Joel 2:1
Verse
Context
The Army of Locusts
1Blow the ram’s horn in Zion; sound the alarm on My holy mountain! Let all who dwell in the land tremble, for the Day of the LORD is coming; indeed, it is near— 2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like the dawn overspreading the mountains a great and strong army appears, such as never was of old, nor will ever be in ages to come.
Sermons
David Wilkerson
Willie Mullan
William MacDonaldWillie MullanSummary
Commentary
- Keil-Delitzsch
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
By blowing the far-sounding horn, the priests are to make known to the people the coming of the judgment, and to gather them together in the temple to pray. Joe 2:1. "Blow ye the trumpet upon Zion, and cause it to sound upon my holy mountain! All the inhabitants of the land shall tremble; for the day of Jehovah cometh, for it is near." That this summons is addressed to the priests, is evident from Joe 2:15, compared with Joe 2:14. On tiq‛ū shōphâr and hârı̄‛ū, see at Hos 5:8. "Upon Zion," i.e., from the top of the temple mountain. Zion is called the holy mountain, as in Psa 2:6, because the Lord was there enthroned in His sanctuary, on the summit of Moriah, which He claimed as His own. Râgaz, to tremble, i.e., to start up from their careless state (Hitzig). On the expression, "for the day of Jehovah cometh," see Joe 1:15. By the position of בּוא at the head of the sentence, and that in the perfect בּא instead of the imperfect, as in Joe 1:15, the coming of the day of Jehovah is represented as indisputably certain. The addition of kı̄ qârōbh (for it is near) cannot be accounted for, however, from the fact that in the spiritual intuition of the prophet this day had already come, whereas in reality it was only drawing near (Hengstenberg); for such a separation as this between one element of prophesying and another is inconceivable. The explanation is simply, that the day of the Lord runs throughout the history of the kingdom of God, so that it occurs in each particular judgment: not, however, as fully manifested, but simply as being near or approaching, so far as its complete fulfilment is concerned. Joel now proclaims the coming of the day in its full completion, on the basis of the judgment already experienced, as the approach of a terrible army of locusts that darkens the land, at the head of which Jehovah is riding in all the majesty of the Judge of the world. The description is divided into three strophes thus: he first of all depicts the sight of this army of God, as seen afar off, and its terrible appearance in general (Joe 2:2 and Joe 2:3); then the appearance and advance of this mighty army (Joe 2:4-6); and lastly, its irresistible power (Joe 2:7-11); and closes the first strophe with a figurative description of the devastation caused by this terrible army, whilst in the second and third he gives prominence to the terror which they cause among all nations, and over all the earth.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain,.... This is spoken to the priests, whose business it was to blow the trumpets for calling solemn assemblies to meet in Zion, the temple built there, called from thence the holy mountain of God. Here the trumpet is ordered to be blown with a broken quivering voice, a tarantantara, to give notice of approaching danger by the locusts, or those enemies signified by them, and to prepare for it, and return to God by repentance; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; at the judgments of God coming upon them, and the alarm of them: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; the time fixed by him to punish a wicked people, and to pour out his wrath and vengeance on them; the day of his visitation, not in love, but in anger.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Here we have God contending with his own professing people for their sins and executing upon them the judgment written in the law (Deu 28:42), The fruit of thy land shall the locust consume, which was one of those diseases of Egypt that God would bring upon them, Deu 28:60. I. Here is the war proclaimed (Joe 2:1): Blow the trumpet in Zion, either to call the invading army together, and then the trumpet sounds a charge, or rather to give notice to Judah and Jerusalem of the approach of the judgment, that they might prepare to meet their God in the way of his judgments and might endeavor by prayers and tears, the church's best artillery, to put by the stroke. It was the priests' business to sound the trumpet (Num 10:8), both as an appeal to God in the day of their distress and a summons to the people to come together to seek his face. Note, It is the work of ministers to give warning from the word of God of the fatal consequences of sin, and to reveal his wrath from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. And though it is not the privilege of Zion and Jerusalem to be exempted from the judgments of God, if they provoke him, yet it is their privilege to be warned of them, that they might make their peace with him. Even in the holy mountain the alarm must be sounded, and then it sounds most dreadful, Amo 3:2. Now, shall a trumpet be blown in the city, in the holy city, and the people not be afraid? Surely they will. Amo 3:6. