Lesson10-JoelChapter4continued2-END
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THEBOOKOFJOEL
Lesson10,Chapter4Continued2-END
WeconcludedourpreviouslessonwithJoel4verse13.Thenarrativecenterson
thetimewhentheprophecyofthewartoendallwarshasbegun.ThisisaHoly
War,whichmeanstheoutcomeisalreadydetermined…God(andIsrael)wins.
Godhasdrawnthenations(allgentile)oftheworldintothiswar(unbeknownto
them)inordertojudgethem.Thewarthesenationsarefightinghasasingle
purposeandaim:todestroyIsraelonceandforall.Whatexactlyisthematerial
motivationorthecatalyst…thecause…thatmakesallthesenationsdecidetodo
thisisnotstated.Whateveritis,wearetolditwillbesudden.Isuspecttheworld
ingeneralwillbequitesurprisedbyitall,butatthesametimemostwillagree
withit.Wheneverwereadofpropheciesbeingfulfilledwefindthepeopleofthe
prophesyareneverquitepreparedforit,andarealwayscaughtbysurprise
despite(insomecases)thecenturiesofhavingbeenwarned.Ofcourse,whena
lotoftimepassesbetweenaprophecyanditsfulfillment,peoplecanforgetabout
itoritbecomessodistanttotheirmindsastobeallbutforgotten.Thiscanbea
fatalmistakeinthemostliteralsense.
PreviousversesofearlierJoelchaptersalsoindicatethattheprimaryaggressors
thatwillcometofightagainstIsraelarethenationsimmediatelysurroundingit.
So,apparentlytheothernationsoftheworldthatarefartherawaywillsidewith,
andsupport,thosesurroundingnations.Assumingthatatthetimethisoccurs
theworld’sgeopoliticalmapintheMiddleEastlooksmostlylikeitdoestoday,
thenitislikelythesecloselysurroundingnationswillincludeLebanon,Jordan,
SaudiArabia,Syria,IraqandEgypt.Thisprobablywillalsoincludethenon-Arab
stateofIran.
Let’sre-readthatlasthalfofJoelchapter4.
RE-READJOELCHAPTER4:13–end
Thereareafewdifferentwaystotranslatethebeginningofverse14.Most
Englishtranslationssay“Multitudes,multitudesintheValleyofDecision”.
However,otherssaysomethinglike“tumult,tumult”or“melee,melee”or
“chaos,chaos”intheValleyofDecision.TheHebrewwordbeingtranslatedis
Lesson10-JoelChapter4continued2-END
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hamon.Itcanmeanalargecrowd,oritcanmeantumultorchaos.Thepointof
thisopeningtoverse14istoexpresstheexcruciatingandeardrum-bursting
soundsofbattlewhenenormousnumbersofcombatantsengageoneanother.
Myfatherandmywife’sfatherbothfoughtinWWII.Weeachrememberourdads
sayingthatthethingtheyrecallthemostvividlywastheextremenoiseofwar.
Menshoutingandscreaming;gunsdischarging;bombsandartilleryexploding.
NextistheissueofcallingthistheValleyofDecision.JustasIdonotthinkthat
theValleyofJehoshaphatistheformalnameofaplace,andthereforeisnot
intendedtoindicatethelocationofthebattle,neitheristheValleyofDecision.
Rathertheybothareexpressionssuchassayingthatsomeoneininthevalleyof
despair.Avalleyisalowpointingeography.Whenahumanissaidtobeina
valleyofsomesort,itmeansthatpersonisatanemotionallowpoint.So,what
decisionandwhosedecisionisbeingdepictedhere?InourmodernWestern
vocabulary,itisprobablybettertohelpustogettheintendedsenseofitifwe
translatethisexpressionas“thevalleyoftheverdict”.ItisGodmakingajudicial
decisionandcarryingoutthesentence.Judgmentisactuallyalegaltermandit
almostalwaysusedinthatsenseintheBible.Sayingthatthegentilenationsof
theworldarebeingjudgedismeantinthecontextofthembeingputontrialin
orderthataverdict…guiltyornotguilty…isrendered.Inthecaseofthenations,
accordingtoJoeltheverdictisguiltyascharged.Thenationshavebeenputby
GodintotheValleyofJudgement(putthemontrial),andnowthetimeofthe
verdict(theValleyofDecision)hasarrived.Theverdictisguiltyandthesentence
hasbeenpreviouslyannounced:deathanddestruction.
