Joel, Prophet to Judah

Session 13 Session 13: Joel, Prophet to Judah

FOR THE Joel, Prophet to Judah LEADER Joel 1–3 All we know about the prophet Joel is that he was the son of Pethuel. Not only is the author of the book a mystery, the text gives few clues about Joel’s audience and when he penned his book. However, it is a remarkable book about God’s desire for all to repent and experience the great hope that comes through a relationship with God. Joel began by describing a terrible plague of locusts that had never before been seen. Apparently this plague was so massive it had no comparison and would likely have no comparison in the future, as Joel encouraged the people to tell their grandchildren about the plague. Joel used the imagery of the plague to highlight the totality of destruction that would come to those who did not repent and fear the Lord. Joel referred to this as “the day of the Lord” (Joel 1:15). Sin has a price and God wants people to repent. In his call for national repentance, Joel identified four distinct groups of people who need to seek forgiveness. He began by addressing the elderly. Joel challenged the elderly to tell their offspring of the disaster they had seen to encourage faithfulness to God. The second group he addressed were the drunkards. The disaster had stripped the fields of grapes, and the drunkards were representative of the nation who chose to indulge in personal enjoyment instead of putting faith in God. The third group were the farmers who suffered hardest in the plague. Without crops the farmers had no hope of continued financial prosperity. Not only that, but now no food existed for either people or livestock. Finally, Joel called for the priests to repent for not leading the nation to faithfully follow God. God desires for all to repent and turn to Him, yet the priests had failed to share this. As with the other prophetic books, Joel matched the announcement of coming disaster with a promise of hope for those who put their trust in God. The Book of Joel ends with a message of hope for those who choose repentance. Sin has consequences, but God will renew those who repent of their sin. God is both a God of judgment and of mercy.

SESSION FOCUS BIBLE PASSAGE: Joel 1–3 MEMORY VERSE: Joel 3:16b TEXT TRUTH: Sin has consequences, but God will renew those who repent of their sin. CHRIST IN CONTEXT: The Book of Joel heralds the message that the Day of the Lord was coming. The only hope for Israel was to repent of their sin. One day, Jesus will return and everyone will stand before God to be judged for their sin. Our only hope is to repent and trust in Jesus. Jesus will redeem and restore His people when they turn to Him and repent of their sin.

GET STARTED TOOLS BIBLE STUDY TOOLS SMALL GROUP TOOLS (10 MINUTES) (35 MINUTES) (30 MINUTES) ¨¨Bible Skills: “Joel” (Books ¨¨Jump In: “Prophet ¨Ëxplorer Guides: Bibles, of the Bible Posters), Statue” (DVD-ROM), Explorer Guides, pens “Divided Kingdom” “Joel” (Books of the ¨¨Move: Bibles (Poster Pack), Bible Bible Posters), “Christ ¨¨Make: white paper, red dictionary, English in Context: Joel” (Poster paper, scissors, pens, glue dictionary, Bibles Pack) sticks, marker board, ¨Ëxamine the Text: “Text dry erase marker, “The Truth Strips” (Poster Gospel” (enhanced CD) Pack), Bibles ¨Ëxplore: marker board, ¨¨Video: Explore the Bible dry erase markers, on Location video paper, pens, “The Gospel” ¨¨Memory Verse: (enhanced CD) “Joel 3:16b” (Poster Pack) ¨¨Prayer: Family Cards

NOTE: Downloadable versions of DVD items are available in the Digital Video Bundle. Downloadable versions of enhanced CD items are available in the Music and Print Extras Bundle. For free online training on how to lead a group, visit ministrygrid.com/web/explorethebible.

JOEL, PROPHET TO JUDAH TEXT CONNECTION Joel 1–3 • Joel is a relatively unknown prophet. The message Joel Judah had a problem. Judah sinned and turned away from God. God loved shared, however, is powerful His people and wanted them to come back to Him. So God sent a prophet, and is a message of renewal Joel, with a message for the people of Judah. for those who repent of their sin and put their faith in First Joel told the people about a plague of locusts. The plague would be so God. Sin has consequences, bad that people would tell their children who would tell their children who but God wants repentance would tell their children about it. The locusts would eat EVERYTHING— and will restore broken grapes, figs, pomegranates, date palms, apples, olives, and more. The relationships. farmers would wail in their sadness for the loss of food to eat. Joel said that the priests should lead the people to cry out to God because the Day of the • Joel’s message identified four distinct groups that Lord was coming. needed to repent. The first Next, Joel told the people about an army that was coming. It would be a group were the elderly. dark, gloomy time for the people when a great and strong army appeared. God had called for their The army would be like a great fire, destroying everything. Their horses and repentance because they had failed to faithfully share chariots would be mighty and fierce, attacking and defeating cities. the things of God with their But God had a message for His people, “Turn to Me with all your heart. children and grandchildren. Return to the Lord. For He is gracious and compassionate. He is slow to anger. He is rich in faithful love. And He relents from sending disaster.” • Joel shared similar messages for the drunkards, “Who knows?” Joel told the people, “God may relent and leave a blessing if farmers, and the priests. you repent.” Joel called the people to gather to worship God and repent of Each group had failed in their sin. their command to be faithful to God, and Joel specifically After God spared the people, God promised, “I will provide for You again. challenged each group to You will have food in abundance. The destruction from the locusts and the renew their relationship with army will be reversed. You will have plenty to eat. You will praise the name God. of the Lord. You will know that I am the Lord your God. I will pour out My Spirit. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” • God works through even difficult situations to bring Joel’s message also contained words for the enemies of Judah. “Tyre, Sidon, reconciliation. At the end and Philistia, you took My silver and gold and treasures in My temple. You of the story of Joseph’s sent My people far away. I will bring them back. You will be defeated.” life, Joseph reconciles with his brothers who had sold God’s people had hope. Joel shared God’s promise, “On that day, the Lord him into slavery. Joseph’s will be a refuge and stronghold for His people. My people will know that I reconciliation reflects God’s am the Lord your God.” renewal of those who repent.

