Hosea’s message grew out of personal heartbreak in
his own family, while Joel’s message grew out of
national calamity.
Joel’s book records two plagues–that of the
locusts and the terrible drought. The combination of
the two brought the land to a place of famine. Joel saw
in these calamities the disciplining hand of God upon
the people for their sins. But Joel looked far beyond
the locusts and saw another army, a literal Gentile
army, attacking Jerusalem and the Jewish people. Joel
used the immediate judgment of God (the locusts) as an
illustration of the ultimate judgment in the Day of the
Lord.
The Book of Joel is divided into two parts–the
present message about the plague of locusts (chapter
1:1–2:27) and the future message about the Day of the
Lord (chapter 2:28–3:21). Joel uses the phrase, “Day
of the Lord,” five times in these three chapters. This
time of tribulation will take place after the Church
has been taken to heaven, and during the period known
as the Tribulation Period. It is described in more
detail in Revelation 6–19. It will end with the Battle
of Armageddon, and Jesus Christ returning to the earth
to defeat His enemies and establish His Kingdom.
There is a personal application of Joel’s
message for believers today. God does send natural
calamities when nations refuse to obey Him. Wars, poor
crops, epidemics, earthquakes, storms, recessions–all
or any of these can be used of God to bring people to
their knees. God can even use little insects to do His
will if man will not obey Him! Our lives can become dry
and fruitless if we are out of the will of God. But,
praise be to God, He is faithful and true to forgive us
and again bless us when we come to Him and experience
sincere repentance.