Joel
1:1 Joel was the son of Pethuel. And that is all we know about him. However the Lord knew Joel and gave him a special job. Joel was to bring the Lord’s message to his people.
Joel obeyed the Lord and did the work he was given. Because of this, we can still read about what he did.
1:4 When disaster strikes, we always ask the question why. Why did it happen?
Instead, we should ask a different question. We should ask this. What does the Lord want to teach us through the terrible thing that has happened? And that’s exactly what the Lord wanted the people of Judah to do.
Inny knows this. We can ask the Lord to help us. He may not always take away our troubles. But the Lord has promised he will be with us. He will give us what we need to get through the bad times.
2:23–27 The people of Judah never forgot the plague of locusts. It reminded them that the Lord has all the power and that he is merciful.
Inny knows it’s important to remember the Lord has all the power. When you have troubles, it also helps to remember how the Lord helped you in the past.
Can you think back to a time when you had problems or troubles? What happened?
Then remember that the words in verse 26 are also true for you. When you have troubles or problems, you can ask the Lord to help you. You can be sure of this. The Lord is your God. He has promised that he will take care of you.
2:28–32
In the Old Testament, the Lord only sent his Spirit to some people. But here, he promised to send his Spirit to everyone who served him. He would save everyone who asked to be saved.
Hundreds of years later, the Holy Spirit was given to Jesus’ disciples. When this happened, they remembered these verses in Joel. You can read about the Holy Spirit being sent to the disciples in Acts 2:1–21.
3:14–17 Chapter 3 describes the day of the Lord. This is the day when the Lord will judge all the nations.
It’s the time when the Lord will punish those people who don’t believe in him.
But this chapter also has good news. It explains that people who belong to the Lord don’t need to be afraid. Thinky knows that they don’t need to fear the day of the Lord. Read verses 16–17.
What do these verses say about those who belong to the Lord? Write down what the Lord will do for them.
