As I read Joel 2:1-29, it seems to me that the passage; describes the battle that starts the Day of the LORD; the turning of Israel back to the Lord;the Lord’s deliverance and the immediate after effects, such as the outpouring of his spirit. The rest of Joel 2:30-3:21 deal with part of the Tribulation period and the battle of Armageddon.
The question I am trying to get to is from here. I believe Ezek.38,39 and Joel 2 are descriptions of the same battle. Look at the similarities between the two and Ezek.39:8 where the Lord God says “this is the day whereof I have spoken” in other previous scriptures, which is usually the day of the Lord., but look at Joel 2:16 too. All the first parts of the verse are plural (i.e. people, congregation ,elders,children and babies) which is everyone except the soldiers trying to defend Israel. Then there is a colon (:) in the verse (KJV). By definition a colon is used to mark a major division in a sentence, to indicate that what follows is an elaboration, summation or implication of what precedes it. The next part of the verse is singular (i.e. one bridegroom and one bride.) Could this part of the verse be a reference to or implication of the Rapture of the Church?
Most scholars I’m familiar with regard the Book of Joel as a prophecy of the Great Tribulation and the Battle of Ezekiel 38 as one that leads up to it. Joel 2:15-17 is a call to repentance in the face of a coming army. It’s so important that everyone must come. Two extreme examples are given to demonstrate how important it is. The nursing baby should leave its mother’s breast and the bride and bridegroom should interrupt the consummation of their marriage. The only thing on their minds should be their need to repent in hopes that the Lord will spare them.
Joel ends with the Lord’s return, the judgment of the nations, and Israel’s Kingdom Age. Ezekiel 38-39 ends with Israel’s awakening and a seven year period of burning weapons, burying the dead and cleansing the land.