BIG IDEA:
JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS IS CONTRASTED WITH THE RESTORATION OF JUDAH IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ESCHATOLOGICAL DAY OF THE LORD
INTRODUCTION:
Trent Butler: MAIN IDEA REVIEW: The final Day of the Lord will bring victory and pardon for God’s people, but that day of final decision will bring lasting judgment on the enemies of God’s people. God will live in Zion among his people.
Kaiser: Joel 3:1-21 … became the classic passage for the rest of the OT on God’s final judgment on all nations. It also became the classic statement of the blessed result for the people of God. They would possess an exceedingly fertile land enriched with fountains of running water and dripping with wine and milk. And to climax it all, Yahweh would personally dwell in Zion.
Thomas Constable: The prophecy of Joel unfolds in chronological sequence. It begins with reference to a severe locust invasion that had come as a judgment on the Judahites for their covenant unfaithfulness to Yahweh (1:2-20). Even though it is impossible to date this plague, it happened in the fairly recent past from Joel’s perspective.
The LORD used this severe locust judgment to call His people, through His prophet, to anticipate an even worse devastation coming in the near future, not from insects but from foreign invaders (2:1-27). He called on the Jews to repent, and He promised that if they did, He would forgive them and save them from this invasion. This would be a day of deliverance in which they would learn that He was at work for them.
This was what happened when the Assyrians under Sennacherib’s leadership attacked Jerusalem unsuccessfully in 701 B.C. (cf. 2 Kings 18-19; Isa. 36-37). If that was the near invasion that Joel predicted, he must have written in the early pre-exilic period (ninth century B.C.).
Yet another, similar day, would be coming much further in the future (2:28 – 3:21), in which the Jews would again experience an invasion by foreigners who hated them (in the Tribulation). Nevertheless, Yahweh promised to deliver them in that day and to restore them to unprecedented blessing (in the Millennium)—because He was, and will always be, their covenant-keeping God.
Daniel Epp-Tiessen: This chapter is a miscellaneous collection of promises of deliverance held together by two central themes: God’s defeat of enemy peoples and the benefits that will flow from the fact that God dwells on Mount Zion. The diversity of the material makes it difficult to know how to divide the chapter into smaller units. In my opinion, a significant shift occurs in 3:16, when God roars from Zion. In 3:1-15 there is not a single reference to God dwelling in Zion, but 3:16-21 features four distinct references to God’s presence in Zion/Jerusalem (3:16, 17, 18b, 21). The first part of the chapter describes how God will defeat the peoples who have oppressed Israel (3:1-15), whereas 3:16-21 focuses on how God will make Zion the base of operations for protecting and blessing Israel.
Duane Garrett: JUDGMENT ON NATIONS: ALL NATIONS DESTROYED (3:1–21)
The Valley of Jehoshaphat (3:1–3)
Tyre, Sidon, and Philistia (3:4–8)
Summons to All Nations (3:9–12)
The Winepress of the Lord (3:13)
Signs of the Day of the Lord (3:14–17)
The Final State (3:18–21)
James Nogalski: Chiastic Structure
A Restoration of Judah and Jerusalem (3:1)
B Judgment of the Nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (3:2)
C Judgment for the Slavery of Yahweh’s People (3:3)
C′ Judgment for the Slavery of Yahweh’s People (3:4–8)
B′ Judgment of the Nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (3:9–17)
A′ Restoration of Judah and Jerusalem (3:18–21)
I. (:1-12) AWESOME JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS
A. (:1-3) Day of Reckoning for the Nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat
1. (:1) Timetable
“For behold, in those days and at that time,
When I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,”
Pusey: The Prophet by the word, for, shews [sic] that he is about to explain in detail, what he had before spoken of, in sum.
Biblehub: Yes, in those days and at that time —
This phrase indicates a specific future period, often associated with the “Day of the Lord,” a recurring theme in prophetic literature. It suggests a divinely appointed time when God will intervene in human history. This eschatological language is common in the prophetic books, pointing to a time of judgment and restoration. The phrase “in those days” is often used in the Old Testament to denote a significant future event (e.g., Jeremiah 33:15, Ezekiel 38:18).
