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Joel 1 · Grade 4

Sanctify a Fast

Name Date

Read and Think

Joel describes a disaster: What the swarming locust has left, the great locust has eaten. What the great locust has left, the grasshopper has eaten. One wave after another stripped the land. Joel asked, Has this ever happened in your days, or in the days of your fathers?

The land mourns, for the grain is destroyed. The vine has dried up, and the fig tree withered. Even joy has withered away from the sons of men. The animals of the field pant to you, for the water brooks have dried up.

Joel's answer was to turn to God. Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of Yahweh, your God, and cry to Yahweh. Joel warned that the day of Yahweh is at hand, a day of God's judgment. Joel himself prayed: Yahweh, I cry to you.

Show What You Know

  1. What happened after the swarming locust?

  2. What withered away from the sons of men?

  3. Why did the animals pant?

  4. What should the people do at the house of Yahweh?

  5. What did Joel pray?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

vineelderslocust
  1. Joel describes a disaster: What the swarming has left, the great locust has eaten.
  2. The has dried up, and the fig tree withered.
  3. Gather the and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of Yahweh, your God, and cry to Yahweh.

Think About It

  1. Joel told the people to tell their children what happened. Why is it important to pass on what God has done to the next generation?

  2. When disaster came, Joel called people to pray together. How can your family or church pray together in hard times?

Memory Verse

“Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of Yahweh, your God, and cry to Yahweh.”

Joel 1:14 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for hearing us when we cry to You. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • The fields were ruined and the people mourned. How can you turn to God when you lose something?
  • What is the day of Yahweh?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.