In the May 1, 1998, issue of THE WATCHTOWER, we are given a new angle on one of the prophet Joel's prophecies. Joel 1:15 states, "Alas for that day! For the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty." According to the article, the great hoards of "locusts" that would eventually decimate Judah might well be compared to the JWs who will soon cause Christendom's clergy to run in fear. Paragraph 12 states that Christendom's clergy will become frantic. "With their pastures being denuded, let them spend the night in sackcloth, mourning over their loss of income."
How will God put this fear in Christendom? According to paragraph 9, it will come at the hands of a "modern-day locust army" comprised of Jehovah's "anointed locusts" and 5.6 million of Jesus' other sheep. The Society justifies this absurd interpretation by stating that God's people are represented by locusts at Joel 1:6 and at Revelation 9:7. But these verses have little to do with God's chosen people. Instead, Joel 1:6 refers to the Assyrian and Babylonian armies-anything but God's chosen people-who would soon destroy Judah. Revelation 9:1-7 refers to demons-who are under the direction of Satan!
Fortunately, Joel's prophecies were interpreted correctly by the apostle Peter (and Paul). In Acts 2:21, Peter quotes Joel 2:32, when he says "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Peter realized this verse was fulfilled in Jesus. That's why he states later in Acts 4:10-12 that salvation is found in no other name than Jesus. Neither Peter nor Paul were worried about a coming destruction. They followed Jesus, so they had no reason to fear. In John 14:1, Jesus said "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."