 20) and turn to
Yahweh (Joel 2:12-14). Those recognizing the severity of the day will cry for God’s mercy (Joel 2:17), call
on the name of the Lord to be saved (Joel 2:32), and seek refuge in the Rock (Isaiah 2:21). All of the
above purposes highlight the blessing of this day for those who have responded appropriately.
Ultimately, all the nations will recognize Yahweh in that day (Joel 3:17), but then it will be too late for
those destined to destruction and death (Zephaniah 2:12-14). The example of the nations provides a
clear picture of the dark side to this same day that is a blessing for others.
In sum, an accurate presentation of the Day of the Lord requires us to recognize that the day has two
sides to its nature. Sometimes one side is prominent, sometimes the other. This should not come as a
surprise to those who know the nature of the God who is behind the nature of the day. If the Day of the
Lord is ultimately a demonstration of God’s sovereign rule, we would expect to see both wrath and
blessing simultaneously.
Further Reading
Time of Trouble
The end is near, stealing upon us stealthily, imperceptibly, like the noiseless approach of a thief in the
night. May the Lord grant that we shall no longer sleep as do others, but that we shall watch and be
sober. The truth is soon to triumph gloriously, and all who now choose to be laborers together with God
will triumph with it. The time is short; the night soon cometh when no man can work. Let those who
are rejoicing in the light of present truth, now make haste to impart the truth to others. The Lord is
inquiring, “Whom shall I send?” Those who wish to sacrifice for the truth’s sake are now to respond,
“Here am I, Lord; send me.”
We have done only a small part of the evangelical work that God desires us to do among our neighbors
and friends. In every city of our land there are those who know not the truth. And out in the broad
world beyond the seas there are many new fields in which we must plow the ground and sow the seed.
We are on the very verge of the time of trouble, and perplexities that are scarcely dreamed of are
before us. A power from beneath is leading men to war against Heaven. Human beings have
confederated with satanic agencies to make void the law of God. The inhabitants of the world are fast
becoming as the inhabitants of the world in Noah’s day, which were swept away by the Flood, and as the
inhabitants of Sodom, who were consumed by fire from heaven. The powers of Satan are at work to
keep minds diverted from eternal realities. The enemy has arranged matters to suit his own purposes.
Worldly business, sports, the fashions of the day—these things occupy the minds of men and women.
Amusements and unprofitable reading spoil the judgment. In the broad road that leads to eternal ruin
their walks a long procession. The world, filled with violence, reveling, and drunkenness, is converting
the church. The law of God, the divine standard of righteousness, is declared to be of no effect. Are we
to wait until the fulfillment of the prophecies of the end before we say anything concerning them? Of
4
Chisholm, Jr.Robert B, From Exegesis to Exposition: A Practical Guide to Using Biblical Hebrew (Grand Rapids: Michigan, Baker, 1998), 183.
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what value will our words be then? Shall we wait until God’s judgments fall upon the transgressor
before we tell him how to avoid them? Where is our faith in the word of God? Must we see things
foretold come to pass before we will believe what He has said? In clear, distinct rays light has come to
us, showing us that the great day of the Lord is near at hand, “even at the doors.” Let us read and
understand before it is too late.53
Are we to wait until the fulfillment of the prophecies of the end before we say anything concerning
them? Of what value will our words be then? Shall we wait until God’s judgments fall upon the
transgressor before we tell him how to avoid them? Where is our faith in the word of God? Must we
see things foretold come to pass before we will believe what He has said? In clear, distinct rays light has
come to us, showing us that the great day of the Lord is near at hand, “even at the doors.” Let us read
and understand before it is too late5.
Study 3. Joel 2:1-11
Icebreaker
Have you ever missed an important meeting? How did it happen?
Alarming Decisions
Doctors and researchers tell us that many heart attack victims do not have ‘classic’ early warning signs.
These signs are things like intense chest pain, and sweating. The truth is many experience nothing more
than mild discomfort akin to heartburn. Others ignore the signs or recognize them too late. The result is
that too often, it is hours before they seek critical medical help. For some, that delay is fatal.
A company called the Angel Med Guardian System hope a device that they have invented will cut the
death rate from heart attacks by a quarter. The device alerts the wearer as soon as it detects symptoms
akin to a heart attack. About the size of an old-style pager, it is implanted just under the skin below the
collarbone.
This will enable many more people to get to hospital up to two hours sooner than they would have
done, reducing the chance of death and preserving heart muscle.
It works by picking up subtle changes to the electrical signals produced by the heart, when one of the
organ's major arteries is at imminent risk of being obstructed by a clot.
Dr Robert Wlodarczyk, a cardiologist at Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare in California, the principal
investigator of the ALERTS trial, said: "This device alerts you as soon as any evidence of myocardial
ischemia or heart attack begins, this giving you precious minutes to hours to get to a doctor and get
help.
When emergencies arrive in life, the difference between life and death can be a matter of minutes. The
difference between how many of those precious minutes that we have to respond adequately depends
5
White, Ellen Gould Harmon. Study Guide to Counsels for the Church. (Silver Spring: Maryland, E.G. White Estate, 1990) ,18.
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on how clear and effective our warning systems are. The passage under consideration today begins with
a frightening alarm, about a portentous day that will forever change the life of those who hear it.
