Subscribe to the Messianic Apologetics Podcast: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio
Book of Joel – Survey of the Holy Scriptures Study: YouTube
Messianic Apologetics editor John McKee surveys the Book of Joel from a Messianic perspective.
reproduced from A Survey of the Holy Scriptures for the Practical Messianic
Approximate date: 800s-600s B.C.E. (Right, some conservative-moderate); 600s-400s B.C.E. (some conservative moderate; Left)
Time period: impending invasion of the Land of Israel by foreign enemies
Author(s): Joel and/or a close associate (Right, conservative-moderate); Joel, writers and editors (Left)
Location of prophet/author(s): Judah and Jerusalem (Right, some conservative-moderate); somewhere in the Land of Israel (some conservative-moderate, Left)
Target audience and their location: Southern Kingdom Israelites
The name Joel, or Yo’el means “the LORD is God.” Little is known of Joel the man,[1] as virtually nothing is stated in the text surrounding his background. There is even confusion about the name of his father, Pethuel (Joel 1:1), rendered in the Greek Septuagint as Bethuel (Joel 1:1). What is known about the Prophet Joel is that he was concerned about Judah and Jerusalem (Joel 2:32; 3:1, 6, 8, 16-20), and it is most likely that he was from the Southern Kingdom. Joel had an innate knowledge of the Temple and its services, which has led some to conclude that he was somehow involved with the priesthood.[2] The Book of Joel can be a confusing text, even though it includes standard prophetic elements of the need for repentance, the judgment of God, and promised restoration.
There is difficulty with dating the Book of Joel, because no contemporary events are mentioned,[3] and it is likely to remain the most controversial issue regarding its composition.[4] While Joel is placed second among the Twelve Prophets in the Jewish order of the Tanach, the Septuagint places it fourth after Micah, indicating some uncertainty as to when Joel prophesied.[5]
Among conservatives, a broad dating of the Seventh-Fifth Centuries B.C.E. is often assumed. Some place Joel’s prophetic ministry during the reign of King Uzziah,[6] with some even placing him earlier in the Ninth Century. Proposals across the spectrum for Joel’s composition often range over a 500 year period.[7]
Those leaning toward an earlier date for Joel, note the mention of Ancient Israel’s more ancient enemies of the Philistines and the Phoenicians (Joel 3:4), and Egypt and Edom (Joel 3:19), when compared to the later enemies of Assyria and Babylon. Likewise, it is believed that Amos may have been acquainted with Joel’s prophecies (Joel 3:16; cf. Amos 1:1; 3:18). Conservatives often favor an earlier dating for Joel,[8] noting “there is no single element of the thought of Joel that is incompatible with a pre-exilic date for the prophecy” (Harrison).[9] Regardless of where Joel specifically falls within this paradigm, it should not affect one’s overall understanding of the text.
Liberals examining the Book of Joel feel that he was interpreting contemporary events of his time, using unique symbology,[10] perhaps borrowing from other prophets. Many Jewish and Christian interpreters over the centuries have followed a similar style.[11] Liberals tend to favor a post-exilic, Fifth Century or later composition for Joel, dating Joel at the earliest to the time of the Persians.[12] They make note of the reference to the Greeks (Joel 3:6), and assume that Ancient Israel did not have contact with them prior to the Fifth-Fourth Centuries B.C.E.[13] In the past, liberals have doubted the authenticity of any of Joel’s prophecies.[14] Surprisingly, though, a fair number today do hold to some kind of unified authorship/composition for Joel, and do not advocate that multiple sources were used for the text,[15] although some still do feel that a few of the Book of Joel’s visions were added later.[16]
Some similarities in language are present with the other Prophets, which causes some to conclude that Joel was a later text and borrowed from Prophets such as Haggai, Zechariah, or Malachi.[17] However, the argument could equally be made that these Prophets borrowed from Joel. The Hebrew MT of Joel is in relatively good condition, with textual witnesses present among the DSS at Qumran.[18] The major difference between the MT and LXX textual witnesses, is the latter’s division of Joel into three, rather than four chapters.[19] Christian Bibles today divide Joel into three chapters, whereas Jewish Bibles divide it into four.
The Prophet Joel emphasized a series of physical plagues which will herald “the day of the Lord” (Joel 2:31). The first part of this judgment is seen in a series of natural catastrophes (Joel 1:1-2:27), with the second part seen with God’s judgment upon foreign peoples (Joel 2:28-3:21). Joel called on Judah to turn to God in repentance. An invading army will come (Joel 2:1-10) culminating in a final battle (Joel ch. 3). God’s Spirit will be poured out (Joel 2:28). After this judgment is concluded, a period of restoration will ensue.[20]
The only specific reference to the Prophet Joel outside of the Book of Joel is in the Book of Acts (Acts 2:16-17). Luke interpreted the events of Shavuot/Pentecost as involving some kind of fulfillment of Joel’s prophecies.[21] Joel’s message of God’s salvation helped fuel the expanse of the gospel message during the First Century C.E.[22]
The Book of Joel also has some important liturgical properties.[23] In some Jewish traditions (Ashkenazi, Conservative) the Book of Joel is considered on Shabbat Shuvah, or the Sabbath between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur during the Ten Days of Awe.[24]
As things currently stand, there is not a great deal of Messianic engagement with the Book of Joel, aside from a few isolated verses here or there.