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; they shall be made to tremble by the judgment itself; let them therefore tremble at the alarm of it. II. Here is a general idea given of the day of battle, which cometh, which is nigh at hand, and there is no avoiding it. It is the day of the Lord, the day of his judgment, in which he will both manifest and magnify himself. It is a day of darkness and gloominess (Joe 2:2), literally so, the swarms of locusts and caterpillars being so large and so thick as to darken the sky (Exo 10:15), or rather figuratively; it will be a melancholy time, a time of grievous affliction. And it will come as the morning spread upon the mountains; the darkness of this day will come as suddenly as the morning light, as irresistibly, will spread as far, and grow upon them as the morning light. III. Here is the army drawn up in array (Joe 2:2): They are a great people, and a strong. Any one sees the vast numbers that there shall be of locusts and caterpillars, destroying the land, will say (as we are all apt to be most affected with what is present), "Surely, never was the like before, nor ever will be the like again." Note, Extraordinary judgments are rare things, and seldom happen, which is an instance of God's patience. When God had drowned the world once he promised never to do it again. The army is here describe to be, 1. Very bold and daring: They are as horses, as war-horses, that rush into the battle and are not affrighted (Job 39:22); and as horsemen, carried on with martial fire and fury, so they shall run, Joe 2:4. Some of the ancients have observed that the head of a locust is very like, in shape, to the head of a horse. 2. Very loud and noisy - like the noise of chariots, of many chariots, when driven furiously over rough ground, on the tops of the mountains, Joe 2:5. Hence is borrowed part of the description of the locusts which St. John saw rise out of the bottomless pit. Rev 9:7, Rev 9:9, The shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared to the battle; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots, of many horses running to the battle. Historians tell us that the noise made by swarms of locusts in those countries that are infested with them has sometimes been heard six miles off. The noise is likewise compared to that of a roaring fire; it is like the noise of a flame that devours the stubble, which noise is the more terrible because that which it is the indication of is devouring. Note, When God's judgments are abroad they make a great noise; and it is necessary for the awakening of a secure and stupid world that they should do so. (3.) They are very regular, and keep ranks in their march; though numerous and greedy of spoil, yet they are as a strong people set in battle array (Joe 2:5.): They shall march every one on his ways, straight forward, as if they had been trained up by the discipline of war to keep their post and observe their right-hand man. They shall not break their ranks, nor one thrust another, Joe 2:7, Joe 2:8. Their number and swiftness shall breed no confusion. See how God can make creatures to act by rule that have no reason to act by, when he designs to serve his own purposes by them. And see how necessary it is that those who are employed in any service for God should observe order, and keep ranks, should diligently go on in their own work and stand in one another's way. 4. They are very swift; they run like horsemen (Joe 2:4), run like mighty men (Joe 2:7); they run to and fro in the city, and run upon the wall, Joe 2:9. When God sends forth his command on earth his word runs very swiftly, Psa 147:15. Angels have wings, and so have locusts, when God makes use of them. IV. Here is the terrible execution done by this formidable army, 1. In the country, Joe 2:3. View the army in the front, and you will see a fire devouring before them; they consume all as if they breathed fire. View it in the rear, and you will see those that come behind as furious as the foremost: Behind them a flame burns. When they are gone, then it will appear what destruction they have made. Look upon the fields that they have not yet invaded, and they are as the garden of Eden, pleasant to the eye, and full of good fruits; they are the pride and glory of the country. But look upon the fields that they have eaten up and they are as a desolate wilderness; one would not think that these had ever been like the former, and yet so they were perhaps but the day