David Baker: Both syntax and semantics indicate this as a new section. There is a shift of interest to foreign nations that is also tied to God’s promised deliverance of his people. Verse 1 sets the stage for what follows. There is a new time indicator with several elements. First is an emphatic demonstrative indicator of proximity to the previously mentioned events: “those days” and “that time.” The most immediate referent of these is the period described in 2:28–32, that these new things happen right in conjunction with sending the Spirit (3:2). Jeremiah uses a similar time indication to describe God’s future restoration of the fortunes of his repentant and forgiven people (Jer. 33:15; 50:4, 20). This same repentance of the people is seen in Joel 2:32.
The time is described further in a relative clause concerning the restoration of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem (cf. Jer. 33:15).
David Guzik: In a lesser and immediate sense this was fulfilled in the return from the Babylonian exile. In the greater and ultimate sense it will be fulfilled in the end-times regathering of Israel, to the point where an expectant Israel welcomes Jesus saying, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:39) and salvation comes to Israel as a whole (Romans 11:26-27).
- (:2a) Triggering Event
“I will gather all the nations,
And bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat.”
Leslie Allen: The gathering of the nations is for the purpose of judgment, in the adverse sense of punishment.
Biblehub: I will gather all the nations —
This phrase indicates a divine action where God Himself orchestrates the gathering of nations. It reflects the sovereignty of God over all nations, emphasizing His control over historical events. This gathering is often interpreted as a precursor to a final judgment, aligning with eschatological themes found in other prophetic books such as Zechariah 14:2 and Revelation 16:14-16, where nations are gathered for a climactic confrontation.
Thomas Constable: The valley of Jehoshaphat would mean the place where Yahweh judges,without reference to a specific geographical site. Valleys were often preferred locations for battles in biblical times, so “valley” is an appropriate word to use to describe the place where God will defeat Israel’s enemies. Later Joel referred to this place as the valley of decision (v. 14). There God would judge the nations for scattering His covenant people, His inheritance, and for dividing up His land (cf. Lam. 5:2). They had thought so little of the Hebrews that they gambled for them. They had valued them no higher than the hire of a prostitute or the cost of a drink.
- (:2b-3) Treachery Punished
“Then I will enter into judgment with them there
On behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel,
Whom they have scattered among the nations;
And they have divided up My land.
They have also cast lots for My people,
Traded a boy for a harlot, And sold a girl for wine that they may drink.”
Biblehub: as they divided up My land —
The division of the land signifies the nations’ disregard for God’s covenant with Israel. The land of Israel is portrayed as God’s possession, entrusted to His people. This division is seen as an affront to God’s sovereignty and His promises, echoing the warnings in Leviticus 25:23 and Ezekiel 36:5. The phrase serves as a reminder of the sanctity of the land in God’s redemptive history.They cast lots for My people —
This phrase indicates a practice of dividing spoils by casting lots, a method used in ancient times to make decisions or distribute goods. Casting lots was common in the ancient Near East and is mentioned in other biblical contexts, such as the division of land among the tribes of Israel (Joshua 18:10) and the soldiers casting lots for Jesus’ garments (Matthew 27:35). Here, it underscores the dehumanization and commodification of God’s people, treating them as mere objects. This reflects the severity of the judgment against the nations for their mistreatment of Israel, highlighting the divine ownership and protection over His people.they bartered a boy for a prostitute —
This phrase illustrates the extreme moral degradation and exploitation present during the time. The trading of a boy for a prostitute signifies a complete disregard for human dignity and the sanctity of life. In the ancient world, children were often seen as valuable for labor or as future contributors to the family lineage. The act of exchanging a child for temporary pleasure indicates a society deeply entrenched in sin and corruption. This echoes the warnings found in other prophetic books, such as Amos, where social injustices and exploitation are condemned (Amos 2:6-7).and sold a girl for wine to drink —
The selling of a girl for wine further emphasizes the theme of exploitation and the prioritization of indulgence over human life. Wine, often associated with celebration and abundance, here becomes a symbol of excess and moral decay. This transaction reflects a culture that values material and sensual gratification over the welfare of its most vulnerable members. The prophets frequently denounce such behavior, calling for justice and righteousness (Isaiah 5:11-12). This phrase also serves as a stark contrast to the biblical view of children as blessings from God (Psalm 127:3), highlighting the depth of the nations’ transgressions.