AlthoughI’veexplaineditbeforeitbearsrepeating:thisverdictofdeathand
destructionisacorporateverdicttocarriedoutinacorporatescope.Itisabout
entirenationsasawhole,andnotaboutindividualpeople.Individualpeoplewill
bejudgedbyGodasguiltyornotguiltyaccordingtheirtrustinthesavingpower
ofChristalongwiththeirfaithful(orunfaithful)obediencetotheFather.Nations
willbejudgedbyadifferentstandardintheend.Itwillbemostlyaccordingto
theirsupportof,ortheirhatredfor,Israel.Itseemsthatallnationswill,inthe
end,cometobeagainstIsraelandbeIsrael’senemiestoonedegreeoranother.
So,hereIwanttooffersomecircumspection.Iimagineitwillnotbethatall
nationswillhaveequallevelsofanimositytowardsIsrael.Somemaydespise
themtothehighestandmostmurderouslevel(thinkofmodernIranorWWII
Lesson10-JoelChapter4continued2-END
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Germany),whileothersfindprimarilypoliticaloreconomicreasonstojoinin
supportingthosenationswhohateIsraelthemostandareattackingthemwith
suchferocity(thinkmanyEuropeannations).Perhapswhathappenswillbe
muchlikeitisasIwritethislessoninOctoberof2023,asthepeopleofthe
PalestinianterritoryofGaza,ledbyHamas,haveattackedIsraelinabarbarian
waynotseensincetheNazis’treatmentoftheJewsinthelate1930’sandearly
1940’s.SomenationshavecomeoutdeclaringtheyareforHamas,eventhough
theyarenotjoiningHamasinfightingIsrael.Othersofthesenationsareaiding
andabettingHamas,othersareactivelyadvocatingforthem,andstillothers
merelyexpressingtheirsympathiesforHamasandaffirmingtheirjustification
forwhytheydidwhattheydid,andatthesametimeexpressingtheirdisdainfor
Israel.IthinkitmightbemorethiswayintheBattleofArmageddon.
Nonetheless,sinceGod’sjudgmentandverdictwillbeagainstnationsas
corporatebodies,thenallthosewhoarethecitizensofthosenations…regardless
oftheirpersonalfeelingsforIsraelandtheJewishpeople…willbeadversely
affected.
IhavenodoubtthatallofyourlisteningtomyvoiceareforIsraelandagainst
Hamas.Yet,ifyourparticularnationcameunderjudgmenttoday,youwouldnot
bespared.ThisiswhyIstronglycalluponyoualltoprepare!You…allofus…have
beenwarned.YourtrustinYeshuaisnotgoingtoshieldyouoryourfamilyso
thatyoumiraculouslyescapehardshipwhenthatdaycomes,norwillyoulikely
knowinadvancethedayitallbegins.So,thebestresponseistoprepareby
acquiringandstoringemergencysuppliesandfoodandhavingaplan.Infact,I
sayunequivocallythatitisyourdutytoplanandpreparebecausethisisthe
reasonthatGodhasgiventhosewhoclaimtoworshipHimadvancednoticethat
thesecularworldiscompletelyunawareof.Atthesametime,Iurgeyou:don’t
approachthispreparationoutoffear.Approachitoutofcommonsense,
forewarning,andwisdom.Ifyoudoyou’llmakebetter,morereasoneddecisions.
