Words of WarningProphecy from Joel

Adapted from a Jerry Watts sermonhttp://www.sermoncentral.com/print_friendly.asp?ContributorID=&SermonID=145707

The Final Chapter Joel 3:1-21

Joel 3:1 NIV “In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all nations

and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into

judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they

scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land. 3 They cast lots

for my people and traded boys for prostitutes; they sold girls for wine that

they might drink.

4 “Now what have you against me, O Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia? Are you repaying me for something I have

done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done. 5 For you

took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.

6 You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, that you might

send them far from their homeland. 7 “See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them, and I will return on your own heads what you have

done. 8 I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far away.”

The LORD has spoken. 9 Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war!

Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack. 10 Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, “I

am strong!” 11 Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble

there.

Bring down your warriors, O LORD!

12 “Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations

on every side. 13 Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes,

for the winepress is full and the vats overflow—so great is their wickedness!”

14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. 16 The LORD will roar from

Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a

stronghold for the people of Israel.

17 “Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill.

Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her.

18 “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all

the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the LORD'S house

and will water the valley of acacias.

19 But Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert waste, because of violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood. 20 Judah will be

inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. 21 Their bloodguilt, which

I have not pardoned, I will pardon.” The LORD dwells in Zion!

Many movies, albums, & books have carried the title- “THE FINAL CHAPTER”

These words indicate the conclusion, closing, ending, finishing, finality, it’s over! Our reading time is short when we get to the final chapter. The complete story has been told. If there is any kind of ‘mystery’ it will be revealed. Final chapters carry a

sense of mixed emotions.

THE FINAL CHAPTER

Having made our way through the Prophecy of Joel, we not only complete the book but we also catch a glimpse of

end-time judgment. One of the truths about God’s word seems to be that the

teaching on the end of days should serve not only as a ‘warning’ but also an

‘encouragement’ to the people of God. It is easy to get the sense that the forces of

evil have the upper hand on earth.

While this is not particularly true, it is easy to be lulled into thinking this. The story of the end time events serve to remind us

that a great day is coming when evil (I.E. sin, selfishness, self-economy,

persecution of the saints & more) will be dealt with by Jehovah God so it serves as

both an encouragement for the child of God who walks with and lives for God and

it serves as a warning for those who do not walk with God.

In this text, I see a ‘reiteration’ of other parts of the book of Joel. This “Final Chapter” gives insight into the “Final

Chapter” of humanity, it divides very easily into 2 thoughts;

Look at these four words and allow them to burn into your mind. People usually don’t care to hear about this subject

because it can warp our sense of “a loving God.” Yet, like it or not and ready or not, God’s judgment is a truth from which we

cannot escape.

1. The Judgment of God

In verse 2 we read, “The Valley of Jehoshaphat” and some will wonder about the location of this valley. Well, some say it is between Jerusalem and the Mount of

Olives while others parallel this to Zechariah 14:1-4 when Jesus comes in

revelation He will split the Mount of Olives in two creating a valley between two hills

and this will formThe Valley of Jehoshaphat.

I think the geographic location is not nearly as important as what this means and what it is. The word Jehoshaphat

means, “The Lord Judges.” In verse 14 this is referred to as the “Valley of Decision.” I think this reference is strategically placed because God

foreknew that the time would come when people would not believe, that in His love,

He would judge.

1 “In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and

Jerusalem, 2a I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of

Jehoshaphat. In verse 1, the words ‘in those days and at that time’ conveys that He is talking about

a specific event in historical time.

His Actions

The picture almost resembles a court room where some are restored while others are gathered (brought in) and

judgment begins. At that time (the end time, Judgment day), God’s people (Judah

& Jerusalem) will be restored. This is an important encouragement for

God people but let’s save this thought for last.

Then God will gather all nations. This will be a ‘cattle-call’ (no disrespect intended)

of all the nations who have used and abused His people. It is a gathering of

those who have chosen to oppose God, His righteousness, and His people. The

reason He gathers them is for the purpose of making them answer for their actions! In

the valley of judgment or decision, they will face HIM.

2b There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my

people among the nations and divided up my land. 3 They cast lots for my people

and traded boys for prostitutes; they sold girls for wine that they might drink.

His Accusations

4 “Now what have you against me, O Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia? Are you repaying me for something I have

done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done. 5 For you

took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.

6 You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, that you might

send them far from their homeland.The accusations or indictments of the

unbelievers are many and scary.

Starting at the end of verse 2 through verse 6 we discover these; abuse of God’s people, stealing of God’s land and temple treasures, slave trade, & child trafficking.

In God’s accusations I find something that is pretty interesting; it seems that God

knows these people are trying to get back at HIM or ‘show Him a thing or two.’ How

amazingly arrogant!

Yet, this is becoming the norm instead of the exception in the 21st century. There is a strong delusion among today’s culture

that we can ‘stand up’ to God and I believe it is spoken to in this section of scripture. By the way, it carries devastating effects. To fall under an indictment as dictated by

deity is to be found guilty.

Do you see how God’s responds to the arrogant words of His enemies?

7 “See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them, and I will return on your own heads what you have done. 8 I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, a

nation far away.”

His Approach

The LORD has spoken. 9 Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war!

Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack. 10 Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, “I

am strong!” 11 Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble

there.

Bring down your warriors, O LORD!

12 “Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations

on every side. 13 Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes,

for the winepress is full and the vats overflow—so great is their wickedness!”

14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no

longer shine.He offers a warning about what lies

ahead. He uses the words which mean ‘to deal with’ or ‘to give retribution or

recompense.’ Basically, God’s words are like, “You want to try me? Go for it?”