before, or that those should ever be made like these, and yet so they shall be perhaps by tomorrow night; yea, and nothing shall escape them than can possibly be made food for them. Let none be proud of the beauty of their grounds any more than of their bodies, for God can soon change the face of both. 2. In the city. They shall climb the wall (Joe 2:7), they shall run upon the houses, and enter in at the windows like a thief (Joe 2:9); when Egypt was plagued with locusts, they filled Pharaoh's houses and the houses of his servants, Exo 10:5, Exo 10:6. The locusts out of the bottomless pit, Satan's emissaries, and missionaries of the man of sin, do as these locusts. God's judgments too, when they come with commission, cannot be kept out with bars and bolts; they will find or force their way. V. The impressions that should hereby be made upon the people. They shall find it to no purpose to make opposition. These enemies are invulnerable and therefore irresistible: When they fall upon the sword they shall not be wounded, Joe 2:8. And those that cannot be hurt cannot be stopped; and therefore before their faces the people shall be much pained (Joe 2:6), as the merchants are in pain for their trading ships when they hear they are just in the mouth of a squadron of the enemies. "One is in pain for his field, another for his vineyard, and all faces gather blackness," which denotes the utmost consternation imaginable. Men in fear look pale, but men in despair look black; the whiteness of a sudden fright, when it is settled, turns into blackness. What is the matter of our pride and pleasure God can soon make the matter of our pain. The terror that the country should be in is described (Joe 2:10) by figurative expressions: The earth shall quake and the heavens tremble; even the hearts that seemed undaunted, so firm that nothing would frighten them, as immovable as heaven or earth, shall be seized with astonishment. Or when the inhabitants of the land are made to quake it seems to them as if all about them trembled too. Through the prevalency of their fear, or for want of the supports of life which they used to have, their eye shall wax dim and their sight fail them, so that to them the sun and moon shall seem to be dark, and the stars to withdraw their shining. Note, When God frowns upon men the lights of heaven will be small joy to them; for man, by rebelling against his Creator, has forfeited the benefit of all the creatures. But, though this is to be understood figuratively, there is a day coming when it will be accomplished in the letter, when the heavens shall be rolled together like a scroll, and the earth, and all the works that are therein, shall be burnt up. Particular judgments should awaken us to think of the general judgment. VI. We are here directed to look up both him who is the commander-in-chief of this formidable army, and that is God himself, Joe 2:11. It is his army; it is his camp. He raised it; he gives it commission; he utters his voice before it, as the general gives orders to his army what to do and makes a speech to animate the soldiers; it is the Lord that gives the word of command to all these animals, which they exactly observe. Some think that with this cloud of locusts God sent terrible thunder, for that is called, The voice of the Lord, and was another of the plagues of Egypt, and this made the heavens and the earth tremble. It is the day of the Lord (as it was called, Joe 2:1), for in this war we are sure he carries the day; it must needs be his, for his camp is great and numerous. Those whom he makes war upon he can, as here, overpower with numbers; and whoever he employs to execute his word, as the minister of his justice, is sure to be made strong and par negotio - equal to what he undertakes; whom God gives commission to he girds with strength for the executing of that commission. And this makes the great day of the Lord very terrible to all those who in that day are to be made the monuments of his justice; for who can abide it? None can escape the arrests of God's wrath, can make head against the force of it, or bear up under the weight of it, Sa1 6:20; Psa 76:7.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:1-11 Some regard this section as a second account of the locust plague described in ch 1, but in ch 1, the plague is in the past, whereas in this section, the verb tenses seem to depict it as a future event. Thus, others see it as a warning of yet another locust plague. Still other commentators have understood this passage as an apocalyptic description of the coming day of the Lord, using the language of a locust plague to describe an invading human army. 2:1 When an ancient city was attacked, the watchmen on the city wall would raise the alarm by blowing the trumpet, a ram’s horn instrument called a shofar (see also 2:15), to call all the defenders to repel the enemy.
