Joel 3

Joel 3

Chart from recommended resource Jensen's Survey of the OT - used by permission Joel Chart from Charles Swindoll Another Joel Chart John MacArthur's Introduction to Book of Joel Chuck Swindoll's Introduction to the Book of Joel AUTHOR: Joel DATE: 835 B.C. OUTLINE OF JOEL I. Title Verse: the Author, Joel 1:1 II. Desolation, Joel 1:2-Joel 2:17 A. The Character of the Desolation, Joel 1:2-12 B. The Reactions to the Desolation, Joel 1:13-14 C. The Picture of the Desolation, Joel 1:15-20 D. The Prophecy of Future Desolation, Joel 2:1-11 E. The Exhortation in View of Desolation, Joel 2:12-17 III. Deliverance, Joel 2:18-Joel 3:21 A. The Promise of Immediate Deliverance, Joel 2:18-27 B. The Promise of Future Deliverance, Joel 2:28-Joel 3:21 1. Its initiation, Joel 2:28-32 2. Its judgments, Joel 3:1-17 3. Its consummation, Joel 3:18-21 (Ryrie Study Bible) Joel 3:1 "For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, in those days and at that time: Joel 2:29 Da 12:1 Zep 3:19,20 when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem: Dt 30:3 2Chr 6:37,38 Ps 14:7 85:1 Isa 11:11-16 Jer 16:15 23:3-8 Jer 29:14 30:3,18 Eze 16:53 37:21,22 38:14-18 39:25,28,29 Am 9:14 IN THOSE DAYS AND AT THAT TIME: RESTORATION OF ISRAEL Joel 3:1-8 begins with a promise of restoration and then proceeds to a legal scene in which God produces evidence against the nations which will result in their judgment. As you read Joel 3 keep in mind that this climactic judgment scene describes the events that will take place in the "terminal generation," the divine climax which will take place in the last of the last days of this present evil age (Gal 1:4-note) in which we are living and which will bring in the new age in which Messiah reigns from Mt Zion in Jerusalem. As someone has well said "Israel is God's timepiece." In other words, the major events in God's plan for the ages in some way involve the little nation of Israel. It behooves us therefore to keep one eye first on the Scriptures describing God's sovereign plan and another eye on Israel who He will use to work out His perfect plan of redemption. And so fittingly Joel 3 describes the climactic events in world history beginning with God's promise to restore "the apple of His eye" (Dt 32:10KJV), the nation of Israel. Joel 3 God's Judgment of the Nations The timing - When God restores Israel - Joel 3:1 The place - Valley of Jehoshaphat - Joel 3:2 The reasons - Mistreatment and Exploitation of Israel - Joel 3:3-6 The recompense - Joel 3:7-8 POSB - When the final, climactic Day of the LORD comes to earth, one of the events will be the terrifying judgment of the nations. But the story of human history does not end with judgment. God promises a glorious, eternal kingdom to His people. Both Jews and Gentiles—all who truly place their faith in the LORD and genuinely follow Him—will inherit the kingdom of God. His kingdom will be established on earth when the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, returns to earth. These are the two great events Joel uses to close his great book. This is, The Final Climactic Day of the LORD: God’s Judgment of the Nations and His Promise of a Glorious, Eternal Kingdom, Joel 3:1–21. The present Scripture gives a detailed account of God’s coming judgment of the nations: God’s judgment of the nations (Joel 3:1–16). God’s promise of a glorious, eternal kingdom (Joel 3:17–21). (Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible Commentary) Charles Feinberg introduces Joel 3 - No prophet of the Old Testament has a more important revelation of the end times than the one now before us in the third chapter. How gracious of God to let us know the exact time of these happenings. They will take place when the Lord Himself returns the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem. The return of Israel to the land will never be fully accomplished until the Lord does it by His omnipotent power. (Note Jer 23:1-8.) At the time of God’s regathering of Israel to the land, He will gather all nations into the Valley of Jehoshaphat to judgment. The prophet evidently has in mind the historical narrative in 2 Chronicles 20. Tradition has assigned the judgment to the Kidron Valley; though this tradition is only from Eusebius’ time (fourth century AD on), there are those who believe it to be correct. The site indicated must be in or near Jerusalem. The method of God’s gathering of the