Leslie Allen: Not only was land lost by the Judeans, but their very liberty was forfeited. They were regarded as loot to be apportioned, as slaves in a lottery.
David Baker: What seems condemned by Joel is the disregard for the value of human beings, especially that of the young; something as necessary for the continuation of society as her next generation is squandered on something so fleeting.
Duane Garrett: Obadiah 11 and Nah 3:10 both associate casting lots over refugees with the horrors that accompany capture of a city by a foreign army. Perhaps the Bible also associates Jesus with the suffering of the defeated in the casting of lots over his garments (Ps 22:18; Matt 27:35). After the capture of a city, victorious soldiers took boys and girls (older people were killed off) and sold them as slaves. The fact that the price of these slaves only bought a night with a prostitute or a little wine shows how cheaply they were regarded (cf. Amos 2:6). In contrast to the behavior of these nations, Exod 21:16 forbids kidnapping people to sell them as slaves, and Deut 21:14 prohibits the sale of prisoners of war in Israel.
B. (:4-8) Disdain for the Pride and Prosperity of the Nations
- (:4) Over-Inflated Self-Assessment by the Nations
“Moreover, what are you to Me, O Tyre, Sidon,
and all the regions of Philistia?
Are you rendering Me a recompense?
But if you do recompense Me,
swiftly and speedily I will return your recompense on your head.”
Trent Butler: Two nations head the list: Tyre and Sidon, the two major Phoenician cities, apparently the home of the original Canaanites (Isa. 23:11). Sidon lay twenty-five miles north of Tyre and had a long history of leading coastal coalitions against Egypt. The two cities dominated deep-sea commercial traffic, carrying goods from many nations on their famous ships.
Biblehub: I will swiftly and speedily return your recompense upon your heads —
Here, God promises a swift and decisive response to any acts of retaliation. The imagery of recompense “upon your heads” indicates personal and direct consequences for their actions. This reflects the biblical theme of divine justice, where God ensures that those who oppose Him and His people face the consequences of their actions. It also echoes the principle found in Romans 12:19, where God declares that vengeance belongs to Him. The assurance of swift justice serves as a warning to the nations and a comfort to Israel, affirming God’s active role in defending His people.
Daniel Epp-Tiessen: God begins by asking Tyre, Sidon, and Philistia, What are you to me? (3:4), a contemptuous question implying that they amount to nothing in God’s eyes. In a mocking attempt to discern what could have motivated their atrocities, God then asks whether they are perchance attempting to pay him back for some perceived offense. If so, God assures them, he will speedily ensure that their attempts at payback will recoil upon their own heads. Many of us want to live in a world where evildoers receive a taste of their own medicine and get what we think they deserve. Although life sometimes unfolds this way, we will have to wait for God’s final judgment before most of the world’s evil and evildoers will be dealt with in appropriate ways.
- (:5-6) Overreach and Oppression by the Nations
“Since you have taken My silver and My gold,
brought My precious treasures to your temples,
6 and sold the sons of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks
in order to remove them far from their territory,”
Biblehub: to your temples —
The phrase indicates that the stolen treasures were taken to pagan temples, suggesting a transfer of what was holy to a profane context. This act can be seen as an affront to God, as it implies the subjugation of the God of Israel to the deities of the surrounding nations. It echoes the theme of idolatry and the spiritual adultery that Israel often fell into, as seen in other prophetic books like Hosea. Theologically, this can be viewed as a type of Christ, where the true temple, Jesus, was desecrated and rejected by the world, yet ultimately triumphed over sin and death.
Leslie Allen: The charges take up three interconnected themes dear to Joel’s heart: temple, people, and land. Yahweh’s will was that his people should live in peace in their own country, tilling its soil and bringing to his temple praise for God’s bounty. This divine plan for Israel had been scandalously thwarted. Doubtless Joel was fully aware of the factor of Judah’s sin and in common with Obadiah viewed the exile as divine punishment. But there has never been a truly righteous war: outstanding accounts remained to be settled. It is these moral debts to Yahweh that are now served on the Philistines and Phoenicians.
