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A Study on Salvation Oracles in the Book of Joel

Kim, Rae Yong 1

1협성대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This paper emphasizes that the second part of the book of Joel is composed of God's responses to the priests' three prayers in Joel 2:17. For this, I divided it into three pericopes on the basis of the expressions related to Yahweh's residence, and then I analyzed contents and structures of each pericope. The first prayer is "Spare your people"(KJV). For this, the first cycle says God's promises to economic restoration, the second cycle mentions God's promises to spiritual restoration, and the third cycle refers to all the restorations. The three promises are God's answers to solve Israel's problems(locusts; drought; foreign peoples). The second prayer is "give not your heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them"(KJV). For this, the first cycle refers to a judgment of 'the northern army', the second cycle mentions a judgment of 'all nations and Tyre and Sidon and all the regions of Philistia', and the third cycle says a judgment of 'Egypt and Edom'. The three promises are God's answers to solve the problems of reproach and governance by foreign peoples. The third prayer is "why should they say among the people, where is their God?"(KJV). This is a mockery related to both Yahweh's incompetence and cancellation of contract relationship between God and Israel. For this, the first cycle emphasizes Yahweh's ability through both a solution of drought by rain that God gives and a reward of disaster of locusts, the second cycle stresses his ability through a fact that Yahweh judges all the peoples, and the third cycle highlights his ability through God's retribution. Furthermore, the three cycles all emphasize intimacy between God and Israel through the expression, 'Yahweh dwells in Zion/Jerusalem.' In sum, it is sure that the second part (salvation oracles) of the book of Joel is composed as Yahweh's answers to priests' lamentations of Joel 2:17. In this view, this study might be a new argument for a solution of the unity of the book of Joel.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.