We continue our journey through the Canonical Column with the twenty-ninth book of the biblical canon—Joel. For those unfamiliar with this mystery, the Canonical Column is the name I have given to a framework embedded within the Bible that bears dual witness to the divinely sanctioned biblical canon through an organized network of witnessing chapters in three key books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Leviticus, and Isaiah.1 For a deeper understanding of this framework, I highly recommend reading the introductory article linked above, which lays the foundational context for the insights explored in this post.2
Suffice it to say that the Canonical Column refers to a divinely designed structural framework and prophetic network embedded within the Bible which bears witness to the final form of the biblical canon—testifying to its 39–27 book division, identifying all 66 books within it, and even delineating the exact order in which they would appear. In this sense, it may be likened to an internal measuring line that God deliberately placed within his Word, allowing us to determine objectively which canon of Scripture is the correct one.
As established in previous installments, every book of the Bible is confirmed by two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column—one drawn from the Law (Genesis 12–50 or Leviticus) and the other from the Prophets (Isaiah).3 In the case of Joel, its two witnesses are Genesis 40 and Isaiah 29. Both of these chapters function within their respective branches of the Canonical Column as figurative types of the book of Joel. To this end, each has been divinely embedded with textual allusions to specific passages within Joel and intentionally sequenced as the twenty-ninth chapter in its branch of the framework, reflecting Joel’s ordinal position as the twenty-ninth book of the Old Testament and of the Bible at large. As we will see, it is by the mouth of these two witnesses that the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordained placement of the book of Joel are firmly established.
Table of Contents anchor
Summary of the Canonical Column
The Canonical Column is a divinely designed structural framework and prophetic network embedded within Scripture that bears witness to the organization of the biblical canon itself. Patterned after the menorah (Exod. 25:31–40), it comprises six branches arranged as three pairs. The innermost pair—the inner branches—represents the Old and New Testaments. Distinct from these are the four scaffolding branches: The Circumcision (Genesis 12–50) and An Holy Priesthood (Leviticus), and First Isaiah (Isaiah 1–39) and Second Isaiah (Isaiah 40–66). Each scaffolding pair contains 39 chapters in its “former” branch and 27 chapters in its “latter” branch, corresponding to the 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament. In each case, the former branch functions as a figurative type of the Old Testament (The Circumcision, First Isaiah), while the latter branch functions as a figurative type of the New Testament (An Holy Priesthood, Second Isaiah). Every book of the Bible is confirmed by two witnessing chapters—one from the “Law” pair of branches (The Circumcision or An Holy Priesthood) and one from the “Prophets” pair of branches (First Isaiah or Second Isaiah)—each bearing divinely embedded textual allusions and echoes to the content of the biblical book occupying the same ordinal position in the canonical sequence. For example, the two witnessing chapters of the book of Joel are Genesis 40 and Isaiah 29—each being the twenty-ninth chapter of its respective branch—reflecting Joel’s ordained placement as the twenty-ninth book of the Old Testament and Bible. For more detail, see the Introduction to the Canonical Column and the reference look-up table.
The book of Joel
The book of Joel is a brief yet densely prophetic work, comprising only three chapters but overflowing with apocalyptic imagery and eschatological depth. Set against the backdrop of a devastating locust plague, Joel’s message extends far beyond the immediate crisis—drawing the reader into a sweeping vision of the Day of the Lord, a recurring theme that dominates the book from beginning to end. Through vivid metaphors and divine exhortations, Joel calls the nation to repentance, proclaims coming judgment, and offers hope through the promise of restoration.
Perhaps most notably, Joel contains one of the most famous prophecies in all of Scripture—God’s declaration that He will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:28–32), a prophecy explicitly quoted by the apostle Peter in Acts 2 as being fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. This pivotal moment not only links Joel directly to the birth of the Church but also underscores the book’s enduring relevance across both testaments. At once both historical and prophetic, local and cosmic, Joel speaks to the present while foreshadowing the final judgment and ultimate deliverance that await in the age to come.
Authorship & Dating
The book of Joel opens with the declaration, “The word of the Lord that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel” (Joel 1:1). Beyond this brief introduction, however, Scripture provides no further historical background about the prophet himself. His name, Yoel in Hebrew, means “Yahweh is God”—a fitting summary of the book’s central message. Joel’s identity, lineage, and hometown remain unknown, and he is not mentioned elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible outside of this book.