Daniel Epp-Tiessen: Selling people into slavery was common in the ancient world because it was profitable and because certain contemporary understandings of human rights had not yet developed. Amos condemns both Tyre and Philistia for selling entire populations into slavery (1:6, 9); Ezekiel accuses Tyre of engaging in the slave trade with different peoples, including the Greeks (27:13). In the postexilic period the Jewish governor Nehemiah claims to have bought back as many Jewish slaves as possible from other peoples (Neh 5:8). We know little about specific events that may have sparked Joel’s prophecy condemning the slave traders, yet there is considerable evidence that the Babylonian destruction left Judah vulnerable to the predation of neighbors.
Duane Garrett: Notwithstanding the question of the precise historical setting of this verse, we should not miss the main point that the Philistines and Phoenicians followed a deliberate policy of banishing Jews from their homeland. Put in modern terms, they were practicing “ethnic cleansing” in hopes that they could solve their version of the “Jewish problem.” This text, in other words, was an early example of the treatment Jews would have to suffer for centuries to come.
John MacArthur: Although not prominent militarily, the Greeks were active in commerce on the Mediterranean in the 9th century B.C.
- (:7-8) Overturning of Fortunes by Divine Judgment
a. (:7) Restoration of God’s People
“behold, I am going to arouse them
from the place where you have sold them,
and return your recompense on your head.”
Trent Butler: God’s work will run in two directions. He will wake up his enslaved people to lead them home, and he will gain revenge on those who have enslaved them.
Thomas Constable: Probably the fulfillment lies in the future, specifically toward the end of the Tribulation, since this whole section of Joel deals with what God will do in that “day of the LORD.” Again, Phoenicia and Philistia probably represent all the enemies of Israel (cf. Isa. 25:10-12; Obad.) over whom Israel will eventually gain ascendancy.
b. (:8) Retribution on the Nations
“Also I will sell your sons and your daughters
into the hand of the sons of Judah,
and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a distant nation,
for the LORD has spoken.”
Biblehub: and they will sell them to the Sabeans—to a distant nation —
The Sabeans were a people known for their trading prowess, likely located in the region of modern-day Yemen. This reference to a “distant nation” emphasizes the complete removal and dispersion of those who opposed God’s people, symbolizing total defeat and humiliation. The Sabeans’ involvement highlights the far-reaching consequences of divine judgment, extending beyond immediate neighbors to distant lands. This also serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of ancient trade routes and the widespread impact of God’s actions. The mention of a distant nation can be seen as a fulfillment of God’s promise to restore and vindicate His people, as seen in other prophetic books like Isaiah and Jeremiah.
Leslie Allen: (:4-8) Yahweh plays the part of a plaintiff in a lawsuit who opens his speech by firing a series of indignant questions at the defendants. Then in the role of judge he announces swift retribution. The pattern of vv. 2, 3 is reproduced in that the announcement of judgment is followed by a recital of the charges. Then in classic prophetic fashion Yahweh’s imminent intervention is proclaimed in a punishment that fits the crime. The oracle is rhetorically rounded off by repeating the promise of retribution and by taking up the second of the accusations and reversing it into a retaliatory punishment. The piece closes with a final short line attesting the divine authority of the oracle.
C. (:9-12) Dispensing of Judgment
- (:9-10) Call to the Nations to Prepare for Conflict
“Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare a war; rouse the mighty men! Let all the soldiers 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 mighty man.’”
S. Lewis Johnson: Unusual battle cry issued to the nations of the earth; very ironic; But the wicked nations of the earth discover that they are going to fight Jehovah and be defeated and judged (cf. beast warring against lamb in Rev.)
Biblehub: Beat your plowshares into swords —
This phrase is a reversal of the imagery found in Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3, where swords are beaten into plowshares, symbolizing peace. Here, the transformation of agricultural tools into weapons signifies a call to war. This reflects a time of divine judgment and preparation for battle, emphasizing the urgency and seriousness of the situation. Historically, this would resonate with the agrarian society of ancient Israel, where tools for farming were common and readily available. The call to convert these tools into weapons underscores the total mobilization required for the impending conflict.
David Baker: There is a juxtaposition of the sedentary, agricultural life, with its implements such as plowshares and pruning hooks, with the life of war, with its swords and spears.
Thomas Constable: The nations will evidently believe that God is calling them to do battle, but, ironically, it is really to hear His sentence of judgment against them.
