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BASEL CHRONICLES | EDITORIAL | APRIL 2021

Joel is among the Biblical prophets who
repeatedly, pleaded with Israel to turn to

God and leave its faults and failures, its
sins, behind. Scholars believe, if he lived
before or during the exile, he warned

Israel that war with Assyria or Babylon,
a war that the reader knows Israel will

lose, is on the horizon. If he lived during
the time of the Second Temple, his imag-

ery is a reminder of Israel’s covenant
with God. Either way, Joel writes to

warn Israel that communal sin has con-
sequences.

Joel in Chapter 1:4, uses the image of an
invading army of locusts, to get the atten-

tion of a nation whose short-term per-
spective, made it obvious to the dangers

that lay ahead. The image is one that all
is lost and that there is no hope for resto-
ration. The situation is so hopeless that

even the animals groan and cry out to

God (Joel 1:18, 20). In 2:12-17, Joel
returns to the call to repentance, issued

in chapter one (1:13-20). However, this
time the sense of hopelessness is

replaced by a glimmer of hope in God,
who is gracious and merciful, slow to
anger and abounding in steadfast love

and relents from punishing (2:13b).

There is however a catch. Forgiveness is
given, depending on how Israel responds
to God's call to return. Joel makes it plain

that a change of heart and a commitment
to deny oneself, to follow God is the basic

requirement. Yet even now, says the
Lord, return to me with all your heart,

with fasting, with weeping, and with