Doyourhomeworkandthengotoreputablecompaniestogetplanningand
informationaboutpreparation.Don’tgotofearmongerswhoplayonyour
emotions.Thiswayyou’llgettherightproductsandnotoverlyspendorbuy
thingsthataren’treallyneeded.ThisiswhyIwanttodirectyoutogoto
www.practicalprepco.com.Thereyouwillgetgood,solidinformationtohelpyou
acquiretherightthings,ofgoodquality,atagoodpriceandnotbescammed.
Lesson10-JoelChapter4continued2-END
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Verse15,then,turnsfromsaying(asearlierinJoel)thatthesunandmoonWILL
becomeblacktothesunandmoonHASbecomeblack.Thatis,thislong
prophesiedeventisnowunderway.Theprophesiedeventsarehappening.The
DayofYehovehhasbegun.Sincetheupsettingofthecosmosishappening,then
itisthesignofatheophanythatisunderway;Godismakinganappearanceand
thisspellsdoomforthenations.Thisrevelationfitswithseveralpropheciesbut
fewmoredramaticthanthatwritteninZechariah14.TurnyouBiblesthereand
followalongwithme.
READZECHARIAH14all
HerewehaveavividdescriptionofwhatthebattleofthenationsagainstIsrael
willlooklike.ItisgoingtospreadthroughoutIsraelallthewaytoJerusalem,
with(astaggering)halfofthepopulationofJerusalembeingkilledbythenations.
ItisatsomepointinthatbattlethattheLordendsHispunishmentofIsraeland
turnsHiswrathtodecimatethosegentilenationsthatHehadbeenusingto
decimateIsrael.
OneofthemorecontroversialmatterstodealwithinZechariah’sprophecy,
however,happensinverse4.Beforewetalkaboutthat,thefirstwordsof
chapter14areabitobscuredbytheCJBtranslation.Actually,whatthefirst
wordssayis,“Look,aDayofYehovehiscoming”.Or,inmostBibles,“aDayof
theLordiscoming”.So,sincethisisaDayofYehovehthenwecanexpecta
theophanytoaccompanyit;andsureenough,thatiswhatweseeinthenext
severalverses.
Inverse4,oneofthemorefamousandoften-spokenoneswithinEvangelical
Christianity,itsaysthat“His”feetshallstandontheMountofOlives,splittingit
intwo.Thecommoninterpretationofthisisthatthe“His”isreferringtoChrist.
Theproblemis,uptothisvs.4,andineveryverseafter,Godisbeingreferredto
asYehoveh.TheFather…orperhapsthetotalityoftheGodhead.Thatis,
everywhereourEnglishBiblessay“theLord”inZechariah14(AdonaiintheCJB),
infacttheHebrewScripturesays“Yehoveh”.So,itisemphaticallyandliterally
YehovehwhosefeetshallstandontheMt.ofOlivescausingittosplit.Thisisthe
epitomeofatheophany…Godmakinganappearance…andbyusingtheword
“Yehoveh”severaltimesitmakesitawfullydifficulttoassumethatthisisNOT
Lesson10-JoelChapter4continued2-END
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speakingabouttheFatherbutinsteadisspeakingaboutYeshua.Andyetthat’s
whatnearlyallgentileChristianBibletranslatorsdo.
