Circumstances
of the last days detailed: the judgment of the nations
In Joel 3 the Spirit
develops, with more detail, the circumstances of the last
days—those days, in which God would bring back the
captives of Judah and Jerusalem. This epoch precedes the
time of peace and blessing, in which the curse shall be
entirely taken away. It is the judgment of the nations, a
judgment necessary for the vindication of the rights of
God, with respect to His oppressed people, and for the
manifestation, in the sight of the nations, of that which
He is in His government of the earth. The ten tribes are
not here in question, nor the general restoration of
Israel. Before the full blessing of His people, God must
resume His immediate government of them, in the same
place where He had given it up, again taking possession
of the seat of that government—a seat which He had
chosen Himself. There will He plead in His power with all
the nations that dispute His rights, manifesting Himself
in the midst of His people, and acting as dwelling with
them, maintaining their rights as belonging to Himself.
Israel is His inheritance. The word
"Jehoshaphat" means "the judgment, or the
sceptre, of Jehovah or Jah." There, in judgment, He
pleads with the nations for His people, whom they had
scattered; and for His land, which they had parted.
He recounts all the
grievances of His people, as done to Himself. By their
means the same evils should be recompensed in judgment
upon the nations that inflicted them.
The nations are called
upon to prepare for war, they are all to assemble, they
are to wake up, quitting their peaceful occupations, and
come to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There Jehovah will sit
to judge all the heathen round about.
And if the Gentiles are to
awaken all their mighty men for the day of God, God on
His part will cause His mighty ones to come down (v. 11).
The execution of
God's judgment on the earth
But, however great the
pride of the men of war, it was, after all, the judgment
of God—the sickle of God reaping the earth. His
press should be full, His vats should overflow; for the
iniquity was great. In the Apocalypse the harvest is
distinguished from the vintage, the first being the
judgment that separates the good from the wicked and vice
versa; the second, the execution of vengeance. Here it
appears to me that the two together present the general
idea of the execution of the judgment, although the
symbol of the winepress is the more forcible. What
multitudes in that day should learn the consequences of
their contempt of the word of grace, and of the pride
that raised them up in rebellion against Jehovah of
hosts! All governmental order, its grandeur and its
power, should disappear before the judgment of God.
Jehovah Himself
resuming the reigns of government on earth from Jerusalem
But Jehovah Himself should
resume the reins of government on earth, and cause His
voice to be heard from Jerusalem. The heavens and earth
should tremble at His intervention. But if this
intervention was the judgment of the rebellious, He who
intervened, Jehovah, would be the hope of His
people—Himself the strength of the children of
Israel. And thus should they know Him to be Jehovah their
God; dwelling in Zion, His holy mountain. Jerusalem
should be holy, strangers should no more pass through it,
profaning it as their prey. Nor this alone; but there
should be abundant blessing on the land of His people;
wine should flow down from their mountains, and milk from
their hills. The rivers of Judah should flow with waters,
and a fountain should come forth of the house of Jehovah,
and water the valley of Shittim (compare Ezek. 47 and
Zech. 14:8). Egypt and Edom should be made desolate; but
Judah and Jerusalem should dwell in everlasting blessing,
for Jehovah should have cleansed them. We perceive that
it is effectual and sovereign grace.
Joel's prophecy
confined to Judah, Jerusalem and Judea
It will be remarked also,
that this prophecy does not go beyond the blessing of
Judah and Jerusalem; that the scene of the judgment of
the nations refers to the judgment accomplished in the
land of Judea, where their armies will be
assembled—accomplished to put Jehovah in possession
of His throne upon earth; or rather, He takes possession
of His throne by the execution of this judgment, and
afterwards He bestows blessing on the people whom, in
grace, He has cleansed. One devastating army is
especially pointed out—that which comes from the
north. It appears also that the desolation of the land,
before the intervention of Jehovah, will be very great,
so that the people will be a reproach among the nations;
but woe unto those who should despise the people of God!
