Once again we study Joel. Just in three short chapters, the LORD once again reminds us and warns us of his soon coming outpouring of His holy wrath at the end of time and the beginning of the millennial kingdom.
Joel 3:1-16 For, behold, in those days and in that time, when I will bring again the exiles of Judah and Jerusalem, 3:2 I will also gather all nations and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will fight with them there for My people and for My inheritance Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and divided My land.
God will cause all who deny Him and worship the Beast (Satan) to challenge Him to war. God will once again call out to all of His chosen people to return to watch the swift and complete destruction of the physical lives of the wicked.\
3:3 And they have cast lots for My people, and have given a boy for a prostitute, and sold a girl for wine, so that they might drink.
This sounds a lot like the child abuse, sexual traffic, kidnapping, and sacrificing that is prevalent in the world today.
3:4 Yea, and what have you to do with Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the borders of Philistia? Will you give Me a reward? And if you reward Me, swiftly and speedily I will turn your reward on your own head, 3:5 because you have taken My silver and My gold, and have carried My good treasures into your temples.
Many nations have plundered Israel and God has not forgotten or forgiven them.
3:6 You have also sold the sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem to the sons of the Greeks, that you might remove them far from their border.
3:7 Behold, I am raising them out of the place where you have sold them, and will turn your reward on your own head.
3:8 And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the sons of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off; for Jehovah has spoken it.
Your sins will find you out and God may pour out your sins back on your heads.
3:9 Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up.
3:10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, I am strong. 3
:11 Gather yourselves and come, all you nations, and gather yourselves together all around; cause Your mighty ones to come down there, O Jehovah.
3:12 Let the nations be awakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the nations all around. 3:13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, come down; for the press is full; the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.
3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision; for the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of decision!
The battle lines are being drawn, the challenge has been sent out, the war will soon be swiftly and completely over. Just in case you have any concerns or fears, the battle will or has been over before it began.
3:15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall gather in their light.
This is a consistent theme and sign of His coming.
3:16 Jehovah shall also roar out of Zion and utter His voice from Jerusalem. And the heavens and the earth shall shake. But Jehovah will be the hope of His people and the strength of the sons of Israel.
There is only one true God. He alone is sovereign. He cannot be thwarted. He cannot be overcome.