Joel Chapter 2
Joel 2:1–5 (KJV)
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
The command to blow the trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm in God's holy mountain was a solemn warning to the nation. The trumpet, or shofar, was used in Israel to call the people to assembly, to warn of danger, or to prepare for war. Here it is a spiritual alarm, calling the people to wake up because “the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.” This phrase emphasizes urgency, not a distant prophecy but an imminent reality. The day of the Lord refers to a time when God directly intervenes in human history to judge sin and vindicate righteousness. For those who are right with God, the day of the Lord is a day of hope and deliverance, but for those in rebellion, it is a day of fear, trembling, and divine wrath. Judah at this time was living in sin, so the day of the Lord would be to them a day of darkness, not light.
Joel describes this coming day as “a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness.” This reflects both literal devastation and spiritual despair. Just as a dark storm covers the sky without allowing light to break through, so judgment would fall in a way that suffocates every false hope. The description “as the morning spread upon the mountains” refers to how this army will cover the land swiftly and irresistibly like the dawn spreading over the peaks, except instead of light bringing hope, it brings destruction. Joel then describes “a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like.” This points to an army of extraordinary strength and discipline. Some argue Joel is speaking poetically of locusts, but the language of warriors, chariots, fire, and battle formation indicates a literal human army, though the locust plague of chapter one is used as a prophetic picture to warn about a greater military disaster.
The devastation is total and terrifying: “A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth.” This may refer to literal scorched-earth tactics or the destructive effects of an invading army. Before them the land looks like the “garden of Eden,” full of life and beauty. Behind them it becomes a “desolate wilderness.” This is how thorough the judgment of God is—what once was flourishing under His blessing becomes barren under His discipline. When God removes His hand of protection, even a land blessed like Eden can become a wasteland.
Their appearance is compared to horses and horsemen. This imagery emphasizes speed, strength, and fearlessness. “As horsemen, so shall they run.” Their movement is swift and coordinated. Their sound is like the roar of chariots rushing over mountaintops and like “a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble,” loud, fierce, and unstoppable. Joel says they are “as a strong people set in battle array,” meaning they are organized, disciplined, and purposeful. This is not a chaotic mob but a terrifyingly efficient force of judgment raised up by God Himself.
This prophecy likely influenced the priest Jehoiada, who removed the wicked queen Athaliah and placed the young boy Joash on the throne to restore righteousness in Judah (2 Kings 11:4–21). Joel’s warning may have been the very message God used to stir His people to repent before this judgment arrived. The message is clear: when the people of God refuse to repent, He will bring warnings, and if warnings are ignored, He will bring judgment. Yet, even in judgment, the purpose is to awaken hearts to repentance.
Joel 2:6–11 (KJV)
Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.
They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:
Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.
They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:
And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
Joel continues to describe the terror that this invading army will bring. “Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.” The people of Judah, when they see this army approaching, are paralyzed with fear and anguish. Their faces lose color, becoming pale or darkened from shock and terror. This shows how unprepared and spiritually weak the nation has become. They trusted in themselves rather than God, and now when judgment comes, their courage fails.
The prophet emphasizes the precision and discipline of this army: “They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks.” These soldiers are relentless and unstoppable. They do not break formation, they do not panic, and they do not fail in their purpose. “Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path.” They do not trip over each other, argue, or lose unity. This is a sharp contrast to God’s people, who often stumble through division, disobedience, and spiritual lethargy. Joel is showing Judah what disciplined judgment looks like when God allows an enemy to come against His people.
The text says that “when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.” This could mean they are so determined that even weapons do not slow them down, or it may be poetic language indicating that no defense will stop them. They go over walls, through streets, and even into houses—“they shall run to and fro in the city… they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.” There is no safety in fortified walls, no hiding place inside homes. This is total, unavoidable judgment.
Joel then shifts from the invading army to cosmic signs: “The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.” This language connects to the broader theme of the Day of the Lord. The coming of God’s judgment is so severe that creation itself seems to shake in response. Similar language is used in other prophetic passages about future judgment, including Matthew 24:29 and Revelation 6:12–14. This points beyond Joel’s immediate context to the final Day of the Lord at the end of the age.
Then Joel reveals the most fearful truth: “And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word.” This army, though human, is called “His army.” God is the One who sends them. This does not mean they are righteous, but that they are His instrument of judgment. The Lord commands them, and they fulfill His decree. The people of Judah are not merely fighting an earthly army; they are resisting the will of God Himself.