Discovering the Word
Read Joel 2:1-11 out loud, split the verses among the group so everyone gets a chance to read.
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Experiencing the Word
Why does Joel say the trumpet should be blown from the “Holy Hill”
What is the significance of the Holy Hill?
What are the key words in v. 2 that paint the general mood of the passage?
Who is the commander of the invading army?
What similarities are there between Joel’s description of judgment and Deuteronomy 28:42-48?
What reason is offered in Deuteronomy 28:47 as the root of the calamities?
Where else in the Old Testament does God send locusts as a plague to a nation? Is God making a
comparison between the two nations by doing this?
Call to Action
● How does the reality of the urgency of God’s coming judgment impact your urgency to share
Christ?
● In what ways are our actions, attitudes and choices, as individuals and as a community like the
first nation (Egypt) that God sent plagues on?
Response
What realistic step will you take this week to alert loved ones about the Day of the Lord?
Dig A Little Deeper
Here is the war proclaimed (v. 1): Blow the trumpet in Zion, either to call the invading army
together, and then the trumpet sounds a charge, or rather to give notice to Judah and Jerusalem of the
approach of the judgment, that they might prepare to meet their God in the way of his judgments and
might endeavor by prayers and tears, the church’s best artillery, to put by the stroke. It was the priests’
business to sound the trumpet (Numbers. 10:8), both as an appeal to God in the day of their distress and
a summons to the people to come together to seek his face.
Note: It is the work of ministers to give warning from the word of God of the fatal consequences of sin,
and to reveal his wrath from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. And though it
is not the privilege of Zion and Jerusalem to be exempted from the judgments of God, if they provoke
him, yet it is their privilege to be warned of them, that they might make their peace with him. Even in
the holy mountain the alarm must be sounded, and then it sounds most dreadful, Amos 3:2. Now, shall
a trumpet be blown in the city, in the holy city, and the people not be afraid? Surely they will. Amos 3:6.
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; they shall be made to tremble by the judgment itself; let them
therefore tremble at the alarm of it.6
6
Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume. Joel 2. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994.
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Further Reading
Sowing Seeds
Every seed sown produces a harvest of its kind. So it is in human life. We all need to sow the seeds of
compassion, sympathy, and love; for we shall reap what we sow. Every characteristic of selfishness, selflove, self-esteem, every act of self-indulgence, will bring forth a like harvest. He who lives for self is
sowing to the flesh, and of the flesh he will reap corruption.
God destroys no man. Everyone who is destroyed will have destroyed himself. Everyone who stifles the
admonitions of conscience is sowing the seeds of unbelief, and these will produce a sure harvest. By
rejecting the first warning from God, Pharaoh of old sowed the seeds of obstinacy, and he reaped
obstinacy. God did not compel him to disbelieve. The seed of unbelief which he sowed produced a
harvest of its kind. Thus his resistance continued, until he looked upon his devastated land, upon the
cold, dead form of his first-born, and the first-born of all in his house and of all the families in his
kingdom, until the waters of the sea closed over his horses and his chariots and his men of war. His
history is a fearful illustration of the truth of the words that “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he
also reap.” Galatians 6:7. Did men but realize this; they would be careful what seed they sow.
As the seed sown produces a harvest, and this in turn is sown, the harvest is multiplied. In our relation
to others, this law holds true. Every act, every word, is a seed that will bear fruit. Every deed of
thoughtful kindness, of obedience, or of self-denial, will reproduce itself in others and through them in
still others. So every act of envy, malice, or dissension is a seed that will spring up in a “root of
bitterness” (Hebrews 12:15), whereby many shall be defiled. And how much larger number will the
“many” poison. Thus the sowing of good and evil goes on for time and for eternity.
Study 4. Joel 2:12-17
Icebreaker
Describe a time when you were sure you were right about a topic but turned out to be wrong. Did you
have to apologize?
Tearful Decisions
Dr. Bernard Nathanson was the leading abortion doctor in the United States in the 1970’s. He had
campaigned vigorously for the legalization of abortion and he himself had performed 60,000 abortions.
He even believed his intentions were good and that he was doing a righteous thing by providing a
service that guaranteed a woman’s right to control her body.
But something changed Dr. Nathanson’s point view. It was a medical breakthrough called the
ultrasound, introduced in 1976. This device literally opened a window on fetal development. The first
time Nathanson saw an ultrasound in action, he was with a group of residents gathered around a
pregnant patient in a darkened examining room watching a demonstration by a technician.
The technician applied a conductive gel to the woman’s abdomen and then began working a handheld
sensor over her stomach. As the screen clarified, Nathason was amazed. He could see a throbbing
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heart. When the technician focused closely on the image, Nathanson could see all four chambers of the
heart pumping blood. And during the scan Nathanson became convicted. He changed his behavior to
align with his newfound conviction on life, and became an advocate for unborn children. In a very real
sense Dr Nathanson repented of his former actions and made a 180 degree turn in his life. The lesson
for today is a clarion call by Yahweh to Israel to repent of their former actions and turn 180 degrees back
to him.
Discovering the Word
Read Joel 2:12-17 out loud, split the verses among the group so everyone gets a chance to read.
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Experiencing the Word
What do you think God means when He commands the people of Judah to “return” to Him (Joel
2:12-13)?
What does this “returning” look like?