Thissamepassagegoesontospeakofthedecimationofthenationsthatcame
toattackIsrael,andthedivineprotectionovertheremnantofJerusalemitesthat
survivedonceGodintervenesonIsrael’sbehalf.And,italsospeaksofGod
locatingHimselfinJerusalemwiththenationscomingtoHimonSukkotevery
yeartoworshipHim.ThisisanotherwayofsayingGodisseatedonthethronein
Zion,wherebyZionisanameusuallyreservedforaredeemedJerusalem,such
thatsometimesZionisalsousedtodescribetheTempleMountarea.So,thiscan
onlybetakingplaceafterthewar,whenpeacehasbeenrestored.Thiscouples
wellwithJoel4:16thatsaysthatYehovehroarsoutofZion,Hethundersoutof
Jerusalem.RoaringandthunderingareusedbiblicallytodescribewhenGod
speaks.WealsoreadthatHeavenandearthquake(onceagain,thisiswhat
happenswhenGodappears).JoelgoesontosaythatasGodisnowensconced
inZion,HeisarefugetoHispeople(theremainingpeople)andisa
stronghold…thatis,animpregnablefortress…fortheremnantofIsrael.Justas
withZechariah,amomentcomesduringthebattleagainstthenationswhenthe
nationsarewinningandJerusalemisbeingsavagelyattacked,andtheJewish
lossoflifereachesapproximately50%.ByanyhumanmeasureallhopeofIsrael
survivingisgone.But,GodarrivestoturnthetideandtocarryoutHispromise
todestroythenationsandtorestoreIsrael.And,itisbecauseHemiraculously
rescuesHispeople,Israel,thattheywillfinallycomprehendthatHeistheirGod,
thatHeisaliveandwellandabletodeliverthem,andsotheywillfinallyshuckoff
theblindersfromtheireyesandfullyturntoHimasGodandSavior(asitsays
verse17).
AspartoftheprocessofIsraelcomingtorealizethatHeistheirGodandHas
cometoprotectandliberatethem,GodalsopurifiesJerusalemfromthe
uncleannessofthegentilesthathavetroddenitdownandpolluteditwithits
falsereligionsandidolsformillennia.Neveragainwillitbeovertakenand
occupiedbypagans;instead,itwillonlybeinhabitedbytherighteous.Zechariah
writesin14:21:
CJB
Zechariah14:21Yes,everycookingpotinYerushalayimandY'hudahwillbe
consecratedtoADONAI-Tzva'ot.Everyonewhoofferssacrificeswillcome,take
Lesson10-JoelChapter4continued2-END
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themandusethemtostewthemeat.Whenthatdaycomes,therewillnolonger
bemerchantsinthehouseofADONAI-Tzva'ot.
Sayingthat“everycookingpot”inJerusalemwillbeconsecratedtoYehovehis
anexpressionmeaningeveryfamily…everyperson(sinceeverypersonneededa
cookingpot)…inJerusalemwillbecleansedandmaderighteousinobedienceto
theLawofMoses(somethingmostIsraelishavenotdoneforaverylongtime).
Eventhoughthisstatementisclearinitsmeaning,wearenottoconfusethe
matterofrighteousnesswithperfectcleanness.Righteousnesshastodowithsin.
Cleanlinesshastodowiththelawsofpurity,whichonlybecomesinifnot
followed.Thatis,beinguncleanisnotsin.However,nottakingtheprescribed
stepsintheTorahtobecomecleanissin.So,whenJerusalemissaidtobea
sanctuarythisisn’tabouttheconditionofthepeople,oraboutaplacetobesafe,
oragovernmentdesignation(likethesenseofsomecitiesintheUSA
designatingthemselvesasSanctuaryCities);ratheritismeanttostrongly
reconnectJerusalemastheearthlyabodeoftheGodoftheCovenant.Jerusalem
wasalwaysdescribedintheOldTestamentaswhereGod’splacesHisholyname
andwhereHeistobeworshipped,andwhereHeappearsabovetheMercySeat
intheHolyofHoliesoftheTemple,onceperyear.Thatis,thisisHissanctuary.
ThisconnectionalonemakesJerusalemaplaceofrefugeandsecurityexclusively
forGod’speoplebecauseonlyGod’speoplearethepeopleoftheCovenant.
Thus,aswereadthepropheciesofthevariousMinorandMajorProphetsthat
offerdifferentperspectivesontheirfulfillments,eachseemingtointroduce
certainelementsandinformationthatothersdon’t,wemustbecarefulnottosee
anyofthemconflicting,norshouldwegatherthemtogetherinanattemptto
constructawell-definedtimelineshowingthebeginningofoneEndTimesevent
that,onlyonceended,thenextoneneatlystartsandendsleadingtothenext
afterthatinperfectserialprogression(asissopopularlydonetodayintheform
ofcharts).WhathappensintheEndTimesisamuchmorecomplexprocessthat
looksmorelikeabowlofspaghettithananeatlinewithmarksonit.Somethings
willtakealongtimetocomeaboutwhileotherthingswillbeofshortduration.
