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Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of Yahweh comes, for it is close at hand:

A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn spreading on the mountains, a great and strong people; there has never been the like, neither will there be any more after them, even to the years of many generations.

A fire devours before them, and behind them, a flame burns. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them, a desolate wilderness. Yes, and no one has escaped them.

Their appearance is as the appearance of horses, and they run as horsemen.

Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array.

At their presence the peoples are in anguish. All faces have grown pale.

They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his line, and they don't swerve off course.

Neither does one jostle another; they march everyone in his path, and they burst through the defenses, and don't break ranks.

They rush on the city. They run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the windows like thieves.

The earth quakes before them. The heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

Yahweh thunders his voice before his army; for his forces are very great; for he is strong who obeys his command; for the day of Yahweh is great and very awesome, and who can endure it?

"Yet even now," says Yahweh, "turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning."

Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.

Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal offering and a drink offering to Yahweh, your God.

Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly.

Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go out of his room, and the bride out of her room.

Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, "Spare your people, Yahweh, and don't give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"

Then Yahweh was jealous for his land, And had pity on his people.

Yahweh answered his people, "Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied with them; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise." Surely he has done great things.

Land, don't be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh has done great things.

Don't be afraid, you animals of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.

"Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in Yahweh, your God; for he gives you the early rain in just measure, and he causes the rain to come down for you, the early rain and the latter rain, as before.

The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, my great army, which I sent among you.

You will have plenty to eat, and be satisfied, and will praise the name of Yahweh, your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people will never again be disappointed.

You will know that I am among Israel, and that I am Yahweh, your God, and there is no one else; and my people will never again be disappointed.

"It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions.

And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit.

I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.

The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes.

It will happen that whoever will call on Yahweh's name shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as Yahweh has said, and among the remnant, those whom Yahweh calls.

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Joel chapter 2 is a vivid prophetic oracle that transitions from describing an immediate, devastating locust plague—interpreted as a foretaste of the "Day of the LORD"—to a profound call for national repentance, followed by glorious promises of material restoration and, most significantly, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The chapter highlights God's sovereign control over judgment and blessing, and His readiness to respond graciously to genuine repentance.

The chapter opens with a trumpet blast, signaling the imminence of the "Day of the Lord" (יוֹם יְהוָה, yom Yahweh). This is depicted as a day of darkness, gloom, and thick clouds. The imagery shifts quickly to describe an invading army, which is initially presented in terms of the locust plague from chapter 1, but then takes on increasingly militaristic and apocalyptic tones. The locusts are portrayed as a massive, unstoppable force, likened to horses, chariots, and warriors, spreading terror and desolation across the land. They are an army sent by God, carrying out His judgment, before whom no one can stand. This section emphasizes the terrifying, irresistible nature of God's judgment and the futility of human resistance against it.

Amidst the dire pronouncements of judgment, God extends a merciful invitation to repentance. The call is for a heartfelt turning to God, not merely an outward show of sorrow. Joel emphasizes that true repentance involves rending one's heart, not just one's garments. This call is grounded in God's character as "gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love" (חֶסֶד, ḥesed - H2617), and One who relents from disaster. The prophet urges the priests to lead the nation in corporate lament and prayer, standing between the porch and the altar, pleading for God's mercy to spare His people and His heritage from shame among the nations. This section underscores the Reformed emphasis on the necessity of true, inward repentance and God's sovereign prerogative to extend grace.

In response to the potential for repentance, God promises to "be zealous for his land and pity his people." This marks a dramatic shift from judgment to lavish blessing. God pledges to remove the destructive northern army (likely the locusts, but potentially also a human foe), and to restore abundant agricultural prosperity. The land will yield bumper crops of grain, new wine, and oil, so much so that the people will "eat in plenty and be satisfied." This material restoration is accompanied by a renewed sense of God's presence among them: "You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else." This promise reinforces God's covenant faithfulness and His ability to reverse calamities and restore His people.

The climax of the chapter, and arguably the entire book, is the prophecy concerning the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This promise extends beyond material blessings to a profound spiritual renewal that transcends social, gender, and age boundaries. God declares He will "pour out" (שׁפךְ, shaphak - H8210) His Spirit on all flesh, resulting in dreams, visions, and prophesying among sons, daughters, old men, young men, male servants, and female servants. This universal outpouring signifies the ushering in of a new era of direct divine communication and empowerment for all of God's people, not just a select few. The chapter concludes by reiterating signs that will precede the great and awesome Day of the Lord—wonders in the heavens and on the earth—and provides a salvific promise: "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." This eschatological promise points forward to the New Covenant reality initiated by Christ.

Joel 2 is one of the most frequently quoted Old Testament prophetic passages in the New Testament, particularly for its prophecy regarding the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the call to salvation.

The most direct and significant quotation of Joel 2 occurs in Acts 2. On the Day of Pentecost, after the Holy Spirit had descended upon the disciples, causing them to speak in other tongues, the crowds were bewildered. Peter stood up to explain the phenomenon, declaring it to be the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy:

Peter's use of Joel 2:28-32 is pivotal. He identifies the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost as the inauguration of the "last days"—the New Covenant era, confirming that Joel's prophecy was not merely about some distant future event but was beginning to be fulfilled in their present. The Spirit's outpouring (ἐκχέω, ekcheō - G1632, the Greek equivalent to Hebrew שׁפךְ, shaphak) on "all flesh" signifies that access to God's Spirit is no longer limited by social status, gender, or age, but is available to all believers in Christ. Peter connects the cosmic signs mentioned by Joel to the broader eschatological framework leading up to the Day of the Lord, affirming that salvation is found in calling upon the name of the Lord (ἐπικαλέομαι τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου, epikaleomai to onoma Kyriou).

The latter part of Joel 2:32, the salvific promise, is also quoted by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans. In the context of explaining that salvation is available to all—Jew and Gentile alike—through faith in Christ, Paul writes:

Paul explicitly applies Joel's prophecy of calling on the "name of the Lord" to the person of Jesus Christ. This demonstrates that for Paul, "the Lord" in Joel's prophecy ultimately refers to Jesus, and that salvation is universally accessible through faith in Him.

I find something beautiful in those words even now. Even now, after all of Israel's sins, after neglecting to worship God and bring sacrifices to His holy temple, still God is offering forgiveness and reconciliation if only they would turn to Him with all their heart. It never to amaze me, the vast reserves of God's patience and forgiveness. Even the greatest humanitarian in all history pales in comparison to God's kindness and generosity. Is there no end to the storehouses of His grace?

"Tear your heart, and not your garments." This is an indictment upon the culture at this time. When someone was in grief (whether over a loved one or over their own sin), they would tear their garments. This was an obvious, visual expression of their anguish. But of course, it's also an easy way to pretend to have anguish. But God is not fooled. He can tell when someone is only pretending to be remorseful of their sin. We do the same thing in our culture. For example, we have a long history of public figures issuing PR department approved apologies without any real substance.

So what is Joel's solution? Tear your heart. Don't just be remorseful on the outside, be remorseful on the inside. What a potent, painful visual! Tear your heart! How often I hide from God like Adam and Eve. I don't want to be in His presence because I don't want to feel remorse, guilt, conviction. I don't want to admit that I'm wrong and bruise my ego. But this is what my soul needs. I must tear my heart so I may return to Him.

How do we petition God? How do we ask of Him? Joel, here, shows a tremendous approach. The people should ask God to remove the locusts ("spare your people"), but what is the reason for this request. It's not for their wellbeing or prosperity. It's for God's.

If God does not spare them, then that hurts God's reputation. This is the same strategy that Moses uses on Mt. Sinai to petition God.