Joel 2:1
The Army of Locusts
1Blow the ram’s horn in Zion; sound the alarm on My holy mountain! Let all who dwell in the land tremble, for the Day of the LORD is coming; indeed, it is near— 2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like the dawn overspreading the mountains a great and strong army appears, such as never was of old, nor will ever be in ages to come.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
(1 Thessalonians) Marked Differentiations and Exortations
By Willie Mullan5.7K1:13:02ExhorationJOL 2:1In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of rejoicing in the Lord regardless of the circumstances. She encourages the audience to trust in the Holy Ghost and to let go of earthly chains and focus on the glory and grace of God. The preacher also reminds the listeners that nothing happens by chance and that God is working all things together for good. She shares personal testimonies of how God has saved and served her, both spiritually and physically. The sermon concludes with a discussion of sanctification and the differentiation between those appointed to wrath and those appointed to salvation.
The Reproach of the Solemn Assembly
By David Wilkerson4.9K55:00JOL 1:14JOL 2:1MIC 6:8HAB 2:20ZEP 3:17HAG 1:7MAT 6:33In this sermon, the speaker expresses concern about the negative effects of the prosperity gospel and false prophets on believers. He describes witnessing people engaging in strange behaviors during church services, such as falling on the floor, laughing hysterically, and writhing like snakes. The speaker criticizes evangelists who claim to have the power to knock people down or impart the Holy Spirit through physical actions. He also highlights the spread of this distorted gospel message, including in South America and Cuba, and warns against the dangers of Ponzi and pyramid schemes within the church.
(Daniel) the Time of the End
By Willie Mullan2.4K1:01:30End TimesDAN 12:1JOL 2:1In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of time and how it relates to the end times. He mentions how the world has progressed rapidly in the last hundred years, with advancements in technology and increased knowledge. He emphasizes the importance of being wise and shining as Christians, and loving Roman Catholics. The sermon is based on the book of Daniel, specifically focusing on the last vision Daniel receives and the exhortation he receives to go his way until the end.
Bristol Conference 1962 - Part 4
By William MacDonald1.6K31:38ConferenceJOL 1:15JOL 2:1JOL 2:11JOL 2:27JOL 2:31JOL 3:14MAT 3:4In this sermon, the preacher discusses the book of Joel in the Bible and its relevance to our lives. The first section of the book describes a locust plague, emphasizing that everything in life has a deeper meaning. The severity of the plague is highlighted, showing the devastating impact it had on the people. The preacher encourages the audience to seek God's message in difficult circumstances and reminds them that God was speaking to Judah through the locust plague.
(Revelation) the Sorrows in Earth
By Willie Mullan1.4K1:09:24SorrowJOL 2:1MAT 24:1REV 7:4REV 16:9In this sermon, the preacher discusses the opening of the fifth field in heaven by Jesus Christ. This event is accompanied by great signs on earth, including a great earthquake, the darkening of the sun and moon, and the falling of stars from heaven. The preacher suggests that these signs are indicative of the great regulation mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24. The sermon emphasizes the significance of these events in relation to the readjustment of the earth and the fulfillment of biblical prophecies.
Finn-04 Paluu Ja Palauttaminen Israelin (The Return and Restoration of Israel)
By Art Katz69452:21IsraelISA 6:8ISA 55:11JOL 2:1MAT 24:21In this sermon, the speaker discusses the importance of reading and loving the word of God. He emphasizes the need to put aside personal opinions and expectations in order to truly understand and embrace the truth. The speaker also explores the concept of present-day Israel and its role in God's plan. He suggests that Israel may be called to be a crucible of judgment rather than a nation that succeeds. The sermon concludes with a discussion on the future of Israel and the potential challenges they may face as a despised and rejected people.
The Seven Levels of Judgment - Proper Response Part 2
By Dan Biser58434:31DAN 9:3HOS 4:6HOS 6:1HOS 10:12HOS 11:9JOL 1:13JOL 2:1JOL 2:12AMO 5:4AMO 6:6AMO 7:2JON 3:2MIC 5:3
This sermon emphasizes the importance of a proper response to God's word, focusing on seeking wisdom, knowledge, and understanding from God, repentance, acknowledging sin, seeking God's face, and returning to the Lord with fasting, weeping, and mourning. It highlights the need for humility, intercession, and prevailing prayer in the face of judgment and the call for the church to respond appropriately to God's instructions.
