Joel 1
Lutheran reading notes
In Joel chapter 1, the prophetic message develops the theme of the Day of the Lord and the call to repentance. Lutheran interpretation often highlights the contrast between divine judgment against sin and the promise of grace that God provides for those who trust in Him.
1
The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
Joel 1:1 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?
Joel 1:2 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
Tell ye your children of it, and {let} your children {tell} their children, and their children another generation.
Joel 1:3 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
4
That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten. {That which the palmerworm...: Heb. The residue of the palmerworm}
Joel 1:4 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
5
Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
Joel 1:5 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth {are} the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
Joel 1:6 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
7
He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast {it} away; the branches thereof are made white. {barked...: Heb. laid my fig tree for a barking}
Joel 1:7 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
Joel 1:8 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD'S ministers, mourn.
Joel 1:9 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
10
The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
Joel 1:10 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
11
Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
Joel 1:11 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
12
The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, {even} all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
13
Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
Joel 1:13 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
14
Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders {and} all the inhabitants of the land {into} the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, {solemn...: or, day of restraint}
Joel 1:14 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
15
Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD {is} at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
Joel 1:15 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
16
Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, {yea}, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
Joel 1:16 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
17
The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered. {seed: Heb. grains}
Joel 1:17 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
18
How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
Joel 1:18 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
19
O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field. {pastures: or, habitations}
Joel 1:19 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
20
The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.
Joel 1:20 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.