The first two chapters of the book of Joel move through a pattern of decreation (1:1–2:11), repentance (2:12–17), and new creation (2:18–27). For the past couple years, I’ve found fascinating the concept of God’s judgment as decreation. In a previous post, I tried to explain how the concept of decreation illuminates the connection between human rebellion and God’s judgment. In this post, I want to show you how in the book of Joel decreation is not the final word. Joel wants his readers to know that when they find themselves in the midst of decreation, “even now” there’s hope, the hope of new creation.

Here’s an overview of the argument: First, Joel makes clear that human rebellion leads inevitably to decreation (1:1–2:11). Second, there is a prescribed course of action (2:12–17) — crying out to Yahweh and repenting based on Yahweh’s character as described in Exodus 34. Third, there is the promise of new creation based on the pattern of Genesis 1: Because Yahweh is passionate about his land and is compassionate toward his people (2:18), he speaks creation into existence (2:19–27). There’s much more to say and see here.

Decreation

The book of Joel is known for its description of devastating locusts and for good reason. There’s four words for locust-like creatures that destroy the land, and they show up twice, bookending chapters 1 and 2 (1:4; 2:25). Joel uses various, overlapping images to describe the day of Yahweh. There’s locusts (1:4) but also a nation with teeth like a lion (1:6).

Joel employees a wordplay in chapter one based on the similar sounding words for “dry up” (יבשׁ) and “be ashamed” (בושׁ). Seven times in chapter 1, Joel says that the land will dry up and the people will be ashamed. The people’s shameful deeds have made the land shameful — once plentiful like Eden, now a dried up, desolate desert (2:3).

Undoing Genesis 2

There are two places in Joel chapter 2 where the author seems to have in mind the stories of creation. The first is Joel 2:3.

Like the garden of Eden before it

And after it a desolate desert

And also it has no survivor (Joel 2:3)

The “it” in this line refers to the destructive fallout that comes to the land on the day of Yahweh. Leading up to this verse, Joel blends together of darkness and gloom moving across the land and, at the same time, a people numerous and strong (2:2). The land goes dark as a strong army arrives. And then this verse, Joel 2:3. Both problems in Genesis 2:5 have returned: On the day of Yahweh, the land is again a desolate desert (instead of a lush garden), and there is no survivor. Once again, there is no person to work the ground.

Undoing Genesis 1

Joel 2:10 undoes order of creation in Genesis 1:

Before them the land (אֶרֶץ) shook

The heavens (שָׁמַיִם) trembled

The sun and moon became dark

And the stars took back their shining (Joel 2:10)

“In the beginning, God created the heavens (שָׁמַיִם) and the earth (אֶרֶץ),” but in Joel 2:10 creation shakes. It’s striking to me that in Joel 2:10 the sun and moon are joined together on one line with one verb—both go dark (קָדָרוּ)—and then Joel adds a line about the stars. This is the same rhythm of Genesis 1:16. The greater and lesser light are created to rule, and then at the end of Genesis 1:16 we read the additional comment: “and the stars.”

In the Midst of Decreation

The next verse in the book of Joel (2:11) announces the arrival of the day of Yahweh for a third time (1:15; 2:1, 11). At this point the tone shifts dramatically. Note the first two words, “even now”:

Even now, declares Yahweh, turn to me with all your heart and with a fast, and with weeping and with mourning! Tear your heart and not your clothes! Turn to Yahweh your God because he is gracious and compassionate. He is slow to anger and abundant in loyal love. He will relent of disaster. Who knows if he might turn and relent and leave behind him a blessing, a gift and a drink offering for Yahweh your God. (Joel 2:14)

“Even now,” in the midst of decreation, there is hope because of Yahweh’s character. Joel recalls the character of God described in Exodus 34:6, and he calls his readers to heart circumcision, just like Deuteronomy 10:16 and 30:6. The hope is through repentance—“Tear your heart, not your clothes!”

Throughout the book, Joel has made clear how people should respond to the advent of the day of Yahweh. The reader is commanded to weep, mourn, and fast, as well as to “cry out to Yahweh” (1:14) and “call to Yahweh” (1:19). In 2:17, Joel provides a script. What should the priests say when they cry out to Yahweh?