The dating of Joel has long been a subject of scholarly debate. The book itself offers no explicit historical markers such as the names of reigning kings, foreign nations, or major geopolitical events—making its chronological placement unusually difficult. Some scholars argue for a pre-exilic date, suggesting that Joel may have been one of the earliest writing prophets, possibly prophesying during the reign of Joash (9th century BC). Others place the book post-exile, citing its literary style, references to temple worship, and possible allusions to earlier prophetic writings such as Amos, Obadiah, and Ezekiel.
Despite this ambiguity, the Canonical Column affirms Joel’s position as the twenty-ninth book of the biblical canon—suggesting that its prophetic voice, regardless of the era in which it was delivered, was intentionally placed to echo both its precursors and successors in the biblical sequence. Its timeless message and canonical arrangement testify to the hand of divine authorship shaping not only its content, but its position within the broader architecture of Scripture.
Joel’s witnessing chapters in the Canonical Column
The two witnessing chapters of Joel within the Canonical Column are Genesis 40 and Isaiah 29. Each of these chapters has been deliberately structured to reflect the book of Joel, and each has been strategically positioned as the twenty-ninth chapter within its respective branch of the framework in order to testify of Joel’s canonical placement. Within both chapters, one can discern divinely embedded allusions to the scenes, imagery, and language of the book of Joel—through which they together affirm its divine authorship and its ordained position as the twenty-ninth book of the divinely sanctioned biblical canon.4
Context of Genesis 40
Genesis 40 recounts a key episode during Joseph’s imprisonment in Egypt. Having been falsely accused and cast into Pharaoh’s prison, Joseph finds himself confined alongside two of Pharaoh’s officials—the chief butler and the chief baker. One night, both men experience troubling dreams, and Joseph, recognizing that “interpretations belong to God,” offers to interpret them.
The butler’s dream foretells his restoration to royal service, while the baker’s dream foreshadows his imminent execution. True to Joseph’s interpretations, both outcomes are fulfilled three days later on Pharaoh’s birthday. Despite Joseph’s plea to be remembered, the butler forgets him—prolonging Joseph’s time in prison and setting the stage for his eventual elevation in the following chapter.
Though brief, this chapter is rich in symbolic elements—dreams, judgment, restoration, and divine timing—that foreshadow the larger arc of Joseph’s rise and Israel’s future deliverance. Within the Canonical Column, Genesis 40 has been carefully designed to mirror key motifs from the book of Joel, as the following section will demonstrate.
Genesis 40 -> Joel
In the table below, we explore a series of textual allusions and structural echoes between Genesis 40 and the book of Joel. While separated by vast differences in genre and historical setting, both chapters share a prophetic atmosphere marked by dreams, judgment, restoration, and divine visitation. As with other Canonical Column pairings, these parallels are not the result of coincidence or creative interpretation—they reflect deliberate, Spirit-breathed design. As the twenty-ninth chapter of the Circumcision (Gen. 12-50), Genesis 40 has been intentionally embedded with subtle callbacks and prophetic shadows that align with the themes, tone, and imagery of Joel, testifying to its role as a divinely appointed witness to the twenty-ninth book of the biblical canon.
| Genesis 40 | Joel |
| And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.5 (Genesis 40:1-3) | The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD’s ministers, mourn. (Joel 1:9) |
| And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.6 (Genesis 40:5; cf. 40:8) | And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: (Joel 2:28) |
| And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in the ward of his lord’s house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day?7 (Genesis 40:6-7) | The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men. (Joel 1:12) |
| And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; And in the vine were three branches: . . . .8 (Genesis 40:9-10) | He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white. (Joel 1:7) |
| : . . . and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:9 (Genesis 40:10) | Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. (Joel 3:13) |
| For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.10 (Genesis 40:15) | The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. (Joel 3:6) |
| When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head: And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.11 (Genesis 40:16-17) | Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head: (Joel 3:7) |
Context of Isaiah 29
Isaiah 29 is a prophetic oracle directed against Jerusalem, cryptically referred to as Ariel—a name meaning “Lion of God” or possibly altar hearth, evoking both strength and sacrifice. The chapter opens with a forewarning of siege and sorrow: Jerusalem will be brought low, her voice humbled to a whisper like that of a ghost from the dust. Yet amid the promised judgment, God declares that He will ultimately visit the city—not in comfort, but with thunder, earthquake, and devouring flame.
