When the Locusts Leave and the King Arrives
Finding Jesus as King in the Book of Joel
If you’ve ever read the book of Joel, you know it begins with something unexpected—bugs. A swarm of locusts so devastating that it strips the land bare and leaves God’s people shaken. But Joel isn’t just about agricultural disaster—it’s about spiritual disaster too. And yet, through it all, the book leads us toward one profound hope: a coming King who restores.
You won’t find the name “Jesus” in the book of Joel, but you’ll feel His presence on every page—especially in the promise that one day, God would pour out His Spirit on all people (Joel 2:28). Sons and daughters, old and young, even the servants. Everyone.
From the Old Testament to the New
This outpouring was fulfilled in Acts 2, when Peter stood up at Pentecost and said, “This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel…” (Acts 2:16). The King had come. He had risen. And now, He was reigning through the Spirit He gave.
But here’s what’s even more stunning: Joel doesn’t just point to Jesus through promises of restoration and Spirit. He points to Jesus as Judge and King. In chapter 3, God gathers the nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat—a symbolic courtroom—and enters into judgment. It’s a scene of both reckoning and hope. And the deciding factor? Whether people called upon the name of the Lord.
The Day of the LORD
Joel reminds us that the Day of the Lord is both terrifying and tender. For those who reject God, it’s a day of reckoning. But for those who belong to King Jesus, it’s a day of restoration, of justice, of renewal. As Joel 3:16 says, “The Lord roars from Zion… but the Lord is a refuge to his people.”
Jesus is that refuge.
Jesus is that roaring King.
So the next time you read Joel, don’t stop at the locusts. Look through them. Because underneath the devastation is the promise of a better kingdom—one ruled not by chaos, but by Christ. A kingdom where the Spirit is poured out, hearts are remade, and every woman who calls upon the name of Jesus is welcomed, restored, and made whole.
