Hear This Old Men and Inhabitants Joel 1:2

Joel the prophet began his book by simply introducing his name and his father's name, “Pethuel”, and In chapter one and verse two of his prophesy, Joel calls upon the “old men” and the “inhabitants” to listen to him where we read:

Hear this, you old men, and give ear, all you inhabitants of the land.

Has this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?

The verse begins, “Hear this, you old men, and give ear, all you inhabitants of the land.” Joel began with the words, “Hear this” or “listen to, perceive, obey with interest”, “you old men” which refers to “elders or those having authority”, “and give ear” or “listen, be obedient and harken”, “all you inhabitants” which means “people who remain, stay, dwell, have abode and are set” “of the land” or “earth, country, territory, district and region”. Joel called attention to the “elders and authorities” who dwelt in Judah as well as to the “people” who remained in the land during this time.

The verse goes on to say, “Has this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?” Joel questioned, “Has this been in your days” which is all one Hebrew word, “yowm” and refers to “day, division of time, year or period”, “or even” which means “if, when, whether, surely, doubtless, while, saving and verily” “in the days” or “day, division of time, year or period” “of your fathers” which refers to “head or founder of a household, group, family or clan”. Joel's question was one of comparison, whereby the standard was the current conditions verses the past “days” of their forefathers.

When we think through these words of Joel, we understand he is calling attention to the current conditions of the people of Judah. Not only did he desire for the older people to listen to him, but also every person who lived in the land. It is interesting that he asked them to look into their history to consider the times they were experiencing, and as they did, he assumed they would conclude they never experienced anything like this before. As we walk with the Lord Jesus every day, perhaps it would be well for us to “look back” in order to consider our current condition and our future. Perhaps we shall find, as did the “old men” and “inhabitants” of Joel's day, there are no comparisons for the manner in which we live today.

Next time Joel tells the “inhabitants” and “old men” to share this prophecy with their “children”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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