In 1915 a great locust plague devastated the entire region of the Holy Land from Egypt to the Taurus mountains in Turkey. The locusts came in February, darkening the sky as they flew and covering everything with their droppings. Within two months, every plant had been eaten and all the bark had been stripped from the trees. The locusts attacked people as well. Infant children, lacking the ability to knock off the locusts, had their exposed flesh eaten.

It was the fourth plague to strike the area in 23 years, and just one of many locust plagues history records in the area. One of those recordings is contained in the “minor prophet” book of Joel. Joel was likely written during the divided kingdom history of Israel – probably in the eighth century B.C. He describes the plague like this: “Has not the food been cut off before our very eyes-- joy and gladness from the house of our God? The seeds are shriveled beneath the clods. The storehouses are in ruins, the granaries have been broken down, for the grain has dried up. How the cattle moan! The herds mill about because they have no pasture; even the flocks of sheep are suffering.”

Joel wrote specifically for the southern kingdom of Judah, and said to them: ‘If you think this locust plague was bad, you haven’t seen anything yet” (2:2). Because of Judah’s sinfulness, God promised to send a foreign army on his own people to subdue and punish them. The army, and the devastation in its wake, would be worse than a plague of locusts.

Joel does not present a catalog of Judah’s sins. Only “drunkenness” is specifically mentioned. But as you journey through the book, God seems upset about two things: First, people simply do not give God much thought. The priests perform their duties in the temple, but those are more ritual than deep heartfelt service to God in behalf of the people. The people have gotten on with their lives with little thought about what God wants for them, and even less thought about what God wants of them. Second, their inattention to God is evidenced by their lack of offerings to God.

But the calamity of the locust plague has brought “normal” life to an end. Now, Joel writes, is time to think about your lives and make God a part of them. “‘Even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing-- grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God’” (2:12-14). The plague has come because the people have not thought about God enough to make offerings to them. He has responded to take away everything they have so that no offerings are possible. When they return to Him, he will bless them once more – and He intends they then consider Him first.

The “day of the Lord” is a signature phrase for Joel. It is a day of judgment. For those who have persecuted God’s people, it will be a day of desolation. For the unfaithful of God’s people, it will be a day of devastation. But for those who faithful, it will be a day of shelter and blessing accompanied by the presence of God’s Spirit. We can divide Joel as follows:
I) The locust plague recounted. - Chapter 1
II) Promised punishment from God and a call to repentance – Chapter 2:1-17
III) The judgment of God – Chapters 2:18 - 3:21

We are normally loath to attribute “natural calamity” to God. “God doesn’t send earthquakes or famines or war” we contend. As a result, when these things happen, we never think of God. Old Testament people believed God was behind all things, and God used those things to get the attention of those He loved. Because of our approach, it’s harder for God to get our attention, and the constant danger is that we will end up just like the people who first received the book of Joel.