What is the meaning of the phrase “rend your heart and not your garments” in v. 13?
List all the descriptors of God’s character in vs. 13-14.
How does this fit with the picture of God that Joel has so far painted in Joel 1-2?
How does fasting play a part in the physical act of repentance?
Why is there a warning in vs17 not to make their “inheritance an object of scorn”
Whose reputation and honor is on trial? God’s or the “inheritance” (see Exodus 19:5, 1 Kings 9:67, Psalms 44:14, Deuteronomy 9:26-29 for direction)
Call to Action
● Are there any areas of your life where you need to “rend your heart?” Study the description of
God’s character in Joel 2:13b. How should this description encourage us to “rend our hearts” to
God?
○ Describe a time when you’ve experienced God’s grace or compassion.
● Is it still necessary even in today’s day and age to fast when we are repenting? Come up with
creative ways to fast other than food fasts.
Response
Lord, by your grace, I chose to fast for one day this week so I can refocus on you in an area of my life
that is currently weak.
Dig A Little Deeper
For all that was coming to the people, Joel counseled them to react not with despair but with faith (cf.
Habakkuk 2:4). In saying that they should return “even now” and in declaring this to be a word from
God, 2 Joel affirmed that God had not finally rejected them and that he was yet ready to heal them. The
call here is for repentance, an attitude of remorse for sin and a cry for forgiveness that weeping and
fasting visibly express. The emotional demonstration is not just for show—the next verse shows that
Joel was aware of the possibility of making a pretense of repentance through dramatic gestures. The
weeping and fasting called for are appropriate indications that the people repent with their “whole
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hearts.” In other words, they are signs that the people truly feel the weight of their sin and do not
engage in repentance flippantly. Calvin commented that “moderate repentance will not do.”
Although the Old Testament several times calls on people to circumcise their hearts (cf. Deuteronomy
10:16; 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4), this is the only place where a prophet calls on them to tear their hearts and
not their garments. Ritual repentance, however fervently carried out, is of no use if the heart is
unchanged. A frequent criticism directed at Joel is that he was not a great ethical prophet. That is, we
do not see in Joel the kind of diatribe against injustice, idolatry, or immorality that we find in the other
prophets. It is undeniable that Joel was so focused on the day of the Lord that he had little room in his
small book for anything else. Still he captured the very heart of biblical ethics when he demanded
genuine repentance from the people. Right behavior results from true submission to God, and this is
where Joel pointed. Also the exhortation to “return” to Yahweh could be a call to abandon the idols of
Canaan, 6 but it is certainly a call to turn away from sin.
The Old Testament frequently repeats the confession that Yahweh is “gracious and compassionate” (2
Chronicles 30:9; Nehemiah 9:17, 31; Psalms 86:15; 103:8; Jonah 4:2). This was the language Yahweh
himself used when he gave a second copy of the Ten Commandments to Moses in Exodus 34:6–7. The
second issuing of the tablets of the law was itself a second chance for Israel to keep the covenant. Joel
in effect reminded his people that Yahweh was the God of second chances.
Wolff has observed that this expression, together with “Who knows? He may turn and have pity” from
v. 14, implies that Joel is here dependent on Jonah 3:9 and 4:2. This may be, for the language of the
texts is remarkably similar. At the same time, there is no unambiguous evidence about the direction of
the borrowing, and we should hesitate about drawing conclusions from these parallels.
The phrase “Who knows?” implies divine sovereignty and freedom. God has already pronounced
judgment against the nation, and no one can assume that an act of repentance can force God to change
his decision (Amos 5:15). On the other hand, the mercy of God is such that he yet may choose to relent.
God is always free to have mercy on whom he will have mercy (Exodus 33:19; Romans 9:15). We cannot
force the issue through any formula or prayer. L. C. Allen notes that Joel issued “a call to faith not in a
doctrinal system, but in an intensely personal God.” Still the overall purpose was to draw people to true
repentance. 11 Wolff captures the sense of the idiom well: “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.”
The hope is that repentance will be followed by restoration. In particular, Joel looked for a restoration of
the agricultural prosperity so that they could make offerings in the temple. This would be a sign that
once again they were under God’s favor7.
7
Garrett, Duane A. vol. 19A, Hosea, Joel, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1997) , 344-47.
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Further Reading
Life has passed me by.
A Hypothetical Poem of Repentance and Hope
So much of life has passed me by,
so many things it makes me sigh.
All of my choices made in vain haste,
have lead to nothing but a horrible waste.
The broken, shattered, empty dreams,
and the heart that is breaking at its seams.
Each foolish act of selfishness,
chosen instead of that which is best.
Oh that I had spent my time serving Him,
instead of on vain and selfish whims.
Why did I let the years slip by,
till all I have left are the tears I cry.
It’s never to late to change my fate,
I'll look to the savior and on him I will wait.
His hand will set my life aright,
and bring me out of this empty night.
His joy will fill my heart anew,
and bring me out of a life that’s blue.
Father in Jesus precious name I pray,
make my life new, restore me today.
Thank You for hearing my humble plea,
and restoring again my life to me.
Thank You for Jesus your loving son,
in whom my life has again begun.
Thanks for Your Spirit to lead me anew,
as I learn and live and love for You.
Dan Sharpe.
