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Joel, Prophet to JudahDear Parents,
Thank you for continuing this journey of The Gospel Project® for Kids. In today’s Bible story, God called Joel to prophesy to the Southern Kingdom of Judah in the middle of a crisis. Judah was experiencing an invasion of locusts, on top of a drought. Joel made it clear the people were not undergoing bad luck—God was judging them for their sin. In Deuteronomy 28, God told His people that if they did not obey Him, “You will sow much seed in the field but harvest little, because locusts will devour it” (vv. 15,38). That is exactly what happened. These disasters were a wake-up call. Joel told the people to repent. He told them to fast. He told them to cry out to God and ask Him to show them mercy. Then Joel looked ahead to the future. The Day of the Lord was coming, a day when God would show His strength through an invading army. God’s power would be against them. So Joel implored them, “Return to the Lord your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and He relents from sending disaster.” God would rather forgive His people than punish them. God used locusts and drought to get Judah's attention. They had turned from God, and the prophet Joel called them to repent. Like Joel, Jesus calls sinners to repent. Jesus died and was resurrected so repentant people could experience forgiveness. (Luke 24:46-47) |
2nd- 5th |
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Preschool- 1st |
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Joel, Prophet to Judah
Joel 1–3
Joel was a prophet. God gave Joel a message to tell to the people in Judah. Some bad things had been happening in Judah. There was a drought—no rain fell for a long time. The people ignored God. They did not obey God’s commands. God had told His people many years before what would happen if they didn’t obey Him. One of the things God said would happen was this: “You will plant many seeds in your eld, but the locusts will eat the plants.”
The land of Judah had been attacked by a great swarm of locusts! The locusts ate the plants in Judah. When the rst swarm of locusts left, more locusts came! They ate up any plants that were left. When they left, more locusts came! Four swarms of locusts came to Judah, and they destroyed everything in the elds. They ate up the plants for growing grapes and grain. The apple trees, g trees, and pomegranate trees died.
“Listen up!” Joel said. “Has this ever happened to you before?” No, there had never been a swarm of locusts like this in Judah before. But God had sent locusts before somewhere else. Some of the people might have remembered hearing the stories about God’s people in Egypt. When God led Moses to rescue His people, God sent locusts to punish the Egyptians for their sin. Now God was judging the people of Judah for their sin.
Joel told the people to be sad for their sin. The people of Judah needed to ask God to forgive them. “Gather all the people and cry out to God,” Joel said. “God’s day of greater judgment is coming, and it will be terrible!”
Next, Joel told the people what that terrible day would be like. Joel said that God was going to send an army to Judah. This was very bad news! The army would take over Judah. The army would be great and strong. Everything would be burned up by re. Everyone would be very afraid. No one would be able to survive their attack!
“Turn back to God before it is too late!” Joel said. “God is gracious and merciful. He does not get angry easily. God is kind, and He would rather forgive you than punish you. Turn from your sin, and maybe God will bless you!”
Now God’s message for His people in Judah came with hope for the future. In the end, it would be good! “I will send rain. The plants will grow, and the animals will have water to drink,” God said. “Then I will give my Spirit to everyone. Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
“I will bring Judah and Jerusalem back together, but a nal day of judgment is coming,” God explained. “I will judge those who turn away from Me. All of the enemies who hurt My people will pay for what they did. I will punish them, but you will be safe. You will know that I am your God. I will forgive those who turn from their sin, and I will be with My people forever.”
Christ Connection: God used locusts and drought to get Judah’s attention. They had turned from God, and the prophet Joel called them to repent. Like Joel, Jesus calls sinners to repent. Jesus died and was resurrected so repentant people could experience forgiveness. (Luke 24:46-47)
Joel 1–3
Joel was a prophet. God gave Joel a message to tell to the people in Judah. Some bad things had been happening in Judah. There was a drought—no rain fell for a long time. The people ignored God. They did not obey God’s commands. God had told His people many years before what would happen if they didn’t obey Him. One of the things God said would happen was this: “You will plant many seeds in your eld, but the locusts will eat the plants.”
The land of Judah had been attacked by a great swarm of locusts! The locusts ate the plants in Judah. When the rst swarm of locusts left, more locusts came! They ate up any plants that were left. When they left, more locusts came! Four swarms of locusts came to Judah, and they destroyed everything in the elds. They ate up the plants for growing grapes and grain. The apple trees, g trees, and pomegranate trees died.
“Listen up!” Joel said. “Has this ever happened to you before?” No, there had never been a swarm of locusts like this in Judah before. But God had sent locusts before somewhere else. Some of the people might have remembered hearing the stories about God’s people in Egypt. When God led Moses to rescue His people, God sent locusts to punish the Egyptians for their sin. Now God was judging the people of Judah for their sin.
Joel told the people to be sad for their sin. The people of Judah needed to ask God to forgive them. “Gather all the people and cry out to God,” Joel said. “God’s day of greater judgment is coming, and it will be terrible!”
Next, Joel told the people what that terrible day would be like. Joel said that God was going to send an army to Judah. This was very bad news! The army would take over Judah. The army would be great and strong. Everything would be burned up by re. Everyone would be very afraid. No one would be able to survive their attack!
“Turn back to God before it is too late!” Joel said. “God is gracious and merciful. He does not get angry easily. God is kind, and He would rather forgive you than punish you. Turn from your sin, and maybe God will bless you!”
Now God’s message for His people in Judah came with hope for the future. In the end, it would be good! “I will send rain. The plants will grow, and the animals will have water to drink,” God said. “Then I will give my Spirit to everyone. Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
“I will bring Judah and Jerusalem back together, but a nal day of judgment is coming,” God explained. “I will judge those who turn away from Me. All of the enemies who hurt My people will pay for what they did. I will punish them, but you will be safe. You will know that I am your God. I will forgive those who turn from their sin, and I will be with My people forever.”
Christ Connection: God used locusts and drought to get Judah’s attention. They had turned from God, and the prophet Joel called them to repent. Like Joel, Jesus calls sinners to repent. Jesus died and was resurrected so repentant people could experience forgiveness. (Luke 24:46-47)