Joel 3

Joel 3

Meyer - Our Daily Homily - I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. This will be the lot of the chosen people in the millennial age. The Holy God will make the city in which He resides a Holy place. But it is true universally. Wherever the Holy God dwells, there you have holiness—for it is the attribute of his nature, as heat is of fire. Holiness is not It, but He. Do you want it? Then you must invite Him to come. When God comes into a day, it becomes holy unto Him. When his presence is revealed in a bush, it is holy ground. When He descends on a mountain, the fences are erected, that unhallowed feet may not draw nigh. When He fills a building like Solomon’s Temple, the whole is consecrated, and may not be employed for sacrilegious purposes. Best of all, if He dwell in our hearts, they too are rendered holy to Himself. When the apostle prays that the God of Peace should sanctify us wholly, he goes on to ask that spirit, soul, and body, should be as a temple filled with God. The holy man is he who is God-filled and God-possessed. It is not enough to possess God; we must be possessed by Him. He who has more of God is surely holier than other men; and he is the holiest who has most. Behold, Christ stands at the door and knocks: He longs to come in and abide, never again to depart; He brings with Him the holiness for which He has taught us to yearn. “Is it true, Ignatius,” said the Roman emperor to the Christian martyr, “that you carry about your God within you?” “It is even so,” replied the bishop, “for it is written, I will dwell in thee, and walk in thee.” And for that answer they cast him to the wild beasts. But what they deemed blasphemy is literally true of the Holy Spirit. When Will Joel's Prophecy Be Fulfilled? Refer to the diagram below The Redemption of Zion As stated, Joel's prophecy has not been fulfilled but awaits a future fulfillment at the end of this age. This fulfillment will take place when the Messiah returns (at His Second Coming) as King of kings and Lord of lords (Re 19:16-note), which will occur at the end of this age, specifically at the end of Daniel's Seventieth Week, the seven year period, which is divided into two 3.5 year segments, the last 3.5 years (synonymous with other time phrases = 1260 days, 42 months, "time, times, and half a time") known as the Great Tribulation (Mt 24:15-note = commences "when you see the Abomination of desolation standing… in the holy place" = Antichrist will enter the rebuilt Jewish temple and declare himself "god" - 2Th 2:3, 4], Da 9:27-note, "He" = Antichrist, "one week" = 7 years, "middle of week" = after 3.5 years which then inaugurates the last 3.5 yr period, the Great Tribulation as Jesus calls it in Mt 24:21-note , which is terminated by the return of the Redeemer, cp Mt 24:22-note, Mt 24:30-note). At the termination of the Great Tribulation the city of Jerusalem will be redeemed from Gentile dominion. In the introductory comments on this note, I have alluded to why Zion is in need of redemption even in our time, and Jesus helps us clarify this need in His prophecy that… Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until ("Until" = an expression of time which in context signifies Gentile dominion of Jerusalem will one day come to an end. Is 1:27 describes in part how that end will be accomplished = "Zion will be redeemed") the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Lk 21:24b-note) The times of the Gentiles will come to an end ("be fulfilled") when the King of kings returns to redeem Zion! What are the times of the Gentiles? The times of the Gentiles describes a continuous period of time which began when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon captured Jerusalem (Zion) in 586 BC. Since that time, Jerusalem (Zion) has continually been under Gentile dominion to one degree or another. In the book of the Revelation we learn some additional facts about the times of the Gentiles in the time immediately preceding the return of the Messiah to redeem Zion. In Revelation 11:2 the apostle John is instructed to… (Context = Re 11:1-note) Leave out the court which is outside the temple (the Jewish temple - which does not currently exist but which will be rebuilt in the future) and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations (the Gentiles = this occurs during the last 3.5 years of the times of the Gentiles); and they (the Gentiles) will tread under foot the holy city (Jerusalem/Zion) for forty-two months (Re 11:2-note) (See chart for other synonymous time phrases) Isaiah speaks of this great hope in the OT and Paul reiterates this truth in the NT… OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY And a Redeemer (Ga'al/Goel = Kinsman-Redeemer [word study]; Septuagint= rhuomai = deliver, Deliverer) will come to Zion, and to those who turn (Hebrew = shub [7725] = turn back, repent, turn away from [see use Isa 1:27 = translated "repentant"]) from transgression (Hebrew = pesha = fundamental idea of root is breach of relationships, between parties; Lxx = asebeia = ungodliness) in Jacob," declares the LORD. 21 And as for Me, this is My covenant with them," says the LORD: "My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring," says the LORD, "from now and forever." (Isaiah 59:20, 21) NEW TESTAMENT PROPHECY For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery (musterion), lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening (porosis) has happened to Israel until (see expressions of time in inductive Bible study) the fulness of the Gentiles (this is not identical to the times of the Gentiles for it refers primarily to Gentile salvation, whereas "times of the Gentiles" refers to Gentile dominion over Jerusalem) has come in; and thus all Israel ("all" that believe in the Redeemer. Zec 13:8, 9 state 1/3 of the Jews will believe) will be saved (sozo); just as it is written (Paul quotes Isa 59:20), "THE DELIVERER (rhuomai - refers to the Redeemer, Christ Jesus) WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE (apostrepho = turn away from) UNGODLINESS (asebeia) FROM JACOB (synonymous with Israel). (This next section is quoted from Jer 31:31, 32, 33, 34) AND THIS IS MY COVENANT (diatheke) WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY (aphaireo) THEIR SINS." (Ro 11:25, 26, 27-see in depth discussion of this important NT passage to help understand God's plan for the Jews) THE REDEMPTION OF ZION Saints Raptured V Messiah Returns Second Coming V After 69th Week Daniel's 70th Week = 7 Years Da 9:27-note Zion in the Millennium The Cross This Present Evil Age Galatians 1:4-note Last 3.5 yr = Great Tribulation Mt 24:21-note Jehovah Shammah Messiah Reigns 1000 Years The City of Righteousness A Faithful City 3.5yr 3.5yr 1000 YEARS At the end of Ezekiel's prophecy (Ezek 48:35), the Lord gives a promise that He will return to Jerusalem and gives the city a new name Jehovah Shammah - The LORD is There. Zion was originally associated with the hill Ophel, the fortified area just to the south of the field King David purchased from Ornan (eventual site of the Temple Mount), lying between the Kidron Valley on the East and the Tyropoeon Valley to the West. Joel 3:17 F B Meyer Our Daily Homily This will be the lot of the chosen people in the millennial age (Notice this older writer believed in the Millennium! - Born April 1847 – Died March 1929),. The Holy God will make the city in which He resides a Holy place. But it is true universally. Wherever the Holy God dwells, there you have holiness—for it is the attribute of his nature, as heat is of fire. Holiness is not It, but He. Do you want it? Then you must invite Him to come. When God comes into a day, it becomes holy unto Him. When his presence is revealed in a bush, it is holy ground. When He descends on a mountain, the fences are erected, that unhallowed feet may not draw nigh. When He fills a building like Solomon’s Temple, the whole is consecrated, and may not be employed for sacrilegious purposes. Best of all, if He dwell in our hearts, they too are rendered holy to Himself. When the apostle prays that the God of Peace should sanctify us wholly, he goes on to ask that spirit, soul, and body, should be as a temple filled with God. The holy man is he who is God-filled and God-possessed. It is not enough to possess God; we must be possessed by Him. He who has more of God is surely holier than other men; and he is the holiest who has most. Behold, Christ stands at the door and knocks: He longs to come in and abide, never again to depart; He brings with Him the holiness for which He has taught us to yearn. “Is it true, Ignatius,” said the Roman emperor to the Christian martyr, “that you carry about your God within you?” “It is even so,” replied the bishop, “for it is written, I will dwell in thee, and walk in thee.” And for that answer they cast him to the wild beasts. But what they deemed blasphemy is literally true of the Holy Spirit. Joel 3:18 And it will come about in that day That the mountains will drip with sweet wine, And the hills will flow with milk, And all the brooks of Judah will flow with water; And a spring will go out from the house of the LORD, To water the valley of Shittim. That the mountains will drip with sweet wine: Job 29:6 Isa 55:12,13 Am 9:13,14 And all the brooks of Judah will flow with water: Isa 30:25 35:6 41:17,18 And a spring will go out from the house of the LORD: Ps 46:4 Eze 47:1-12 Zec 14:8 To water the valley of Shittim: Nu 25:1 Mic 6:5 THE BLESSINGS OF THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM See summary of blessings in the Millennium. And it will come about in that day - What "day?" This is the same time referred to in Joel 3:1-note "in those days and at that time." The Day of the LORD is still in play, but as noted above, this verse refers to the "good side" of that day, after the day of destruction of the Antichrist, the False Prophet and the godless Gentile armies seeking to destroy Israel. Now Joel presents a picture of the glorious time that follows the Lord's return and His establishment of the Millennial Kingdom (Don't be confused here because the Day of the LORD will extend to the end of the Millennium - cf 2 Peter 3:10-note - see schematic representation). I realize some like John MacArthur feel the Day of the Lord at the end of the Millennium as described by Peter is another "day" and that the Millennium is not part of the Day of the Lord. While that is possible, I think it is difficult to exclude that the millennial blessing described here in Joel 3:18 are part of the Day of the Lord. See further discussion of this interpretation below. Charles Simeon who lived from 1759-1836 was an excellent, conservative expositor who generally interpreted the text literally and thus he still interpreted the 1000 years of Revelation 20 as the Millennium! Commenting on Joel's description on Joel 3:18 he writes "THE return of the Jews to their own land at some future period seems to be predicted so plainly (Ed: What a contrast with many modern commentators who seem to find this interpretation enigmatic and confusing, primarily because they have replaced Israel with the Church!) and so frequently, that no reasonable doubt can be entertained respecting it. (Amen and Amen!) As for their (Israel's) future conversion to the faith of Christ, that is absolutely certain. But previous to their final settlement in their own land, there will be a violent contest with them in Palestine: but their enemies will be defeated with great slaughter: and after that will the long-wished-for period arrive, when all, both Jews and Gentiles, shall turn unto the Lord, and all “become one fold, under one Shepherd.”" (Excerpt from his Sermon on Joel 3:18 "The Millennium") (See Related Resource:Israel of God, replacement theology / supersessionism) NET Note - The language used here is a hyperbolic way of describing both a bountiful grape harvest (“the mountains will drip with juice”) and an abundance of cattle (“the hills will flow with milk”). In addition to being hyperbolic, the language is also metonymical (effect for cause). (Net Notes Joel 3) That the mountains will drip with sweet wine - Joel uses rich figures of speech to express the abundance of the fruit of the vine. Contrast this with Joel's prophecy opening with devastation of the lands by locusts (Joel 1)! In the coming golden age when the King of kings reigns on earth.