The Valley where Yahweh Judges

October 20, 2024
Brett Hay

valley before a mountain

Joel 3:1-21

For look! In those days, and in that time, when I will return the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations, and I will bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will argue a case against them there concerning my people and my inheritance Israel whom they have scattered among the nations, and my land that they have divided. For my people they cast lots, and they traded the male child for the prostitute, and the female child they sold for wine and they drank it. What are you to me, O Tyre and O Sidon, and all of the regions of Philistia? Are you repaying to me what is deserved? If you are recompensing me, I will return swiftly and quickly what you deserve on your head! For you have taken my silver and my gold, and my beautiful treasures you have carried into your temples. And the sons of Judah and Jerusalem you sold to the sons of the Greeks, in order to remove them from their border. Look! I am rousing them from the place where you have sold them, and I will return what you deserve on your head! I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans and to a nation far away, for Yahweh has spoken. Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Stir up the mighty warriors; let them approach and come up; let all the men of war approach. Beat your cutting tools of iron into swords and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weakling say, ‘I am a mighty warrior!’ Hurry and come, all the nations, from all around, and gather yourselves there. Bring down your mighty warriors, O Yahweh! Let the nations be roused and let them come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations from all around. Send forth the sickle, for the harvest is ripe! Go tread, for the winepress is full! The vats overflow, because their evil is great! Commotion, commotion in the valley of decision! For the day of Yahweh is near in the valley of decision! The sun and the moon grow dark, and the stars have withheld their splendor. And Yahweh roars from Zion; from Jerusalem he utters his voice, and the heavens and the earth shake. But Yahweh is a refuge for his people, and a protection for the children of Israel. And you will know that I, Yahweh your God, am dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem will be a place of holiness, and strangers will pass through it no longer. And it will happen on that day; the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk, and all the channels of Judah will flow with water. A spring from the house of Yahweh will come forth, and it will water the valley of Acacia Trees. Egypt will become a desolation, and Edom will become a desolate desert, because of the violence they did against the children of Judah, in whose land they have shed innocent blood. But Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem for all generations. I will cleanse their bloodguilt that I did not cleanse, for Yahweh is dwelling in Zion.

Sin’s Gravity Requires Judgment

Joel is poetry, prophecy, and judgement. It is not typically a popular book for a sermon series, though it also shows that God is faithful to forgive.

The Gathering of Nations for Judgment

Joel 3:1–3 (ESV):

“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, 3 and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it.

  • What promise does God make right at the outset of this chapter?
  • What is the translation or idea behind the “Valley of Jehoshaphat”?
  • What is the accusation against the nations?

Charges Against the Nations

Joel 3:4–8 (ESV):

“What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will return your payment on your own head swiftly and speedily. 5 For you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my rich treasures into your temples. 6 You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks in order to remove them far from their own border. 7 Behold, I will stir them up from the place to which you have sold them, and I will return your payment on your own head. 8 I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far away, for the LORD has spoken.”

  • What is happening here?

1. God sees the wickedness of humanity.
2. God punished the enemies of His people.

The Day of the Lord and Final Judgment (Joel 3:9-16)

Joel 3:9–16 (ESV):

  Proclaim this among the nations:
  Consecrate for war;
  stir up the mighty men.
  Let all the men of war draw near;
  let them come up.
  10 Beat your plowshares into swords,
  and your pruning hooks into spears;
  let the weak say, “I am a warrior.”

  11 Hasten and come,
  all you surrounding nations,
  and gather yourselves there.
  Bring down your warriors, O LORD.
  12 Let the nations stir themselves up
  and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
  for there I will sit to judge
  all the surrounding nations.

  13 Put in the sickle,
  for the harvest is ripe.
  Go in, tread,
  for the winepress is full.
  The vats overflow,
  for their evil is great.

  14 Multitudes, multitudes,
  in the valley of decision!
  For the day of the LORD is near
  in the valley of decision.
  15 The sun and the moon are darkened,
  and the stars withdraw their shining.

  16 The LORD roars from Zion,
  and utters his voice from Jerusalem,
  and the heavens and the earth quake.
  But the LORD is a refuge to his people,
  a stronghold to the people of Israel.
  • We shift into a poetic form here. What is God doing as this section begins?
  • Read Isaiah 2:4 and note the contrast to verse 10 here.
  • The nations have mocked God’s people; can you hear God mocking them now? Point out some examples.

3. The day of the LORD gives hope to believers but is promised destruction to the enemies of God.

  • Read Revelation 14:14-20. How does Joel relate to this passage?
  • What are your thoughts on the images described here?

4. God will judge in the end.

Restoration and Blessings for God’s People

Joel 3:17–21 (ESV):  

“So you shall know that I am the LORD your God,
  who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.
  And Jerusalem shall be holy,
  and strangers shall never again pass through it.

  18 “And in that day
  the mountains shall drip sweet wine,
  and the hills shall flow with milk,
  and all the streambeds of Judah
  shall flow with water;
  and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the LORD
  and water the Valley of Shittim.

  19 “Egypt shall become a desolation
  and Edom a desolate wilderness,
  for the violence done to the people of Judah,
  because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
  20 But Judah shall be inhabited forever,
  and Jerusalem to all generations.
  21 I will avenge their blood,
  blood I have not avenged,
  for the LORD dwells in Zion.”
  • What are verses 17-21 showing us?
    • God’s Holiness?
    • God’s blessings?
    • God’s punishment?
    • God’s restoration?

5. God is faithful to forgive.

With whom are you sharing that message?

Look for opportunities to call people to repentance and hope!

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