Joel 3

The Day of the Lord Part 2

In Joel 2:28-32, we find a prophecy that was fulfilled on the Shavuot (or Pentecost, in Greek) after Christ’s ascension. The Holy Spirit came down on the apostles and empowered them, and now that same Holy Spirit empowers all who come to Christ. He was promised when Jesus said “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you,” John 14:16-17. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter preached a sermon quoting these very verses showing the promise had been fulfilled on that day. As we continue with chapter three, we enter a part of the book that speaks both of Joel’s day and time as well as a future glory and Day of the Lord. Joel 2:28-32 is as alive today as it was over 2000 years ago. The Holy Spirit has come and dwells in all believers of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we contemplate what the future may hold, we must keep in mind this question: How can we, who are empowered by the Holy Spirit, make a difference for God’s kingdom right now?

Vs 1-3 Yes, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and take them to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. I will enter into judgment with them there because of My people, My inheritance Israel. The nations have scattered the Israelites in foreign countries and divided up My land. They cast lots for My people; they bartered a boy for a prostitute and sold a girl for wine to drink.

There is not an actual place called the “Valley of Jehoshaphat” in Israel, so we need to dig a bit to find out what Joel is referring to. Jehoshaphat was a king of Israel and His name means “The Lord Judges”. To get a little more information, I did a bit of research on King Jehoshaphat. We are introduced to him in 2 Chronicles 17:3-4: Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the former ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals but sought the God of his father and walked by His commands, not according to the practices of Israel. During his time as king, God used Jehoshaphat to literally carry out the judgment of God and rid Israel of the Baals and Asherah poles. He once again established the Name of God as the One to be worshiped. So now we see what God is going to do. He will bring the nations to a place of judgment on the Day of the Lord – why – because of His people, His inheritance Israel. As believers, we are a part of this as well because we have been grafted in! God will weigh the nations, and if they are lacking, they will see His mighty wrath. What have they done?

The nations have scattered Israel throughout the nations, taking away their identity as the people of God. We have seen this happen throughout history. Then, they have divided their land up into pieces, taking away their inheritance. This is also evident if you look at a map of Israel during the time of Saul and David and now. Worse, they cast lots for them and bartered them for things of enjoyment. They regarded human life as a cheap commodity. We see this happening all around us. There have always been people who treat others as a cheap commodity. They have enslaved people throughout history. In looking at the more obvious example of this, I recall my own countries shameful history of slavery and other examples around the world of those who have tried to annihilate entire people groups from the face of the earth. But, there are other ways to treat human life as cheap. Like the continued bigotry against those who are different from us and they way in which we do not treat people with dignity. One example is exploiting and endangering workers for the sake of a product. When I was a little girl, every summer my parents and I would do backyard Bible clubs at the migrant camps around our area. We would work with the children first and then stay through the evening to minister to the families who came back from the fields and orchards. To get an accurate picture, the migrant camps were made up of several concrete block living quarters with a shared bath house and bathrooms on the complex. Each living quarter was about 200-250 square feet studio with a kitchenette. They would hold anywhere from 6-10 people each and the rent was taken out of their pay – and it wasn’t cheap to live there. It was a very depressing situation to live in, but the workers didn’t have a lot of choices. Even at my young age, I knew something was terribly wrong with how the people were being treated. My parents thought so as well too, and fought to have the living conditions changed. This is just one example of how people all around the world are being subjected to horrible living conditions so that a few people will cash in on their misery. What mankind does because of greed will have extraordinary consequences. God is watching and will enter a judgment on us all.

Vs 4-8 And also: Tyre, Sidon, and all the territories of Philistia—what are you to Me? Are you paying Me back or trying to get even with Me? I will quickly bring retribution on your heads. For you took My silver and gold and carried My finest treasures to your temples. You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks to remove them far from their own territory. Look, I am about to rouse them up from the place where you sold them; I will bring retribution on your heads. I will sell your sons and daughters into the hands of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a distant nation, for the Lord has spoken.

