Joel: The Day of the Lord, Repentance, and the Promise of the Spirit

Joel: The Day of the Lord, Repentance, and the Promise of the Spirit is a focused 12-lesson study of Joel. Students move from the devastating locust plague and communal lament through the call to wholehearted repentance, God's compassionate response, restoration of the land, the promise of the Spirit, Peter's use of Joel at Pentecost, judgment of the nations, and the final hope of God's presence.

Learning Objectives

• Understand Joel's literary movement from disaster and lament to restoration and hope.
• Explain the significance of the locust plague and agricultural devastation.
• Describe the Day of the Lord as a central prophetic theme.
• Distinguish genuine heartfelt repentance from merely external religious performance.
• Understand Joel's teaching about God's gracious and compassionate character.
• Explain the promise of the outpouring of the Spirit in Joel 2.
• Study Peter's quotation of Joel in Acts 2 and its relationship to Pentecost.
• Explain Joel's teaching about judgment of the nations, divine refuge, restoration, and God's presence.
• Apply Joel to prayer, worship, communal repentance, dependence on the Spirit, and Christian hope.

Course Content

Twelve substantial self-study lessons cover the book of Joel: the locust plague, communal lament, fasting and prayer, the Day of the Lord, wholehearted repentance, sacred assembly, God's compassionate response, restoration of the land, the outpouring of the Spirit, Joel and Pentecost, judgment of the nations, and God's dwelling in Zion. Each lesson includes substantial teaching, a plain-text assignment, and four multiple-choice review questions.