PROPHET JOEL

On November 1, the first day of the last winter month, when the Western Christian world celebrates the memory of All Saints, and the secular world tries to oppose it with its pagan celebration in honor of the dead forces, the Churches that follow the Julian calendar honor the memory of the prophet of God Joel. He was the Prophet of the Lord Almighty, as the Bible calls God, who proclaimed the Living God to the people and the world.

The memory of the Old Testament saints is extremely important for us. In the Ancient Church, the prophets and all those who lived before the Coming of Christ in the flesh were highly revered by the people of God. Nowadays this indispensable pious tradition has been forgotten, and of the Old Testament prophets only Elijah is truly revered. It is all the more important today to remember Joel.

Unfortunately, we know nothing about the circumstances of the prophet’s life and the details of his biography. Only his name has reached us, which translates as “Yahweh is God.”

There are two possible dates for the time of the prophet’s preaching. The first, in accordance with the location of his book in the biblical canon between the books of the prophets Hosea and Amos, believes that Joel preached before the Babylonian Captivity. Another, taking into account the linguistic and content features of his prophetic book, believes that Joel’s sermon dates back to the 4th century BC. According to this version, the prophet preached after the Babylonian Captivity.

In the first case, Joel, like other pre-captivity prophets, predicted the coming Captivity. The second dating suggests that he was an eschatological prophet, speaking of what had already been fulfilled. It turns out that his prophecies, under the guise of what has already happened, announce the last times, the Coming of the Messiah, and the Coming Judgment.

Let’s turn to the content. The book of the Prophet Joel consists of three chapters. It is characterized by thematic unity. Therefore, the contents of the book are not difficult to remember.

At the beginning, the prophet announces numerous disasters. For the Day of the Lord is at hand, “like the desolation of the Almighty.” Bread and wine will be taken away from the People of God, the disasters will be so great that even animals will cry out to God for mercy. The prophet calls for repentance. It is obvious that by Bread and Wine one should understand the Eucharistic symbols, and by their taking away - the refusal of communion among pious people.

What follows is a description of the Day of the Lord. “Great is the Day of the Lord and very terrible.” God promises mercy to those who repent. The Prophet calls for repentance, fasting and universal prayer.

Priests must ask for mercy. In response, the Lord will return Bread and Wine, that is, by grace he will free His People from sin and negligence.

God will give the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will come ‘on all flesh, then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’. The prophecy of the Spirit is well known to us from the services of the Day of Pentecost.

Finally, the peoples of the world will await the Judgment. It will take place in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. This latest apocalyptic prophecy is very close to those images that are revealed in the Book of Revelation of John.

In the days of godlessness and unbelief, both universal and personal, may the word and intercession of the prophet of God Joel inspire us on the path of life. May the prophecy of Joel help the Church, as the People of God, to wait from day to day for the Return of the One Saint - Jesus the Messiah, Lord and God.