Eternity to Eternity 12 Genesis 1:24
By Joseph Balsan4971:02:27GenesisGEN 2:18JOL 2:1ZEC 14:2REV 19:11REV 21:2In this sermon, the preacher discusses the importance of experiencing the new birth in order to find true happiness. He references the 67th Psalm, which speaks about those who feign obedience to the king out of fear of judgment. The preacher also mentions a newspaper clipping that claims scientists have discovered four high spots on the earth that represent the four corners of the earth. He connects this to the gathering of unbelievers from the four quarters of the earth in the battle against God. The sermon emphasizes the need to ensure one's place with Christ and not gamble with one's soul.
Thunder From Heaven, Part 5
By Mike Bickle2751:05Divine Judgment and MercyChristian LifeThe Day of the LordJOL 2:1Mike Bickle emphasizes the significance of understanding the Day of the Lord as outlined in the book of Joel, which serves as a prophetic warning for the church in the end times. He discusses the historical context of Joel's prophecies, particularly regarding the Babylonian invasion, and draws parallels to current global tensions, suggesting that we are in the early stirrings of a similar crisis. Bickle highlights the dual nature of the Day of the Lord, which encompasses both divine judgment and the outpouring of God's glory, urging believers to prepare spiritually for the challenges ahead. He stresses the importance of recognizing God's progressive judgments and the necessity of repentance and readiness among God's people. Ultimately, Bickle reassures that despite the severity of coming events, God will work all things together for good for those who love Him.
The Day of the Lord
By Mike Bickle251:14:17Spiritual PreparednessThe Day of the LordJOL 2:1Mike Bickle emphasizes the significance of the 'Day of the Lord' as a pivotal theme in both the Old and New Testaments, highlighting its dual nature of being both a time of great blessing for the faithful and severe judgment for the rebellious. He explains that while God typically restrains His judgments, there are specific times when He reveals His power and authority in extraordinary ways, culminating in the ultimate Day of the Lord at Christ's return. Bickle encourages believers to prepare spiritually through prayer and fasting, as these practices will lead to divine favor and protection during tumultuous times. He also discusses the historical examples of lesser days of the Lord, such as the locust plague and the Babylonian invasion, which serve as warnings and insights into the final Day of the Lord. Ultimately, he calls for a response of humility and unity with God to navigate the challenges ahead.
Satan's Power to Devour
By Phil Beach Jr.241:01:03SatanSpiritual AwakeningDevotion to GodJOB 1:6JOB 2:1PSA 42:1ISA 55:1JOL 2:1MAT 5:3PHP 4:19HEB 11:6JAS 4:81PE 5:8Phil Beach Jr. emphasizes the critical need for believers to prioritize hearing the voice of God over the distractions of the world, warning that many are more influenced by human voices than divine guidance. He highlights that true devotion to God must be unconditional, not based on what we receive from Him, and that suffering can lead to a deeper relationship with God. Beach draws parallels with Job's trials, illustrating how Satan seeks to devour believers by tempting them to serve God conditionally. He calls for a spiritual awakening within the church, urging believers to seek God earnestly and recognize their desperate need for Him amidst worldly distractions.
Acts 2
By John Nelson Darby0The Holy SpiritGrace and RedemptionJOL 2:1MAT 12:19JHN 7:39ACT 2:41CO 3:161CO 6:192CO 5:19EPH 2:22John Nelson Darby emphasizes the monumental event of the Holy Spirit's arrival at Pentecost, marking the transformation of believers into the dwelling place of God. He explains how this event signifies the fulfillment of God's promise and the opening of grace to all nations, transcending the barriers established at Babel. The Holy Spirit's descent, characterized by wind and fire, empowered the disciples to proclaim the gospel in various languages, demonstrating God's desire for all to hear His message. Darby contrasts the law and the gospel, highlighting that through Christ's death and resurrection, redemption is available to everyone, not just the Jews. He warns against the rejection of this grace, which is essential for salvation.
