Lesson9-JoelChapter4continued
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THEBOOKOFJOEL
Lesson9,Chapter4Continued
WeendedourpreviouslessondiscussingthematterofJoel4:4,whereTyreand
SidonareplacesGodwasgoingtopouroutHiswrathupon,andhowthatthey
werepartofPhoenicia,whichismoderndayLebanon.Sometimesthebiblical
namesofplacescanbeconfusingsoithelpstountangleitbitsothatwecan
betterpictureinourmindswhereitwasthenandwhatitisnow.Eventhegreat
GreekauthorHomercalledthePhoenicians“Sidonians”(becauseSidonwasthe
mostimportantcityinPhoenicia),soregionsandnationstypicallywerereferred
tobyvariousnamesevenduringthesameera.
ModerndayGaza,whichissomuchinthenewsinourtime,wasinBibletimes
butoneofthe5maincity-statesthattogetherformedPhilistia.Thisisthe
PhilistiathatisspokenofinJoel4:4.ItisfascinatingtomethatGazahas
retainedthatsamename,forthesameplace,foratleast3,000years,andI
don’tthinkweshouldoverlookthespiritual,ifnotgeopolitical,significancethat
allthroughoutancienttimesPhilistiawasanenemyofIsrael,andithas
reemergedasIsrael’senemytoday.Thisisnotahistoricalaccident;Godhas
intendedittobeso,Ithinkinorderthatthosewitheyesandearscanseethat
historicalrelationshipofenmitybetweenthetwopeoplesthatwillnotend.The
PalestiniansofGazaarethemodern-dayPhilistines.Infact,Palestineisbutthe
GreekwordfortheHebrewP’lishtim,whichwhentranslatedtoEnglishis
Philistine…eventhough(clearly)themodernworldisoblivioustothisamazing
factasistheChristianChurchingeneral.
Let’sre-readJoelchapter4beginningwithverse5.
RE-READJOELCHAPTER4:5–end
Inverse5,Yehovehisspecificallyaccusingandcalling-outPhoenicia(whichis
herecalledTyreandSidon)andPhilistia(ofwhichGazawastheirmaincity),of
takinggoldandsilverfromJudahandJerusalemandusingitintheirtemplesto
theirgods.AtalltimeswemustkeepinmindthatwhileonearththeHolyLand
(Israel)mightseemtobebutanotherpoliticalnationwithatypicalhuman
government,toGodthisisnotthecase.Yehoveh,whilegivingoverpossession
Lesson9-JoelChapter4continued
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oftherestoftheearthtomanydifferentpeopleandnations,hascarvedouta
placethatHecallsHisownparticularpropertytobeusedonlybyHisown
particularandset-apartpeople.And,evenHisownpeoplearenottothinkof
theiroccupationofthislandintermsofthemowningit.Rather,theyaretosee
themselvesasbutprivilegedlandtenantslivingonpropertythatGodownsand
ismostjealoustokeep.Thus,whateverpossessionofHispeople,theirproduce
ormineralsoranynaturalresourcethatarewronglytakenfromHisproperty,is
anoffensedirectlytowardsHimthatwill,inatimeandmannerofHischoosing,
beseverelypunished.ThisiswhatbothancientandmodernPhoenicia
(Lebanon)andPhilistia(Gaza)aretoexpect.Andwhenwesee,today,whatis
happeningbetweenthoseplacesandIsrael,itis(forme)astoundingtorealize
howpropheticitis…andsowhatwearereadingaboutinJoelaboutishappening
rightbeforeoureyes!Whatdoesthistellus?WeareintheEndTimesandwe
needtoearnestlyprepareforcatastropheaftercatastrophe;wewillnotgo
unscathedeventhoughmostAmericansareblindlyconfidentthatweare
sufficientlyinsulatedastoavoidseveredamage.
Verse6speaksofPhoeniciaandPhilistia(Gaza)kidnappingresidentsofJudah
(Israel),andthensellingthemtoGreeknations.Inreality,theHebrewword
usedisJavan,notGreeceorGreek,andsowemustunderstandthisterminthe
wayJoelandhishearersandreaderswouldhaveunderstooditinthe8
th
century
B.C.Likeweseeoftenhavetodo,wipecleanyourbrain’smemorybanksabout
whatyou’vebeentaughtfromabiblicalstandpointaboutGreeceandGreeks.
