The Concept Of Prophetic Time In The Book Of Joel -- By: Harold Hosch

Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 15:1 (Winter 1972)
Article: The Concept Of Prophetic Time In The Book Of Joel
Author: Harold Hosch


The Concept Of Prophetic Time In The Book Of Joel

Harold Hosch, M.A.*

I. Introduction

Perhaps one of the most important Biblical books for our day, and yet one of the shortest of the Minor Prophets, is the book of Joel. With the emphasis on charismatic renewal on the one hand and eschatological expectation on the other, this work stands out as markedly significant.

But as its importance is recognized one also becomes aware of the variations of interpretation surrounding the book, Among conservative scholars it is generally agreed that chapters three and four (according to the Hebrew text) may be understood in an eschatologieal sense, although there is little harmony concerning the details. The first part of the book, however, suffers under considerable diversity of opinion. Chapter one has been treated as an allegory on the one hand, and as an historical event on the other. Modern scholarship generally agrees on the historical interpretation. The northern invaders of chapter two have proven to be a more perplexing problem.

Certain of the critical scholars have only added to the confusions of interpretation. Duhm and Bewer have argued for apocalyptic interpolations in chapters one and two and an editorial addition of most of chapters three and four.1 Arvid Kapelrud favors the unity of the book yet without agreeing to its authorship by Joel: “Thus we do not denote Joel as the author of the Book of Joel. It is more correct to say that he was the originator of the sayings.”2

It is this writer’s contention, however, that Joel is indeed the author of this book and that, though the identity of the invaders of chapter two remain somewhat uncertain, there are indicators of time in this prophecy which help to place the events in their proper time period.

*M.A., Wheaton Graduate School, presently teaching at The Association of Free Lutheran Schools, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

II. The Three Views Of Time In Joel

There are three interpretations of time held in conjunction with the interpretation of Joel. They center around ones view of the locusts, whether they are to be literally or allegorically understood. But there are other indicators of time outside of ones view of the locusts themselves.

According to Hengstenberg, Pusey, Young and others Joel involves a single unit of time pointing to the future. Thus they interpret the locusts in an allegorical fashion. The four types of locusts may refer to Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian and Greek invasions, or to Babylonian, Persian, Greek and Roman invasions, o...

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