Joel 1:1-10
Locusts Cover The Land
Joel 1:11-20
Mourning For The Land
Joel 2:1-11
The Coming Day of The Lord
Joel 2:12-17
A Call to Repentance
Joel 2:18-27
Forgiveness And Restoration
Joel 2:28-32
God’s Spirit Poured Out
Joel 3:1-8
God Judges The Nations
God Judges The Nations
Joel 3:1–8
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A number of years ago I was stopped for driving too fast in a speed zone, and in the courtroom I pleaded guilty. The judge was not only friendly but embarrassed for me to be in his court. The fine was ten dollars. If he let me go free, it would have been inconsistent with j … More
This passage is a judgment speech against the Gentile nations concerning their treatment of Christ’s “brethren,” the Jews (Matthew 25:40). These nations had scattered the Lord’s people, sold them as slaves to distant lands, and divided up His land (v. 3). In the future the Lord will restore Judah and Jerusalem in fulfillment of Moses promise (Deuteronomy 30:3). At the same time He will gather the nations for judgment. This judgment has been long in coming, but it will come.
The phrase “at that time” refers to the time when those who call on the Lord will be saved (v. 1). All of these nations will be gathered by the Lord in the valley of Jehosaphat (v. 2). The exact geographical location is not given but it is probably near Jerusalem. Some scholars suggest that it is a yet-future valley that will be formed by the spitting of the Mount of Olives at the Messiah’s return (Zechariah 14:4).
As might be expected, people experiencing the judgment of God will seek to make overtures to Him to ease His judgment against them. However, what the enemies of Judah and Jerusalem have sown they will reap (v. 8). The Lord spoke directly to Tyre and Sidon, (the Phoenicians and Philistines) located northwest of Israel, who had been involved in a slave trade with the Greeks (v. 4). They had actually taken their prized possessions and carried them off to their temples (v. 5).
The judgment threatened here was fulfilled at least in part in the fourth century when the people of Tyre and Sidon were sold into slavery by Antiochus and Alexander (vv. 6-8). The passage also carries prophetical significance in the future when all of God’s people will gain control over their enemies.Application
God in the past, and will in the future bring severe judgment on those who have mistreated His chosen people the Jews. We need to always keep this in mind in our dealings with Jewish people.
Joel 3:1-8 (English Standard Version)
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