Also,manyeventswillgoonatthesametime,somenecessarilyoverlapping,
othersstarting,pausing,andthenstartingupagain,etc.TheEndTimestheater
ofoperationislarge,thenumberofpeopleinvolvedislarge,andmanythingsare
goingtohappeninparallel,withpropheciesoftengivingidenticalevents
Lesson10-JoelChapter4continued2-END
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differentnames.ThisiswhyalthoughwecangetfromtheBibleagood
30,000-footviewoffuture,as-yetfulfilledprophecy,weneedtobehumbleand
cautiousaboutbecomingrigidordoctrinalaboutthegranulardetails.Prophetic
fulfillmentonlybecomesfullyknownindetailinhindsight.
Verse18speaksofwhentheHolyWaragainstthenationsispast,andIsraelhas
beenfullyrestored,aspromised.Ofcourse,thefirstthingmentionedabout
Israel’srestorationisagriculturalinnature.Mountainstricklingdownwithwine,
hillsoverflowingwithmilk,brooksfullofwater.Thisisbecausepracticallyall
IsraelitesinJoel’sdaywerefarmersandherders.So,thenewabundanceoffood
productionreflectshowIsraeliteswouldhavemeasuredit.Godhasnowblessed
IsraelwithHiseternalblessings(aspromisedintheCovenantofMoses)and
equallyhascursedIsrael’senemiesaccordingtothecursesoftheMosaic
Covenant.HereImustpausetotellyouofmygreatheartacheandconcern.I
havespokenonthisbefore,andwillagain,becauseofthegravityofthematter.
TheConstantinianChurchoutofwhichIcame…asdidmostofyou…andinwhich
manymoreofyoumaystillbepartof…careenedoffthepathoffollowingthe
divinelycraftedandgivenLawofGod.ThemodernChurch(andIamnecessarily
speakinggenerallyandnotuniversally)tendstobeignorantofthisfact,oftheir
ownChurchhistoryandbeginning,andgenerallyspeakingareuninterestedin
hearingthat1)theChurchthattheyarepartofisinnowaytheChurchthat
ChristcreatedandHisfollowerspracticefor3centuriesbeforebeingtakenover
bytheRomanEmperorConstantine;and2)thatGod’sLawforallhumanitywas
handeddownintheformoftheLawofMoses.HoweveryBelieverintheGodof
Israelwastolivetheirlives,havingrelationshipbothwithGodandtheirfellow
man,waspresentedintheLawofMosesalongwiththeblessingsforthosewho
obeyedthisLawandcursesforthosewhodidnot.Christ,inHisSermononthe
Mount,stronglyandclearlysaidinMatthew5:17-19thatnoneofHisfollowers
shouldmisinterpretormisrepresentHisteachingstomeananabolishmentof,or
eventheslightestchangeto,theCovenantofMoses.Thisadmonitionincluded
HisgentilefollowerswhohavebeengivenapathwaytojointheHebrewsin
partakingoftheblessingsoftheCovenantbymeansoftheirtrustinYeshuaof
NazarethastheirdivineLordandSavior.
Lesson10-JoelChapter4continued2-END
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ThroughoutthebooksoftheMinorProphets,weseehowwhenGoddetermines
tojudgeIsraelorthenations,itisalwaysintermsoftheirongoingviolationsof
HisCovenants.Thus,theglaringprinciplethatissopainfullyobvious(tothose
withtheearstohearandeyestosee)isthatdivineblessingsaredoledout
accordingtofaithfullyfollowingthelawsoftheCovenant,andcursesaredoled
outagainstthosewhodisobeythosesamelaws.Christchangednoneofthatand
infactemphaticallystatedthatHedidnot;buttheConstantinianChurchthat
spawnedthemanybranchesanddenominationsweseeinexistencetodaydid
changeit.First,theydeclaredGod’slawassetdownintheLawofMosestobe
deadandgone.Next,theConstantinianChurchdeclaredthatIsraelitesweren’t
allowedtoparticipateinthesalvationthattheJewishMessiahYeshuaoffered.
