Written by Paul J Bucknell on June, 06, 2026

The Book of Joel,
 Study 2: An Introduction and the Book of Joel’s Design

Joel does not anchor his message in a clearly dated historical moment, and that very silence gives the book unusual force. The reader is drawn beyond one local crisis into a wider prophetic horizon where God's dealings with His people, Israel, and the nations come into view. This introduction explains the book's setting, notes the differences in Hebrew-English verse numbering, and prepares readers to study Joel with careful attention to repentance, judgment, restoration, and God's future work among His people.

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

Before moving on to our main study, we need to better understand the book's development. We do this by breaking the book into paragraphs to see the flow of thought.

Discovering the Parts of Joel

1. Read the Book of Joel two times.
    
2. As you read, find and develop the major paragraph breaks. (Paragraphs break with new subject, author, or other shifts.)
    
3. Identify any struggles in your attempt to do this by writing a short paragraph describing the verses involved and the choices complicating the decision.
    
4. Provide brief section titles for each major portion.
    
5. Summarize what the Book of Joel is about and what God might be teaching through it.
    
6. Write out the most significant point of this study for you and pray it through.