The Watchman (Watchman- What of the Night?)
By Robert Wurtz II0ISA 21:11EZK 33:7JOL 2:1EPH 5:141TH 5:7HEB 13:17Robert Wurtz II preaches about the role of watchmen in the spiritual realm, emphasizing the importance of being vigilant, sober, and prepared for the challenges and dangers that come with being a watchman. He highlights the duty of believers to watch over their own souls, families, and friends, as well as the responsibility of ministers to watch over those under their authority. The sermon urges listeners to heed the warnings of the watchmen, lock their hearts against the enemy, and be prepared for the day of the Lord that comes unexpectedly like a thief in the night.
- Keil-Delitzsch
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
By blowing the far-sounding horn, the priests are to make known to the people the coming of the judgment, and to gather them together in the temple to pray. Joe 2:1. "Blow ye the trumpet upon Zion, and cause it to sound upon my holy mountain! All the inhabitants of the land shall tremble; for the day of Jehovah cometh, for it is near." That this summons is addressed to the priests, is evident from Joe 2:15, compared with Joe 2:14. On tiq‛ū shōphâr and hârı̄‛ū, see at Hos 5:8. "Upon Zion," i.e., from the top of the temple mountain. Zion is called the holy mountain, as in Psa 2:6, because the Lord was there enthroned in His sanctuary, on the summit of Moriah, which He claimed as His own. Râgaz, to tremble, i.e., to start up from their careless state (Hitzig). On the expression, "for the day of Jehovah cometh," see Joe 1:15. By the position of בּוא at the head of the sentence, and that in the perfect בּא instead of the imperfect, as in Joe 1:15, the coming of the day of Jehovah is represented as indisputably certain. The addition of kı̄ qârōbh (for it is near) cannot be accounted for, however, from the fact that in the spiritual intuition of the prophet this day had already come, whereas in reality it was only drawing near (Hengstenberg); for such a separation as this between one element of prophesying and another is inconceivable. The explanation is simply, that the day of the Lord runs throughout the history of the kingdom of God, so that it occurs in each particular judgment: not, however, as fully manifested, but simply as being near or approaching, so far as its complete fulfilment is concerned. Joel now proclaims the coming of the day in its full completion, on the basis of the judgment already experienced, as the approach of a terrible army of locusts that darkens the land, at the head of which Jehovah is riding in all the majesty of the Judge of the world. The description is divided into three strophes thus: he first of all depicts the sight of this army of God, as seen afar off, and its terrible appearance in general (Joe 2:2 and Joe 2:3); then the appearance and advance of this mighty army (Joe 2:4-6); and lastly, its irresistible power (Joe 2:7-11); and closes the first strophe with a figurative description of the devastation caused by this terrible army, whilst in the second and third he gives prominence to the terror which they cause among all nations, and over all the earth.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain,.... This is spoken to the priests, whose business it was to blow the trumpets for calling solemn assemblies to meet in Zion, the temple built there, called from thence the holy mountain of God. Here the trumpet is ordered to be blown with a broken quivering voice, a tarantantara, to give notice of approaching danger by the locusts, or those enemies signified by them, and to prepare for it, and return to God by repentance; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; at the judgments of God coming upon them, and the alarm of them: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; the time fixed by him to punish a wicked people, and to pour out his wrath and vengeance on them; the day of his visitation, not in love, but in anger.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Here we have God contending with his own professing people for their sins and executing upon them the judgment written in the law (Deu 28:42), The fruit of thy land shall the locust consume, which was one of those diseases of Egypt that God would bring upon them, Deu 28:60. I. Here is the war proclaimed (Joe 2:1): Blow the trumpet in Zion, either to call the invading army together, and then the trumpet sounds a charge, or rather to give notice to Judah and Jerusalem of the approach of the judgment, that they might prepare to meet their God in the way of his judgments and might endeavor by prayers and tears, the church's best artillery, to put by the stroke. It was the priests' business to sound the trumpet (Num 10:8), both as an appeal to God in the day of their distress and a summons to the people to come together to seek his face. Note, It is the work of ministers to give warning from the word of God of the fatal consequences of sin, and to reveal his wrath from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. And though it is not the privilege of Zion and Jerusalem to be exempted from the judgments of God, if they provoke him, yet it is their privilege to be warned of them, that they might make their peace with him. Even in the holy mountain the alarm must be sounded, and then it sounds most dreadful, Amo 3:2. Now, shall a trumpet be blown in the city, in the holy city, and the people not be afraid? Surely they will. Amo 3:6. