Old Testament · Minor Prophets
Joel
The Book of Joel
Joel is a prophetic book that begins with a devastating locust plague and expands its meaning into a far-reaching vision of the Day of the LORD. The disaster serves as both a historical crisis and a warning of greater divine judgment to come. Through vivid imagery and urgent appeals, Joel calls God's people to repentance, fasting, prayer, and wholehearted return to the Lord. Yet Joel is not merely a book of judgment. At its center stands God's gracious invitation to repent and His promise to restore what has been lost. The Lord reveals Himself as compassionate, merciful, patient, and faithful to His covenant people. The book reaches its climax in the promise that God will pour out His Spirit on all kinds of people and ultimately establish justice among the nations. Joel therefore moves from devastation to restoration, from warning to hope, and from local disaster to a global vision of God's kingdom purposes.
Who wrote this book?
Named in the textJoel
date uncertain — perhaps 9th–5th century BC · Prophet of Judah · interpreter of a locust plague · herald of the Day of the LORD · promiser of the poured-out Spirit
The book identifies its prophet as Joel son of Pethuel. The precise date of composition is uncertain, and scholars propose various periods. Regardless of its exact date, the message centers on repentance, divine judgment, restoration, and the future work of God's Spirit.
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