The middle portion of the chapter shifts to a denunciation of spiritual blindness. The people of Jerusalem are described as being in a deep slumber, their prophets and seers unable to perceive the truth. A sealed book becomes a symbol of their collective inability to understand God’s word. The Lord rebukes their empty religiosity: “This people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me.”
Despite this, the chapter concludes with a promise of reversal. Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, the deaf shall hear, the meek shall rejoice, and the scorners shall be cut off. In the end, those who erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and murmurers shall learn doctrine.
Within the Canonical Column, Isaiah 29 functions as a prophetic counterpart to the book of Joel—mirroring its themes of divine visitation, spiritual awakening, and eschatological upheaval. As we will see in the following section, the parallels between these two chapters are far from coincidental.
Isaiah 29 -> Joel
In the table below, we examine a series of textual allusions and prophetic parallels between Isaiah 29 and the book of Joel. Though written centuries apart and addressed to different audiences, both texts are saturated with eschatological language, divine visitation, and the theme of spiritual awakening following judgment. As with all Canonical Column correspondences, these connections are not coincidental—they reflect an intentional structural symmetry embedded by the divine Author of Scripture. As the twenty-ninth chapter of First Isaiah (Isa. 1-39), Isaiah 29 has been meticulously crafted to echo the message, tone, and imagery of the book of Joel, thereby bearing witness to its divine placement as the twenty-ninth book of the biblical canon.
| Isaiah 29 | Joel |
| Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.12 (Isaiah 29:2) | Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. (Joel 2:6) |
| And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee.13 (Isaiah 29:3) | Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. (Joel 3:11) |
| Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.14 (Isaiah 29:5) | Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. (Joel 3:14) |
| Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.15 (Isaiah 29:6) | The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: (Joel 2:10; cf. 2:30, 3:16) |
| And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision. It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against mount Zion.16 (Isaiah 29:7-8; cf. 29:10-11) | And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: (Joel 2:28) |
| Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but haver removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:17 (Isaiah 29:13) | Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend you heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. (Joel 2:12-13) |
| Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.18 (Isaiah 29:14) | The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. (Joel 3:15) |
| Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?19 (Isaiah 29:17) | Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. (Joel 2:22) |
| The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.20 (Isaiah 29:19) | Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. (Joel 2:23) |
| Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.21 (Isaiah 29:22) | And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. (Joel 2:27) |
Group Chat
As demonstrated in previous installments of this series, the Canonical Column is not only a network of two-way prophetic parallels between each biblical book and its witnessing chapters—it also contains moments of three-way convergence, where all three branches of the framework engage in a single prophetic dialogue. I refer to these moments as Group Chats: structured alignments in which a particular motif, phrase, or symbolic image appears across all three corresponding chapters. These triadic exchanges highlight the supernatural intricacy of the framework—showing that the Canonical Column is not merely a collection of isolated pairings, but a fully interwoven testimony to the divine authorship of Scripture. The following Group Chats draw upon Genesis 40, Isaiah 29, and the book of Joel—revealing how the themes of dreams, sorrow, and prophetic vision reverberate across all three.
| Genesis 40 | Isaiah 29 | Joel |
| And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison. (Genesis 40:5; cf. 40:8) | And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision. It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against mount Zion. (Isaiah 29:7-8; cf. 29:10-11) | And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.22 (Joel 2:28) |
| And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in the ward of his lord’s house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day? (Genesis 40:6-7) | Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel. (Isaiah 29:2) | The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men. (Joel 1:12) |
Conclusion: The Canonical Column affirms the canonicity and ordinal position of Joel as the twenty-ninth book of the biblical canon.
The canonicity of the book of Joel is affirmed by its two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column: Genesis 40 and Isaiah 29. These two chapters have been deliberately structured and sequenced as the twenty-ninth chapter within their respective branches of the Canonical Column, in order to function as individual figurative types of the book of Joel–the twenty-ninth book of the Old Testament and the Bible at large. To this end, both chapters have been divinely embedded with direct allusions to specific passages and content that God in his perfect foreknowledge knew would be contained within the book of Joel, which was ordained before the foundation of the world to become the twenty-ninth book of the Old Testament and biblical canon. Accordingly, the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement of the book of Joel are established by the Canonical Column–being witnessed by both the Law & the Prophets.