They should say, “Yahweh, spare your people! Don’t make your inheritance a disgrace, a proverb among the nations! Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is there God?’” (Joel 2:17)

Joel’s script is not intended to be magic words to manipulate Yahweh against his nature. Joel understands Yahweh’s character based on Exodus 34:6, and he knows that “Yahweh is passionate for his land and compassionate toward his people” (Joel 2:18).

New Creation after Decreation

In the next verse (2:19), Yahweh speaks (וַיּאמֶר), and his speech is directly in response (וַיַּעַן) to the prayer in the previous verse (2:18). The next nine verses, the rest of the chapter, portrays Yahweh speaking and promising new creation. Joel makes explicit that this is new creation after the decreative chaos of the day of Yahweh. There is hope on the other side of decreation, and the path towards hope looks just like it always has: repentance, crying out to Yahweh for help, and partnering with him and his way in the world.

I want to point out five aspects of Joel’s new creation after decreation:

1. Starting in 2:19, the grain and wine that was taken away in chapter 1 (1:10) is back, and Yahweh says, “no longer will I make you a disgrace among the nations.” The land and the people will be restored.
2. The land is addressed like a person. Remember, Joel said that Yahweh was passionate about his land and compassionate toward his people (2:18). Land and people have already been set on analogy in multiple ways. Now, Yahweh says to the land, like it’s a person, “Don’t fear, O land! Be glad and rejoice because Yahweh had done great things!” He continues by describing various aspects of creation that are restored to a state of flourishing.
3. The locust years are undone. In Joel 1:4, four different locust-like creatures destroyed the land, but in 2:25 Yahweh explicitly says, “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army that I sent against you” (ESV, NRSVue). All four locust words appear again in Joel’s description of new creation.
4. Again, like in point number 1 above, “no shame” is mentioned. Adam and Eve were without shame in Genesis 2, they experienced shame in Genesis 3, and the wordplay on יבשׁ and בושׁ (“dry up” and “be ashamed”) appeared seven times in Joel 1. Here at the end of Joel 2, the description of new creation is book ended by “no shame”: “My people will not be ashamed ever again” (Joel 2:27).
5. Finally, just like the first creation account resolves with God resting with his people so also Joel 2 ends this way: “And you will know that I am in the midst of Israel. I, Yahweh, am your God, and there is no other.” And one more time, for the people in the back, Joel repeats, “My people will not be ashamed ever again” (Joel 2:27).
   

Joel’s description of new creation on the other side of decreation is marked by God creating by speaking. Both his people and his land are restored to flourishing, and forevermore God dwells with his people, who never again experience shame.

Conclusion

Decreation is not the last word in Joel. Because of Yahweh’s passionate devotion to his people, he will respond to their cries of repentance. New creation is the hope.

You could think of Joel’s descriptions of decreation as merely metaphorical ways of speaking about exile. You could read his descriptions of new creation similarly — just flowery ways of talking, biblical/traditional ways to talk about returning from exile. I don’t read them this way. Yes, Joel uses graphic metaphors but the imagery does more. It’s not just metaphor. The imagery connects the source of exile to the source of creation and decreation as portrayed in Genesis and Exodus. The source is Yahweh’s presence. When people stiff-arm God, he responds to their choice and withdraws his life-giving presence. To be separated from God’s presence is to be separated from life. The result is decreation. Creation, the flood, the exodus, exile — all of these episodes in the story of God testify to how God’s presence brings either creation-life or decreation-death. Joel wants his readers to know that decreation-death is not the end. When his readers find themselves in the midst of decoration, there is an appropriate response: cry out to Yahweh for mercy and repent. He promises to respond. He can call life and flourishing out of decreation and death. More on this in a previous post.

Lest you think Joel’s message is only for Joel’s ancient audience, note that Joel 1:3 says that the prophet writes with future generations in mind:

Tell it to your sons, and have your sons tell it to their sons and their sons, to another generation. (Joel 1:3)

This statement makes clear that the final form of Joel is written for future generations. The future-orientation is even more apparent when you consider Joel 1:3 in light of the last line of the previous book, Hosea. Joel 1:3 and Hosea 14:10/9 make clear that the prophets intend their writing to be read as “wisdom art” for future generations of God’s people. Joel’s wisdom art points the way forward through decreation-death to new creation life.