EXPLORE THE KEY POINTS BIBLE AT HOME • Judah had rejected God and would face consequences for their sin. See the enhanced CD for • God still loved His people. additional family resources.

GET STARTED (10 MINUTES) TOOLS: BIBLE SKILLS • Bible Skills: “Joel” (Books of • Display the “Divided Kingdom” map. Encourage the kids to recall the the Bible Posters), “Divided names of the northern and southern kingdoms, Israel and Judah. Kingdom” (Poster Pack), • Remind the group that last week’s study of Nahum dealt with a prophet Bible dictionary, English to the Southern Kingdom, Judah, and Nineveh. Ask them where they dictionary, Bibles think that the topic for this week, Joel, might have been a prophet (the Southern Kingdom, Judah). PREPARATION: • Direct kids to locate Joel 3:16 in their Bibles. Guide the kids to read the • Read over the “Zion” entry verse aloud. Point out that they will memorize part b, the second half of in your reference source so that you can quickly explain the verse, later. and paraphrase it for the • Ask the group to read over the words of this verse carefully and note any kids. words that seem unfamiliar. • Allow a volunteer to point to a word that seems unfamiliar. If the TIPS: volunteer chooses something other than “Zion,” use a dictionary to locate • If you have Internet access, a meaning for this word. trustworthy online sources • Ask the kids to explain what is meant by “Zion” here. After allowing could replace or supplement them to offer suggestions, consult a reference work, such the Holman the map and dictionary Illustrated Bible Dictionary or the Holman Illustrated Dictionary for Kids. requirements in this activity. • After reading the definition in the reference work, point out that Zion is • To order the Holman essentially another name for Jerusalem. Note that the first two lines of Illustrated Bible Dictionary this verse say the same thing in two different ways. (Item No. 005689720) • Display the “Joel” poster, reviewing its materials as time permits. or the Holman Illustrated • Dismiss to Bible Study. Bible Dictionary for Kids (Item No. 005268545), call LifeWay Customer Service at 1.800.458.2772 or order online at www.lifeway.com.

BIBLE SKILLS SPOTLIGHT • Uses other resources to enrich her Bible skills and knowledge (Bible dictionary, commentary, concordance, atlas, and digital sources) .

BIBLE STUDY (35 MINUTES) JUMP IN TOOLS: • Enthusiastically welcome the group to another Bible Study session. • Jump In: “Prophet Statue” Explain that this week’s Bible study will wrap up our exploration of the (DVD-ROM), “Joel” (Books Old Testament Minor Prophets. of the Bible Posters), “Christ • Ask for volunteers to share a piece of good news that they have received in Context: Joel” (Poster this week. As each one is shared, congratulate the speaker with a Pack) big smile before dramatically saying, “But . . .” and then creating a • Examine the Text: “Text Truth Strips” (Poster Pack), corresponding bit of potential bad news. For example, if someone shares, Bibles “My family is going camping this summer,” respond with, “That’s great, • Video: Explore the Bible on but . . . it will probably rain the entire time.” Location video • Repeat this pattern through several pieces of good news and bad news. • Memory Verse: “Joel 3:16b” • Explain that while you were being silly, sometimes life pairs good news (Poster Pack) with bad news. Highlight that this week’s Bible study will revolve around • Prayer: Family Cards this, starting with the bad news. • Say, very seriously: “Sin has consequences.” Follow that up with a more PREPARATION: positive: “but . . . God will renew those who repent of their sin.” • Examine the Text: Mark your • Briefly discuss the “Christ in Context: Joel” poster. copy of the Bible Story page • Show the “Prophet Statue.” Ask what could possibly be upsetting this to know where to pause and prophet. insert readings from the • Explain that in Bible times, tearing your clothes was a sign of grief or Bible text. sadness. Invite kids to think about why a prophet would be sad. After kids share their thoughts, note that prophets often had sad messages for people. • Say: “Remember when I gave you bad news earlier? What if your job was to give people bad news? The good news is that God does not leave His people without hope. Joel had a tough message to share, but he also was able to share something good that would come later.” • Display the “Joel” poster. Invite the group to tell what books come before and after Joel. (Hosea and Amos)

EXAMINE THE TEXT • Display the “Text Truth Strip” and remind the kids of the bad news/good news pair: “Sin has consequences, but God will renew those who repent of their sin.” • Guide the girls and boys to open their Bibles to Joel 1. Direct someone to read Joel 1:2 and then ask what sort of thing they expect to come next. • Read or paraphrase the first half of the contents of Joel as summarized on the Bible Story page. Stop when you reach the phrase “message for His people.” • Invite a volunteer to read Joel 2:12-13 to share God’s message for His people.

