Who Is the Prophet Joel in the Bible — In Biblical Context
Joel prophesied about a devastating locust plague as a picture of God's judgment and promised the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the last days.
Joel prophesied about a devastating locust plague as a picture of God's judgment and promised the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the last days.
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions." — Joel 2:28 (KJV)
The Biblical Context
Joel's prophecy uses a devastating locust plague as both a literal event and a metaphor for divine judgment. He called the people to repentance with the words, 'Rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God' (Joel 2:13). His most famous prophecy promises the outpouring of the Holy Spirit: 'I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy' (Joel 2:28)—a prophecy Peter declared fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2:16-21). Joel's book also describes the final 'day of the LORD,' when God will judge the nations and restore His people completely.
Where It Sits in Scripture
The core passage for this question, Joel 2:28, sits inside Joel 2. To grasp the full meaning, read the surrounding paragraph — the verses before set up the thought, the verses after carry it forward.
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions."
Supporting Passages
"And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil."
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