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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
2:18-3:21 The Mercy of the Lord and Judgment against the Nations. The second part of Joel is signaled by the appearance in 2:18 of the Hebrew narrative tense for the first time in the book.
2:18-32 Mercy: The Lord Responds by Restoring His People. The Lord answers the prayer of v. 17. He restores the reputation of his people (vv. 18-20), the land (vv. 21-27), and his presence through pouring out the Spirit (vv. 28-32). Much of this unit is spoken by the Lord himself in the first person.
2:18 jealous. Jealousy here is a deep devotion that leads the Lord to intervene, saving his people for the sake of his own glory (Ezek. 39:25; Zech. 1:14; 8:2).
2:19 answered. The Lord hears the prayers of his people.
2:20 The northerner may be the locusts, an invading army, or a final apocalyptic enemy of Israel. Arguments for the third option include:
2:21 Ironically, the "foul smell" (v. 20) of corpses is all that remains of the great deeds of this enemy (Isa. 34:3). This contrasts with the great things done by the Lord, whose acts of salvation form the basis of the command to fear not.
2:22 are green. The underlying Hebrew verb (dasha’) is found elsewhere in Scripture only at Gen. 1:11. Perhaps Joel wants his readers to envisage the restoration of the land to an Eden-like state (see Joel 2:3).
2:23 early rain (Hb. hammoreh) . . . vindication (Hb. litsdaqah). The clause by itself can also be understood as "the teacher (Hb. hammoreh) for righteousness," a figure mentioned in the Qumran Scrolls of the Dead Sea. But the word moreh in the final line of the verse clearly means "early rain," and thus the context supports the ESV translation.
2:25 Being human often means bearing loss never to be regained (the years that the swarming locust has eaten), and yet the Lord, the bringer of the calamity (Ps. 90:15), is also the Lord of mercy and abundant grace who is fully able to recompense: I will restore to you. On "locust," see Joel 1:4. my great army . . . I sent. As at 2:11 and elsewhere (e.g., Amos 4:6-13), those whom the Lord uses to judge his people are under his authority.
2:27 You shall know. The great purpose of the nation's trauma is for them to know God's presence, that he is the covenant-keeping God, and that he will remove their shame. I am the Lord your God is a recognition of God's covenantal bond with Israel (Ex. 6:7; Deut. 5:6; Isa. 43:3; Ezek. 20:5). The perpetual removal of shame unites God's provision (Joel 2:26) with his presence and peerless nature (v. 27).
2:28-32 Some past Jewish interpreters understood this passage to be referring to the messianic age. The early church followed this line of thinking, as Peter quoted this passage on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:17-21).
2:28-29 Afterward refers to a time after the assurances of vv. 18-27 and a time that is parallel with in those days (v. 29). pour out my Spirit. The abundant, life-giving rains (v. 23), which God will shower on his people, illustrate the way in which God will pour out his Spirit on his people in the future (cf. Isa. 32:15; 44:3; Ezek. 39:29). all flesh. All God's people will experience the outpouring of the Spirit and intimate communication with the Lord. The sign of this outpouring will be that not just a few but all (sons and . . . daughters, old . . . and . . . young, male and female) will prophesy and dream dreams and see visions.
2:30-31 Universal wonders related to the day of the Lord are war-like activities on earth (fire . . . columns of smoke) and unnatural events in the sky (darkness, see 2:10; 3:15; Isa. 13:10; Amos 8:9). Some interpreters hold that these events of judgment, which did not take place at Pentecost (see notes on Acts 2:17; 2:19-21), will still take place sometime in the future, at the return of Christ. These interpreters hold that OT prophecies should often be understood in terms of both a near-term and a long-term fulfillment--with some long-term events being fulfilled when Jesus brought the good news of salvation at his first coming, but with other long-term events being fulfilled when he will return in judgment at his second coming. Other interpreters hold that the language used here should be understood as prophetic symbolism for God's judgment, and that no specific literal fulfillment is intended.
2:32 everyone. Salvation is extended beyond the devastation caused by the locusts. calls on the name. This implies exclusive, covenantal worship of the only God who is able to save (Ps. 116:4; Prov. 18:10; Isa. 44:5-8). Paul quotes this in Rom. 10:13 because he, along with other Christians, understood these verses to describe events in the messianic age, when Jews and Gentiles alike would be saved. The words as the Lord has said may refer to Isa. 4:3; Joel 2:27; or Obad. 17. Those who escape are parallel to survivors . . . whom the Lord calls. Those whom the Lord calls are those who respond by calling on his name (Gen. 12:8; 13:4; Isa. 51:2).