Duane Garrett: The irony emerges in calling for “warriors” and “fighting men” to come and do their best to attack Jerusalem. In 2:7 these terms described an invincible fighting force that confronted Jerusalem; now these same soldiers are called to a battle they have no hope of winning. Before, they were described as the army of Yahweh (2:11); now they are his enemies.
Anthony Petterson: The call for the weakling to say they are strong is satire; they only fool themselves since they stand no chance before the army of the Lord.
- (:11-12) Call to the Nations to Stand before God’s Judgment
“Hasten and come, all you surrounding nations,
And gather yourselves there. Bring down, O LORD, Thy mighty ones.
12 Let the nations be aroused And come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat,
For there I will sit to judge All the surrounding nations.”
Thomas Constable: [Re :12-13] The Lord urged the nations to rouse themselves and to assemble in the valley of Jehoshaphat (cf. v. 2) because it was there that He would sit in judgment on them. He compared this judgment to harvesting grain with a sickle and to treading grapes in a vat (cf. Isa. 17:5; 63:1-6; Rev. 14:14-20). As grapes squirt juice when trodden, so the nations will give up the wickedness with which they have been full (cf. 2:24). This scene of divine warfare must correspond to the battle of Armageddon at the end of the Tribulation (cf. Rev. 14:14-20; 16:16; 19:11-21). The judgment of the nations following Christ’s second coming (Matt. 25:31- 46) will not involve warfare.
Daniel Epp-Tiessen: After the nations are commanded to mobilize, Joel utters a short prayer, asking God to send down his heavenly warriors, presumably to deal with the enemy armies (3:11b). God immediately responds by briefly repeating the call to battle and then revealing that the neighboring nations are not actually being mobilized for war but are being gathered into the valley of Jehoshaphat so that God can sit in judgment over them (3:12). The expected battle morphs into a trial: God never gives the nations a chance to defend themselves and immediately hands down the sentence (3:13). Even with their total mobilization for war, the nations present no challenge to God’s power over them.
II. (:13-16a) ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE COMING DAY OF THE LORD
A. (:13) Calendar of God’s Judgment Indicates Time for Harvest
“Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.
Come, tread, for the wine press is full;
The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.”
Biblehub: The wine vats overflow because their wickedness is great —
The overflowing wine vats represent the excessive wickedness of the nations, which has reached a tipping point. This abundance of sin necessitates divine action. The imagery of overflowing suggests that the iniquity is not only full but excessive, aligning with the biblical principle that God’s patience with sin has limits (Genesis 15:16). The great wickedness of the people is a recurring theme in prophetic literature, emphasizing the need for repentance and the certainty of divine judgment if repentance is not forthcoming.
Leslie Allen: Two metaphors for judgment, both borrowed from farming. The first is a picture of cereal crops harvested with the sickle, as in Isa. 17:5, while the second alludes to the vintage, like Isa. 63:3. All is ready: like a field of ripe corn the nations are gathered in the valley, crying out to be cut down. Their armies are packed like so many grapes in the hollowed press, waiting to be trodden. The third line of the verse amplifies the second reason and translates its metaphor into moral terms. Such a mass of grapes was piled in the press that its own weight was forcing the liquid down the channels into the nearby vats, which were spilling over and clamoring for attention. What a harvest! How ripe for judgment were the assembled nations who overflowed the boundaries of the broad valley! Yes, indeed, for it was only the enormity of their own wickedness that had brought them here to receive the annihilating judgment of God. So vital is the connection between the mass guilt of the nations and their massed presence that they can be run together poetically. There is a glance back at the accusations of vv. 2f. as the verdict is delivered, and, as it were, the hangman is instructed to do his grisly work.
John Schultz: The image of a harvest also depicts God’s patience with man’s rebellion. God waits till the harvest is ripe, till the measure of iniquity is full before He strikes. He did this with the inhabitants of Canaan and also with the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. That will be the world’s light night and the end of the universe, as we know it now. The darkening of the sun and moon does not describe a day of heavy overcast, as The Pulpit Commentary supposes. We read: “The densely packed masses are already in the valley of decision, awaiting the judgment about to be executed upon them. But before the judgment actually bursts upon them, and in preparation for it, the sky is overcast; darkness, as a portent of the approaching storm, envelops them; the lights of heaven are put out. The pitchy darkness of a night in which neither moon nor stars appear is sufficiently dismal and awful; still more terrible, if possible, is darkness in the daytime, when the light of the sun is turned into blackness.” The scene is rather the one described in Revelation, where John states: “I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.”
