The Book of Joel: A Prophet between Calamity and Hope

Prophetic sayings are generally a reaction to immediate realities, and therefore attempts to understand prophetic literature without the benefit of the prophet's historical milieu are limited or inaccurate. Contrary to the prevailing opinion that Joel is post-exilic, the book is located within the exilic period, recognising the lack of any rebuke consistent with a people experiencing deep despair. The Book of Joel places great emphasis on the motif of the divine presence residing in the mid...