the sun and the moon shall be dark. Another proof of what is signified; and that this prophecy concerns what is future. Compare Joel 3:15 . See Matthew 24:29 . Compare Isaiah 13:10 . Ezekiel 32:7 , Ezekiel 32:8 . Acts 2:20 . Revelation 6:12 . read more
"The earth quaketh before them; the heavens tremble; the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.This terminology is invariably associated with the coming of Christ, or God, in judgment upon mankind. Jesus said, "The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken; and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven" (Matthew 24:20,30). Fanciful illustrations of... read more
10. earth . . . quake before them—that is, the inhabitants of the earth quake with fear of them. heavens . . . tremble—that is, the powers of heaven ( :-); its illumining powers are disturbed by the locusts which intercept the sunlight with their dense flying swarms. These, however, are but the images of revolutions of states caused by such foes as were to invade Judea. read more
A. The invading army 2:1-11The Lord revealed that an army of human beings rather than locusts would soon assail Jerusalem. He described this army at length to stress the danger that His people faced and to motivate them to repent. read more
III. A NEAR FUTURE DAY OF THE LORD: A HUMAN INVASION 2:1-27Joel had spoken briefly of a coming day of the Lord in Joel 1:15, but now he said more about it.The term "the day of the Lord" seems to have arisen from the popular concept, in the ancient Near East, that a really great warrior king could consummate an entire military campaign in one single day. [Note: See Douglas Stuart, "The Sovereign’s Day of Conquest," Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 220/21 (December 1975,... read more
The earth trembles as this army advances. The heavens also tremble. The sun and the moon grow dark, and the stars fade from view. Cosmic disturbances like these are common in biblical descriptions of Yahweh waging war (cf. Joel 3:16; Judges 5:4; Psalms 18:7; Psalms 77:18; Isaiah 13:10; Isaiah 13:13; Ezekiel 32:7; Zechariah 14:6-7; Revelation 6-18). read more
4. The invincibility of the army 2:10-11 read more
Repentance followed by RestorationJoel 2:1-17 are another description of the locust plague. An alarm is sounded as though the Day of Jehovah had come (Joel 2:1-3). The advance of the locusts into the city is described under the figure of an invading army (Joel 2:4-11). A message to the penitent is given from Jehovah (Joel 2:12-14), and a call is issued for a fast of supplication (Joel 2:15-17). Then follow the announcements that Jehovah has had pity on His people, and that He will remove the... read more
(10) The earth shall quake before them.—Some commentators call this description “a specimen of the highly-wrought hyperbolical features of Hebrew poetry,” but it is the presence and judgment, the voice of the Lord in the thunder, which causes this trepidation. The signs in the heavens will be manifested at the judgment day. read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Joel 2:1-11
An army of locusts (2:1-11)Joel now pictures the approaching swarms of locusts as a person in Jerusalem sees them. He compares them to an enemy army and commands the watchman on the city wall to blow the trumpet to warn the city’s inhabitants of the attack. The swarms are so thick that they look like black clouds as they sweep down over the mountains (2:1-2). They spread over the countryside like an uncontrollable bushfire, turning healthy farmlands into barren wastes (3). People are terrified.... read more