Study 5. Joel 2:18-27
Icebreaker
What is the best surprise gift you have ever received in your life?
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Restorative Decisions
Leroy Hicks was 13 years old when he started to drink. Whilst other children played tag, or
baseball, Leroy would secretly raid his parent’s home looking for something to drink. For 30 years Leroy
fought, and lost, his battle with the bottle.
In his own words: “There were times when in a drunken stupor I’d cry out to the Lord for help. I wanted
to stop drinking but couldn’t. I was raised in church and was in and out of it most of my life trying to
serve the Lord the best way I knew how. But the desire for a drink was stronger than I was. Alcohol had
me; it was in control, so I would stop going to church and start drinking again. The devil would tempt
me with thoughts of suicide, but I still could hear the Lord’s voice saying, "No, that’s not the way.
There were times when I spent all my wages on booze instead of paying bills, letting my wife and sons
suffer from lack of things they needed. There were times, after a week of being drunk, that when I was
coming down off the alcohol, I would cry out to God, "Please Lord help me!" This went on for years and
by the grace of God I am still alive. Something inside of me wouldn’t let me end it. The devil couldn't
get me to use the shot gun so he thought he would try to kill me another way. On August 1, 1991, I had
a heart attack. I could have died, but by the grace and mercy of God, I made it through.
While I was in the hospital on my sick bed, Jesus was knocking on my heart’s door. I made a decision
during that time to come back to the Lord. The first week I was home from the hospital, I went back to
church, where I belonged in the first place. After I had been going to church for a few months, I realized
that the craving for a drink had stopped. God had completely delivered me and I didn’t even ask Him to,
or did I?
All those times in the past that I had cried out to him for help, I thought He wasn’t listening, but now I
know He was. It took something drastic in my life for me to listen to what he was trying to tell me. The
Old devil tried to kill me, but Jesus came on the scene, and when Jesus shows up, things happen! Now I
am saved, filled with the Holy Ghost, and I praise God for he does hear and answers prayer."
Leroy now runs a small ministry where he shares the good news about a God who restores, mind, body
and soul!
Discovering the Word
Read Joel 2:18-27 out loud, split the verses among the group so everyone gets a chance to read.
●
●
○
●
○
●
Experiencing the Word
V. 18 mark an important transition in this chapter. How is the language of this section different
than that of Joel 2:1-11?
What does “grain, wine and oil” symbolize?
How is it a precursor of Gods actions vs. 19-20?
How does God expect His people to respond to His blessings?
See how many of these responses you can list in vs. 21-23.
What is the significance of the former and latter rain in light of the themes of the book of Joel
(hint: The Day of the Lord.)
12
● Vs. 26-27 both repeat God’s promise that his people will never be put to shame. What does it
mean to be put to shame? How significant is it then that we have an advocate to prevent us
from experiencing shame?
Call to Action
● As you think about your own circumstances, what are some similar blessings for which you
should be glad? Have you expressed this gladness to God lately?
● When I turned 25 one of my friends challenged me to give “praise” for every year I had been
alive. Take some time this week to list down a something you are thankful God has done in your
life, one for every year you have lived! Have fun!
Response
Lord, I thank you for your power to restore brokenness, and for your promise to pour your Spirit out for
deliverance.
Dig A Little Deeper
Result of Repentance
The final section of Joel's powerful and stimulating book presents the promised result of repentance
(chaps. 2:18-3:21). Since these promises were conditional on proper repentance they were never
fulfilled to the Jews as God intended them to be. Their primary application, therefore, must be to the
final reformation that ultimately results in the establishment of God's kingdom on earth.
God's pity and zeal for His people are vividly portrayed in vs. 18 through 22 of chapter two. Notice that
God is said to be "jealous." But this jealousy is not the kind that is jealous of some one. God is jealous
for His people out of love for them. He is filled with interest and zeal on their behalf. "Jealous" might
better be translated "zealous."
Early and Latter Rain
Probably one of the most significant passages in this book follows. Verses 23 through 29 of the second
chapter present the promise of the early and latter rain. In the Hebrew the word for "teacher" is used,
but a large number of manuscripts do have the common word for "early rain." The context obviously
favors the use of "early rain." The Hebrews probably recognized a close relationship between these
terms, however. It certainly is not inappropriate to view the gift of the Holy Spirit in the "early rain" as a
"teacher of righteousness." Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit would fill .this role after Pentecost (John
16:7, 10).
In Acts 2:17-20, Peter cites Joel 2:28-31 as being fulfilled at Pentecost. This fulfillment brought the
"early rain" to the church and it is to remain with the church to the end of time (The Acts of the
Apostles, pp. 54, 55; Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 408).
Ironically, however, we live in a time when the church seems to be praying for the outpouring of the
"latter rain" without either fully appreciating or appropriating the power already available to us in the
"former rain." "The promise of the Spirit is not appreciated as it should be. Its fulfillment is not realized
as it might be" (Christ's Object Lessons, p. 328). When we have taken advantage of the "former rain"
13
then we can claim the promise that the "latter rain" will be given more abundantly (The Desire of Ages,
p. 827).
As we compare the promises of restoration found in these verses (chap. 2:24-27) we note that all the
damage and destruction indicated in chapter one will not only be restored, but more abundantly so.
