A new book, this time from the Old Testament in the form of the book of Joel. I'll start off with a few background notes. I'll also change the colour scheme as well for the sake of something to do!
Joel means "Yahweh is God".
Date is unknown, variously placed between 870 and 200 BC. Earlier date is more likely as Israel's enemies referred to are Philistines, Phoenicians, Egyptians and Edom, rather than Assyria and Babylon.
Palestine was vulnerable to locust swarms. They are every green plant, they also buried eggs whose larvae then are the regenerating plants. Joel saw this as divine judgement.
Joel then talks about a time coming when a great army from the north will invade the land. He talks about the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord does not just refer to a single day, but to a time when God's will is finally put in place. This is a time when sin is judged, and when salvation comes. This will ultimately and supremely happen when Christ returns, but there are "mini" Days of the Lord that happen at various points in history, ie times when God intervenes in a major way. The Assyrian and Babylonian invasions are examples of this.
Peter quotes Joel 2:28-32 at the Day of Pentecost. In interpreting prophecy it is helpful to remember that prophecy sometimes has multiple and partial fulfilments. So one event which fits in with a given prophecy does not necessarily mean that prophecy can be "ticked off" as completed.
Joel means "Yahweh is God".
Date is unknown, variously placed between 870 and 200 BC. Earlier date is more likely as Israel's enemies referred to are Philistines, Phoenicians, Egyptians and Edom, rather than Assyria and Babylon.
Palestine was vulnerable to locust swarms. They are every green plant, they also buried eggs whose larvae then are the regenerating plants. Joel saw this as divine judgement.
Joel then talks about a time coming when a great army from the north will invade the land. He talks about the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord does not just refer to a single day, but to a time when God's will is finally put in place. This is a time when sin is judged, and when salvation comes. This will ultimately and supremely happen when Christ returns, but there are "mini" Days of the Lord that happen at various points in history, ie times when God intervenes in a major way. The Assyrian and Babylonian invasions are examples of this.
Peter quotes Joel 2:28-32 at the Day of Pentecost. In interpreting prophecy it is helpful to remember that prophecy sometimes has multiple and partial fulfilments. So one event which fits in with a given prophecy does not necessarily mean that prophecy can be "ticked off" as completed.
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