The prophet Joel is concerned with the coming of the day of the Lord, which is pictured like a plague of locusts descending upon the land. In the midst of this call to repentance, Joel simultaneously points to the outpouring of God’s Spirit upon His people.
Joel 1-3, with focus on 2:12-14, 2:28-32
Sermon OutlinE
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” (Joel 2:28)
Introducing Joel
A Plague of Locusts (Joel 1)
The Day of the Lord: Judgment and Grace (Joel 2:1-27)
God Will Pour Out His Spirit (Joel 2:28-32)
God’s Message to the Nations (Joel 3)
God’s Word for Us from Joel
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- This weekend, we continue our series, “God in the Ruins: The Message of the Minor Prophets,” by looking at Joel. Before you begin this study, ask God to speak to you through His word.
- We don’t know a lot about the prophet Joel other than that he is the son of Pethuel (1:1). However, his message arises in the midst of a plague of locusts, which serves as the starting point of his message. Read Joel 1:1-12. What is the situation in these verses?
- Verses 13-20 invite the priests to call the people to a gathering of prayer before God. The prayer laments the suffering of God’s people in the midst of the plague of locusts. Why do you think lament is a meaningful response to times of suffering?
- Read Joel, chapter 2. This chapter picks up a theme found in Joel 1:15 about “the day of the LORD,” a phrase that appears five times in Joel (1:15; 2:1; 2:11; 2:31; 3:14). Sometimes this phrase refers to something in the present and sometimes it refers to something in the future. Based on what you read in chapter 2, what would you say “the day of the LORD” is all about?
- An appropriate response to “the day of the LORD” is found in verses 12-14. What is that response, and what do you think it looks like in our day and time?
- Beginning in verse 18, God responds to the lament of his people with a message of hope. How would you summarize the message of hope in Joel 2:18-27?
- The final section of Joel 2, verses 28-32, speak of the outpouring of God’s Spirit on all people. These verses are picked up by Peter in his Pentecost sermon in Acts 2:14-21. Why would it be significant that God would pour out His Spirit on all people?
- Read Joel 3. This chapter brings into focus the future day of the LORD that brings judgment on the nations and restoration for God’s people. Which part of this chapter most captures your attention? Why?
- How should a picture of the end – the day of the LORD – shape the way we live today? 11. What is one thing that God is speaking into your life through our study of Joel? If you are on your own, write these things down. If you are in a small group, discuss your answers aloud together. Close in prayer. Choose one person in your life with whom you will share something you have learned about God through the prophet Joel.