JavanisthenameofoneofJapheth’s7sons(JaphethwasasonofNoah),and
heislistedintheso-calledTableofNationsinGenesischapter10.Assuch,Javan
wastheforefatheroftheProphetElisha,andofTarshish,thepeoplecalledthe
Hittites,andalsotheDodanimalsoknownin1ChroniclesastheRodanim(these
aretheexactsamepeople,itisjustthatthereissomeconfusionintheHebrew
Bibleaboutthespellingoftheirnamebecausethelettersreyshanddalitlookso
muchalikethattheyareregularlyaccidentlymis-copiedwhentheScriptures
werehandcopiedinancienttimes).TheDodanim(ortheRodanim)occupied
thatareathatlaterwascalledMacedoniaandGreece.InJoel’stimetheterm
JavanwasusedmuchthesamewayasthetermTarshishcametobeusedin
laterBibletimes.Thatis,itwasusedthesamewaythatWesternersmightsay
thatsomethingisasfarawayasTimbuktu.Timbuktu,whileontheonehandis
Lesson9-JoelChapter4continued
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anactualplaceinAfrica,itis(ontheotherhand)usedmostlyasanexpression
toindicatesomeplace…anyplaceingeneral…thatisvery,veryfaraway.Thus,
whenJoelusedthetermJavan,itsimplymeantaverydistantplace…notatall
thatitwasGreeceorwheretherewereGreekspeakers.SomemodernBible
scholarsusethisverseasevidencethatJoelwaswrittennoearlierthanthe4
th
centuryB.C.,aftertherecametobethenationofGreeceandtheGreeklanguage
becameprolific,andprobablyafterAlexandartheGreatconqueredsomuchof
theMiddleEast.Iassureyouthisisnotthecase.Tobeclear:JavandidNOT
meaneitherGreekspeakingplacesorGreeceitself;itwasbutanexpressionof
peoplewholivedfaraway.AndsincethePhilistinesandthePhoenicianswere
sea-faringpeopleswholivedontheMediterraneancoast,theywerebiginthe
slavetradebusinessthatsentandsoldcapturedpeople(includingJudeansand
thosewholivedinJerusalem)tootherculturesofthedistantnationsofthe
knownworld.
Whileslaveryandtheslavetradeweresimplyanormalpartofvariouscountries’
economiesofthattime,GodwastotallyagainstitandlabeleditinTheLawasa
greatsin.ItwasespeciallyanoffenseagainstHimwhenitwasHispeoplethat
werecapturedandusedasslaves.Imustpauseforamomentandspeakofwhat
ishappeninginIsraelasIpenthislesson…Octoberof2023.Israelhasbeen
brazenlyattacked(yetagain)byGaza(Philistia),andatrocitieswerecommitted
againstthemthatgobeyondbarbarianandareinfactmonstrousandinhuman.
Over1300Israeliciviliansweremurderedincoldblood.Morethan200Israelis
havebeenkidnappedandtakentoGaza.Oldandyoungmen,womenand
children,evenbabiesandgrandmothersinwheelchairsweretaken.Theyare
beingheldtobesoldtoransomortobeusedashumanshieldsagainstareprisal
byIsrael.Whilewecannotlabelthesecapturedvictimsasslaves,itamountsto
exactlythesamething…kidnapping.HereiswhatGod’sLawsaysistohappento
kidnappers:
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Exodus21:16"Whoeverkidnapssomeonemustbeputtodeath,regardless
ofwhetherhehasalreadysoldhimorthepersonisfoundstillinhispossession.
