Book of Joel Chapter 1 Vs. 5

Joel Chapter 1 Vs. 5

An Invasion of Locusts



Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth. Joel 1:5


Awake, ye drunkards... The drunkards were to awaken to the realization that their wine would be no more. They were to weep bitterly and to wail. The severity of the devastation called for public, communal mourning.

the new wine... The term can denote either freshly squeezed grape juice or newly fermented wine (Isa. 49:26).

This Scripture is one that stands out as a warning against drinking. The following Scripture explains a little more fully the consequences of heavy drinking.

Pro. 23:21 "For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe [a man] with rags."

is cut off... There will be no new wine, because the locusts have eaten the raw material that the wine is made from. There is a spiritual meaning, as well. New wine, sometimes, symbolizes the Holy Spirit. In the spiritual sense, this could mean that drunkards cannot receive the Holy Spirit.

A call to mourn

Utilizing the form of a call to mourning, the prophet elaborated on the horrifying details and effects of the locust plague. This section contains four units (Joel 1:5-7, 1:8-10, 1:11-12, 1:13), each of which includes a call proper (Joel 1:5, 1:8, 1:11, 1:13) followed by the reasons for sorrow (Joel 1:5-7, 1:9-10, 1:11-12, 1:13). The personified land (or city?) as well as some of the groups most severely affected by the plague (drunkards, farmers, priests) were addressed.



Drunkards Should Mourn

Drunkards were told to weep and wail because no wine would be available due to the destruction of the vineyards (Joel 1:5; cf. Joel 1:7, 1:10, 1:12).