The book of Joel concludes with a pleasant description of the blessed state of God's people after their
deliverance. That which "might have been" accomplished for Israel but never was, owing to their
rebelliousness and lack of repentance is to be fully and finally realized in the great "day of the Lord"
soon to come8.
Further Reading
It is true that in the time of the end, when God’s work in the earth is closing, the earnest efforts put
forth by consecrated believers under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, are to be accompanied by special
tokens of divine favor. Under the figure of the early and the latter rain, that falls in Eastern lands at
seed-time and harvest, the Hebrew prophets fore told the bestowal of spiritual grace in extraordinary
measure upon God’s church. The out-pouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles was the beginning
of the early or former rain, and glorious was the result. To the end of time, the presence of the Spirit is
to abide with the true church.
The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles was the “former rain,” and glorious was the
result. But the latter rain will be more abundant. What is the promise to those living in these days?—
“Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope; even today do I declare that I will render double unto
thee.” “Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and
give them showers of rain, to everyone grass in the field.”9
Study 6. Joel 2:28-32
Icebreaker
What did you dream about being when you were younger?
Dreams & Visions
Do you know that many Muslims are recently becoming Christians because of dreams and visions?
According to Wendell Evans of the Billy Graham Center’s Institute for Muslim Studies, "More and more
stories are coming out of closed countries, of God supernaturally evangelizing Muslims through dreams
and visions. Of the estimated thousands of new believers in Iran in the last few years, over half of them
became believers after Jesus personally came to them in a dream or vision." Here’s one example.
8
Leo Van Dolson. February, 1975. Joel. A Clear Ringing Call, Silver Spring, Maryland. Accessed October 12, 2012. Available at
http://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1975/February/joel%E2%80%94a-clear,-ringing-call
9
White, Ellen Gould Harmon. Christian Service: A Compilation. (Hagerstown, Maryland: Review and Herald Pub. Association, 2002), 250.
14
Madame Bilquis Sheikh was a high-born Muslim, former wife of a Minister of the Interior in Pakistan.
God gave her dreams and visions about John the Baptist, about himself as God the Father, Jesus the Son
and the Holy Spirit. He led her to read the Bible. Her family came to know of her new beliefs and
confronted her. She was so convinced of her newfound truth, however, that they plotted to kill her.
They even tried to burn her house. Her family boycotted her, and the servants, who were Muslims, left
her, calling her a traitor and an infidel. She received many threats from her family and outsiders. An
Army General of Pakistan visited, asking her "Why did you do it?" She replied she has been called to
witness Jesus Christ and she will obey Him, no matter what comes her way. She finally escaped to the
United States and wrote a book about her experiences.
Discovering the Word
Read Joel 2:28-32 out loud, split the verses among the group so everyone gets a chance to read.
●
○
●
○
●
○
Experiencing the Word
When do these amazing events of Joel 28-32 take place? Have they taken place already?
How the passage such as Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Ezekiel 36:26-27 help us understand this
passage?
When the Spirit is poured in the latter days (v. 28) is it demographically limited?
Read Galatians 3:28, how does this passage relate to the pouring out of God’s Spirit in Joel 2:28?
What is the only way for someone to be delivered/saved from the atrocities mentioned in Joel 2
(see verse 32)? What does it mean to “call on the name of the LORD?” Does it mean something
different to us than it did to the people of Judah in Joel 2?
What kind of heart attitude is required if someone wants to “call on the name of the LORD?” Do
people call on the LORD, or does He call them (Joel 2:32 seems to indicate both)?
Call to Action
● What is the work of the Spirit in the context of revival and reformation?
● How can we prepare ourselves to be a part of this outpouring of the Holy Spirit?
● In what ways can you “call humbly” on the name of the Lord this week?
Response
Dear Father, we pray for the filling of Joel’s prophecy in our life today. May you’re Spirit, refresh, renew
and revive us today, for your glory, amen.
Dig A Little Deeper
Upon all flesh (v. 28) this though is further emphasized by the enumeration of the various age groups
that would share the spiritual blessings; further, by the fact that bond and free alike would receive the
Spirit. The context makes clear that more than the reception of the Spirit, such as accompanies
conversion and works transformation of life, is here spoken of. This special pouring out of the Spirit
results in the display of supernatural gifts, such as prophesying. On the day of Pentecost, when the
apostles “were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues” (Acts 2:4), Peter
asserted that “this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel” (v. 16).
15
In the early church “the manifestation of the Spirit” was given “to every man to profit withal” (1
Corinthians 12:7). Various gifts were in evidence, such as “the word of wisdom,” “the word of
knowledge,” “faith,” “healing,” “working of miracles,” “prophecy,” “discerning of spirits,” “divers kinds
of tongues,” and “the interpretation of tongues” (vs. 8–10). The events of Pentecost were but a partial
fulfillment of Joel’s prediction. The prophecy is to “reach its full accomplishment in the manifestation of
divine grace which will attend the closing work of the gospel” 10.
Further Reading
There is nothing that Satan fears so much as that the people of God shall clear the way by removing
every hindrance, so that the Lord can pour out His Spirit upon a languishing church and an impenitent
congregation. If Satan had his way, there would never be another awakening, great or small, to the end
of time. But we are not ignorant of his devices. It is possible to resist his power. When the way is
prepared for the Spirit of God, the blessing will come. Satan can no more hinder a shower of blessing
from descending upon God’s people than he can close the windows of heaven that rain cannot come
upon the earth. Wicked men and devils cannot hinder the work of God, or shut out His presence from
the assemblies of His people, if they will, with subdued, contrite hearts, confess and put away their sins,
and in faith claim His promises.—The Review and Herald, March 22, 1887.