God,throughIsrael,is(asIwrite)inprocessofcarryingoutactionsagainstGaza
thatnodoubtwillhavethisresult.So,asBelieversandworshippersoftheGodof
Israel,weoughtnotbesurprisednorshouldwebeagainstwhatIsraelisdoing;
Lesson9-JoelChapter4continued
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thecurseofTheLawuponthosewhokidnapisbeingexactedandisjustinGod’s
eyes.AlthoughIsraelismostlysecular,ithasalwaysbeensothatpeopleat
timesunknowinglycarryoutwhattheybelieveistheirownwill,butitactuallyis
God’swill.Thatiswhatishappeningrightnow.
TheideaofPhoeniciaandPhilistiaremovingpeopleofJudahandJerusalemand
sellingthemtopeoplefarfromtheirland(asverse6explains)istokeepthem
fromaccessingtheirGod,Yehoveh.Infarawaylandsitwasbelievedthese
IsraeliteswouldhavenomeanstoaccessYehoveh,norcouldtheysacrificeand
atonefortheirsins,oreverbeinarituallycleanstate.Thus,thethoughtisless
ofexileasacorporatenationandmoreonindividualsbeingkidnappedandsent
away.Nonetheless,theblossomingconcepthereisofthePhilistinesandthe
PhoenicianssufferingthesameastheydidtoIsrael;beingforcedoutofwhat
theyconsidertheirhomelandnevertoreturnagain.Wecanprobablyexpect
suchathingtohappentothemodern-dayPhilistines,theGazans,inthislatest
conflictbetweenIsraelandGazafortheirkidnappingofIsraelis.InDeuteronomy
wereadthis:
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Deuteronomy30:2-3
2
andyou(Israel)willreturntoADONAIyourGodand
payattentiontowhathehassaid,whichwillbeexactlywhatIamorderingyou
todotoday-youandyourchildren,withallyourheartandallyourbeing.
3
At
thatpoint,ADONAIyourGodwillreverseyourexileandshowyoumercy;hewill
returnandgatheryoufromallthepeoplestowhichADONAIyourGodscattered
you.
However,asMoseswillsayacoupleofverseslater,theoppositewillhappento
thoseenemiesthatkidnapindividualsand/orhaulofftheIsraelitesenmasseto
foreignnations.
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Deuteronomy30:7-8
7
ADONAIyourGodwillputallthesecursesonyour
enemies,onthosewhohatedandpersecutedyou;
8
butyouwillreturnandpay
attentiontowhatADONAIsaysandobeyallhismitzvotwhichIamgivingyou
today.
Thatis,justaswereadinJoel,Israel’sandthenations’fatesshallbethe
oppositeofeachother.ThusJoel4:7–8says:
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Joel4:7-8
7
Iwillrousethemfromtheplacewhereyousoldthemandpay
youbackrightonyourownhead-
8
Iwillsellyoursonsanddaughterstothe
peopleofY'hudah;andtheywillsellthemtothemenofSh'va,anationfaroff;
forADONAIhasspoken.
ShevatodaycouldbestbedescribedasSaudiArabia.So,itmaywellbethat
manymembersoftheGazacommunitycouldseethemselveswindingupas
refugeesinSaudiArabia,orsomeotherArabspeakingnations.
Verse9begins:"Proclaimthisamongthenations:'Prepareforwar!Rousethe
warriors!Letallthefightingmenapproachandattack.'
Thiswarbeingspokenofisnotaregularwar;ratheritisaGod-drivenHolyWar.
Therefore,thegameisrigged;God(andthereforeIsrael)can’tlose.Thenations
aredoomed.Thiscallforwariswritteninapoeticfashion.WhenGodsaysto
“proclaim”thiscalltowaramongthenations,itmeansforthoseofeachnation
whoarethespokesmenandleaderstohaveathoughtsupernaturallyconveyed
tothem,whichtheyannouncetotheirpeople,tocomeagainstIsrael.Therewill
besomekindofasignthattheLordwillinitiatetocausethenationsto,inconcert,
assembletoattackGod’speople.So,togetthebestideaofwhatthismeansitis
NOTGoddeclaringwarperse,butratherHeissayingtoprepareforwar;thatis,
everynation’smessengers…theirheroesandrespectedmilitarycommanders
and(inourday)newsandsocialmedia…istoawakenandarousethepeopleof
everynationtoafuryandpassionthattheydemandwaragainstIsrael.Yet,this
isbutGoddrawingthesenationsunwittinglyintoadeathtrapduetotheirhatred
forHispeople,Israel.Thisverseharkensbackanddirectlyconnectstoverse2:
IwillgatherallnationsandbringthemdowntotheValleyofY'hoshafat[ADONAI
judges].Iwillenterintojudgmentthereformypeople,myheritageIsra'el,
whomtheyscatteredamongthenations;thentheydividedmyland.
