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Citation: Idestrom, Rebecca G. S. Review of Larry R. McQueen, Joel and the Spirit: The Cry of a
Prophetic Hermeneutic. Themelíos 22/1 (October 1996): 51-52.

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Idestrom, Rebecca G. S. Review of Larry R. McQueen, Joel and the Spirit: The Cry of a
Prophetic Hermeneutic. Themelíos 22/1 (October 1996): 51-52.

[ Citation Page ]




Joel and the Spirit: The Cry of a Prophetic
Hermeneutic, (Journal of Pentecostal Theology
Supplement Series 8)

Larry R. McQueen
Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press,
1995 125 pp

This is a very interesting, stimulating
and fresh interpretation of the book of
Joel from a Pentecostal perspective.
McQueen comes to the text with a
classical Pentecostal understanding of
eschatology and ecclesiology. In so
doing, he intentionally approaches the
text with a distinct Pentecostal
hermeneutic and perspective, which
yield some new insights into the book
of Joel.

Following an introductory discussion
on hermeneutics and questions
regarding the unity and date of the
book of Joel, McQueen analyses the
theses of Joel with particular focus on
their relation to the promise of the
Spirit. In this context, the literary
structure, genres and themes of the
book are outlined. The main thesis of
the book is that Joel has three
movements, namely the themes of
lament, salvation and Judgement, and
that these are integral to the promise of
the Spirit in both the text of Joel as
well as its appropriation and fulfilment
in the NT and today. Since the

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promised outpouring of the Spirit is
set in the context of these three
movements, lament (repentance) is
seen as a prerequisite for the giving
of the Spirit, salvation is seen in the
presence of Yahweh among his
people, who have become a prophetic
community through his Spirit, and
finally the Spirit’s outpouring is a
sign of the judgement to come.
McQueen then demonstrates how
the NT appropriates all three themes
in relation to the outpouring of the
Spirit. The call to repentance
(lament) leads to salvation and
creates an eschatological prophetic
community. In this context, the
Spirit brings purifying judgement
upon the community and also
becomes a sign of coming universal
judgement on the day of Jesus
Christ. These same themes provided
the essential framework for
understanding the reception of and
life in the Spirit in the early years of
the Pentecostal movement. Lament,
or 'praying through’ or ‘tarrying’ was
very important. There was also an
eschatological understanding of
salvation and an emphasis placed on
the second coming of Christ with its
impending judgement. In
conclusion, McQueen shows how
contemporary Pentecostalism has
lost its eschatological orientation and
apocalyptic spirituality and urges the
movement to refocus and re-vision.
The movement needs to recover its
eschatological framework, recover
lament as a part of its prayer life and
become a prophetic community
which serves as a sign of both
salvation and judgement. In this
way, the book of Joel has a relevance
for Pentecostals today and can make
an important contribution to the
present needs of the movement in its
attempts to re-vision.

I really enjoyed reading the book and
was challenged by it. Among its
many advantages is the fact that it is
well written, easy to read and lucid in
style. The author challenges us to
ask not only, ‘how do we interpret
the book?’, but also ‘how does the
book of Joel interpret us?’ It is an
opportunity to encounter God in the
biblical text. This work is a very
important contribution to the debate
of Pentecostal hermeneutics and the
need to re-vision the Pentecostal
movement.

Rebecca G.S. Idestrom, Abbotsford
British Columbia, Canada

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