Bibliography
ben Zvi, Ehud. “Joel,” in Jewish Study Bible, pp 1166-1175.
Crenshaw, James L. “Joel,” in New Interpreter’s Study Bible, pp 1271-1278.
Dillard, Raymond B., and Tremper Longman III. “Joel,” in An Introduction to the Old Testament, pp 363-371.
Gelston, Anthony. “Joel,” in ECB, pp 686-689.
Graybill, John G. “Joel, Book of,” in NIDB, pp 530-531.
Harrison, R.K. “The Book of Joel,” in Introduction to the Old Testament, pp 874-882.
Hiebert, Theodore. “Joel, Book of,” in ABD, 3:873-880.
Neil, W. “Joel, Book of,” in IDB, 2:929-929.
Patterson, Richard D. “Joel,” in EXP, 7:229-266.
Simkins, Ronald A. “Joel, Book of,” in EDB, pp 720-721.
Williamson, H.G.M. “Joel,” in ISBE, 2:1076-1080.
NOTES
[1] R.K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1969), 874; Richard D. Patterson, “Joel,” in Frank E. Gaebelein, ed. et. al., Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1985), 7:230; Raymond B. Dillard and Tremper Longman III, An Introduction to the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), 365; Anthony Gelston, “Joel,” in James D.G. Dunn and John W. Rogerson, eds., Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003), 686.
[2] H.G.M. Williamson, “Joel,” in Geoffrey W. Bromiley, ed., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, abridged (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985), 2:1076; Theodore Hiebert, “Joel, Book of,” in David Noel Freedman, ed., Anchor Bible Dictionary, 6 vols. (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 3:878.
[3] Ehud ben Zvi, “Joel,” in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, eds., The Jewish Study Bible (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), 1166.
[4] Williamson, “Joel,” in ISBE, 2:1077; Patterson, in EXP, 7:231-233; Dillard and Longman, pp 365-367.
[5] Hiebert, “Joel, Book of,” in ABD, 3:879; Gelston, in ECB, 686.
[6] Patterson, in EXP, 7:229-230.
[7] Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament, pp 876-877; Williamson, “Joel,” in ISBE, 2:1078; John G. Graybill, “Joel, Book of,” in Merrill C. Tenney, ed., The New International Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987), 530; Ronald A. Simkins, “Joel, Book of,” in David Noel Freedman, ed., Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000), 720.
[8] Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament, 877.
[9] Ibid., 878.
[10] W. Neil, “Joel, Book of,” in George Buttrick, ed., et. al., The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, 4 vols. (Nashville: Abingdon, 1962), 2:927; Williamson, “Joel,” in ISBE, 2:1077; Hiebert, “Joel, Book of,” in ABD, 3:878-879; James L. Crenshaw, “Joel,” in Walter J. Harrelson, ed., et. al., New Interpreter’s Study Bible, NRSV (Nashville: Abingdon, 2003), 1271.
[11] Williamson, “Joel,” in ISBE, 2:1079.
[12] Neil, “Joel, Book of,” in IDB, 2:928; ben Zvi, in Jewish Study Bible, 1166.
[13] Neil, “Joel, Book of,” in IDB, 2:926.
[14] Patterson, in EXP, 7:230.
[15] Neil, “Joel, Book of,” in IDB, 2:927; Williamson, “Joel,” in ISBE, 2:1079; Hiebert, “Joel, Book of,” in ABD, 3:873-874.
[16] Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament, 875; Hiebert, “Joel, Book of,” in ABD, 3:879.
[17] Hiebert, “Joel, Book of,” in ABD, 3:879.
[18] Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament, 881; Hiebert, “Joel, Book of,” in ABD, 3:879.
[19] Patterson, in EXP, 7:235.
[20] Williamson, “Joel,” in ISBE, 2:1076-1077; Hiebert, “Joel, Book of,” in ABD, 3:876-878; Ronald A. Simkins, “Joel, Book of,” in EDB, 720.
[21] Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament, 881; Graybill, “Joel, Book of,” in NIDB, 531.
[22] Williamson, “Joel,” in ISBE, 2:1080; Dillard and Longman, pp 370-371.
[23] Dillard and Longman, 368.
[24] ben Zvi, in Jewish Study Bible, 1167.