Study 7. Joel 3:1-17
Icebreaker
Share a time when you returned something that you bought or that was gifted to you.
Justice
THE HAGUE, Netherlands - Twenty years after war in Croatia catapulted Goran Hadzic from warehouse
worker to rebel Serb president, he is in the dock in the final trial of the tribunal set up to prosecute war
crimes committed during the bloody conflicts in the former Yugoslavia.
His trial, in its second day Wednesday, underscores that international courts, often maligned for their
failure to get suspects into custody, can bring to justice once-untouchable leaders accused of atrocities
— given time and support from the international community.
Hadzic, an ethnic Serb, was arrested last year in northern Serbia after more than seven years on the run
and has pled not guilty to involvement in the murder of hundreds of Croats and expulsion of tens of
thousands more from their homeland. He is the last of the 161 suspects indicted by the Yugoslav
tribunal to go on trial.
Param-Preet Singh of Human Rights Watch said the Hadzic trial is "the beginning of the end" for the
tribunal, which is aiming to close its doors as it completes its final trials in coming years. The fact that it
10
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 4, ed. Francis D. Nichol (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1977), 946.
16
took 20 years to reach the court's last trial, "is a good reminder that justice takes time, but it does catch
up with perpetrators once states are willing to back it up," Singh added 11.
Far too often, evil seems to happily tap dance in the spotlight, whilst we watch - a captive audience
powerless to stop the show. The reading today reveals a picture of God’s judgment and pride over his
people. It gives us hope that evil will not always reign.
Discovering the Word
Read Joel 3:1-17 out loud, split the verses among the group so everyone gets a chance to read.
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Experiencing the Word
In Joel 3:1-2 God boldly declares his intention to restore Israel. What simultaneous action does
He also promise to execute on the other nations?
What does the language used about Israel in v. 2 reveal about God’s feelings for His people?
What is the significance of Jehoshaphat (i.e. the “valley of decision;” see 2 Chronicles 20:1-30)?
Vs 3-6 detail some of the reasons for God’s anger against the foreign nations, discuss some of
these reasons. Why do you think Joel highlights these particular reasons?
Try to locate Tyre, Sidon, and Philistia on a Bible map. What significance would these nations
have in the history of Israel (check a good Bible dictionary for help!)? Why do you think God is so
concerned about returning His people to their land (see Genesis 13:14-17; Deuteronomy 1:8)?
What differences do you observe between God’s treatment of the wicked nations and that of His
people Israel in Joel 3:16?
Call to Action
● Name an organization or person that inspires you by their acts of Justice
○ Find a local organization that advocates against injustice and do the following: donate time,
money, skills to them and promote them to your church and see if they can be supported in
some way.
Response
Dear Lord, thank you for always seeking justice, please move my heart so I can advocate for those less
fortunate than me.
Dig A Little Deeper
Joel 3 Verse 1.—Restoration from captivity. It is believed that Joel was the earliest of the prophets who
prophesied in Judah and Jerusalem. If so, it is remarkable how boldly he led the way in the general tone
of his declarations and predictions, and especially with what poetic insight, with what religious fervor, he
connected political events with lessons of eternal morality. In this chapter it would perhaps be possible
to find nothing but history; yet the grandeur and solemnity of the language point rather to truths of
Divine import and power as the real significance of the prophecy. The very captivity here foretold has its
spiritual analogy, and the restoration of Judah is a type of the ransom of mankind.
11
Mike Corder. The Associated Press , October 17, 2012. Legal landmark passed as Yugoslav war crimes tribunal's last trial gets under way. Victoria, British
Columbia. Accessed October 20, 2012. Available at
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Legal+landmark+passed+Yugoslav+crimes+tribunals+last+trial+gets/7402696/story.html#ixzz29u4,
17
I. The worst captivity is that of humanity to sin. 1. This implies that sin is not the true and proper
lord of our race, but that God has a claim to the loyalty and obedience of men. 2. And that sin is a
tyrant, arbitrary, unjust, and basely oppressive. 3. And further, that in such bondage, no peace, no
liberty, no satisfaction, are to be found.
II. The only Deliverer of humanity is God himself. 1. His interposition is prompted by Divine
compassion. 2. And is effected by supernatural means. In rescuing Judah from the captivity in the East,
Jehovah was painting as it were, beforehand a picture of what was yet to be. In Christ God laid help
upon one who was mighty; his designation is emphatically the Redeemer. 3. The interposition is
completed by the restoration of the ransomed to greater happiness than by their disloyalty they
forfeited and lost.
III. The restored from spiritual captivity are summoned to obedience and praise. 1. To
obedience, because they have tasted the bitter fruits of rebellion, and have learned the lesson that true
happiness lies in cheerful subjection. 2. To praise, because such mercy as they have experienced
deserves grateful and unceasing acknowledgments12.
Further Reading
Through disobedience to God, Adam and Eve had lost Eden, and because of sin the whole earth was
cursed. But if God’s people followed His instruction, their land would be restored to fertility and beauty.