Thenationsthinkthiswillbethefinal,decisivebattlefortheheartandsoulofthe
worldthatdependsuponeradiatingthetrouble-makerIsrael,whichwill
automaticallyincludeeradicatingthe2greatfaithsithasspawned:Judaismand
followersofYeshuaasLordandSavior.But,inreality…becauseitisa
God-ordainedHolyWar…itwillnotbetheendofIsrael,ratheritwillbetheend
ofthegentilenationsandtheirconstantdrumbeatofoppressionagainst,and
Lesson9-JoelChapter4continued
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nowadeterminationtoannihilate,Israel,theJewishpeople,and(Iamnow
certainitwillinclude)allpeopleoffaithinJesus.Weseetodaythatthenations,
inwholesalemanner,arequicklymarchingtowardssuchamindsetand
outcome.
TheseversesinJoelpointdirectlytoaprophecythatwouldbewrittensome
yearslaterinEzekiel.AsBiblestudentsweneedtobeparticularlyfamiliarwith
thisconnection;andasBelieversinYeshua,livinginatimethatIbelievethese
eventswillhappeninourlifetimes(perhapsourchildren’slifetimes)itiscritical
thatweknowthesepropheciessothatwecanrecognizewhatishappeningwhen
itfinallyhappens,butalsototeachotherswhosimplydon’tknoworunderstand.
Therefore,I’mgoingtopauseforseveralminutesaswe,together,readEzekiel
chapters38and39thatfleshesoutwhatGodistellingusthroughJoel.So,open
yourBiblesandfollowalongwithme.
READEZEKIELCHAPTERS38AND39
ThisbattlewithGodandMagogisexactlywhatJoelisspeakingabout:the
judgmentofthenationsbymeansofGoddrawingthemintowaranddestroying
them.Obviouslytherewillbethoseleftalivefromeachnation,butIbelieve
otherBibleauthorsexplainthatthosewhoareleftalivefromeachnationwill
onlybeBelievers.Now;letmebeclear.WhateveryouthinktheRapturetobe
(and,forme,itisnotatallclearexactlywhatthisisorwhatitisgoingtolook
like),itwillNOThaveoccurredyet…thebattleofEzekiel38and39willoccur
withBelieversstillhereonearthtosufferrightalongwitheveryoneelse.This
meansthatwemustpreparetoexperiencesufferingsandshortagesanddamage
rightalongwithourneighborswhoarenotBelievers.WhatisdescribedinEzekiel
andJoelinthisregardisanational,corporatejudgmentandnotajudgmentof
individuals.TrustinYeshuaissalvationforindividuals,andnotfornations.
Whatevernationweresideinwillbedecimated,andwewillallexperienceit.So,
asIhaveprescribedinotherlessonsontheMinorProphets…PREPARE!Prepare
yoursoulsandspiritsthroughbiblicalknowledgeandatrustingrelationshipwith
God.But,alsobepracticalandprepareyourpantriesandhouseholds.Buy
preparationsuppliesandlearnhowtousethem…NOW!Thisissomethingyou
allcandoandshoulddotoberesponsible,towhateverlevelyouthinkbestand
areable.Irealizethatmostofusdon’treallyhavemuchknowledgeofhowto
Lesson9-JoelChapter4continued
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properlyprepareorwhattoobtain.Forinstance,Iwouldn’trecommendbuying
anentirepalletoflong-termfreeze-driedfoodsforyourfamilythatcould,
theoretically,lastyouayearormore.That’sprobablyabitofoverkilland
impractical.Rather,areasonableamountiswarrantedandneeded,anditwon’t
breakthebanktoobtainitortostoreit.Mostpeopleneedhelptomakewiseand
informeddecisionsaboutthismatter,andsoasimportantasthisisI’mgoingto
taketheunusualstepofrecommendingaplaceonlinetogotolearnandthento
obtaintheneededpreparationsuppliesinalevel-headedtypeandamount,
becauseIamconfidentintheirintegrity.Gotowww.practicalprepco.comand
thereyou’llgettheinfoandproductsyouneedtoprotectyouandyourfamily,
butalsoitwillhelpyoutoavoidoverdoingitorbuyingthewrongthingsor
gettingscammed.Preparingisaprocess,notasuddenlargepurchase.I’msure
thatthedayCovidstruckmanypeoplewishtheywouldhavedonesomeamount
ofgeneralpreparednessbeforehand.Inourday,theseearth-shatteringevents
happenquickly,withlittlewarning,andrealitiescanchangeliterallyovernight.
