Written by Paul J Bucknell on June, 06, 2026

The Book of Joel,
 Study 6: Joel 2:18-27 Bible Study Questions

The word "then" marks a breathtaking turn from warning to restoration. Joel 2:18-27 shows the Lord becoming zealous for His land, pitying His people, removing the northern army, renewing the fields, and making up for the years the locusts have eaten. This study traces the richness of God's mercy: fear gives way to rejoicing, scarcity to abundance, shame to praise, and spiritual distance to the knowledge that the Lord is in the midst of His people. Judgment is not God's last word to the repentant.

Book of Joel: Importance of Joel

Study Questions: Intro1-Purpose | Intro2-Design | 1:1-20 | 2:1-11 | 2:12-17 | 2:18-27 | 2:28-32 | 3:1-21

Commentary and Reflections: 1🔢11 | 2:12-27 | 2:28-32 | 3:1-21

Joel 2:18-27 Study Questions

1. Joel 2:18-27 constitutes the second major section of this passage. How does Joel 2:18-27 differ from the earlier part (2:12-17)? List a few general differences.
    
2. The key word in this section is “then” in verse 2:18. What is being contrasted in this verse?
    
3. How are God’s pity and care for Israel contrasted in 2:12-17? (This answer might be similar to a previous one.)
    
4. The Hebrew word for zealous (qana) in 2:18 is often translated as jealous or envy. What does this word mean? Write a translation that uses words you often use.
    
5. What does the Lord say He will now do for them in verse 19?
    
6. What about verse 20? What will the Lord do for His people?
    
7. Based on your study of scriptures, what were the names of Israel’s major enemies to the north? For a thorough study, refer to Jeremiah 13:20, Ezekiel 48:1, Zephaniah 2:13, and Daniel 11:40, or search the Bible for “north.”
    
8. Who is addressed in verses 21 and 22? What are they being told?
    
9. Who is being addressed in verse 23? What are they being told to do? Why?
    
10. “Zion” is mentioned 163 times throughout the scriptures (only 7 times in the NT). What does it mean or refer to? See Psalm 48:1-2, 51:18. 
     
11. Do you think “sons of Zion” (2:23) refers to the Jews in a specific location or all the Jews? Explain.
     
12. Joel continues to speak about the positive impact of the climate on their land and, consequently, the lives of the Israelites from verses 23 to 26. Is this something new? Consider the phrase “as before” in verse 23.
     
13. Based on what you’ve read so far in Joel (or elsewhere in the Bible), do you think the weather change was accidental or a result of God’s intervention? Explain.
     
14. What are the key words in verse 25? What is so significant about them?
     
15. Who was responsible for the locust invasion? Does the Lord seem hesitant to reveal this to us? Why are God’s people so unwilling to acknowledge it today?
     
16. God’s blessings are often linked to the abundance our bodies need for a healthy life. What words in verse 26 point to this abundance?
     
17. What response should we see in their lives (2:26)? Is this true with us, too?
     
18. What might the phrase “will never be put to shame” mean at the end of verse 26?
     
19. Verse 27 reveals several proper responses from people in right relationship with Him. List all the proper responses you can find in verse 2:27.
     
20. What prevents God’s people from being humiliated (2:27)?
     
21. Some people suggest that the God of the OT is different from the God of the NT. How do the two parts of this longer section demonstrate that God in the OT displays both wrath and grace?
     
22. Why is it that many people do not see the link between climate change and the Lord’s blessing or chastisement?
     
23. The Lord wants us to rejoice in Him always (Phil 4:4). Gauge your “joy in the Lord level” over the past week (1 being low and 10 being high).
     

---

• Do you believe that if we cannot find joy in Him, something is amiss? Explain your reasoning.
• Can you accept God’s discipline of His people? If needed, for yourself as well? Is it more merciful to let someone go into eternal judgment or to warn him? 
• Is it necessary, then, for parents to also discipline their children? What is the difference between punishment and chastisement, if any?
• Describe the most important point from this study for you and pray about it.