Joel 2
Explanation and Bible story for toddlers and preschoolers (ages 3-6)
The Explanation
Listen carefully. A long time ago there lived a man. His name was Joel. Joel had to tell the people something from God.
Joel said: "Blow the horn! Loud! Toooot!" Everybody had to listen.
There was something bad coming. Big clouds of grasshoppers. Millions of them! They flew over the land. Kkkrrrrr, went their little wings. They ate everything. All the leaves. All the grain. All the grapes. The trees were bare. The fields were empty. There was no more bread.
The people were sad. Very sad. And a little bit scared.
Then God spoke. God said: "Come back to Me. Not with new clothes. Not with a big party. But with your whole heart. Cry if you want to cry. Come close to Me."
And the people did. They came to God. They said: "God, we are sorry."
And do you know what God did? God is good. God is patient. God said: "I will help you. I will send rain. Soft rain. The grain will grow again. The trees will get leaves again. There will be bread again. And grapes. And oil. Enough for everyone!"
God said even more. "I will pour out My Spirit. On big people. On small people. On boys. On girls. Everyone will know Me."
What Does This Mean?
God saw the sad people. God heard them crying. And God did not stay far away. God came close.
That is who God is. When you say: "God, I am sorry," then God says: "Come here." Like a daddy who opens his arms wide.
The Common Thread
God kept His promise. Much later, God sent Jesus. And after Jesus went to heaven, God did what He had said in Joel. He gave His Spirit. To big people. To small people. Just like He promised.
God always keeps His word. Always.
For You
Sometimes something goes wrong. Maybe you break something. Maybe you hit your little brother. Maybe you said something ugly.
Then your tummy feels funny. You know it was not nice.
You can go to God. You can just say it. "God, I did something wrong."
And God? God says: "Come here. I love you. It is okay."
God is not angry for a long time. God wants to hug. Really.
And when the sun shines tomorrow, and the rain falls on the flowers, then you can think: God takes care of us. Just like He said.
Talk About It
What do you do when you have done something wrong? Can you tell God about it?
The people were sad, and God helped them. Have you ever been sad? What helped you?
Praying Together
Dear God,
Thank You that You are close. When I am sad, You see me. When I do something wrong, You listen. Thank You for the rain. Thank You for the bread. Thank You that You love me.
Amen.
Questions about Joel 2
Short answers for anyone reading about this for the first time.
What is Joel 2 about?
What does Joel 2 say?
What does Joel 2 teach us about God?
What can toddlers learn from Joel 2?
Why is Joel 2 an important Bible story?
What others discovered
I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke." Strange that this sits between the outpoured Spirit and the promise that "whoever will call on the name of Yahweh shall be saved." God's nearness is not always gentle. If your faith has only ever felt comfortable, you may not have read the whole promise yet.
The threshing floors will be full of wheat, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil." Notice God fills the same floors that stood swept and empty, the same vats that echoed. He doesn't hand you a new life somewhere else. He comes back to the exact place where the locusts ate and starts pouring. What empty floor are you still standing on?
Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts." Infants too young to understand a word are carried into the assembly. And the bridegroom, who by law was excused from battle for a year, leaves his wedding chamber. Nobody is too small to belong here, and no joy is too new to be interrupted. Where would you be standing?
The invader that stripped Israel bare does not simply wander off. It dies. "Its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise." Rescue is not always tidy. Sometimes you still catch the smell of what nearly consumed you, and that lingering odor is not a threat. It is proof the thing is finished, and God did it.
Looking for something for slightly older children?
We also have dedicated versions for elementary age (7-12) and teens (12 and up).
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