Joel (Prophet)

Biblical Record

The only personal information Scripture gives about Joel is the phrase "Joel the son of Pethuel" in Joel 1:1. His name is commonly interpreted to mean "the LORD is God" in Hebrew. His hometown, the period of his ministry, and the other events of his life are not recorded. Because his prophecy frequently mentions Zion, the temple, and the priests, however, many hold that he ministered in Judah and Jerusalem.

His message is preserved in the Book of Joel. Korean Bibles divide the book into three chapters, whereas the Hebrew Bible divides it into four. Its main contents are as follows:

• A plague of locusts that devastated the land, and a summons to lament (chapter 1)
• A warning that the Day of the LORD is approaching, and a call to return in repentance: "rend your heart, and not your garments" (Joel 2:12–14)
• The restoration of the land and the promise of the former and latter rain (Joel 2:23–27)
• The promise of the outpouring of the Spirit, beginning "I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh" (Joel 2:28–32)
• Judgment on the nations and the restoration of Zion (chapter 3)

Several other people in the Bible bear the same name. The firstborn son of Samuel (1 Samuel 8:2) and Levites of David's time (1 Chronicles 15), among others, are distinct from the prophet Joel.

Significance Within Scripture

Among the prophets, Joel is regarded as one who made the "Day of the LORD" his central theme. The New Testament quotes his prophecy directly. At the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter declared, "this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel," and quoted Joel 2:28–32 (Acts 2:16–21). Paul likewise quoted "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Joel 2:32) in Romans 10:13 to explain that salvation is offered without distinction between Jew and Gentile.

Interpretation and Debated Questions

• Date: The Book of Joel mentions no king. On this basis, and on the book's placement between Hosea and Amos, some date it to the reign of King Joash in the ninth century BC. Others, pointing to the reference to the Grecians (Joel 3:6) and to a community led by elders and priests, date it to the postexilic period. There is no consensus among scholars or within denominations.
• The locusts: Some interpreters read the locusts as an actual natural disaster, while others take them as a symbol of an invading army or of eschatological judgment. Dispensationalist interpretation sometimes connects chapter 3 with the events of the end times.
• The promise of the Spirit's outpouring: The Pentecostal tradition, represented in Korea by the Full Gospel churches, frequently cites Joel 2:28 as the basis for baptism in the Holy Spirit and for spiritual gifts that continue today. Some also read the "latter rain" as an end-time revival of the Spirit. A considerable number of Reformed Presbyterians emphasize that this prophecy was fulfilled at Pentecost, while views differ on whether the gifts continue (see Cessationism and Continuationism).
• Some later traditions relate stories about Joel's tribe of origin or his tomb, but these are not found in the biblical text.

In the Korean Church

Joel 2:28–29 is frequently quoted in sermons for Pentecost Sunday and at revival meetings. The words "rend your heart, and not your garments" are widely used in sermons calling for repentance. In churches that follow the liturgical calendar, the passage is also read as a Scripture lesson on Ash Wednesday.