Finally, Joel declares: “for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?” This is a question meant to awaken the conscience. No one can endure the Day of the Lord in their own strength. Only those who repent, who humble themselves before God, who cry out for mercy, will be spared. Joel is not trying to terrify them without purpose; he is driving them to repentance before it is too late.
Joel 2:12–17 (KJV)
Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God?
Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?
After warning of the coming devastation, God gives an invitation to return. “Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart.” Judgment does not close the door of mercy; rather, it opens the door of repentance. The command is not simply to change outward behavior but to return to the Lord Himself. True repentance is not merely avoiding sin; it is turning back to God with the whole heart. The Lord calls them to come with fasting, weeping, and mourning, not because outward emotion saves, but because repentance that does not touch the heart is not real repentance. External signs like fasting should flow from inward grief over sin.
God tells them, “Rend your heart, and not your garments.” In Israel, tearing garments was a public sign of sorrow or grief, but it could also become a religious performance. God is not impressed by torn clothing if the heart remains hard. He wants a broken and contrite heart, not empty displays of religion. This mirrors Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart.” Outward religion without inward change is hypocrisy. True repentance is spiritual surgery; it tears the heart open before God.
The reason to return is rooted in God’s character: “for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.” This is the language God used to describe Himself to Moses in Exodus 34:6–7. He does not delight in judgment but in mercy. Knowing His nature gives hope to the sinner who returns. We do not come to Him because He is cruel and vengeful, but because He is gracious and waiting to forgive. “Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him.” Joel does not presume on God, but he knows His mercy leaves room for hope. God might remove the judgment and restore the grain and drink offerings that had been cut off.
Joel again says, “Blow the trumpet in Zion.” But this time the trumpet is not for war but for repentance. The people are called to a sacred assembly. Everyone is included—elders, children, even nursing infants. That even babies are called shows the urgency of the moment. Life is not to continue as usual. He even says, “Let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.” In Jewish culture, newlyweds were excused from religious duties for a period of joy, yet even this celebration must stop, because sin and judgment are more urgent than personal happiness. When God calls for repentance, no one is exempt.
Joel then focuses on the priests: “Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar.” This was the place in the temple courtyard where intercession was made. The leaders must not stand apart from the people but lead in confession. Their prayer is humble and pleading: “Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach.” They appeal to God’s covenant relationship—Thy people, Thine heritage. They plead for God’s glory among the nations—if Judah falls under total judgment, the heathen will ask, “Where is their God?” The honor of God’s name becomes part of the prayer. True intercession seeks not only the good of the people but the glory of God.
This call to repentance shows the heart of God. He warns of judgment, but He always provides a path to return. His judgment is real, but His mercy is still open to those who turn with all their heart.
Joel 2:18–20 (KJV)
Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people.
Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:
But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.
After calling the nation to repentance, Joel shows the response of God to a repentant people. “Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people.” The word jealous does not mean envy but protective zeal. God has a covenant claim on the land of Israel and on His people. When they return to Him, His attitude changes from judgment to compassion. He does not ignore true repentance. His zeal rises not against His people but on behalf of them. He becomes their defender rather than their adversary.
God answers their repentance with a promise: “Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith.” These three—grain, wine, and oil—were the foundational agricultural blessings of ancient Israel. Their restoration meant that the drought, the locusts, and famine conditions would end. What sin had taken away, repentance would restore. God goes further and says, “I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen.” When God’s people were judged, the nations mocked them and mocked their God. But now God promises to remove their shame and restore their dignity among the nations. Mercy is not only personal; it is national and public.
He also promises deliverance from the military threat: “But I will remove far off from you the northern army.” In biblical prophecy, the most dangerous invasions usually came from the north. Assyria and Babylon both attacked from the north. Whether this is a literal army or an extension of the locust imagery, the meaning is that God Himself will intervene to stop the invader. He says He will “drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea.” This likely refers to the Dead Sea to the east and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. The army will be scattered, broken, and left in desolated places where no life thrives. The bodies left to rot will produce such decay that “his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up.” This is a graphic way of saying that the enemy who once terrified Judah will become a carcass on the field, an object of disgust rather than fear.
The reason is given: “because he hath done great things.” This does not mean great in a good sense but in the sense of proud, terrible, or monstrous deeds. The army exalted itself, committed atrocities, and lifted itself against God’s people. God allowed them to come as an instrument of discipline, but once His people repented and justice was satisfied, He turned His judgment away from Judah and against the invader.
This section shows the consistent pattern of God’s dealings: warning, judgment, repentance, then restoration. Judgment is not His final word; mercy is. When His people genuinely return, God restores their land, provides their needs, protects them from enemies, and removes their shame. He not only forgives sin but also rebuilds what was broken.