But,forBelievers,weHAVEbeenwarned.WehavenoexcuseNOTtoprepare,so
weneedtotakeheedandact,andnotputitoff.
IfanyoneknowstheBiblewell,verse10isforthemsomewhatironic.Here,the
nations(Israel’senemies)aretoldtobeattheirplough-bladesintoswordsand
theirpruning-hooksintospears.Thatis,themetalobjectsusedforpeacefulfood
productionmustnowbemelteddownandre-formedintoweaponsofwar.No
doubtthisisatleastpartiallymeantasanexpressionofanationmovingfrom
peacetimetoawarfooting.Isayironic,becausewereadthefollowinginIsaiah:
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Isaiah2:1-4ThisisthewordthatYesha'yahuthesonofAmotzsaw
concerningY'hudahandYerushalayim:
2
Intheacharit-hayamimthemountain
ofADONAI'shousewillbeestablishedasthemostimportantmountain.Itwillbe
regardedmorehighlythantheotherhills,andalltheGoyimwillstreamthere.
3
Manypeopleswillgoandsay,"Come,let'sgouptothemountainofADONAI,to
thehouseoftheGodofYa'akov!Hewillteachusabouthisways,andwewillwalk
inhispaths."ForoutofTziyonwillgoforthTorah,thewordofADONAIfrom
Yerushalayim.
4
Hewilljudgebetweenthenationsandarbitrateformany
peoples.Thentheywillhammertheirswordsintoplow-bladesandtheirspears
intopruning-knives;nationswillnotraiseswordsateachother,andtheywillno
longerlearnwar.
Lesson9-JoelChapter4continued
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JustasEzekielwasdirectlyconnectedtoJoel,soisIsaiah2.Noticehowthis
addressesJudahandJerusalem,justaswe’rereadinginJoel.Theironyisthat
afterJoeltellsthenationstobeattheirfarminstrumentsintoweaponsofwar,
nowIsaiahsaysthatthenationswillbeattheirweaponsofwarbackinto
implementsoffarmingandagriculturebecausetherewillbenomoreconflicts
andwars.NomorewaragainstIsraelandnomoreofnationagainstnation.A
newagehasdawned.GodhasdrawnthenationsintotheValleyofJehoshaphat,
thewarhashappened,thenationshavebeenjudgedanddefeated,andallthat
isleftareBelievesinYehoveh,andImustassumethatalsomeansthesesame
peopleareBelieversinMessiahYeshua.Thus,becauseofthat,gentilesfromall
thenationswillsay“Let’sgotoIsrael…totheholymountaininJerusalemand
worship”.Andwe’retoldthatoutofTzion(whichisawordreservedfora
redeemedJerusalem),willgoforth….what?Torah.MostEnglishBibleshaveit
thatIsaiah2:3says“thelawwillgoforth”.Thisisabadtranslation.Theactual,
originalHebrewwordisTorah.Nowremember:thisisdepictingatimelongafter
Christ’sfirstadventandperhapsduringthisgreatwarYeshuahasreturned.The
BattleofArmageddonisover.Warisover,thenationsareatrest,andthe
ProphetIsaiahsaysthatknowledgeoftheTorahwillgoforthfromJerusalemto
thenationsthatnow(inmyestimation)consistonlyofBelievers.HebrewRoots
andMessianicfolks,it’skindofnicetohaveaheadstartonthis,isn’tit?HowI
praythatourbrothersandsistersintheLord…thosewhocallthemselves
ChristiansandgotomanydifferentdenominationalChurches…wouldfinallysee
thattheTorahisforthem,too,andrealizethisfactBEFOREallthesehorrific
eventstakeplace.
