Joel The name literally means "Jehovah is God." This is a very common name in Israel, and Joel, the prophet, is specified as the son of Pethuel. Nothing is known about him or the circumstance of his life. Probably he has lived in Judah and prophesied in Jerusalem.
Date
There is no way to date the book with absolute certainty, and scholars vary in their opinions. There are references in both Amos and Isaiah, who are also in Joel (cf. Joel 3:16 Am to 02.01 13.06 to Joel and Isaiah 1:15) It is the opinion of many conservatives that Amos and Isaiah have borrowed from Joel, making it one of the oldest of the minor prophets.
Moreover, the worship of God, which the high priest Jehoiada restored during the reign of Joash (2 Kings 11, 2 Chronicles 23:16), is supposed by Joel. So many argue that Joel prophesied during the first thirty years of the reign of Joash (835-796 BC), when Jehoiada was the king's counselor. That would put the ministry of Joel circa 835-805 BC.
Historical Context
Joel prophesied an era of devastation throughout the land of Judah a huge plague of locusts had stripped the countryside of all vegetation destroyed by grazing of both sheep and cattle, even took the bark of fig trees. In just a few hours, what had been a beautiful land, lush, had become a place of desolation and destruction. Contemporary descriptions of the destructive power of swarms of locusts confirms the description of the plague on Jl. The plague of locusts that Joel wrote about was larger than any one had ever seen. The entire harvest was lost, and seeds for planting the next crop was also destroyed. Famine and drought have taken over all the earth. Both the people and the animals were dying. She was so profound and disastrous, that Joel saw an explanation: it was God's Judgement.
Content
The Book of Joel is naturally divided into two sections. The first (1.1-2.27) of this trial comes from God, a call to repentance and the promise of restoration.
The second section (2:28 to 3:21) explains that this plague, horrible as it may be, is nothing compared to the judgments of God that is underway. This was a time when not only Judah, but also all the nations of the world will be called before God.
However, we can not help but notice the most striking section of this short prophecy. By ES, Joel looks hundreds of years ahead to a time when God will pour out His Spirit "upon all flesh" (2.28). This will be a prelude to the devastation and the Lord's Judgement Day. It will be a time when all believers will feel the housing of the ES and will form a prophetic community on earth. It will be a time when the prophecy will come from young and old, similarly, when both men and women will prophesy. Salvation is not just ingualável blessing upon Judah will be a time when "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (2.32)
