Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

Joel

Joel 
Day 
Day 15

"A day of darkness and gloominess"

Text: Joel 2:2

A SOMBRE DESCRIPTION

The day of the LORD was described with great candour. No one must mistake the seriousness of the day of the LORD.

“A day of darkness and gloominess,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains.
A people come, great and strong,
The like of whom has never been;
Nor will there ever be any such after them,
Even for many successive generations.”
Joel 2:2

1. “A day of darkness and gloominess”

a) The words “darkness” and “gloominess” were used deliberately.
i) They were used as words of warning.
ii) They were ominous words indeed!
b) The idea of “darkness” was explained further.
i) These words describe a brewing storm.
Thick darkness occurs, blocking the rays of sunshine.
ii) There is a sense of foreboding and dread.
iii) There is an atmosphere of fear and despair hanging in the air.

2. “Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains”

a) There is a change of imagery.
b) Clouds spreading over the mountains.
i) The vastness of the clouds is to be noted.
ii) The massive mountains can be covered by the thick morning clouds.

3. “A people come”

a) This is a reference to the invading army.
b) This army is so huge that it is compared to the clouds covering the mountain.

4. “Great and strong”

a) This is a description of the army.
This is most probably a description of the Babylonian army.
b) It was feared because it was “great and strong”.

5. “The like of whom has never been; nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations”

In terms of sheer size, the Babylonians had one of the most formidable armies ever created in military history.