Thefinalwordsofverse10probablybetterbelongasthefirstwordsofverse11.
Thatis,verses10and11wouldreadbetterifverse11said:Lettheweaksay,'I
amstrong.'Hurry,come,yousurroundingnations,gatheryourselvestogether!"
Bringyourwarriorsdown,ADONAI!Thisarrangementwouldbebetterbecause
“theweak”whosaytheyarestrongisreferringtothosewhowanttobewarriors
andfightIsrael.But,byancient(aswellasmodern)standards,theweakdon’t
fightaswarriors;that’sajobonlyforthestrong.ThesewordsaresimplyGod
tellingeverynationto“bringiton”.Bringeverypersonwhoisevenremotely
capableoffighting,andwhowantstofightIsrael,totheValleyofJehoshaphatso
thatHecanjudgethemthere,too,fortheirintenttoharmHispeople.
Lesson9-JoelChapter4continued
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Theideaofhurryandsuddennessisalsointroduced.Whilethiscouldindicatea
fewdifferentthings,Ibelieveitmeansthatthiswarisgoingtocomeaboutallof
asudden.Oneday,whiletheremightbealotofvitriolhurledtowardsIsrael,
overnightthatvitriolturnstoarabiddeterminationbythenationstoattack
Israel,whichtheydo…whetherasacoalitionorseparately.Whatthatfinal
provocationtoattackmightbe,Idon’tknow.Whatweshouldgrasphereisthat
thisprophesiedrapidandsuddenaspectofwarwasn’treallypossiblefor
militariesinancienttimes.Ittookmonthstoplanforbattleandtogetthe
logisticsinplace.Onlyinmoderntimesdowehavenearlyallnationswith
substantialstandingarmiesthatcanreactquickly.Thesearmiestypicallyhave
vastsuppliesofweapons,ammunition,foodandsupportitemsstoredawayfora
potentialconflictthatcanbequicklytapped.Wehaveswiftwaystodeploytroops
(byair),andevenfasterwaystodeliverdamagingmunitionsuponanenemy
(viarocketsandmissiles)thatcanreachIsraelfromanywhereontheglobein30
minutesafterlaunch.So,whateverJoelispicturingascomingisgoingtohappen
suddenlywithlittletonowarning.
Verse12continuesthesamethoughtsbymoreorlessrepeatingearlier
statements.ThiswarGodiscallingthenationstoISthejudgmentofthenations.
ThiswaristhevehicleofGod’swrathonthenations.Theyaredoomedthe
minutetheydecidetofight,eventhoughIdon’tknowexactlyhowlongthe
fightingwillgoonbeforethenations’forcesarewipedoutandthearmiessimply
nolongerexist.Onethingthatweneedtonotice(especiallyafterthementionof
thePhilistinesandofPhoenicia)isthatGodseemstobedirectingthisinstruction
tothenationsarrayingforbattlethatareprimarilythosenationssurrounding
Israel.Thatis,thenationsofwhatwecouldlooselycalltheMiddleEast.This
certainlydoesn’texcludeothernations,butwemustunderstandthatfromthe
worldviewofthe9
th
centuryB.C.,itwasthenationsnearertoIsraelthat
regularlyharassedthem,andwouldintimeexilethepeople,asopposedtofar
awaynationsfromplacesnooneevenknewexisted.