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; they shall be made to tremble by the judgment itself; let them therefore tremble at the alarm of it. II. Here is a general idea given of the day of battle, which cometh, which is nigh at hand, and there is no avoiding it. It is the day of the Lord, the day of his judgment, in which he will both manifest and magnify himself. It is a day of darkness and gloominess (Joe 2:2), literally so, the swarms of locusts and caterpillars being so large and so thick as to darken the sky (Exo 10:15), or rather figuratively; it will be a melancholy time, a time of grievous affliction. And it will come as the morning spread upon the mountains; the darkness of this day will come as suddenly as the morning light, as irresistibly, will spread as far, and grow upon them as the morning light. III. Here is the army drawn up in array (Joe 2:2): They are a great people, and a strong. Any one sees the vast numbers that there shall be of locusts and caterpillars, destroying the land, will say (as we are all apt to be most affected with what is present), "Surely, never was the like before, nor ever will be the like again." Note, Extraordinary judgments are rare things, and seldom happen, which is an instance of God's patience. When God had drowned the world once he promised never to do it again. The army is here describe to be, 1. Very bold and daring: They are as horses, as war-horses, that rush into the battle and are not affrighted (Job 39:22); and as horsemen, carried on with martial fire and fury, so they shall run, Joe 2:4. Some of the ancients have observed that the head of a locust is very like, in shape, to the head of a horse. 2. Very loud and noisy - like the noise of chariots, of many chariots, when driven furiously over rough ground, on the tops of the mountains, Joe 2:5. Hence is borrowed part of the description of the locusts which St. John saw rise out of the bottomless pit. Rev 9:7, Rev 9:9, The shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared to the battle; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots, of many horses running to the battle. Historians tell us that the noise made by swarms of locusts in those countries that are infested with them has sometimes been heard six miles off. The noise is likewise compared to that of a roaring fire; it is like the noise of a flame that devours the stubble, which noise is the more terrible because that which it is the indication of is devouring. Note, When God's judgments are abroad they make a great noise; and it is necessary for the awakening of a secure and stupid world that they should do so. (3.) They are very regular, and keep ranks in their march; though numerous and greedy of spoil, yet they are as a strong people set in battle array (Joe 2:5.): They shall march every one on his ways, straight forward, as if they had been trained up by the discipline of war to keep their post and observe their right-hand man. They shall not break their ranks, nor one thrust another, Joe 2:7, Joe 2:8. Their number and swiftness shall breed no confusion. See how God can make creatures to act by rule that have no reason to act by, when he designs to serve his own purposes by them. And see how necessary it is that those who are employed in any service for God should observe order, and keep ranks, should diligently go on in their own work and stand in one another's way. 4. They are very swift; they run like horsemen (Joe 2:4), run like mighty men (Joe 2:7); they run to and fro in the city, and run upon the wall, Joe 2:9. When God sends forth his command on earth his word runs very swiftly, Psa 147:15. Angels have wings, and so have locusts, when God makes use of them. IV. Here is the terrible execution done by this formidable army, 1. In the country, Joe 2:3. View the army in the front, and you will see a fire devouring before them; they consume all as if they breathed fire. View it in the rear, and you will see those that come behind as furious as the foremost: Behind them a flame burns. When they are gone, then it will appear what destruction they have made. Look upon the fields that they have not yet invaded, and they are as the garden of Eden, pleasant to the eye, and full of good fruits; they are the pride and glory of the country. But look upon the fields that they have eaten up and they are as a desolate wilderness; one would not think that these had