Joel

The text of this lesson except the questions is taken from the author’s “Synthetic Bible Studies.”

Joel was probably the earliest of the prophets whose writings have descended to us. His personal history is unknown further than the bare statement, 1:1. His field of labor was presumably Judah rather that Israel, the southern rather than the northern kingdom, because of allusions to the center of public worship which was at Jerusalem, 1:9, 13, 14, 2:15, and because of non-allusions to Israel distinctively. Such places as 2:27, and 3:16 are thought to mean Israel as inclusive of Judah, i. e., the whole united nation. Although it is assumed, that Joel was the earliest of the prophets, yet the evidence is inferential father than direct. He is presumbably earlier than Amos who is known to have prophesied somewhere about the close of the eighth century B. C., because he seems to be quoted by Amos 5: 16-18. He also refers to the same heathen nations as Amos 3: 4-6, and to the same physical scourges as prevalent in the land, 1:4, 17, 20. (Compare the marginal references to Amos.)

General Outline of the Book — As to the book itself we outline the contents of its chapters thus:

Chapter 1: Tatroduction mene ans dese eee I-3 Announcement of a coming judg-Ment of MOCuUSts te eyemo saree 4,5 Announcement of the coming

judgment from the heathen nations, of which that of the lo-CUSTS Sa TYPE <6 aaeeneereeee 6,7 A lamentation of sorrow ....... 8-12

A call to repentance ..0:5.+<+.- A recurrence to the same judgments:

A description of their executioners in which there is a blending of the idea of the locusts
with that of the warriors. The
picture is made vivid by the
use of the present tense in the
Revised Version

A call to repentance

A promise of future blessing ... (a) The enemies over-EHTO WW Me saccneteantciscats 18-20)

(b) The land blessed (21-27)

13-20
ee rr) eeoeececove

4-11
12-17
18-32

This chapter recures to the future blessing spoken of in the preceding chapter, for the purpose of amplifying some of its features, a peculiarity of all the prophets, as was indicated in one of our earlier lessons:;

‘The overthrow of the enemy... 1-15 The deliverance of Jerusalem .. 16,17 The blessing on the land ....... I The permanency of the restora-THON ys Samyerte omen coe cade wey ae Questions.

1. What chronological relation does Joel bear to the other prophets?

2. To which kingdom were his messages sent?

3- What proof is there of this?

4. What future blessings are predicted for Israel?

5. When was the prophecy of 2: 28- 32 partially fulfilled?

Restored from a scan of the 1915 edition, with page headers and numbers removed and words rejoined across line breaks. Scan-derived text, still being proofread; compare the original scan before quoting.