17 Wonders in the Heavens Above …
337
and voice in Joel 1–2, which will establish the intertextuality context for Acts 2:
19–20.
Joel 2: 28–32 and the Imagery of Creation
Joel 1 is set in a scene of the interconnectedness between humans and the rest of
creation, where human overconsumption has led to the judgement of God and to
creation raising its voice in lament. Joel begins with a call for all the inhabitants of
the land, including non-human inhabitants (e.g. Hosea 4: 1–3), to listen to God’s
word and remember a great locust plague that ravaged the land (Joel 1: 2–4). This
coming judgement of God is for the present sin among the people, yet this sin is
not explicitly stated in Joel 1–2. Concerning this unknown sin, Braaten (2008) notes
that,
the only possible hint concerning this human sin might be given in the odd beginning, where
‘drunkards’ and ‘wine drinkers’ are the first groups called to lament. The prophets sometimes
connect excessive wine drinking with conspicuous consumption that accompanies apathy
for the poor, and oppression of the weak. (p. 69)
As is found in the wider prophetic literature, drunkenness is associated with excessive consumption (Amos 6: 4–7; Isa 5: 20–23) and is even found in the context of
land theft (Isa 5: 8–13). Moreover, this suggestion is further supported by the fact
that the suffering of creation is given significant space in Joel 1–2, indicating that
the sin that the prophet calls the people to repent of is in some way a sin that has an
ecological effect. Therefore, Joel 1 could be set in a situation where excessive human
consumption has led to an ecological judgement from God.
In this possible context of excessive consumption, God calls the drunkards (Joel 1:
5), the priests (1: 9), and an unnamed female subject (1: 8) to lament. This unnamed
female subject is most probably the Earth, as the surrounding verses describe the
lament of creation (Braaten 2008). Hayes notes the various verbs that describe the
damage to the Earth in Joel 1: 7 and 10 are used elsewhere for humans who are
lamenting and mourning (Hayes 2002). It is then creation—the fields, the ground
and the trees—that first respond to this call from God to lament.
Yet, humans seemingly remain ignorant in Joel 1 as there is no indication that
humans repent or lament. As Braaten (2008, p. 68) notes, “the hazy condition of the
drunkard in Joel 1: 5 is [then] symptomatic of the entire community; perhaps they
care about nothing except their self-gratifying consumption which insulates them
from feeling the pain of others.” While the Earth raises its voice in response to God’s
call and the injustice in its midst, humans in Joel 1 remain unmoved.
This lamenting called upon by God and fulfilled by creation brings implications
for the worship of God, as “grain offering and drink [wine] offerings are cut off from
the house of the Lord” (1: 9, 13). In this context a holy fast is called (1: 14), which
could be out of necessity, as “food has been cut off before our very eyes” (1: 16),
“the grain has dried up” (1: 17) and “the streams of water have dried up” (1: 20).
337
and voice in Joel 1–2, which will establish the intertextuality context for Acts 2:
19–20.
Joel 2: 28–32 and the Imagery of Creation
Joel 1 is set in a scene of the interconnectedness between humans and the rest of
creation, where human overconsumption has led to the judgement of God and to
creation raising its voice in lament. Joel begins with a call for all the inhabitants of
the land, including non-human inhabitants (e.g. Hosea 4: 1–3), to listen to God’s
word and remember a great locust plague that ravaged the land (Joel 1: 2–4). This
coming judgement of God is for the present sin among the people, yet this sin is
not explicitly stated in Joel 1–2. Concerning this unknown sin, Braaten (2008) notes
that,
the only possible hint concerning this human sin might be given in the odd beginning, where
‘drunkards’ and ‘wine drinkers’ are the first groups called to lament. The prophets sometimes
connect excessive wine drinking with conspicuous consumption that accompanies apathy
for the poor, and oppression of the weak. (p. 69)
As is found in the wider prophetic literature, drunkenness is associated with excessive consumption (Amos 6: 4–7; Isa 5: 20–23) and is even found in the context of
land theft (Isa 5: 8–13). Moreover, this suggestion is further supported by the fact
that the suffering of creation is given significant space in Joel 1–2, indicating that
the sin that the prophet calls the people to repent of is in some way a sin that has an
ecological effect. Therefore, Joel 1 could be set in a situation where excessive human
consumption has led to an ecological judgement from God.
In this possible context of excessive consumption, God calls the drunkards (Joel 1:
5), the priests (1: 9), and an unnamed female subject (1: 8) to lament. This unnamed
female subject is most probably the Earth, as the surrounding verses describe the
lament of creation (Braaten 2008). Hayes notes the various verbs that describe the
damage to the Earth in Joel 1: 7 and 10 are used elsewhere for humans who are
lamenting and mourning (Hayes 2002). It is then creation—the fields, the ground
and the trees—that first respond to this call from God to lament.
Yet, humans seemingly remain ignorant in Joel 1 as there is no indication that
humans repent or lament. As Braaten (2008, p. 68) notes, “the hazy condition of the
drunkard in Joel 1: 5 is [then] symptomatic of the entire community; perhaps they
care about nothing except their self-gratifying consumption which insulates them
from feeling the pain of others.” While the Earth raises its voice in response to God’s
call and the injustice in its midst, humans in Joel 1 remain unmoved.
This lamenting called upon by God and fulfilled by creation brings implications
for the worship of God, as “grain offering and drink [wine] offerings are cut off from
the house of the Lord” (1: 9, 13). In this context a holy fast is called (1: 14), which
could be out of necessity, as “food has been cut off before our very eyes” (1: 16),
“the grain has dried up” (1: 17) and “the streams of water have dried up” (1: 20).