Joel

Gotta love the short books.

I was curious about Joel. I had a (much older) cousin named Joel. He was my mom’s oldest sister’s son. His daughter was my ace, which shows you the age difference. Anyway, I digress… Was Joel named after this book of the Bible? I will never know as all the players are long gone. Maybe…

So, Joel.

The word of the Lord came to Joel. (No details as to how; I suspect a dream.) He reviewed the horrors they lived through—locust upon locust upon locust, an army of locusts—destroying everything; followed by fires, famine and drought. Then God asks the people to lament and return to him with all their heart. They must, as God takes pity on them and sends the locust away, restores the land, brings back gentle showers, and provides bountiful crops.

God doesn’t stop there. He also “pays back” the nations who mistreated his people. He will do to them what they did to his people. He instructs the people to go to war against those who mistreated them and to sell off the captives. (Such a violent time.)

It ends with God, once again, blessing his people.