nations to the judgment is set forth in Joel 3:9-12. (Cp. also Zech 12:1-3, 9; Zech 14:2-4; Is 29:1-8.) One of the most important features of the judgment is the basis of it: the nations will be judged for God’s people and for His heritage The great sin of the nations—all will be involved in it in the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jer 30:7)—is that against Israel. Little do the nations realize how they incur the wrath of God when they lay violent hands upon His heritage and the plant of His choosing. He will not suffer it always. Joel shows the day of reckoning has come. (The Minor Prophets) Gilliland writes that "Associated with the coming day of the Lord will be an international tribunal. This court will not be a forum for the vindication of human rights. It will be convened to establish divine rights. Under review will be the attitudes and actions of Gentile nations in relation to God's covenant people Israel. This will be the day of reckoning for the enemies of God's people. In a sense this chapter forms the climax of the book. The same God who brought the swarms of locusts in the earlier parts of the book is the God who will bring the Gentile nations together. Just as those locusts devastated the land so will the invasion of the future Gentile hordes have a devastating effect upon it. Similarly, as the Lord supernaturally destroyed the locust plague, so will He judge the nations. After the plague there was the restoration of the years the locusts had eaten, and after this judgment the land will be brought to abundant fruit and prosperity. In this way the two apparently disparate parts of Joel are brought together with the events in one part foreshadowing what will take place at a later date, only on a larger scale. (What the Bible Teaches – Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah) Gilliland has the following outline of Joel 3:1-17 A Day of Retribution The Setting of the Judgment (Joel 3:1-2b) The Sins requiring Judgment (Joel 3:2c-8) The Summons to Judgment (Joel 3:9-12) The Sentence of Judgment (Joel 3:13-17). For (because)(Hebrew ki) is a term of explanation. God is explaining how this restoration will come about in those days and at that time. Keil and Delitzsch elaborates on this explanation - The description of the judgment-day predicted in Joel 2:31-note commences with an explanatory כִּי. (transliterated as ki') The train of thought is the following: When the Day of the Lord comes, there will be deliverance upon Zion only for those who call upon the name of the Lord; for then will all the heathen nations that have displayed hostility to Jehovah’s inheritance be judged in the valley of Jehoshaphat. Pusey on for - The prophet by the for shows that he is about to explain in detail what he had before spoken of in sum. For behold, in those days and at that time - This double mode of expression, employed to give greater prominence to the period. Joel immediately grabs the reader's attention with BEHOLD! What follows is of great import. In fact what follows summarizes the judgment of the world as we know it, so it is worthy reading with utmost attention. In the last days, God will arouse Jews from all around the world to return to the promised land of Israel. In that day, the ancient promise of God will be fulfilled, the promise that He would personally return the Jews to their homeland (Dt. 30:3). Still, after they return, all will not be well. A period of Great Tribulation, a time known as Time of Jacob's Distress, will come upon the earth (Jer 30:7-note; Da. 12:1-note; Am. 5:18–20). In those days and at that time will take place in the LAST of the last days. The the last days begin with Jesus' first coming (see Hebrews 1:2-note, cf Acts 2:17, 2Ti 3:1-note, 1Pe 1:20-note) Lange's commentary on behold -By the word behold, he stirs up our minds for something great, which he is to set before our eyes, and which we should not be prepared to expect or believe. Behold (02009)(hinneh) is an interjection meaning behold, look, now; if. "It is used often and expresses strong feelings, surprise, hope, expectation, certainty, thus giving vividness depending on its surrounding context." (Baker) Hinneh generally directs our mind to the text, imploring the reader to give it special attention. In short, the Spirit is trying to arrest our attention! And so hinneh is used as an exclamation of vivid immediacy (e.g., read Ge 6:13)!