Joel is longer than it looks.

Yesterday night, as I was presenting somewhere, something new dawned on me, even though ilikua usiku. So I slept, woke up today, then allowed the dawning to become a real one.


As I was highlighting the place of “EL” in the names of people and places in the Bible, I realized that I had missed something in the story of Joel. The place of “EL” is its representation of God. Jo-el means Yahweh is God. Beth-el means house of God. Isra-el, Eli-jah, Eli-sha, Eloi Eloi... you get the drift.


Whenever you see a name in Scripture carrying “El” as either a prefix or suffix, it is worth pausing to consider what that name is communicating about God. In English, we often encounter the translated name as a noun. In its original setting, however, the name can function descriptively, pointing us towards an aspect of God.


Yesterday, while reviewing Joel, I was already aware that Joel means something along the lines of “Yahweh is God.” That is not a light statement to carry as a name. As early as the days of Joel, Joash, and the other men of that generation, God was already making a proclamation about Himself.


Modern-day believers know God as Father, Son, and Spirit. We go further to confess that the three are one. The Spirit who resides within us is God. The child, boy, man, carpenter, teacher, miracle worker who walked among men as Jesus of Nazareth was God incarnate. Those who interacted with Him were interacting with God in real time. Jesus Himself told Philip that whoever had seen Him had seen the Father. He is in the Father, the Father is in Him.


If we were referring to the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament through the name Joel, we would essentially be declaring, “Yahweh is God.” The name itself becomes a confession about who He is.


That part had already caught my attention. What threw me off, however, was discovering the name of Joel’s father: Pethuel.


Notice something? Pethu-el.


Once again, we have “El.” Pethuel is commonly understood as carrying the idea of “vision of God” or “behold God.” I was wowed when I came across that.


The Father seems to be pointing towards the Son and saying, “Behold.”


“What a vision!”


Balaam, the son of Beor, once unwillingly declared something remarkably similar in Numbers 24:17:

> “I see him, but not now;

> I BEHOLD him, but not near.

> A star will come out of Jacob;

> a scepter will rise out of Israel.”


I am continually amazed by the way Scripture keeps opening itself up when you stay with it long enough. The book of Joel is not merely about locusts, land, devastation, repentance, restoration, lack, and abundance. There is a vision of God running through it.


Joel carries the declaration: Yahweh is God.


Pethuel carries the idea of beholding God.


Then the prophetic message begins to unfold.


Am always wowed as I continually discover God and His plan. Sijui kama mnaona kenye naona ama kufeel venye nafeel. Wah! I'm excited tu sana.


Let me throw another spanner into the works. This one comes from the book of Revelation.


Revelation begins by introducing itself as “the revelation of Jesus Christ,” which God gave Him to show His servants the things that must soon take place. The revelation is communicated through His angel to His servant John, who bears witness to the word of God, to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to everything he saw.


Then comes the blessing for the one who reads, those who hear the words of the prophecy, provided they keep what is written in it.


Now reread that introduction with Joel and Pethuel in mind.


“This is the revelation of Jesus Christ” — Joel, Yahweh is God.


“Which God gave Him” — Pethuel, behold God.


“To show His servants” — the people receiving the prophetic message.


“Things which must shortly take place” — the things being revealed concerning what is coming.


“He sent it and signified it by His angel to His servant John.”


John then bears witness to everything he saw.


I am still wowed!


Could Joel be carrying something that John would later see in greater detail? Could the prophetic vision introduced through Joel find another expression in Revelation? At the very least, the similarities are worth slowing down for.


Notice how the Day of the Lord appears repeatedly throughout Joel. It is not a side issue. It is one of the great threads running through the book. Joel is seeing something concerning the Day of the Lord. John will later see something concerning that same great Day.


Joel is seen looking forward. John is seen looking further forward.


Pengine siri ni jina ianze na letter “J.” 😂


Eeh! Naitwa Japheth BTW.


I discuss the Day of the Lord in a different write-up, so I will not get into that here. Instead, as you continue reading Joel, I would encourage you to keep three horizons in mind: then, now, and the future. The three days... https://mapstage.blogspot.com/2026/08/three-days-joel.html 



No wonder locusts appear in Joel, then reappear in Revelation. No wonder their descriptions carry similarities to horses. No wonder both accounts present a judgment involving these strange creatures, followed by their defeat.


I will not post those texts here. Go search the Scriptures yourself. Put Joel beside Revelation. Read slowly. Ask the Lord to help you see what He wants you to see.


Ah!


That was a good morning.


I am happy.

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