Joel 2:21–27 (KJV)
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things.
Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
After the people repent, God answers not with a small measure of mercy but with a full restoration. The words “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things” mark a turning point. The same creation that suffered under judgment is now comforted under restoration. The land that was scorched and barren is called to rejoice. Even the animals, who groaned during drought and famine, are told not to fear because the pastures are beginning to grow again and fruit-bearing trees such as the fig and the vine return to strength. God’s mercy reaches every part of creation that was affected by sin and judgment.
Joel then speaks directly to God’s people: “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God.” The reason they rejoice is not only because the land is healing but because the Lord Himself is the source of the blessing. He returns to rain language, which was a symbol of covenant faithfulness. God had withheld rain in judgment, but now He says He “hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.” In ancient Israel the former rain came in autumn to soften the soil for planting, and the latter rain came in spring to ripen the harvest. Without these rains there was no food, no livelihood, no life. God is saying, “I am restoring My covenant favor.” The threshing floors will be full of wheat again, and the winepresses will overflow.
Then comes one of the most comforting promises in all Scripture: “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten.” The swarming, crawling, consuming, and chewing locusts—the great army God sent—had destroyed their crops. Time was lost, labor wasted, hope crushed. Yet God says He can redeem even years that seemed wasted. He does not give back the literal time, but He restores the fruit, the blessing, the joy that was lost during those years of rebellion and chastisement. Only God can give back what sin and judgment consumed.
As a result, “ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you.” Satisfaction replaces starvation. Worship replaces despair. Twice in this passage God says, “my people shall never be ashamed.” The reproach among the nations is removed. Their enemies will no longer mock and say, “Where is their God?” God Himself answers by restoring His people publicly.
Finally, God declares the purpose of restoration: “And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else.” His presence is the ultimate blessing. The land being healed, the rains returning, the barns being filled—these are signs of something greater, that the Lord has returned to dwell with His people. Restoration is not just about physical prosperity; it is about God’s presence, His covenant faithfulness, and His glory being made known among His redeemed people.
Joel 2:28–32 (KJV)
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.
After promising physical restoration to the land and the people, Joel now describes the ultimate and greatest restoration—spiritual revival through the outpouring of the Spirit of God. “And it shall come to pass afterward” points beyond the immediate deliverance from drought and invasion to a future work of God unlike anything in Israel’s past. Under the Old Covenant, the Holy Spirit came only upon certain individuals—prophets, priests, kings, and craftsmen—for limited times and specific tasks. But here God promises, “I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.” This is abundant, overflowing, unrestricted. The Spirit will no longer be given sparingly but poured out richly and universally on all who believe.
This outpouring will touch every category of society: “your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.” Age, gender, and social status will no longer limit usefulness to God. Even “servants and handmaids”—those with no status or power—will receive the Spirit. This was fulfilled in part on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, when Peter quoted these exact verses and declared, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” One hundred twenty ordinary followers of Jesus were filled with the Spirit, spoke in other tongues, and boldly proclaimed the gospel. This marked the beginning of the New Covenant era, when the Spirit of God dwells in all believers, not just a chosen few.
Yet Joel’s prophecy does not end with Pentecost. He continues, “And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth; blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.” These are signs of divine judgment. “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.” These events go beyond Pentecost and look forward to the end of the age, during the Tribulation, when cosmic disturbances will precede the return of Christ. Jesus Himself described this in Matthew 24:29, and Revelation 6:12–14 speaks of the same darkened sun and blood-red moon. Pentecost fulfilled the spiritual outpouring, but the final fulfillment of these cosmic signs awaits the last days.
In the midst of judgment, God offers salvation: “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.” This is one of the clearest invitations in Scripture. It is not limited to Israel alone; it is open to “whosoever.” Salvation is no longer by nationality, temple sacrifices, or lineage, but by calling upon the Lord in faith. Paul quotes this verse in Romans 10:13 to show that both Jew and Gentile are saved the same way, through faith in Jesus Christ.
However, Joel also reminds us that salvation is not universal; it is for “the remnant whom the Lord shall call.” There will always be only a remnant who truly repent and believe. Yet every individual who calls upon the Lord will be saved. God will preserve a believing remnant in Jerusalem and Mount Zion during the final Day of the Lord, and ultimately all Israel will be delivered when they recognize their Messiah, as Zechariah 12:10 foretells.
This passage marks a transition—from physical restoration to spiritual revival, from judgment to grace, from Old Covenant patterns to New Covenant power. It points to Pentecost, to the church age, to the salvation of individuals today, and ultimately to the final Day of the Lord when Jesus Christ returns to reign.