- I received the knowledge of this great mystery by the light of divine revelation way back in 2009 (1 Chron. 28:19; Num. 8:4; cf. 1 Cor. 2:10; Gal. 1:12). ↩︎
- Alternatively, if that article is too long, you can read a summarized version here. ↩︎
- Every book of the Bible has two chapters which correspond to it within the Canonical Column–one in Genesis 12-50 or Leviticus (the Law), and one in Isaiah (the Prophets). Genesis 12-50 (known in the Canonical Column as “The Circumcision”) and Isaiah 1-39 (known in the Canonical Column as “First Isaiah”) are both figurative types of the Old Testament canon–each containing 39 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 39 books of the Old Testament canon. Similarly, Leviticus (known in the Canonical Column as “An Holy Priesthood”) and Isaiah 40-66 (known in the Canonical Column as “Second Isaiah”) function as figurative types of the New Testament canon–each containing 27 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 27 books of the New Testament canon. The individual chapters within these four scaffolding branches of the Canonical Column are known as witnessing chapters, so called because they have been divinely embedded with textual allusions of various kinds to the content of the specific biblical book which occupies the same numerical position within the canonical sequence. Thus the witnessing chapters function as divinely designed figurative types of whatever biblical book they numerically correspond to within their specific branch of the framework–testifying to their divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement within the completed biblical canon. ↩︎
- The Canonical Column testifies that the Protestant biblical canon is the divinely sanctioned form of the Christian Bible that is stamped with the Lamb’s seal of messianic approval. ↩︎
- In Genesis 40:1–3, Pharaoh becomes angry with his chief butler and chief baker and casts them into prison. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as a symbolic allusion to Joel 1:9, where the meat offering and drink offering are cut off from the house of the Lord. Just as the baker and butler—responsible for bread and wine—are removed from royal service, so too are the grain and wine offerings removed from temple service. The parallel evokes the cessation of worship and divine favor in both court and sanctuary, reinforcing Genesis 40 as a prophetic shadow of Joel. ↩︎
- In Genesis 40:5, both the butler and the baker experience prophetic dreams on the same night while imprisoned. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an obvious allusion to Joel 2:28, where God promises to pour out His Spirit, causing sons and daughters to prophesy and old men to dream dreams. ↩︎
- In Genesis 40:6–7, Joseph notices that Pharaoh’s imprisoned officers appear sorrowful and asks why they are downcast. Within the Canonical Column, this emotional detail functions as a subtle allusion to Joel 1:12, where the prophet laments that “joy is withered away from the sons of men.” ↩︎
- In Genesis 40:9–10, the chief butler describes a dream in which he sees a vine with three branches—signifying his impending vindication and restoration in three days. Within the Canonical Column, this vine and branches imagery serves as a deliberate allusion to Joel 1:7, where the prophet laments that “He hath laid my vine waste… the branches thereof are made white.” ↩︎
- In Genesis 40:10, the butler describes a vine that buds, blossoms, and produces ripe grapes—symbolizing his imminent restoration. Within the Canonical Column, this imagery functions as an allusion to Joel 3:13, where God declares, “Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe… the press is full.” While Genesis portrays the ripeness of grapes as a sign of restoration, Joel presents it as a symbol of judgment. The mirrored imagery—grape clusters, ripeness, and impending action—forms a prophetic inversion that highlights the dual role of the harvest motif in Scripture, further reinforcing Genesis 40 as a structured witness to the book of Joel. ↩︎
- In Genesis 40:15, Joseph explains that he was “stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews” and imprisoned despite his innocence. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an obvious allusion to Joel 3:6, where God condemns the nations for selling “the children of Judah and Jerusalem… that ye might remove them far from their border.” ↩︎
- In Genesis 40:16–17, the chief baker describes a dream in which birds eat bakemeats from baskets on his head—a detail that signifies his imminent conviction and death within three days. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as a subtle but clever allusion to Joel 3:7, where God declares, “I will return your recompence upon your own head.” ↩︎
- In Isaiah 29:2, God declares that He will bring “heaviness and sorrow” upon Ariel (Jerusalem), marking a time of deep distress under divine judgment. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Joel 2:6, where the people respond to the advancing day of the Lord with anguish: “the people shall be much pained; all faces shall gather blackness.” Both passages describe the overwhelming emotional and physical response to God’s judgment—sorrow, dread, and public despair—highlighting a shared prophetic atmosphere and reinforcing Isaiah 29 as a witness to the book of Joel. ↩︎
