1. JOEL MICAH F. BLANKS MARCH 18, 2014

2. CONTENT AND STRUCTURE Written by Joel ben Pethuel The book of Joel tells of his Prophetic call and ministry. The second of twelve Minor Prophets 3. THE DATE The book of Joel is notoriously difficult to date since it lacks clear historical referencesInterpreters have suggested dates ranging from the ninth through the fourth centuries BCE. (Harper Collins Study Bible NRSV) First come those prophets dated to the early Assyrian period: Hosea, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah; Joel is undated, but it is placed before Amos (Coogan, p. 255) 4. MESSAGE The Harper Collins Study NRSV designates the message of Joel to be Protoapocolyptic.With many references to the day of YHWH. i.e..The Darkened sun and start; the moon turning to blood, and the pouring out of the divine spirit. The book of Joel is divided into two parts: 1:2-2:27 A vivid lament occasioned by an infestation of locusts, interpreted as a form of divine punishment that can be stopped by a communal ritual of repentance, and concluding with an assurance of divine deliverance. 2:28-3:21 An apocalyptic description of the end time in which Judahs enemies will be punished and its land restored to a paradisiacal abundance. 5. CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS As we well know the book of Joel was written from a Jewish perspective. Although there are no direct correlations to Christological understanding.Through the prophetic word of Joel the audience can gain understanding that they will be delivered. Scriptural Reference Joel: 3:18 In that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, the hills shall flow with milk, and all the stream beds of Judah shall over flow with water; a fountain shall come forth from the house of the LORD and water the Wadi Shittim. 6. CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS CONT The chief characteristics of the community? They are all descendants of the Hebrew people delivered from Egypt. They are all with no exclusions to be plagued by the Locusts. 7. FORMAL ANALYSIS: MOVEMENT How does the text move from beginning to end? As we have seen the call of Joel in verse 1. Joel laments over the fallen state of Jerusalem, then calls for a communal repentance. Gods Holy Spirit is poured out. Then a Glorious future of Judah is foretold. The Climax of the prophetic narrative is When Gods Holy Spirit is poured out Joel 2:28 8. CENTRALIST VS. PERIPHERAL It is my understanding after reading he book of Joel that he indeed was Centralist prophet Scriptural references: From 1:2-2:14 the prophet calls for communal lamentation. 2:15-20- Joel calls for a Holy assembly at the temple 9. JOEL A LIBERTARIAN? Within our class text The Africana Bible, John W.D. Holder, compares the book of Joel to a negro spiritual entitled I am a Seekin for a City. Holder states that much like this song, the book of Joel is a response to crisis, Joel provides assurance by asking the people to engage in assurance. Put in sackcloth and lament, your priests; wail, you ministers of the altar. Come pass the night in sackcloth you ministers of my God! Grain offering and drink offering are withheld from the house of your God. Sanctify fast call a solemn assembly gather the elders and the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. (Joel 1:13-14) The Audio is -> 10. ESCHATOLOGICAL INFLUENCES We will trabbel om ogether, Gwine to war agn de debbel, Gwine to pull down Satns kingdom, Gwine to build up the walls of Zion. Here we see the song has influences from apocalyptic study. Specifically Zion Verses 2: 1-17 Has many references to fire, horses, Zion, and celestial transformations that we have come to associate with Revelation, end times, and eschatology. 11. INCLUSIVITY IN JOEL The prophet Joel speaks of YHWH pouring out his spirit on the entire population. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your old men shall dream dreams, And your young men shall see visions, Even on the male and female slaves, In those days I will pour out my spirit. (Joel 2:28-29) 12. QUESTIONS 1. How do you view the eschatological message in Joel? 2. Does the nature of inclusivity seem to produce of urgency in spreading the word? 3.Would you disagree with the statement that Joel was a centralist? 4. Do you see another theological message beyond one of last things? 5. 13. BIBLIOGRAPHY Attridge, Harold W.,Wayne A. Meeks, and Jouette M. Bassler. The HarperCollins study Bible: New Revised StandardVersion, including the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical books with concordance.Rev. and updated ; 1st ed. San Francisco,Calif.: HarperSanFrancisco,2006. Coogan, Michael David. A brief introduction to the Old Testament: the Hebrew Bible in its context. NewYork: Oxford University Press, 2009. Gorman, Michael J.. Elements of biblical exegesis: a basic guide for students and ministers. Rev. and expanded ed. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 2009. YouTube. "I am Seeking For a City."YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poix73XAf5w (accessed March 19, 2014). Page, Hugh R., and Randall C. Bailey. The Africana Bible: reading Israel's Scriptures from Africa and the African diaspora. Minneapolis, Minn.: Fortress Press, 2010.