And,nowinmoderntimes,ithasbecomevoguetoclaimthatChristasSavioris
sufficientforlivingeternallywithGod,regardlessofhowwethengoontoliveour
lives,ignoreHim,mistreatourfellowman,adoptgrosslyimmorallifestyles,or
refusetoacknowledgeand/orobeyGod’scommandmentsingeneral.Ican
alreadyhearthepleasthat“mychurchisn’taConstantinianChurch.”Here’show
youcanknowifitisoritisn’t.
1)DoesyourChurchbelievetheLawofMosesisdeadandgone,replacedby
somethingelse,and/ordoesn’tapplytoBelievers?Thenitisa
ConstantinianChurch.
2)DoesyourChurchpracticeaSundaySabbathorbelievesSabbathcanbe
anydayonechooses…orthatthereisnolongeranySabbathatall?Thenit
isaConstantinianChurch.
3)DoesyourChurchhonorthemanmadeandpagan-infectedEasterand
Christmas,butatthesametimedoesnotpractice…orevendenounces….
theGod-ordainedbiblicallyappointedtimes?ThenitisaConstantinian
Church.
AllthesethingsaretheoppositeofwhatJesustaughtandHisfollowersdid.Yes,
itisgoodthatyoubelieveinChrist.Butthenchoosingtobepartofaninstitution
thatalsoadoptspaganpracticesanddenouncespeoplewhotrytoobeythesame
commandmentsthatYeshuaandHisfollowersdidputsyouonthewrongsideof
God.WhatdoesChristsaytothosewhoinsistonremainingtiedtoinstitutions
tryingtohaveitbothways?Hesays:
Lesson10-JoelChapter4continued2-END
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CJB
Revelation18:4ThenIheardanothervoiceoutofheavensay:"Mypeople,
comeoutofher!sothatyouwillnotshareinhersins,sothatyouwillnotbe
infectedbyherplagues…”
TheBookofJoelandothersoftheMinorProphetstellusoftheunending
expectationofGodforustoobeytheCovenantofMoses,evenifattimeswefail
(thesefailuresarecalledsins),andevenifsomeofthelawsandcommandments
cannotcurrentlybefullycarriedoutasintendedduetocurrentworld
circumstancesbeyondourcontrol.Joelspeaksofthedayofreckoning(TheDay
oftheLord)thatwe’llallfaceifwearealiveatthetime.Butevenindeaththere
willbeadayofreckoning.WhatwillbethestandardforthereckoningthatGod
willusetomeasureusby,evenasBelievers?Certainly,sinceretrustinChristis
atthetopofthelistofthatstandard.However,ourobedienceordisobedienceto
Hisuniversalmoralstandard,theLawofMoses,ispartofthatstandardaswell.
Idon’timagineoursayingtoHimthatweweretaughtordidn’tbelievethatthis
standardappliedtothepeopleoftheConstantinianChurchwillbewellaccepted
asanexcuse.Rather,whatthosewhoofferthatexcusewillprobablyheariswhat
IcallthemostterrifyingpassageintheBible.Itsays:
CJB
Matthew7:21-23
21
"Noteveryonewhosaystome,'Lord,Lord!'willenter
theKingdomofHeaven,onlythosewhodowhatmyFatherinheavenwants.
22
OnthatDay,manywillsaytome,'Lord,Lord!Didn'tweprophesyinyourname?
Didn'tweexpeldemonsinyourname?Didn'tweperformmanymiraclesinyour
name?'
