Interpretation of the Prophet Joel

“Interpretation of the Prophet Joel” is part of the “Interpretation of the 12 Minor Prophets,” written by Blessed. Theodoret of Cyrus in the 30-40s. V century at the request of friends. He uses a typological method of interpretation and pays sufficient attention to clarifying the chronology of the prophet's life. The commentary is a sequential presentation of all 3 chapters of the Book of the Prophet Joel. Blzh. Theodoret focuses on the key themes of the book - the call to repentance, the consequences of sin and the hope of Divine mercy. He sees the image of the locust invasion as a symbol of the destructive forces that can befall a people who have fallen away from God. Prophecy “For on My servants and on My handmaids in these days I will pour out My Spirit” (Joel 2:29) Bl. Theodoret connects it with the events of Pentecost. The author emphasizes the importance of turning to God and sincere repentance as a path to restoring a relationship with Him. The Divine Prophet Joel did not clearly indicate to us the time when he prophesied; but in the very predictions he made it possible to see what happened then, how the wonderful Hosea was granted insight into the future. For Joel also predicts the same thing, namely: the invasion of the Assyrians and Babylonians, the captivity and slavery of the Israelites, and the return from captivity. He also predicts the events upon his return, the rush to Jerusalem with the entire army of Gog (and this is the Scythian people) and the final death of these enemies, which befell them by God’s will. But the Prophet also added a prediction about the gifts that, after the incarnation of our Savior by the All-Holy Spirit, were given to people. Thus, from the predictions about the Assyrians and Babylonians, we learned the time of the prophecy. And since this is the main content of the prophecy, it remains (let’s say with God) to proceed to a detailed interpretation.