If this army announces the day of Jehovah, Jehovah
Himself will interpose, that it may be in truth His own;
and, in interposing, He delivers the people whom He
loves.
Joel 3 Bible Commentary
John Darby’s Synopsis
In Joel 3 the Spirit develops, with more detail, the circumstances of the last days—those days, in which God would bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem. This epoch precedes the time of peace and blessing, in which the curse shall be entirely taken away. It is the judgment of the nations, a judgment necessary for the vindication of the rights of God, with respect to His oppressed people, and for the manifestation, in the sight of the nations, of that which He is in His government of the earth. The ten tribes are not here in question, nor the general restoration of Israel. Before the full blessing of His people, God must resume His immediate government of them, in the same place where He had given it up, again taking possession of the seat of that government—a seat which He had chosen Himself. There will He plead in His power with all the nations that dispute His rights, manifesting Himself in the midst of His people, and acting as dwelling with them, maintaining their rights as belonging to Himself. Israel is His inheritance. The word "Jehoshaphat" means "the judgment, or the sceptre, of Jehovah or Jah." There, in judgment, He pleads with the nations for His people, whom they had scattered; and for His land, which they had parted.
He recounts all the grievances of His people, as done to Himself. By their means the same evils should be recompensed in judgment upon the nations that inflicted them.
The nations are called upon to prepare for war, they are all to assemble, they are to wake up, quitting their peaceful occupations, and come to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There Jehovah will sit to judge all the heathen round about.
And if the Gentiles are to awaken all their mighty men for the day of God, God on His part will cause His mighty ones to come down (v. 11).
The execution of God's judgment on the earth
But, however great the pride of the men of war, it was, after all, the judgment of God—the sickle of God reaping the earth. His press should be full, His vats should overflow; for the iniquity was great. In the Apocalypse the harvest is distinguished from the vintage, the first being the judgment that separates the good from the wicked and vice versa; the second, the execution of vengeance. Here it appears to me that the two together present the general idea of the execution of the judgment, although the symbol of the winepress is the more forcible. What multitudes in that day should learn the consequences of their contempt of the word of grace, and of the pride that raised them up in rebellion against Jehovah of hosts! All governmental order, its grandeur and its power, should disappear before the judgment of God.
Jehovah Himself resuming the reigns of government on earth from Jerusalem
But Jehovah Himself should resume the reins of government on earth, and cause His voice to be heard from Jerusalem. The heavens and earth should tremble at His intervention. But if this intervention was the judgment of the rebellious, He who intervened, Jehovah, would be the hope of His people—Himself the strength of the children of Israel. And thus should they know Him to be Jehovah their God; dwelling in Zion, His holy mountain. Jerusalem should be holy, strangers should no more pass through it, profaning it as their prey. Nor this alone; but there should be abundant blessing on the land of His people; wine should flow down from their mountains, and milk from their hills. The rivers of Judah should flow with waters, and a fountain should come forth of the house of Jehovah, and water the valley of Shittim (compare Ezek. 47 and Zech. 14:8). Egypt and Edom should be made desolate; but Judah and Jerusalem should dwell in everlasting blessing, for Jehovah should have cleansed them. We perceive that it is effectual and sovereign grace.
Joel's prophecy confined to Judah, Jerusalem and Judea
It will be remarked also, that this prophecy does not go beyond the blessing of Judah and Jerusalem; that the scene of the judgment of the nations refers to the judgment accomplished in the land of Judea, where their armies will be assembled—accomplished to put Jehovah in possession of His throne upon earth; or rather, He takes possession of His throne by the execution of this judgment, and afterwards He bestows blessing on the people whom, in grace, He has cleansed. One devastating army is especially pointed out—that which comes from the north. It appears also that the desolation of the land, before the intervention of Jehovah, will be very great, so that the people will be a reproach among the nations; but woe unto those who should despise the people of God! If this army announces the day of Jehovah, Jehovah Himself will interpose, that it may be in truth His own; and, in interposing, He delivers the people whom He loves.