God Himself gave them directions in regard to the culture of the soil, and they were to co-operate with
Him in its restoration. Thus the whole land, under God’s control, would become an object lesson of
spiritual truth. As in obedience to His natural laws the earth should produce its treasures, so in
obedience to His moral law the hearts of the people were to reflect the attributes of His character. Even
the heathen would recognize the superiority of those who served and worshiped the living God.
“Behold,” said Moses, “I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded
me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is
your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and
say, surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who
hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon Him for? And what
nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments as righteous as all this law, which I set before
you this day?” Deuteronomy 4:5-8.
The children of Israel were to occupy all the territory which God appointed them. Those nations that
rejected the worship and service of the true God were to be dispossessed. But it was God’s purpose
that by the revelation of His character through Israel men should be drawn unto Him. To the entire
world the gospel invitation was to be given. Through the teaching of the sacrificial service Christ was to
be uplifted before the nations, and all who would look unto Him should live. All who, like Rahab the
Canaanite, and Ruth the Moabites, turned from idolatry to the worship of the true God were to unite
themselves with His chosen people. As the numbers of Israel increased they were to enlarge their
borders, until their kingdom should embrace the world.
12
H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Joel, The Pulpit Commentary (London; New York: Funk & Wagnall’s Company, 1909), 58-59.
18
God desired to bring all peoples under His merciful rule. He desired that the earth should be filled with
joy and peace. He created man for happiness, and He longs to fill human hearts with the peace of
heaven. He desires that the families below shall be a symbol of the great family above13.
Study 8. Joel 3:18-21
Icebreaker
What is the best Christmas or Birthday you have ever received? What made it so unforgettable?
All things made new
Sometimes in life you hit rock-bottom, but the ascent from the hard rough floor breaks through
previously unimaginable rewards! This was the case with Camelia McClain. After working at the same
office as a receptionist for 22 years she was unexpectedly laid off.
The single mother of three said she had bought tickets before, but had decided to "press my luck," when
she was told she was no longer needed at her job. McClain saved her purchase for when she was back
home having dinner with her children, where the whole family got a big surprise!
"I scratched the first ticket and didn’t get anything,” she said. When she scratched the second ticket,
she couldn't believe her eyes. “I had everyone look at that one ticket to look at what it said,” she said.
McClain, 39, of Raleigh, North Carolina, bagged the state's top prize of $4 million in the Cash Blowout
lottery game from two $20 tickets that she bought two days after being laid off from her job as a
receptionist. Instead of getting the $4 million winnings in bulk, the sensible mom decided to claim the
prize in annuity payments of $200,000 over a 20 year period. After taxes were withheld, she received
her first check for $136,006, an event she can rely on for the next 20 years!
The lottery organization changed Camelia’s life with riches beyond her wildest dreams. In the space of
two days she went from a worried unemployed mother to a financially secure and ecstatic parent. In
our final reading, we read about the liberality of God’s blessings on His people. He reaches down and
takes them from the gutter most to the uttermost with rich and profuse blessings.
Discovering the Word
Read Joel 3:18-21 out loud, split the verses among the group so everyone gets a chance to read.
Experiencing the Word
● In vs. 18 wine and milk are used to describe God’s blessing. What is the importance of wine and
milk in the bible?
● How does the blessing contrast to the description at the beginning of Joel (see 1:10-12
specifically)? How might this blessing relate to the future described in Revelation 22:1-2?
● Why are Egypt and Edom condemned to desolation? How does their fate contrast to Judah and
Jerusalem?
13
White, Ellen Gould Harmon. Christ's Object Lessons. (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. association), 1941, 290
19
○ What is the history between these two nations and Israel?
Call to Action
● How are you challenged to live, in light of God’s promised judgment upon the world as well as
His promised blessing upon His covenant people?
Response
Thank you, Lord for the promise of your abundant blessings even in the midst of severe challenges.
Dig A Little Deeper
Joel 3:18 “In that day” refers to the day of the Lord (cf. Hosea 2:16, 18, 21; Amos 8:9, 13; 9:11). As in 1:5
“new wine” symbolizes not mere sufficiency but abundance. The promise that all the ravines would flow
with water no doubt gave hope to a people who had seen their land parched with drought (1:12, 17).
The language of abundant prosperity here recalls the familiar expression that Canaan was a land flowing
with milk and honey (e.g., Exodus 3:8; Deuteronomy 26:15) but is even more extravagant. Amos 9:13
similarly promises that the day will come when the land will be so fertile that the “reaper will be
overtaken by the plowman / and the planter by the one treading grapes” and that the mountains will
drip with wine. Such language obviously is hyperbolic, but the text describes more than simple
agricultural plenty because “a fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house.” Ezekiel 47:1–12 similarly
anticipates a river of life flowing from the temple (cf. also Psalms 46:4–5; Zechariah 14:8; Revelations
22:1–2), and Jesus understood the image in a personal sense in John 7:38.
