Read Joel 2.1-17. In 2.1-17: The call to repentance. In verses 1-3: Turning again to the priests whom he had just addressed (1.13-18), Joel direct them to blow the trumpet in Zion (a synonym for Jerusalem), assembling all the people to ask for God's forgiveness. (15-17). In verse 2: darkness and clouds are traditional images associated with the day of the Lord, but they may also refer here to the dense swarms of locusts that can obscure the sun. In verses 4-11: Joel develops in detail his comparison of the locust swarms within invading army. In verses 13: Rend your hearts and not your clothing: while not abandoning ritual--he directs the priests to lead the people in a liturgy of repentance--Joel sees genuine religion as a matter of inner renewal, as is common among the prophets. Like other prophets, Joel regards disasters like this as acts of divine judgement the at require repentance, but unlike them, he does not describe the particular sins that he believes have brought on this punishment. Gracious and merciful ... This is an adaptation of a traditional description of God (Ex 34.6-7; Jon 4.2). Comments or Questions..
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