The Book of Joel

I don't remember reading this book. A couple of things come to mind: My natural proclivity is to draw correlations with the state of affairs (past and present) with the Native Americans and African Americans, as there are some parallels: 

Joel 3:5-8

Chapter 2 itself reads like the Iraqi War.

Literally, however, one cannot escape the many references to the land of Israel, wherein Jerusalem is seated. I can see this book being used by the United States as justification for creating the state of Israel back in the 40's (researching THIS topic uncovers a treasure trove of information).

But back to your original question: Why was it written and who was it written to?

The latter part first: The book of prophecy is written to the Children of Zion/Israel whom God has chosen as His people (Joel 3:2); who have been sold into slavery and cast out of their land (Joel 3:2); who have had their inheritance (spiritual and physical) spoiled by the Army of God (Joel 1:2-12, 1:15-20, 2:1-11); who have strayed from their faith and turned away from God (Joel 2:12-17).

Why was it written? To prophecy about The Day of the Lord and warn His children to return to Him and repent.

Interestingly enough, I HAVE to view this book in the context of Old vs. New Testaments and that which has been revealed by Jesus, the Christ. Through this lens I perceive that all is not as it appears, that even when Jews were looking for a Messiah, what they were looking for kept them from seeing Who was before them.

In other passages Jesus makes references to the Temple of God, the Church, and the Kingdom of Heaven. It is clear that the Temple he refers to is not an edifice constructed of mortar and brick, nor the Church, nor the Kingdom of Heaven.

In this vein, I am convinced that Zion/Israel isn't a physical place either, but is inhabited by those who dwell in the heart of God, ergo, Israel/Zion is not a geographical location, but a spiritual essence connecting all of God's people. In this understanding, all of Man's attempts to create in temporal form a house for the infinite will always be to no avail. To quote Jesus:

"No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. [37] And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. [38] No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. [39] And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.' " (Luke 5:36-39)