Joel | Resources
Introduction to Joel
The book of Joel is one of the shortest in the Old Testament. The first part (1:1–2:17) describes a terrible locust plague concluding with a plea for confession of sins. The second part (2:18–3:21) proclaims hope for the repentant people coupled with judgment upon their enemies.
Shawn C. Madden, “Joel,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 1367.
Memory Verse
“Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, for there will be an escape for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as the Lord promised, among the survivors the Lord calls.” Joel 2:32 (CSB)
Bible Reading
Take time to engage with God’s Word this week. Answer these questions: What is the main idea of this passage? What’s something that stood out? How does this passage point to Jesus? How can I live out what I read?
– Day 1 — Joel 1
– Day 2 — Joel 2
– Day 3 — Joel 3
– Day 4 — Acts 2
– Day 5 — Romans 10
Discussion/Reflection Questions
1) Summarize the story that is being told.
2) Summarize what the book of Joel teaches us about “the day of the Lord?” What will happen on that day?
3) What do Joel 2:13 and 2:14–17 teach us about God’s character and how we should respond to it? Is the way you’re living in line with what you know about God?
4) What does this book teach us about God, ourselves, or the gospel?
5) How is the Holy Spirit prompting you to repent or obey?
Devotional
The evening of August 11, 2020, was like most evenings that summer. My husband and daughter were on their way to swimming lessons while I stayed home with our newborn son. I had started making dinner when smack! Something slammed into our sliding glass patio door. When I went to check it out, the sky grew dark.
I tried to call my husband, but he never answered. With postpartum hormones raging, my mind sifted through every possible worst-case scenario. Fears flew around my head like the patio furniture out back. Yet, all I could do was wait, watch, and pray.
As I waited and prayed, I watched the derecho unfold. The next day, I read stories of the devastation left behind and was reminded of something my daughter once said about God. I don’t remember her exact words, but it was something like this: “God is scary, but I know He loves me, and I love Him too.” That’s when it hit me. Fearing God implies being afraid of Him, like a child is scared of a storm.
As I read Joel this week, I recounted everything I feared in my adult life. Medical crises, bullies at my children’s school, failing as a parent, or worse, as a wife. I feared my kids would inherit my mental illness. The list goes on and on. I held all these fears up to the light of Joel’s fear-inducing prophecies and was led to Psalm 22:23-24: “You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he had not hidden his face from him but has heard when he cried to him.” This week, let’s praise the Lord and soak up truths from the mouths of babes. God is scary, but He loves you. Do you love Him? Do you fear Him?