B. (:14) Crisis Time of the Day of the Lord Is Near
“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!
For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.”
John Piper: For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. This does not mean people come there to make a decision; they come to experience God’s decision. God is the Decider in the valley of decision. The valley of decision is the same as the valley of Jehoshaphat, and “decision” (or verdict) is virtually the same as “judgment.”
Leslie Allen: The change of name to Verdict Valley in v. 14 suggests that the present name is intended as a theological symbol rather than a topographical identification: “the place where Yahweh is to judge.” Jehoshaphat means “Yahweh judges,” and it was evidently selected for use here because of this meaning. The place is referred to as a (wide) valley because large numbers of people are involved and the judgment is conceived as a battle which requires for its venue such a wide depression between the hills of Judah.
Trent Butler: Their gathering point establishes an ominous aura—the valley of decision. The Hebrew verb charats carries the connotation of a guilty verdict with a sentence of destruction that stands beyond appeal (Job 14:5).
This is the setting for the final, ultimate day of the LORD. No longer will people experience a foretaste of the final reality. That reality is here. The decision is not something people will make. It is a decision God has already made to condemn and destroy those who are opposed to him.
Dillard: Many preachers have appealed to verse 14 for an evangelistic thrust; their audiences are addressed as “multitudes in the Valley of Decision” who must decide their fate. There is a problem with that use of this passage: in Joel the hordes do not gather to make a decision, but to hear one; they will not be deciding their fate, for God has already decreed it. The time for decisions is now past.
C. (:15-16a) Cosmic Disturbances Signal the Terror of God’s Wrath
“The sun and moon grow dark, And the stars lose their brightness.
16 And the LORD roars from Zion And utters His voice from Jerusalem,
And the heavens and the earth tremble.”
Biblehub: The LORD will roar from Zion —
This phrase signifies God’s powerful and authoritative presence. Zion, often synonymous with Jerusalem, is the spiritual and political center of Israel. The imagery of a lion roaring is used to convey God’s might and the impending judgment. This echoes Amos 1:2, where the Lord’s voice is described as a roar from Zion, indicating a divine intervention. The roar symbolizes both judgment against the nations and protection for His people.
Robert Chisholm: An innumerable host will be assembled in the valley of decision (also called the Valley of Jehoshaphat, vv. 2, 12). Here the divine Judge’s verdict will be executed on the nations. As in earlier passages (cf. 2:10, 31) the darkening of the heavenly bodies (3:15) serves as an ominous sign of the approaching day of the LORD (v. 14). The LORD will then emerge from His sanctuary in Jerusalem in theophanic splendor (v. 16; cf. Amos 1:2). His thunderous battle cry (cf. will roar … and thunder) will produce cosmic disorder (cf. Joel 2:10-11; Rev. 16:16, 18). He will then demonstrate that He is Israel’s Refuge (cf. Pss. 46:1; 62:8; Isa. 25:4) and Stronghold (cf. Pss. 9:9; 18:2; 27:1; 37:39; 43:2; 144:2).
III. (:16b-21) ASSURANCE OF FINAL RESTORATION OF JUDAH
Daniel Epp-Tiessen: The final verses of Joel feature four specific references to God’s presence on Zion (3:16, 17, 18, 21), highlighting eight interrelated benefits that flow from this presence: military security, Israel’s recognition of God, sanctification of Jerusalem, freedom from invasion, amazing fertility, abundant rainfall and water, revenge on historic enemies, and perpetual inhabitation.
A. (:16b) Protection for the Jewish Nation
“But the Lord is a refuge for His people
And a stronghold to the sons of Israel.”
B. (:17) Purpose of Judah’s Restoration = Holy and Majestic Enthronement
“Then you will know that I am the Lord your God,
Dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain.
So Jerusalem will be holy,
And strangers will pass through it no more.”
