Joel 1:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They hold a sacred and honorable position that calls them to intercede with God above all, emulating the holy priest Moses, who pleaded for Israel, saying to God: "I pray... O Lord, these people have sinned a great sin... But if you will forgive their sin, forgive it; but if not, please erase me from your book that you have written" (Ex. 32:31-32). The priesthood serves as the mediator between God and humanity, and it is entirely fitting that those appointed to this significant task approach God with boldness in their prayers, as if they are sacrificing their very lives for the sake of all, offering sacrifices for sin (Hosea 4:8). When the people act unrighteously, breaking the law, it is the priests of the divine altars who will "take" their own souls to God on their behalf—using "take" in the sense of lifting up or presenting to God.

What causes their mourning? They lament that the fields and the wheat are suffering, consumed by locusts, as if scorched by fire (Joel 1:4), indicating the destruction of what lies within the fields. The earth, too, should mourn in its way when its fruits are lost: "the wheat is suffering, the wine is ruined, the oil is diminished." The wheat, in this case, refers to all that has vanished, the very things that are historically praised as the nurturers of abundance. This signifies what we express about earthly desires. Yet, if one is a true priest, he will grieve for those who, due to the profound corruption of their hearts, reject cleansing through faith and fail to embrace the sanctifying power of Christ. Such individuals will inevitably lack spiritual vitality and be deprived of everything that nourishes and elevates them toward spiritual strength, finding themselves without wheat, wine, or the use of oil.

This is stated in a spiritual sense, for to those who embrace faith, Christ offers Himself as the bread of life (He also stated: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven" - John 6:51), and as the wine that brings joy to the heart of man (Psalm 103:15). Again, immerse yourself thoughtfully in what I say. They will also have oil—spiritual, sanctifying oil understood as the reception of His grace. Those with obstinate, rebellious thoughts, who are disobedient and resistant will undoubtedly be cut off from these very benefits we have just mentioned. It is worth noting that Paul, while engaged in the holy mission of preaching Christ to the Gentiles, expressed a deep sorrow for the unbelievers in Israel, stating, "I have great sorrow" (Romans 9:2), and so forth. The discourse that follows, as I mentioned, carries a mysterious and profound significance.

As we consider the historical context, we recognize that the destruction wrought by swarms of locusts or enemy forces depicted as such led to the cessation of both offerings in the temple. The priests, who serve the Lord, weep because they can no longer perform the prescribed offerings of flour and wine according to the law, and they particularly mourn the absence of tithes that were previously given. The entire land is in ruins, and the earth cries out symbolically in place of its inhabitants; the scarcity of essential resources like wheat, wine, and oil causes both farmers and vinedressers to feel humiliated as they mourn not only the loss of wheat but also the barley, which is more abundant yet of lesser value. Clearly, even the fruits of the trees have withered; the fig tree, pomegranate tree, palm tree, apple tree, and all field trees, both productive and not, have suffered because of the locusts.

This overarching loss signifies a cessation of joy for humanity. A parallel can be drawn to the Jewish people following the arrival of the Savior when they cried out in anger: “Crucify, crucify Him; we have no king but Caesar” (John 19:6, 15). During the siege of Jerusalem, famine and disease drove them to unspeakable desperation, halting both sacrifices and joy for men, as they rejected the glad tidings proclaimed by the angel: “I bring you good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10).

The deeper significance of this passage may refer to the bride, who, having received divine instruction, becomes estranged from her bridegroom due to sin and is clothed in mourning garments instead of fine linen. The sacrifice, expressed in the scripture as a broken spirit offered to God (Psalm 51:17), and the drink offering that refreshes the heart of man (Psalm 104:15), are no longer present in God’s house, which is the Church, as attributed to the apostle’s advice to Timothy about learning proper conduct in the household of the living God (1 Timothy 3:15).

The sacrifice and drink offering in the household of God are destined to be transformed when sin abounds and love wanes (Matthew 24:12). At that time, when the leaders of the Church see that the faithful fields yield thorns of vice rather than the fruits of virtue, and when the wheat, barley, vines, and oils are devastated by pests and vermin, there shall be no more blessings indicative of divine favor.

The shame felt by farmers will grow when they find their fields barren, devoid of wheat, which sustains humanity, and barley, meant for livestock. The expected abundance of grapes, which in the scriptures is described as good for Israel (Hosea 10:1), comes to nothing as the Lord anticipates fruitful harvests but finds only thorns. The fig tree, where Nathanael was before his faith (John 1), and the pomegranate, likened to the bride’s palms in the Song of Songs (Song of Solomon 6:7), along with the palm tree, have withered after losing their life source. The righteous are said to flourish like the palm tree (Psalm 92:12), while the apple tree is compared to a beloved among friends (Song of Solomon 2:3). Yet, there is no need to list all trees, as desolation has cloaked them all, replacing joy and gladness with sorrow and shame among humanity.

When the land fails to yield, farmers often experience shame for not providing the customary income to landowners, often resulting in their dependence on charity for survival. Yet the Prophet presents the disaster in its fullest extent to prompt the indifferent toward repentance, commanding even the villages to mourn; for the barley and wheat are withered, the vineyards are dried up, and the olive trees, fig trees, and other fruit-bearing trees are barren due to a lack of moisture. It is important to understand that the Prophet calls upon the earth and villages to weep, not because they possess feelings, but to stir those endowed with reason to awareness. In making this point, he adds: