Old Testament
Joel reads a devastating locust plague as a sign of the coming day of the LORD and calls his people to genuine repentance — 'tear your heart and not your garments, and turn to the LORD, for he is gracious and merciful.' But the book's enduring importance lies in its forward-looking promises. God pledges to pour out his Spirit on all flesh, so that sons and daughters prophesy — a promise Peter declares fulfilled at Pentecost, when the Spirit is given to all God's people. And Joel announces that 'whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved,' the words both Peter and Paul cite as the heart of the gospel's open offer. From a plague of locusts, Joel lifts the reader to the day of the LORD, the gift of the Spirit, and salvation for all who call on his name.
Open Joel in the Atlas →Work through Joel in the Atlas — passage by passage. Read the text, test your understanding, discover its themes, and watch how it connects across Scripture.