S. Lewis Johnson – Millennial kingdom is not a carnal type of kingdom but a spiritual one.
Leslie Allen: Instead of simply being in their midst, Yahweh “dwells” on Zion, his temple mount. The participle, with its durative function (see Joel 2:32), along with the verb itself (škn), shows that Yahweh is not a temporary resident, an alien, but one who is sinking down roots with his people (2 Sam. 7:10; Ps. 102:28). Because of God’s presence there, Zion can be called his “holy hill.” While for Israel Zion is a place of action as she prepares to face her attackers (cf. 2:1), it can also be a prayerful place where destruction and tumult are distant (Isa. 11:9; 55:7; 65:25). Since holiness denotes separation from that which is unclean (Lev. 7:19–21; 12:4), Jerusalem, like Zion within it, is sanctified by separation from “foreigners,” those called in Isaiah 52:1 “the uncircumcised and defiled” (cf. Ps. 74:7; Ezek. 7:22; Dan. 11:31).
Daniel Epp-Tiessen: For Jerusalem to be holy means that it is set apart from other physical spaces by virtue of God’s presence in the temple, from which God’s holiness radiates to the entire city. A holy city will be a safe haven for God’s people, not profaned by foreign invasion, by the death that conquest brings, or by the unfaithful actions of its inhabitants. The four convictions expressed in Joel 3:16-17—God dwells on Zion, is Israel’s God, makes Zion a refuge, and conveys holiness to the city—were all beliefs celebrated in worship at the temple. Much of Joel’s eschatology represents “the themes of Judah’s worship projected on the screen of Israel’s future” (Allen: 121).
John Goldingay: So Israel will have reason to acknowledge Yahweh (3:17) on the basis of both his act of judgment and his protection of his people, with the nuance that Yahweh is the one who dwells on Zion. The claim that it is his sacred mountain is implausible. How can such a claim be made of this little town in the Judahite mountains? But it will be proved by these ultimate events. And the defiling of his sacred mountain by strangers will be terminated. The idea is not that other nations will simply be kept out—at least, that would contrast with the rest of the First Testament. It is rather that the hostile feet of people who despise Yahweh and despise his people will not defile it any more. The strangers are the people who have imposed foreign subjection on Israel. They will not be seen anymore.
Tchavder Hadjiev: God’s dwelling in Jerusalem is manifested in two ways: holiness and prosperity. By taking up his residence on Zion, the Lord will ensure that the holiness of the city is not threatened again by foreign armies. The strangers who pass through it are neither tourists, nor merchants, nor resident aliens. These are the soldiers who defiled Jerusalem by exiling its population (vv. 2–3) and spilling the innocent blood of its inhabitants (v. 19). Joel does not offer a vision of an isolated, ‘ethnically pure’ place, but of a city no longer subjected to the polluting violence of conquest.
The holy presence of God reaches beyond the confines of Jerusalem to bring supernatural fertility to the land. In this paradisal bliss three precious commodities associated with life, satiation and jubilation are so abundant that they flow freely through the land: wine, milk and water. The link between the holiness of the city and the fertility of the land is made explicit at the end of verse 18.
C. (:18) Prosperity and Fertility for Judah
“And in that day 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.”
Warren Wiersbe: Jerusalem is the only city of antiquity that wasn’t built near a great river. Rome had the Tiber; Nineveh was built near the Tigris and Babylon on the Euphrates; and the great Egyptian cities were built near the Nile. But in the kingdom, Jerusalem will have a river that proceeds from the temple of God.
Daniel Epp-Tiessen: The temple, which had been a place of sadness and lament (1:9, 13, 14; 2:15-17), will feature a fountain providing life-giving water (3:18). Since water was in perpetually short supply in most of Canaan, it is hard to overestimate the value that ancient Israelites attached to a reliable source of water. In those times the Gihon spring was the main water source for Jerusalem. The presence of this spring near the temple, plus the belief that divine blessing radiated from the temple because of God’s presence there, inspired a vision of the temple as the source of a life-giving river or fountain (Pss 46:4; 65:1, 9-13; Isa 33:20-22; Zech 13:1; 14:8). Ezekiel provides the most grandiose version of this image, describing a massive river that will flow from the rebuilt temple eastward to the Dead Sea, transforming the barren desert into a lush, fruitful land alive with animal life and with trees that provide fruit for food and leaves for healing (47:1-12). So powerful and persistent was this image of the temple as a source of life-giving water that Revelation’s vision of the new Jerusalem features the river of the water of life, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb, nourishing the trees on its banks, which produce perpetual fruit and leaves for the healing of the nations (22:1-2).
