Green Up Clean Up

Meeting Jesus in the streets

green grasshopper perched on grass

Joel

Joel: When Bugs, Drought, and God Collide!

Imagine a world where giant locusts swarm your town, eating everything in sight, leaving nothing but dust and despair. That’s the scene the prophet Joel paints in his short but powerful book of the Bible.

The Story

Joel lived in a time of crisis. A massive plague of locusts had devastated the land, followed by a severe drought. People were starving, and the land was barren. Joel saw this as a wake-up call from God, a message that the people had strayed from Him and needed to return.

Joel’s Message

Joel’s book is a mix of warnings, calls to repentance, and promises of hope.

  • Wake-up Call: Joel uses vivid language to describe the destruction caused by the locusts and drought. He compares the insects to a mighty army, devouring everything in their path. This dramatic imagery is a way of shocking people into realizing the seriousness of their situation.
  • Call to Repentance: Joel urges the people to turn back to God with sincere hearts. He calls for a national day of fasting and prayer, where everyone, from the young to the old, would cry out to God for forgiveness and mercy.
  • Promise of Hope: While Joel’s message starts with doom and gloom, it doesn’t end there. He promises that if the people repent, God will forgive them, restore their land, and shower them with blessings. He even speaks of a future day when God’s Spirit will be poured out on all people, leading to a time of peace and prosperity.

Key Themes

  • God’s Judgement: The locust plague and drought are portrayed as God’s judgement on the people’s sinfulness. This doesn’t mean God is cruel, but that He is just and holy, and sin cannot go unpunished.
  • Repentance and Forgiveness: Joel emphasises that God is merciful and willing to forgive if people genuinely repent. Repentance means turning away from sin and turning back to God.
  • Hope and Restoration: Even in the midst of disaster, Joel offers a message of hope. He shows that God is always ready to restore and renew those who turn to Him.

Questions for Discussion

  1. What are some ways we can see God’s judgement in the world today?
  2. What does it mean to truly repent?
  3. How can we find hope in the midst of difficult situations?
  4. What are some ways God’s Spirit is poured out on people today?
  5. How can we apply Joel’s message to our own lives?

Challenge

Think about areas in your life where you might need to repent. Take some time to pray and ask God for forgiveness. Then, trust in His promise to restore and renew you.

The prophet Joel warned the people of Judah about God’s coming judgment—and the coming restoration and blessing that will come through repentance.

From the desolations about to come upon the land of Judah, by the ravages of locusts and other insects, the prophet Joel exhorts the Jews to repentance, fasting, and prayer. He notices the blessings of the gospel, with the final glorious state of the church.

Matthew Henry
two girls lying on a car and chatting Malachi - Malachi: A Conversation with God Imagine you're having a serious chat with a friend who feels hurt and misunderstood. That's the kind of conversation happening in the book of Malachi. It's the last book of the Old Testament, and it's like a letter from God to…
road sign under clouds Zechariah - Zechariah: A Prophet's Visions and Messages of Hope Zechariah was a prophet who lived during a tough time for God's people. They had been taken away from their home and were finally allowed to return, but things were still difficult. Imagine having to rebuild everything from…
old medieval ruins of dunluce castle on ocean coast in northern ireland famous place in uk Haggai - Haggai: Rebuilding What Matters Most Imagine coming home after a long time away, only to find your house in ruins. That's how the Israelites felt when they returned to Jerusalem after being exiled in Babylon. Their temple, the centre of their worship and connection to God,…
woman sitting on sofa while looking at phone with laptop on lap Zephaniah - Zephaniah's Wake-Up Call: A Message for God's People Imagine living in a world where everyone seems to have forgotten about God. People are worshipping idols, being unfair to each other, and just generally doing bad things. That's the kind of world Zephaniah lived in. He was…
question mark on chalk board Habakkuk - Habakkuk: A Prophet's Questions and God's Answers Imagine living in a world where everything seems wrong. People are hurting each other, lying, and doing all sorts of bad things. It feels like no one cares, and you wonder if God even sees it. This is how…
ancient greek temple Nahum - The Book of Nahum: A Story of Justice and Hope Imagine a big, powerful city that bullies and hurts smaller nations. That's what Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, was like in the time of the Bible. The people there were cruel and thought they were unstoppable.…
alarm clock lying on multicolored surface Micah - Micah's Message: A Wake-Up Call for God's People Imagine you're living in a world where everyone is doing what they want, regardless of whether it's right or wrong. People are treating each other unfairly, and the leaders are only looking out for themselves. Sounds pretty chaotic,…
humpback whales underwater Jonah - The Amazing Story of Jonah: A Fishy Tale with a Big Message Imagine being swallowed whole by a giant fish! That's exactly what happened to Jonah, a prophet in the Bible. But Jonah's story isn't just about a wild adventure; it's about running away from God,…
watchman mountain in utah Obadiah - Obadiah: A Tiny Book with a Big Message Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, but don't let its size fool you! It contains an important message about God's justice and the consequences of pride. The Story Obadiah is a prophet who delivers a…
gray trunk green leaf tree beside body of water Amos - Amos: God's Call for Justice and Righteousness Imagine living in a world where everything seems great on the surface – fancy houses, delicious food, and exciting parties. But beneath this shiny exterior, something dark and rotten lurks: injustice, greed, and a disregard for God's ways. This…