• Continue reading the summary from “Who knows?” Stop again after “Joel shared God’s promise.” • Enlist another reader to share Joel 3:17. Help the group to understand the meaning of this promise.

PLAY THE VIDEO • Play the Session 13 video. • Ask: “What invasion was Joel preparing for? What super serious, bad invasion did the prophet Joel talk about? Why was a locust invasion bad? Why would God allow a plague of locusts to come to Judah? What message did the prophet Joel want the people to understand about God?”

MEMORY VERSE • Display the “Joel 3:16b” poster. • Remind the group of the definition of refuge as “something that provides shelter” from last week. Point out that a stronghold could be a castle or another safe place. • Note that when Joel was writing, “his people” and “the Israelites” meant essentially the same thing. Explain that this repetition is a common technique used for emphasis in Hebrew writing. • Form the group into two lines facing each other. • Read the first part of the verse, “The Lord will be.” (Adapt to your translation choice.) Then point first to one line, cueing them to repeat the first phrase, and then the other line to repeat the second phrase. • Repeat this reading, switching the groups and allowing individuals to read your portion. The entire group should repeat the Scripture reference each time.

PRAYER • Explain that you have some good news and bad news to share. • As good news, distribute the Family Cards. As bad news, point out that the Bible study is nearly over. • Ask: “What type of news does the prophet in this statue seem to have? What bad news and good news did Joel have in his message?” • Note that sin has consequences, which Romans tells us includes death. But Jesus is good news! Remind them that God is ready to renew us when we repent of our sin. • Conclude the session in prayer. Ask God to help us see our sins in all their seriousness. Thank Him for being ready and able to forgive us when we repent of those sins. • Dismiss to Small Group.

TOOLS: SMALL GROUP (30 MINUTES) • Explorer Guides: Bibles, EXPLORER GUIDES Explorer Guides, pens • Distribute Explorer Guides and help boys and girls locate today’s pages, “Joel, Prophet to Judah.” • Review today’s object, the “Prophet Statue.” • Help kids recall some of Joel’s message as they complete the activity, “No More Food.” • Select volunteers to read aloud “Judgment at Jehoshaphat” and “Rend and Repent.” • Guide kids to read the “Spotlight on Joel.” • Conclude by reviewing the five prophets studied the last several weeks in the “Prophet Review” activity.

TECH CONNECT (OPTIONAL) • Prior to Small Group, download the Explore the Bible: Kids Family App. • Use the activity labeled “Explorer Plus” on the app.

ACTIVITIES • Select one or more of the activities to complete as time allows.

MOVE

A LEG TO STAND ON Tools: Bibles ¨¨ Arrange the group in a circle.

• Challenge the kids to stand on one foot with their Bible held out by the arm matching the leg that is up. Every ten seconds or so, instruct them to “switch,” changing feet and arms. • If anyone loses balance or otherwise fails, they are eliminated, but they can be restored or “renewed” by asking you. sin has consequences, but God will renew those who • As time runs out, connect the game to the Text Truth: repent of their sin.

MAK E EXP LO R

E FRUIT OF THE FACE THE ORCHARD CONSEQUENCES Tools: white paper, red paper, scissors, pens, Tools: marker board, dry erase markers, paper, glue sticks, marker board, dry erase marker, pens, “The Gospel” (enhanced CD) “The Gospel” (enhanced CD) ¨¨ Cut out apple shapes from both red and • Form two or more teams. Write team names white paper. and keep track of their scores on the marker board. ¨¨ Write out 1 John 1:9 on the marker board. • Direct each team to record the twelve Minor Prophets in order on paper. Ask: “When did sin become a problem?” • • Allow each team to share their first answer. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 2:16-17. • Give them 10 points for a correct answer but Summarize what happened regarding that penalize them 20 points for a mistake. fruit in Genesis 3. • Continue through all twelve books. Feel free Distribute red and white apple shapes to • to penalize them for cheating, arguing, or any remind everyone of the fruit Adam and Eve other negative behavior. ate. Note that we don’t actually know what • Maintain a running score, positive or negative, that fruit looked like. on the board. • Guide kids to cut a “bite” out of the red and • Conclude the game by explaining how glue the red over the white so that the white it illustrates the Text Truth: sin has “flesh” is exposed. consequences, but God will renew those who • Display 1 John 1:9. Encourage the kids to repent of their sin. paraphrase this verse and write it in the “bite” • Help kids understand that we, like Judah, of their apple. struggle with sin. Review “The Gospel” as sin • Conclude the activity with the Text Truth: time allows. has consequences, but God will renew those who repent of their sin. • Review “The Gospel” as time allows.