Book of Joel facts for kids

The Book of Joel is an important book found in both the Jewish Tanakh and the Christian Old Testament of the Bible. It tells a story about a huge swarm of locusts that caused a lot of damage in the land of Palestine.

It's tricky to know exactly when the Book of Joel was written. Experts think it could have been anytime between 850 and 400 BC. That's a very long time ago! Most people who study the Bible today believe the locusts were real insects. These insects ate all the crops, leaving people very hungry. However, some people think the locusts are a symbol. They believe the locusts represent big armies that would invade the land and cause destruction. It's also possible that the story means both: real locusts in the past and armies in the future.

Joel, the writer, asks the leaders and people to stop doing wrong things and ask God for forgiveness. God promises to forgive them, both at that time and in the future when similar problems happen.

The Day of the Lord

The phrase "day of the Lord" is used in the Book of Joel. It describes a special time when God will punish people for their wrong actions. But after the punishment, God will also show forgiveness and kindness to his people.

Joel's Message in the New Testament

Peter, one of Jesus' closest followers, spoke about some verses from Joel. He used them to explain what happened on the day of Pentecost. Christians believe that on this day, the Holy Spirit was given to people. This allowed Christians to talk about Jesus in languages they had never learned before. Because of this amazing event, many people decided to become Christians. You can read about this in the Book of Acts in the New Testament.

Images for kids

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  Russian icon of the prophet Joel (Iconostasis of Kizhi monastery, c. 1700–1725)

See also

In Spanish: Libro de Joel para niños