23
ThenIwilltellthemtotheirfaces,'Ineverknewyou!Getawayfrom
me,youworkersoflawlessness!'
ThesewordswerespokenjustminutesafterYeshuahadtoldHisfollowersthat
theyweretocontinuetoobeytheLawofMoses,andwhatwouldhappentothem
iftheydidn’t,or(perhapsevenworse)shouldtheythinktoteachothersNOTto
obey.But,that’snotallhesaid.Let’scontinuewiththenextrecordedwordsto
comefromHismouth.
CJB
Matthew7:24-29
24
"So,everyonewhohearsthesewordsofmineandacts
onthemwillbelikeasensiblemanwhobuilthishouseonbedrock.
25
Therainfell,
theriversflooded,thewindsblewandbeatagainstthathouse,butitdidn't
collapse,becauseitsfoundationwasonrock.
26
Buteveryonewhohearsthese
Lesson10-JoelChapter4continued2-END
10/12
wordsofmineanddoesnotactonthemwillbelikeastupidmanwhobuilthis
houseonsand.
27
Therainfell,theriversflooded,thewindblewandbeatagainst
thathouse,anditcollapsed-anditscollapsewashorrendous!"
28
WhenYeshua
hadfinishedsayingthesethings,thecrowdswereamazedatthewayhetaught,
29
forhewasnotinstructingthemliketheirTorah-teachersbutasonewhohad
authorityhimself.
YeshuasaysthatIhavetoldyouhowitisandwhattodo…nowdoit.Act.Trusting
Himinvolvesaction.Ifyoudoact,Hesays,itwillbelikethesensiblemanwho
builthishouseontherock.But,ifyoudoNOTactyouwillbelikethestupidman
whobuilthishouseonthesand.Whathappenedwhenthetroublescameupon
themanwhosehousewasbuiltontherock?Hishousestoodandhewas
deliveredfromthestorm.Whathappenedwhentroublescameupontheman
whosehousewasbuiltonsand?Hishousecollapsedandwhatfollowedwas
horrendousforhim.AllofthisisconnectedtoMatthew5:17–19,whichtellsus
tobeobedienttotheTorah…totheCovenantofMoses.
Bottomline:thenationsthatwillbedecimatedinthenearfuture…aswefinditin
Joel,andZechariah,andelsewhereinourBibles…astheygouptofightagainst
Israel(notrealizingtheyareactuallyfightingagainstGod).Theyareactually
beingsummonedtocourtforatrial,andtheyhavealreadybeenjudgedguilty
andwillfacetheconsequenceslaiddownbytheCovenantofMoses.Whydothey
fightIsrael?Becausetheydon’tknowtheMosaicCovenantandthebrotherhood
withIsraelthatisofferedtoall.Everyone…eventhosewhoclaimbeliefin
Jesus…whoarelawless(whichinbiblicaltermslawlesscanonlybereferringto
theLawofMoses)willberejectedandbarredfromtheKingdomofHeaven.The
Prophetsarethereforusnotsomuchtoseethefuture,butrathertohelpus
understandGod’splanofredemptionandwhatwemustdotogetonboardand
stayonboard.Overandover,wearetoldthatworshippersoftheGodofIsrael
areobligatedtoobeytheLawsofMosesnotalwaysbytheletterbutbythespirit
ofeachlaw.WearetodothisnotjustbecausethisiscommandedbyYehoveh
butalsoasproofofsincerityofourclaimthatwetrustHim.
ThelasthalfofJoel4:18speaksofafountainthatwillflowfromthehouseof
YehovehandhowitwillwatertheAcaciaValley.Thisisspeakingofthedry
JordanValleywherewadis…usuallydryriverbeds…arepopulatedbyAcaciatrees.
Lesson10-JoelChapter4continued2-END
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ThereismuchbeliefamongChristianscholarsthatthisisn’tarealriverbeing
spokenof,butratheraspiritualizedriverthatwatersthesoulandnottheland.