ever been like the former, and yet so they were perhaps but the day before, or that those should ever be made like these, and yet so they shall be perhaps by tomorrow night; yea, and nothing shall escape them than can possibly be made food for them. Let none be proud of the beauty of their grounds any more than of their bodies, for God can soon change the face of both. 2. In the city. They shall climb the wall (Joe 2:7), they shall run upon the houses, and enter in at the windows like a thief (Joe 2:9); when Egypt was plagued with locusts, they filled Pharaoh's houses and the houses of his servants, Exo 10:5, Exo 10:6. The locusts out of the bottomless pit, Satan's emissaries, and missionaries of the man of sin, do as these locusts. God's judgments too, when they come with commission, cannot be kept out with bars and bolts; they will find or force their way. V. The impressions that should hereby be made upon the people. They shall find it to no purpose to make opposition. These enemies are invulnerable and therefore irresistible: When they fall upon the sword they shall not be wounded, Joe 2:8. And those that cannot be hurt cannot be stopped; and therefore before their faces the people shall be much pained (Joe 2:6), as the merchants are in pain for their trading ships when they hear they are just in the mouth of a squadron of the enemies. "One is in pain for his field, another for his vineyard, and all faces gather blackness," which denotes the utmost consternation imaginable. Men in fear look pale, but men in despair look black; the whiteness of a sudden fright, when it is settled, turns into blackness. What is the matter of our pride and pleasure God can soon make the matter of our pain. The terror that the country should be in is described (Joe 2:10) by figurative expressions: The earth shall quake and the heavens tremble; even the hearts that seemed undaunted, so firm that nothing would frighten them, as immovable as heaven or earth, shall be seized with astonishment. Or when the inhabitants of the land are made to quake it seems to them as if all about them trembled too. Through the prevalency of their fear, or for want of the supports of life which they used to have, their eye shall wax dim and their sight fail them, so that to them the sun and moon shall seem to be dark, and the stars to withdraw their shining. Note, When God frowns upon men the lights of heaven will be small joy to them; for man, by rebelling against his Creator, has forfeited the benefit of all the creatures. But, though this is to be understood figuratively, there is a day coming when it will be accomplished in the letter, when the heavens shall be rolled together like a scroll, and the earth, and all the works that are therein, shall be burnt up. Particular judgments should awaken us to think of the general judgment. VI. We are here directed to look up both him who is the commander-in-chief of this formidable army, and that is God himself, Joe 2:11. It is his army; it is his camp. He raised it; he gives it commission; he utters his voice before it, as the general gives orders to his army what to do and makes a speech to animate the soldiers; it is the Lord that gives the word of command to all these animals, which they exactly observe. Some think that with this cloud of locusts God sent terrible thunder, for that is called, The voice of the Lord, and was another of the plagues of Egypt, and this made the heavens and the earth tremble. It is the day of the Lord (as it was called, Joe 2:1), for in this war we are sure he carries the day; it must needs be his, for his camp is great and numerous. Those whom he makes war upon he can, as here, overpower with numbers; and whoever he employs to execute his word, as the minister of his justice, is sure to be made strong and par negotio - equal to what he undertakes; whom God gives commission to he girds with strength for the executing of that commission. And this makes the great day of the Lord very terrible to all those who in that day are to be made the monuments of his justice; for who can abide it? None can escape the arrests of God's wrath, can make head against the force of it, or bear up under the weight of it, Sa1 6:20; Psa 76:7.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:1-11 Some regard this section as a second account of the locust plague described in ch 1, but in ch 1, the plague is in the past, whereas in this section, the verb tenses seem to depict it as a future event. Thus, others see it as a warning of yet another locust plague. Still other commentators have understood this passage as an apocalyptic description of the coming day of the Lord, using the language of a locust plague to describe an invading human army. 2:1 When an ancient city was attacked, the watchmen on the city wall would raise the alarm by blowing the trumpet, a ram’s horn instrument called a shofar (see also 2:15), to call all the defenders to repel the enemy.