Inverse13,3illustrationsthataremetaphorsusingagriculturaltermsthatwere
familiartoallpeopleofthateraareusedinexplaininghowGodwilldealwith
Israel’s(JudahandJerusalem’s)enemies.Thegrain,thegrapes,andtheolives
(representingallthewickednationsthathavegathered,butnotintendingto
Lesson9-JoelChapter4continued
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dividethosenationsinto3groups)aresaidtobereadyfortheharvest.Thereare
somanyNewTestamentstatementsandstatementsofearlierOldTestament
prophetsthatspeakpreciselyofthisevent.InoneofYeshua’sfamousparables,
Hesaidthis:
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Matthew13:36-43
36
Thenheleftthecrowdsandwentintothehouse.His
talmidimapproachedhimandsaid,"Explaintoustheparableoftheweedsinthe
field."
37
Heanswered,"TheonewhosowsthegoodseedistheSonofMan;
38
the
fieldistheworld.Asforthegoodseed,thesearethepeoplewhobelongtothe
Kingdom;andtheweedsarethepeoplewhobelongtotheEvilOne.
39
The
enemywhosowsthemistheAdversary,theharvestistheendoftheage,and
theharvestersareangels.
40
Justastheweedsarecollectedandburnedupinthe
fire,sowillitbeattheendoftheage.
41
TheSonofManwillsendforthhisangels,
andtheywillcollectoutofhisKingdomallthethingsthatcausepeopletosinand
allthepeoplewhoarefarfromTorah;
42
andtheywillthrowthemintothefiery
furnace,wherepeoplewillwailandgrindtheirteeth.
43
Thentherighteouswill
shineforthlikethesunintheKingdomoftheirFather.Whoeverhasears,lethim
hear!
So,weseeJoelchapter4beingplayedouthere.InJeremiahwefindasimilar
theme.
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Jeremiah51:33ForhereiswhatADONAI-Tzva'ot,theGodofIsra'el,says:
"ThedaughterofBavelislikeathreshing-floorattreading-time.Justalittle
whilelonger,andthetimeforharvestingherwillcome."And,againin
Revelation:
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Revelation14:18-20
18
Thenoutfromthealtarwentyetanotherangel,who
wasinchargeofthefire;andhecalledinaloudvoicetotheonewiththesharp
sickle,"Useyoursharpsickle,andgathertheclustersofgrapesfromtheearth's
vine,becausetheyareripe!"
19
Theangelswunghissickledownontotheearth,
gatheredtheearth'sgrapesandthrewthemintothegreatwinepressofGod's
fury.
20
Thewinepresswastroddenoutsidethecity,andbloodflowedfromthe
winepressashighasthehorses'bridlesfortwohundredmiles!
Lesson9-JoelChapter4continued
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ThereareotherpassagesusingthesameagriculturalmotiftodescribetheEnd
Timesbattleofthewartoendallwars,whichresultsinthedecimationofthe
gentilenationsoftheworld…andespeciallythosenationsoftheMiddleEastwho
haveharmedIsraelatonetimeoranotherforsolong.Thepointofallofthese
statementsisthatthenationsarenowfullyripeandfinallyreadytoharvest.
Thatis,theyhaveslowlyoverthemillenniadevelopedandembracedsuch
wickednessthattheyarenowfullymatured,overflowingtothemaximumwith
evil.AndthatevilisespeciallyexpressedasahatredforIsraelandtheJewish
people.Thus,alltheopportunityhasnowpassedforthoserelativefewwhosee
thewickednessanddetermineinsteadtoturntorighteousnessandtoruninto
thewaitingarmsofourGodandSavior…andsonomoretimeisallottedbyGod;
theearth’snationsarereadytoharvest.Onlythisharvestwon’tbeputintothe
barns,ormadeintowinetobesymbolicallyusedbyourHeavenlyFather.No.He
isharvestingonlytoburnupthesecrops(that,toHim,arebutweedsand
brambles),destroyingthemonceandforall.ItisjustlikeinthetimeofNoah,
andthesameagriculturalmetaphorsandillustrationsforthecenturiesofman’s
growingwickednesscouldhavebeenused(althoughtheyarenotusedin
GenesisconcerningtheGreatFlood)becausetheendresultisthesame.Onlythe
righteousintheLordwillsurviveGod’swrath.
We’llstophereandcontinueinJoelchapter4nexttime.