Joel 1:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This observation holds true even when interpreted through the lens of locusts, caterpillars, and pests, for these entities are relentless in their assault. They can annihilate everything in the fields—fruits and greenery alike—laying waste to figs and grapes and leaving the land stripped and bare. When we consider the cruelty of the marauders and the total devastation visited upon the land, it suggests that the entire nation has been laid waste, having exterminated distinguished individuals—those whose renown and wealth outshine the ordinary; they are likened to figs and grapes. Yet, like the alluring grapes that fall victim to locusts, they too are tempted, as these pests suck the life essence from the plants, quickly draining them of vitality and leaving them desolate in appearance. Thus, the teeth of the destroyers consume even those honored as if they were mere fruits, reducing them to a state of ruin, whether by the sword or through subjugation.

For those who seek spiritual understanding, this can apply to sinful souls, into whose minds and hearts evils, like locusts, caterpillars, and pests, infest, leaving them unfit and hideous, having lost the radiance of godliness and bearing no fruits of righteousness. It is fitting to urge these individuals to weep and cry out to God, seeking forgiveness and assistance through constant prayer, that they might eventually become wise and strong enough to evade calamity. Those whose minds are inclined to heed misleading teachings and to distort the true doctrines of the Church face similar fates. It is entirely accurate to assert regarding such individuals: their ‘teeth’ are ‘as lion's teeth, and their members are like lion's teeth,’ for they embody a spirit of deception, harming and ensnaring the minds of the simple, leaving no remnant of righteousness within. They strip the Lord’s vineyard and lay waste to the garden of figs, rendering it barren and desolate—‘their judgment ... shall not touch’ (2 Pet. 2:3), but eventually, righteousness will prevail (Rom. 3:8). Consequently, those who live in ignorance will become prey to ‘locusts, caterpillars, and pests,’ devoid of all splendor and blossoming fruit. In contrast, a wise and God-fearing soul, adorned with the truths of the faith, bearing a heart full of the fruits of righteousness and flourishing with divine beauty, will undoubtedly proclaim with confidence, akin to the bride in the Song of Songs: ‘Let my beloved go down into his garden and eat the fruits of his choice’ (Song of Songs 5:1). The fruits of piety and the nourishment of genuine inquiry bring delight to our Savior, Christ, who is also our brother, being born of the perfect Virgin.

While we cannot confirm this occurrence with certainty since it is not recorded in the books of Kings or Chronicles, had it occurred, Scripture would likely have referenced it, just as it notes a famine that lasted three years and six months during Elijah's time (1 Kings 17).

We can observe that the imagery of locusts serves to depict the invasion by enemies—be it the Assyrians and Babylonians, who threatened to invade, the Midianites and Persians who would follow, the Macedonians who would come later, or the Romans previously mentioned. However, it appears that the Babylonians and Chaldeans are being depicted as particularly cruel and fierce toward God’s people, as indicated within this prophecy. The wickedness of these foes is illustrated through the metaphor of locusts, which causes readers to associate the two in a cycle of thought. Thus, a horde of locusts, or a fierce Chaldean army, comes against the land of the Lord. For what could be more numerous and formidable than locusts, which no human skill can resist? Their teeth, symbolizing the locust horde, evoke the fierceness and cruelty of lions.

This people has laid waste to my vine, which I brought up from Egypt and planted (Psalm 79:9), and has stripped bare my fig tree—representing the Jewish people—whom the Savior sought to nourish but found barren, leading Him to curse it, causing it to wither forever (Matthew 21). It’s crucial to recognize that all of this is depicted metaphorically through the locust imagery, highlighting their capacity to devastate everything they touch, stripping the bark from trees and leaving behind lifeless branches that are white and dried.

Having explored the historical context, let us now reflect on the spiritual interpretation. The invaders come to the Lord’s land, symbolizing an assault on the soul of humanity, for all souls belong to God, just as the father’s soul mirrors that of the son. The forces of darkness and the spiritual wickedness in high places come forth—agents of this age against whom we must contend. It is noted that if the spirit of the one who possesses comes upon you, do not abandon your position (Ecclesiastes 10:4).

The teeth of this nation are akin to those of a lion, the same lion of whom the apostle Peter warns: “Our adversary the devil, like a roaring lion, prowls around seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). His jaws, comparable to those of a lion, may symbolize a rebellious defiance against God and righteous teachings, or potentially the multitude of false doctrines that abound. The psalmist expresses joy over the Lord's power to crush the hidden jaws of such lions, saying, “The Lord shall crush the teeth of the lions” (Psalms 57:7).

If we allow this myriad of foes to approach us, they will swiftly ravage our vines, from which we draw the wine that brings joy to the heart of mankind (Psalm 104), and will strip the bark from our fig trees or break them, depriving us of the sweetest gifts of the Holy Spirit. This alien army does not merely stop at dismantling the vine and fig tree; it thoroughly searches and annihilates every remnant of vitality, resulting in the utter depletion of sap and leaving lifeless branches in their wake. Thus, these words may find their fulfillment in us: “If they do these things in the green tree, what will be done in the dry?” (Luke 23:31).