The locusts that came (ch1) were a manifestation of the judgment of God against the covenant nation (see Lev. 26:5 cf. 26:22). Such were presages of worse judgments if requisite repentance was not forthcoming.

Moreover (ch2) all temporal calamities point ahead to a coming judgment day, the Day of the Lord. The locusts are rendered terrible, coming as it were against not just the land and crops, but as literally attacking the cities and the people in them. Joel's purpose is to get his hearers to recall the locusts they saw, but to truly see them for their symbolic import, to sense that in their coming it is the wrath of God manifested.

For what is true relief? Not freedom from locusts. It is the product of God's forgiveness of sin, of heartfelt repentance. Scripture says that the fulfillment of God's promises of blessing at the end of ch2 came on Pentecost (Acts 2:17).

Ch 3 is primarily a look ahead to the ultimate Final Day. Remember, that the OT prophets ran the Lord's triumph all together. The three-phase victory (Cross/Resurrection--Ascension/Session--Return/Glory) was not sharply delineated in the prophets' writings at all, be that Isaiah, Joel, Daniel, etc. This tightened perspective of bringing the Advents together continued all the way to the disciples of Christ, who even after the Death (shocking!) and Resurrection were expecting a kingdom immediately (Acts 1:6).

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Rev. Bruce G. Buchanan
ChainOLakes Presbyterian Church, CentralLake, MI


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