Then God paints a picture of what will happen. He’ll treat these people exactly

the way that they have treated HIS people. And He doesn’t stop there; He

challenges His enemies to declare war on Him, gather the people, make weapons to

do battle, and meet Him in the valley of decision. Make no mistake, at this point, God has had enough and judgment is at

hand.

16 The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the

sky will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the

people of Israel.

His Adjudication

Here is the 3:16 verse we’ve been working towards & what a verse it is! The first part of the verse “The Terrible Day of The Lord” is here! But not for “His people” because The LORD will be a refuge, a stronghold

for his people. This one verse shows us both sides of the

valley. The TERRIBLE & The TERRIFIC.

One meaning for adjudication is the concept of ‘settlement.’

This is exactly what we see in verse 16; God’s settlement on His enemies. He has

them on the battlefield in the Valley of decision, He raises His trumpet-like voice to shake heaven & earth, and He protects His own people. In the process, the divine sickle will be swing to cut off the arrogant, evil, and self-centered! It’ll not be pretty.

(for His People)As we end verse 16, we see a different action from on high. While God gathers

His enemies, passes judgment on them in the valley of decision, and swings the

sickle of judgment; He then demonstrates His passion for those who are His people.

Look at His actions;

2. The Justice from God

He is both a refuge and stronghold for His people. Simply put, a ‘refuge’ is a place for refugees. In the USA we are very familiar

with the concept of refugees as they come here from all over the world. They come here for sanctuary, protection, and even shelter. One translation calls this a “safe

hiding place.”

Protection

When the Lord both roars and raises His voice in Judgment, those who are His

(who have received His salvation, walked in His righteousness, persevered thru the

difficult time, etc) will find God to be a ‘safe hiding place.’ He is and will be our

wall of protection. He is a stronghold. This is a place where

we can be secure and defended.

17 “Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill.

Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her.

In that day God’s people will KNOW what it is like to be in the presence of Almighty

God.

Presence

When I read verse 17 my mind immediately goes to Revelations when

John wrote, And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: "Look! The residence of God is

among human beings. He will live among them, and they will be his people, and

God himself will be with them. Revelation 21:3 NET

“God’s dwelling place is with men.” Everything God has done is pointed to this one truth, “He wants to be with His crown creation!” This is why He created man &

woman to begin with, that He could spend time with them and have fellowship

together. In the Old Testament we see clues in the lives of Abraham, Jacob,

Enoch, and others that God wants to dwell with us.

Then Jesus, God incarnate, came to offer us the presence of God in the first person. When Jesus ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father, God the Holy Spirit

has come to be with us. Yet one day the redeemed will spend eternity with the

“Triune God” (Father, Son, & Holy Spirit)—He will dwell with us, we will be with Him, and He will be our God, not in abstract but

in presence.

18 “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all

the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the LORD'S house and will water the valley of acacias. 19 But

Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert waste, because of violence done to the

people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood.

Provision

Verses 18 and 19 give us a contrast between those without the Father’s

salvation and those with it. Egypt and Edom, symbols of a land or a life without

God will be desolate and a wasteland. We can picture the land without the obvious

blessings of God.

The picture that comes to mind is a ‘desert,’ where there is little green

vegetation or growth. A life can be viewed this way. Absent the protection and

presence of God in a life, there is nothing of any consequence growing. Temporal things may take center stage, but of the

eternal there is little seen without Christ in the life.

But look at what happens in verse 18 when God is present; the mountains drip, the hills flow, and A fountain will flow out of the LORD'S house. The picture is a

spring bursting forth from the Lord’s house and household.

Compare this to the glimpse John was given into Heaven.

Revelation 22:1 NET Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life —

water as clear as crystal — pouring out from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 flowing down the middle of the city's main street. On each side of the river is the tree

of life producing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month of the year.

Its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

Verses 20-21 gives great promises to God’s people.

20 Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. 21

Their bloodguilt, which I have not pardoned, I will pardon.”

The LORD dwells in Zion!

Promise

When God says, “I will”, you can trust Him! He is as good as His word. Judah &

Jerusalem can be seen symbolically; historically, prophetically, and/or

personally. Historically it speaks to the nation that sinned & was carried into

bondage.

Prophetically we remember that one day the NEW Jerusalem will come down from

the Father. Personally we can be encouraged

because God’s people, His redeemed, will be pardoned and will reside for all eternity

in the land of Zion! Guess who lives in Zion?The LORD dwells in Zion!

What an encouraging promise~!

When you read the ‘final chapter’ of any book or see the final seen from any movie,

all the suspense is removed.Have you ever read a book or watched a movie that was so good you didn’t want it

to end? God has given us the ending, we have been given the final chapter, and all we

have to do is to be ready.

What does the Lord require? Micah 6:8 NIV He has showed you, O man, what is

good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and

to walk humbly with your God. These characteristics do not come naturally or easily to us because of our sinful nature. This world will pull at us until we ‘miss the

mark’ which is called sin. Yet, God is a ‘very present help in times of trouble.’ He stands ready to make you ready for the

final chapter.

A little boy went with his father for his first fishing trip on a lake. Fear gripped his little

heart, and he held on so tight his little knuckles were white. "Is the water over my

head?" he asked. "Yes, son," said the father. "Is it over your head?" The boy

asked as the land grew farther and farther away.

"Yes, son, I'm afraid it is," replied the father. Tears rolled down the boy's cheeks,

and then he asked, "Is the water over God's head?" The father grew very

sympathetic and told him that it was not over God's head!

Our troubles may seem to be above our heads, but God is able to help. Will you be

ready?