In these verses God challenges the nations – are you going to retaliate? Guess what, that retaliation will be turned back on your own head. What you’ve done to the least of these will come back on you. Have you ever heard of the saying what goes around comes around? While it’s not exactly a verse in the Bible, but we do find this concept throughout scripture. Isaiah 3:11 – Woe to the wicked it will go badly for them, for what they have done will be done to them. Galatians 6:7-8 – Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. Proverbs 26:27 – The one who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him. Finally, we should adhere to Matthew 7:12 – whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them—this is the Law and the Prophets. God’s judgment is just and His wrath is justified. Once again, make no mistake, those who exploit others for personal gain will be judged.

Vs 9-13 Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for holy war; rouse the warriors; let all the men of war advance and attack! Beat your plows into swords and your pruning knives into spears. Let even the weakling say, “I am a warrior.” Come quickly, all you surrounding nations; gather yourselves. Bring down Your warriors there, Lord. Let the nations be roused and come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit down to judge all the surrounding nations. Swing the sickle because the harvest is ripe. Come and trample the grapes because the wine press is full; the wine vats overflow because the wickedness of the nations is great.

God says – prepare for holy war. God’s judgment is not some nice little time out or grounding. His judgment will be swift and it will be thorough. In Revelation 16:16 we find where this war will take place – So they assembled them at the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. Traditionally, Armageddon is between Mount Carmel and Mount Megiddo. When a friend and I climbed up Mount Carmel you can see a the large valley known as Armageddon stretched out before you. As we stood on Mount Carmel where fire from heaven fell, we began to understand that one day, God will call all the nations of the world to assemble, and they will be found lacking. Yet, they will still want to have a war with God. There is a Broadway Musical written in 1979 based on the gospel of Matthew called Your Arms Too Short To Box With God. The title says it all. The nations can bring all the weapons they can get their hands on. They can gather together as a mighty army ready to do battle, but, in the end, their arms will be too short to take on the Creator of the Universe. Psalm 2:1-6 says it best: “Why do the nations rebel and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers conspire together against the Lord and His Anointed One: “Let us tear off their chains and free ourselves from their restraints.” The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them. Then He speaks to them in His anger and terrifies them in His wrath: “I have consecrated My King on Zion, My holy mountain.”

Vs 14-17 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the Day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will cease their shining. The Lord will roar from Zion and raise His voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will shake. But the Lord will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the Israelites. Then you will know that I am Yahweh your God, who dwells in Zion, My holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy, and foreigners will never overrun it again.

So, all have gathered in the valley of decision and the Day of the Lord is near. Psalm 2 says, “I have consecrated My King on Zion, My holy mountain. ” It is on this same holy mountain that God will sit in judgment. It is in this mountain where we will find refuge in Him. It will be a stronghold, and a mighty fortress. We recall that great hymn of Martin Luther – A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing. He is our Mighty Fortress and all will know that He is God.

Vs 18-21 In that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk. All the streams of Judah will flow with water, and a spring will issue from the Lord’s house, watering the Valley of Acacias. Egypt will become desolate, and Edom a desert wasteland, because of the violence done to the people of Judah in whose land they shed innocent blood. But Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. I will pardon their bloodguilt, which I have not pardoned, for the Lord dwells in Zion.

Here is the hope we have when we are in Christ. The Day of the Lord will come, but, we who are called by His Name, will dwell with Him forever. He will be our fortress and refuge and we will come to the land flowing with milk and honey. He will be victorious over His enemies. He will avenge those who could not avenge themselves. He will be triumphant over the evil one. I love the picture Joel paints here – All the streams of Judah will flow with water, and a spring will issue from the Lord’s house, watering the Valley of Acacias. To understand this phrase, you have to understand the Valley of Acacias. It was a place of both victory and defeat. In victory, the people of Israel launched their armies to go into the Promised Land, but, in defeat, it was also the place where men were seduced to worship false gods. This is a picture of us. There are times when we have victory in Jesus, but there are also times when we are defeated by the evil one. We give in to temptation and stray off the path. This picture shows us God’s amazing grace. He will cover us with His mercy and His refreshing water will wash us clean. Our past is covered over by His grace because God is the Great Redeemer and He will pardon our sin. Yes, there is a Day of the Lord. Yes, the nations will be judged. And yes, there is grace for those who put their trust in Jesus and call Him Lord. There is grace for all who repent and return. There is grace and mercy waiting for us from the One – our Great Redeemer, who stretched out His arms on a cross for us.