- In Isaiah 29:3, God declares that He will encircle Ariel, laying siege with mounts and forts: “I will camp against thee round about.” Within the Canonical Column, this language functions as an allusion to Joel 3:11, where the nations are summoned to judgment: “Assemble yourselves… gather yourselves together round about.” In both passages, the phrase “round about” frames a divine orchestration of military confrontation—one directed against Jerusalem, the other initiated by God against the nations—highlighting the structural and prophetic symmetry between Isaiah 29 and the book of Joel. ↩︎
- Isaiah 29:5 describes the swift destruction of Ariel’s enemies: “the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust… at an instant, suddenly.” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Joel 3:14: “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near.” Both passages depict a vast host facing imminent divine judgment, and both use the word “multitude” with rhetorical emphasis. The structural parallel between these prophetic scenes highlights the deliberate alignment of Isaiah 29 with the book of Joel. ↩︎
- In Isaiah 29:6, the Lord declares that He will visit Ariel “with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.” Within the Canonical Column, this apocalyptic language functions as an allusion to Joel 2:10 (and 3:16), where the earth quakes, heavens tremble, and the sun and moon grow dark at the coming of the Lord. Both passages depict God’s arrival through overwhelming cosmic signs—earthquake, fire, and celestial disturbance—underscoring Isaiah 29 as a powerful prophetic witness to the book of Joel. ↩︎
- In Isaiah 29:7–8, the prophet describes the nations that fight against Zion as when a hungry or thirsty man dreams of eating or drinking, only to awake and find themselves hungry or thirsty. “It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty.” Within the Canonical Column, this simile forms a direct allusion to Joel 2:28, where the Lord declares that “your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” as a sign of the Spirit’s outpouring. ↩︎
- In Isaiah 29:13, the Lord rebukes His people for their superficial devotion: “This people draw near me with their mouth… but have removed their heart far from me.” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an obvious allusion to Joel 2:12–13, where the Lord calls His people to return “with all your heart… rend your heart and not your garments.” Both passages center on the heart as the true measure of repentance. Thus, Isaiah’s exposure of hollow religiosity in the 29th chapter of Isaiah reflects Joel’ calls for a sincere return to God in 29th book of the Bible. ↩︎
- In Isaiah 29:14, the Lord declares that “the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as a direct allusion to Joel 3:15, which foretells that “the sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.” As Sir Isaac Newton rightly observes in chapter 2 of his Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel, the stars in prophetic language often symbolize “subordinate Princes and great men, or for Bishops and Rulers of the people of God.” Accordingly, the withdrawal of their light signifies the loss or concealment of wisdom and understanding—precisely what Isaiah prophesies. ↩︎
- Isaiah 29:17 foretells a reversal of desolation: “Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest.” Within the Canonical Column, this promise of agricultural renewal functions as an allusion to Joel 2:22, where the prophet reassures creation itself: “The tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.” Both passages mark the transition from judgment to blessing, using the imagery of restored fertility to signal divine mercy. This shared motif of verdant transformation reinforces Isaiah 29 as a figurative type of the book of Joel. ↩︎
- In Isaiah 29:19, the prophet declares that “the meek shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Joel 2:23, where the children of Zion are called to “rejoice in the LORD your God” after receiving the former and latter rains. In both passages, joy is renewed among God’s people in response to divine restoration—underscoring Isaiah 29’s prophetic role as a figurative type of the book of Joel. ↩︎
- In Isaiah 29:22, the Lord assures the house of Jacob: “Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an obvious allusion to Joel 2:27, where God declares, “My people shall never be ashamed.” Both passages use the language of restored dignity to describe the covenant people’s vindication after affliction. The precise verbal alignment and shared redemptive arc attests to Isaiah 29 as figurative type of the book of Joel. ↩︎
- In Genesis 40:5, both the butler and the baker receive prophetic dreams on the same night—requiring divine interpretation. In Isaiah 29:7–8, the prophet compares the downfall of the nations to a dream of a night vision, emphasizing its fleeting and unsubstantial nature. In Joel 2:28, the Lord promises to pour out His Spirit so that “your old men shall dream dreams.” These three references to dreams—occurring in Genesis 40, Isaiah 29, and the book of Joel—demonstrate a deliberate triadic alignment across all three branches of the Canonical Column. This structural dialogue confirms the divine placement of Joel as the twenty-ninth book of the biblical canon, witnessed by two chapters which have been intentionally constructed to function as figurative types of the book. ↩︎
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