Typologically, this text develops the theme of the house of God as the source of life. The theme has four
manifestations (or “fulfillments”). First, in the return from the exile the Israelites would again
experience prosperity only when they gave due attention to the worship of God at the temple (Haggai
1:5–11). In that sense the temple was the source of their life. Second, Jesus as the true Temple of God is
the source of every blessing for the believer (John 2:21; 7:37–38a). Third, believers, individually and
corporately, are the sanctuary of the Spirit and thus should bring the living waters to those around them
(1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:21; John 7:38b). Fourth, in the New Jerusalem the redeemed will drink
from the fountain of the water of life (Revelation 21:6).
The “valley of acacias” may have eschatological significance as well. Joel seems to have had in mind the
acacias of the Kidron Valley; apparently the drought had especially parched them. But in contrast with
“Valley of Jehoshaphat” and “Valley of Verdict,” the valley of acacias implies a future paradise for Israel.
In short, what Joel saw concerned not mere agricultural prosperity but the very dwelling of God with his
people. This is the city of God. For Joel’s hungry audience it was indeed the joy of seasonal rains and a
good harvest. In the message of the gospel, it is the gift of the Holy Spirit and the outpouring of life from
the heart. In the hope of the faithful, it is the eternal presence of God with his people, where there will
be no more sorrow, tears, or hunger (Revelation 7:16–17; 21:4)14.
14
Garrett, Duane A. vol. 19A, Hosea, Joel, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1997), 395.
20
Further Reading
The Second Coming
Before entering the City of God, the Saviour bestows upon His followers the emblems of victory and
invests them with the insignia of their royal state. The glittering ranks are drawn up in the form of a
hollow square about their King, whose form rises in majesty high above saint and angel, whose
countenance beams upon them full of benignant love. Throughout the unnumbered host of the
redeemed every glance is fixed upon Him, every eye beholds His glory who’s “visage was so marred
more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.”
Upon the heads of the over comers, Jesus with His own right hand, places the crown of glory. For each,
there is a crown, bearing his own “new name” (Revelation 2:17), and the inscription, “Holiness to the
Lord.” In every hand are placed the victor’s palm and the shining harp. Then, as the commanding angels
strike the note, every hand sweeps the harp strings with skillful touch, awaking sweet music in rich,
melodious strains. Rapture unutterable thrills every heart, and each voice is raised in grateful praise:
“Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and
priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Revelation 1:5, 6.
Before the ransomed throng is the Holy City. Jesus opens wide the pearly gates, and the nations that
have kept the truth enter in. There they behold the Paradise of God, the home of Adam in his
innocence. Then the voice, richer than any music that ever fell on mortal ear, is heard, saying: “Your
conflict is ended.” “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world.”
Now is fulfilled the Saviour’s prayer for His disciples: “I will that they also, whom Thou hast given me, be
with me where I am.” “Faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24), Christ
presents to the Father the purchase of His blood, declaring: “Here am I, and the children whom Thou
hast given Me.” “Those that Thou gavest me I have kept.” Oh, the wonders of redeeming love! The
rapture of that hour when the infinite Father, looking upon the ransomed, shall behold His image, sin’s
discord banished, its blight removed, and the human once more in harmony with the divine!
With unutterable love, Jesus welcomes His faithful ones to the joy of their Lord. The Saviour’s joy is in
seeing, in the kingdom of glory, the souls that have been saved by His agony and humiliation. And the
redeemed will be sharers in His joy, as they behold, among the blessed, those who have been won to
Christ through their prayers, their labors, and their loving sacrifice. As they gather about the great white
throne, gladness unspeakable will fill their hearts, when they behold those whom they have won for
Christ, and see that one has gained others, and these still others, all brought into the haven of rest,
there to lay their crowns at Jesus’ feet and praise Him through the endless cycles of eternity15.
15
Ellen Gould Harmon White. The Great Controversy: Between Christ and Satan. (Boise, Idaho: Pacific Press Pub. Association), 1950, 645-646.
21
Bibliography
Andrew Robert Fausset, David Brown, and Robert Jamieson. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's Commentary
on the Whole Bible. Grand Rapids: Michigan, Zondervan, 1961.
Duane A. Garrett, vol. 19A, Hosea, Joel, the New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman
Publishers, 1997.
Ellen Gould Harmon White. Christ's Object Lessons. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub.
Association, 1941.
Ellen Gould Harmon White. Christian Service: A Compilation. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Pub.
Association, 2002.
Ellen Gould Harmon White. The Great Controversy: Between Christ and Satan. Boise, Idaho: Pacific Press
Pub. Association, 1950.
Ellen Gould Harmon White. Steps to Christ Fort Worth: Texas, Southern, 1908.
Henry Donald Maurice Spence-Jones, Joel, The Pulpit Commentary. London; New York: Funk & Wagnall’s
Company, 1909.
Immanuel Christian. August 5, 2001. The Book of Joel. From Creation to the Cross, Richardson, Texas.
Accessed, September 12, 2012. Available at http://bible.org/seriespage/book-joel
Leo Van Dolson. February, 1975. Joel. A Clear Ringing Call, Silver Spring, Maryland. Accessed October
12, 2012. Available at http://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1975/February/joel%E2%80%94aclear,-ringing-call
Robert B Chisholm, Jr. From Exegesis to Exposition: A Practical Guide to Using Biblical Hebrew . Grand
Rapids: Michigan, Baker, 1998.
Matthew, Henry. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One
Volume. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994.
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 4, ed. Francis D. Nichol: Review and Herald
Publishing Association, 1977.
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