IthinkthatisnotthecaseasthepassageswereadfromZechariah14showthat
theMt.ofOliveswillbesplitinhalfandwaterwillflowinenormousvolumesin
twodirections.OneofthosedirectionsistowardstheDeadSea,whichisatthe
farendoftheJordanValley.So,Ithinkthisisspeakingofaliteralriverthatwill
maketheJordanValleyspringtolifewithevenmoreagriculture.
Verse19isinterestingtomebecauseofthementionofEgypt.Itexplainsthatas
aresultofthenationscomingagainstIsrael,nodoubtEgyptwillbeoneofthem
andsothey,too,willbedesolatedaswillEdom.PerhapsEgyptandEdomare
beingsingledoutbecausetheyhavebeenhistoricenemiesofIsrael.Onthe
otherhand,theyhavealsoprovidedrefugeforIsraelattimes.Itmaybebecause
theyrepresentthenationsnearbytoIsrael…surroundingIsrael.Some
commentatorsthinktheyaremerelyrepresentativeofallthenationsthatwill
comeagainstIsrael;Ifindthatunacceptable.I’mnotsureIknowtheansweras
towhythesetwonationsweresingledout.However,asregardsEgypt,therehas
alwaysbeenacomplicatedrelationshipbetweenIsraelandbothEgyptandEdom
butfordifferentreasons.
AsregardsEgypt,theyservedasaplaceofrefugeforIsraelastheMiddleEast
struggledthroughafamine.ItwastotheHebrewJosephthatGodgavethe
warningofthecomingfamine,anditwasJosephthatthePharaohputincharge
oftheefforttostoreawayenoughfoodforhisnation(includingJacobandhis
familywhowerelivingthere).Butevenmore,itiseasilyforgottenthatJoseph
marriedanEgyptianwomananditwasshewhoboreJosephhis2sonsEphraim
andManassehthatbecameof2ofIsrael’smostpopulousandprominenttribes.
Thismeansthose2sonswerehalfHebrewandhalfEgyptian.Thus,allofthe
familiesdescendedfromEphraimandManassehwerepartEgyptian.Wealsofind
EgyptastheplacethatMaryandJosephfledtoprotecttheinfantchildYeshua
fromthetreacherousKingHerod.
AsforEdom,Edom(meaningred)isthelandoccupiedbyJacob’sbrotherEssau.
So,becauseEsaucamefromthesameHebrewfatherasdidhistwinbrother
Jacob,thenEdomshouldhavehadafriendlyrelationshipwiththeIsraelitesbut
usuallydidn’t.Nomatter,clearlyforGod’sowngoodreasonsHedesignated
Lesson10-JoelChapter4continued2-END
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EgyptandEdomforpunishment.Laterinotherprophecieswefindaspecialplace
ofblessingforEgyptintheaftermathoftheEndTimesbattles.
Verse20holdsupJudahincontrasttoEgyptandEdom(again,Ithink,duetothe
familialrelationshipsinvolved).EgyptandEdomaredevastated,butJudahis
restoredandgiventhegreatestabundance;akindofparadiseisestablished.
ThestatementthatJudahandJerusalemshalldwellforevermeanstheywillbe
foreverinhabited,justasforanationorcitytobedesolatedmeansthatthey
shallbecomeuninhabited.Evenso,thisisapparentlyonlyforatime.
Whileitisoddtothinkabout,thepunishmentuponthenationsdoesn’tmean
theywillnolongerexist.Infact,theearthwillremainfullofnationsrighton
throughthe1000-yearreignofMessiah.So,inaveryrealsense,justasIsraelis
renewedsowillthenationsberenewed.Theywillhavetheirslateswipedclean
andgivenanewbeginning.IsraelissaidinthefinalverseofJoeltohavetheir
bloodguiltcleansed,thusremovinganyfinalcurseoftheMosaicCovenantfrom
thelandandthepeople.
ThisendsourstudyoftheBookofJoel.