Wail, you vinedressers,
For the wheat and the barley;
Because the harvest of the field has perished.
12 The vine has dried up,
And the fig tree has withered;
The pomegranate tree,
The palm tree also,
And the apple tree—
All the trees of the field are withered;
Surely joy has withered away from the sons of men." vv.11-12
Read chapter 1.
In this first chapter of the book of Joel we read about destruction of the land by locusts and drought, not just haphazard but from the Lord, a time that no other generation has seen from just natural causes (v. 2-3). This seems to be a time just before the destruction of the kingdom of Judah.This should be a time of harvest of grains and fruit yet it has all withered. This isn't just a withering because of the autumn season when leaves fall and no more fruit is produced, but at a time when it should be flourishing. This isn't just one type of tree that doesn't do good that year, but ALL the trees of the field. All these trees mentioned here are trees that had great value. The fig of great advantage to those in whose land it grew, the pomegranate used as ornaments, the palm branches used of triumphant shows, the apple ( or other citrus fruits could mean hear from the Hebrew word) was the kind that ordinarily did well and could always count on. Yet all these trees lost their use to the people and therefor their joy. Joy in what they were putting their hope in instead of the Lord and why they should "be ashamed" (v.11). What type of tree in your life has withered that have caused you deep distress where your joy has gone?
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