John MacArthur: valley of Shittim – Known for its acacia trees, the valley was situated on the northern shores of the Dead Sea and served as the final stopover for Israel prior to her entrance into the Promised Land (Nu 25:1; Jos 2:1; 3:1). This valley is also the place to which the millennial river will flow (Eze 47:1-12; Zec 14:8).
D. (:19) Promised Desolation of Judah’s Enemies
“Egypt will become a waste,
And Edom will become a desolate wilderness,
Because of the violence done to the sons of Judah,
In whose land they have shed innocent blood.”
Trent Butler: Judah’s temple-based fertility will stand in stark contrast to the land of her enemies. Egypt, the enemy from the exodus onward, will be desolate. Edom, the uncooperative neighbor and relative (Num. 20:14–21) who joined in Babylon’s desecration of the temple (Obad. 11–14), would become a desert waste.
Duane Garrett: The prediction of the future humiliation of Egypt and Edom serves a greater theological purpose. For the modern reader it is not too significant to read that Egypt and Edom would revert to desert conditions, but for Joel’s audience it implied that their God had triumphed. In the future, the passage hints, no one will look to Egypt or the gods of Egypt for saving power, and no one will have regard for Edom. Egypt and Edom will suffer the calamity that had temporarily fallen upon Judah (Joel 2:3). Israel and Israel’s God will be exalted over all the nations as well as over their gods and ideals. Egypt and Edom serve as a sign for all the nations here. This is simply another way of joining Isaiah in claiming that Mount Zion would be exalted above all mountains and all nations would stream to it to learn the true teaching of God (Isa 2:2–4). It is more than political dominance over some bygone nations and extinct cultures; it is the triumph of the gospel over every ideal, religion, or cultural identity. It is the bowing of the nations before Israel’s God.
Structure:
A Egypt and Edom will be uninhabited (v. 19a)
B Egypt and Edom shed innocent blood in Judah (v. 19b)
A´ Judah will be inhabited forever (v. 20)
B´ God will avenge innocent blood (v. 21a)
A´´ God will inhabit Zion (v. 21b)
E. (:20) Possession of Promised Land Guaranteed Forever
“But Judah will be inhabited forever
And Jerusalem for all generations.”
F. (:21) Pledge of Final Avenging
“And I will avenge their blood which I have not avenged,
For the Lord dwells in Zion.”
Biblehub: For the LORD dwells in Zion —
Zion, often synonymous with Jerusalem, is significant as the spiritual and political center of Israel. It represents God’s chosen dwelling place among His people (Psalm 132:13-14). The presence of the LORD in Zion signifies His protection, favor, and the fulfillment of His covenant promises. This phrase also points to the eschatological hope of God’s eternal reign from Zion, as seen in prophetic literature (Isaiah 2:2-4, Micah 4:1-2). The dwelling of the LORD in Zion is a type of Christ, who is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s presence with His people, as He is Immanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).
Anthony Petterson: The people of Judah are declared innocent presumably because they have called on the name of the Lord and found forgiveness (2:32). True to his character, God will not acquit the guilty (3:21; cf. Ex. 34:7).
Leslie Allen: A grand word for the future, but what of those citizens who were cut off in their prime, whose eyes saw Judah’s ruin and would never see her rehabilitation? The minds of Joel’s audience cannot help lingering on the rankling acts of foreign injustice. The spilled blood cried out to Yahweh in a lament like that of the Christian martyrs in Rev. 6:10:
“How long will it be, Lord holy and true, before you pass sentence and avenge our blood?”
Yahweh breaks in with a final word of assurance to the sorrowing. They receive the glad promise that he will not leave the debt unpaid, but will exact punishment for the last dark drop. The promise is appropriately reinforced by a solemn pledge. The fact of Yahweh’s presence in Zion, celebrated in v. 17, is the guarantee of vindication. Yahweh had already heard the cry of lament from their hearts concerning the locusts. Now the book closes with the promise that he would champion anew his chosen people and see that justice was done on this long-standing issue.
Sing praises to Yahweh, enthroned in Zion.…
For he, the avenger of blood, remembers them;
he does not forget the appeal of the afflicted.
(Ps. 9:11f.[12f.])
God is on the throne: the reminder of his sovereignty is balm for the wounds of injustice and the basis of his people’s hope for the future.