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comments of men, turn to the short prophecy of Joel and read it through. Seven minutes
is all the time it will occupy. Upon reading the book through two verses stands out,
namely, Joel 1: 4 and 2: 25:--
"That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust
hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the
caterpillar eaten."
"I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the
caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you."
"I will restore" are words that find their echo in the question of the apostles: "Wilt
Thou restore?" (Acts 1: 6), and in the testimony of Peter as to "the times of restitution"
(Acts 3: 21). Repentance is premised. "Rend your heart and not your garments and turn
unto the Lord your God" (Joel 2: 13), and the resulting blessing is not only likened to the
restoration of the land from plague and famine, but to the restoring of Israel's access and
acceptable worship under the figure of new wine, and drink offering (Joel 1: 13; 2: 14,
3: 18). Prominent also is the "great and terrible day of the Lord", a prophetic period of
no uncertain value, the object of much Old Testament prophecy, and certainly having no
connection with the "Church". The following outline may help the reader:--
Joel.
A | a | 1: 7. New wine cut off.
b | 1: 8-13. Israel's harvest spoiled.
B | 1: 14 - 2: 14. Israel a desolation.
C | 2: 15-20. The gathering of Israel.
D | 2: 21 - 3: 1. I will restore.
C | 3: 2. The gathering of nations.
D | 3: 2-8. I will plead.
A |
b | 3: 9-17. Gentiles harvest.
a | 3: 18. New wine restored.
B | 3: 19-21. Egypt and Edom a desolation.
The whole prophecy deals with the nation, and the nations. It looks to the Day of the
Lord, and has no room for, or reference to, a church in which there is neither Greek nor
Jew.
Peter's specific reference is to Joel 2: 28-32. Where Joel reads "Afterward" Peter
says "in the last days": the words come to the same thing, and Kimchi makes the same
observation when dealing with Joel 2: 28. The quotation made by Peter is divided into
two parts. The first was actually fulfilled on the day of Pentecost: the second would
have followed had Israel repented. They did not repent, and consequently the signs in
heaven await the day of the Lord, with which the book of the Revelation is prophetically
concerned. What should intervene between the two parts of Joel's prophecy it was no
part of Peter's ministry to explain. He confessed later, when writing to the same
dispersion, that they would find help regarding this interval in the writings of Paul
(II Pet. 3: 15, 16).