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Joel

Joel 3

God Judges the nations

Joel 3:1-3

 'In those days' of verse one are the days 'afterward'of 2:28; the days when the Lord pours out his spirit on all flesh.  These are the days of Salvation to all who calls upon the name of the Lord; days when the Spirit of God comes up on anyone and everyone who believes.   Peter tells us in Acts 2 that this is the age of the church.  'Those days' started at Pentecost and will continue till the Lord returns. 

While Joel's prophecy might have saw a fulfillment of sorts at the return of the Jews from Babylonian exile it also looked for the day when the Jews were gathered in their land at which time he would also gather all the nations.  Israel once again became a nation in 1948 and Jews have returned to their homeland in great numbers since.  So the stage is set for the Lord to gather all the nations.  The existance of the Valley of Jehoshaphat is somewhat debated.  Most scholars believe it is metaphorical; Jehoshaphat means 'Jehovah Judges'.  We know this valley of judgment as Armageddon (Har Megiddo). 

Matthew 25:31-46

31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:"

Why is this happening?  Verse two says this is on account of 'My people, My heritage Israel'.  The nations will be judged in part for their treatment of God's nation and His people.  They had devalued the Jews that were captice; using them as payment to barter with.  This was common in Joel's day.  The Jews took this treatment personal.  To offend a boy or girl in this way was to offend the entire nation of Jews.  More importantly, it also offended God!

 

Joel 3:4-8

All grievances done to His people, God considers done to Him.  God spoke against he heathen nations that He would bring into judgment for their treatment of His people.  Now He turns to some of the neighboring nations.  It's as if they might argue they had a right to interfere with the Jews.  But God said they had nothing to do with Him.  They had no right to interfere with Israel; in doing so, they interefered with God.  It's as if God were remembering the times these neighboring nations had treated His people with contempts.  Since they had, they would now have to deal with God's anger.  Their rejection of God would bring God's just judgment.  Its as though God invites their retaliation.  Would they feel able to retaliate against God's people?  Against God?  God's judgment was a contempt for these folks similar to the contempt shown to Israel.  He calls for a reversal of fortunes with those who carried off His treasure and His people.

Tyre was taken by Alexander, who sold 13,000 of the inhabitants into slavery. Sidon was taken by Artaxerxes Ochus, and it is said above 40,000 perished. The Sabæans are probably mentioned as being the remotest nation in the opposite direction, a nation, probably, the partner of Tyre's traffic in men as well as in their other merchandise, and who would as soon trade in Tyrians, as with Tyrians.[1]

God's made a promise to Abraham from the beginning:

2           I will make you a great nation;

I will bless you

And make your name great;

And you shall be a blessing.

3           I will bless those who bless you,

And I will curse him who curses you;

And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Gen 12:2-3)

The bible and history gives us many examples where God cursed those who showed contempt for Israel. 

See Deuteronomy 28 for the blessings and curses along with the prediction of the Diaspora.  See also Zechariah 12 and Zechariah 14.   

 

Joel 3:9-13

The nations had been gathered.  The charges were given.  They were invited to bring their retaliation if they had any.  They were to prepare for war.  Gird themselves and build their courage as they prepared their weapons. 

See Revelation 16:12-16

We can see God's viewpoint of this gathering: Psalm 2:1-6.

While these nations might be gathered initially to war against Israel, or even each other, they end up waring against God.  It's clearly not a battle; no contest. 

Zephaniah 3:8

8           "Therefore wait for Me," says the Lord,

"Until the day I rise up for plunder;

My determination is to gather the nations

To My assembly of kingdoms,

To pour on them My indignation,

All My fierce anger;

All the earth shall be devoured

With the fire of My jealousy.

Revelation 14 uses this picture of the sickle reaping.

 

Joel 3:14

Imagine the view as Joel looked out across this valley where the multitudes were gathered.  This isn't a valley where the multitudes will make a decision.  They had made their decision in a thousand choices or even making the choice not to follow the Lord.  Mankind does this every day.  We go about our lives, run them our way.  Our heads are down and focused on raising kids, work, career, money and on and on.  In the back of our mind we might think, "Someday, when I have time, if I ever have time, I need to get right with the Lord."  A decision to follow the Lord is just the first step.  Then we live lives where all we do, all we say, all we decide is influence by who we are in the Lord. 

The valley of decision is a place of judgment.  The word 'decision' means sharp and diligent; as in the edge of the sickle.  The nations are at the mercy of a just God.  This is a time and place of judgment.  Those being judged put themselves in the that valley by their decisions.    The Day of the Lord is near!  How near?  We don't know, but where would your decisionsn put you?  

 

Joel 3:15-17

Joel seems to pull back from this panoramic view of the valley, to an even larger view.  It's a time when the sun, moon and stars will grow dark and heaven and earth will tremble.  But God is refuge for His people and for the sons of Israel.  When all this happens, all will know that He is the Lord you God. 

Amos 1:2a. and Jerimiah 25:30 both speak of the Lord roaring forth.  The utterance of his voice is a like the roar of a Lion striking fear in the hearts of those who have put themselves in the path of His wrath.  The Word will shake the heavens and the Earth.  In contrast to this fearful shaking and roar of the Word is the Lord sheltering His people.  The Lord will protect them and fight their battles; He is their strength.  Verse 17 will become very clear.  No one will be left in doubt.  All will know that He is the Lord, Zion is His, Jerusalem will be holy and no one will threaten that again.

See Zechariah 12:1-9

 

Joel 3:18-21

Joel looks beyond this judgment to the outcome.  From the Valley of decision will come new hope and new life.  This is a glimpse into the millennium.  The land that had been defiled by the blood of wars and the hills where idols were worshiped will now all be productive and fruitful.  The water flowing from the house of the Lord is a healing water and cleansing water (Ezekiel 47 & Zechariah 14).  The Valley of Acacias was the last camp of the Israelites before crossing the Jordan into the promised land.  It was also where the Israelites were tempted to sin by taking the daughters of Moab for wives.  It was a place where the armies launched to take the Promised Land by faith as well as a place of pagan worship.  The fountain flowing there from the house of the Lord will cover the past.  It will be a river of living water.

Edom & Egypt, prior enemies of Israel, will be desolate because of how they treated Judah.  Judah will be inhabited forever along with Jerusalem.   

Do you long for this day?  We spend so much of our life waiting for our ship to come in, waiting for a raise, waiting for someone to come around, waiting to growing up, waiting to grow old, waiting to retire and it just goes on and on.  Have we put our relationship with the Lord in a holding pattern?  Are we waiting to arrive somewhere or some day?  Have we put off a relationship to hold onto our sin?  To possess the throne of our life a little longer.  All these things move us, as individuals, toward that valley of decision.  Make a decision today to trust in the Lord Jesus; in the work He did on the cross that made forgiveness available to you.  Then responds to that new trust.  Allow Him to have complete access to your life; every decision, every day, every word, every heartbeat and every breath.  We will find our self in the protection of our Lord when the Day of Judgment comes.  We will be reminded on that Day that we are no better than any person in that valley of decision.  The difference will be that our debt was paid by Jesus Christ.

See 2 Peter 3:10. 

 

©2016 Doug Ford

 

[1] Lange, J. P., Schaff, P., Schmoller, O., & Forsyth, J. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Joel (p. 36). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.