Joel, the prophet sees a disastrous plague of locusts as a 'sign' heralding the Judgment of the nations and the triumph of Yahweh and of Israel. The background is that of the post-exilic community and the book must have been written about 400 B.C.
Joel's contribution is to prophesy the outpouring of the Spirit on all God's people in the messianic age - 3:1-5 - This will be fulfilled with the coming of the Spirit on the apostles of Christ and Saint Peter quotes the entire passage - Acts 2:16-21 -

JOEL - (1) The Plague of Locusts and a Liturgy of Mourning and Entreaty - Lamentation over the ruin of the country - A call to repentance and prayer - The day of Yahweh and the present calamity - The invading army - A vision of the day of Yahweh - A call to repentance - Chapter 1 to 2 - (2) The Prayer Answered - The plague ceases - A vision of plenty - Chapter 2 - (3) The New Age and the Day of Yahweh. The outpouring of the Spirit - Chapter 3 - (4) The Judgment of the Nations - The judgment announced - Charges against the Phoenicians and Philistines - A summons to the nations - The day of Yahweh - The Glorious Future of Israel - Chapter 4 -

In summary : A prediction of foreign invasion as a form of judgment by God. Joel is the prophet of Pentecost. He is also the prophet of penance and his exhortations to fasting and prayer either borrowed from the Temple ceremonial or modeled on it, later found a natural place in the Lenten liturgy of the Church.

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -