Joel 3:1-8 God will bring the nations into the Valley of Decision?
The decision to follow God or choose a different path falls on each individual. For now anyway. God graciously granted Adam, Eve, and all their descendants the freedom to choose at the time and manner they feel is best. The options are plentiful and attractive but it really comes down to two choices; God or the multitude of other options.
Most choose ‘other’
This passage in Joel has been the subject of numerous sermons over the past several decades. The ‘valley of decision,’ it is taught, is the place where the individual must come to, and from there, decide if he or she will finally choose to follow God or not.
But the context of the passage refers to something different, it’s not the individuals, but nations who come into the valley.
A time is approaching when the Lord will make the final decision for those nations who have waited too long to decide. Those who have waited to make their decision will have their right to choose taken from them. God will make the decision for them based on the ‘fruit’ of their previous actions.
So, whether it’s the multitude of individuals or nations, time is ticking away. God has been patient with all the nations and individuals but that patience will run out. God will take action when attacking armies surround Jerusalem and threaten to wipe out the nation of Israel.
Let’s get into the passage.
Joel 3:1 Israel is returned to their homeland
“For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem.”
This chapter begins with The Lord saying He will bring back the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem. This is a reference to the final return of the Jews to their homeland, which is where the Jews now reside. The Bible predicted this before the first captivity, which was at the hands of Babylon. The Romans completed the captivity/dispersion by destroying the temple and scattering the Jews.
The final return of the Jews is currently underway. They are back in their God-given homeland. Many continue to return, weekly, monthly, and yearly, expanding the population of Israel. Their enemies burn with anger as they prosper.
Joel 3:2 God pleads with the nations in the Valley of Decision
“I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.”
So now that the Jews have returned to the land, what comes next? This verse tells us that God will bring surrounding nations into the land. This will be a final assault on the Jews, with the express intent to wipe them out entirely. Wars have been waged against Israel since its inception in 1948. This time will be different. This will be a full-on attempt at annihilation. The armies will cross all the borders and surround the city of Jerusalem. The valley of Jehoshaphat mentioned here refers to the Kidron Valley that runs along the southeast of the city.
It is then and there that God will decide the fate of the nations who attack Israel.
Valley of Jehoshaphat
quoted from ‘Christiananswers.net’
This valley is mentioned in the Bible in only these two verses. Joel 3:2, 12
This is the name given in modern times to the valley between Jerusalem and the mount of Olives, and the Kidron flows through it. Here Jehoshaphat overthrew the confederated enemies of Israel (Psalms 83:6-8); and in this valley also God was to overthrow the Tyrians, Zidonians, etc. (Joel 3:4, 19), with an utter overthrow. This was fulfilled in history, but Joel speaks of the final conflict when God would destroy all Jerusalem‘s enemies, of whom Tyre and Zidon, etc., were types. The “valley of Jehoshaphat” may, therefore, be simply regarded as a general term for the theatre of God’s final judgments on the enemies of Israel.
This valley, since ancient times, has seen use by the Jews as a burial-ground. It is all over paved with flat stones as tombstones, bearing on them Hebrew inscriptions.
Joel 3:3 A Decision to make Slaves and Harlots, not people
“And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.”
This verse looks back on the history of Jewish captivities. The Babylonians were relatively mild in comparison to what the ‘nations’ did to them in the second captivity. Many Jewish families preferred their life in Babylon. They chose to stay in Babylon once King Cyrus the Mede, allowed them to return.
During the second scattering of the Jews, they were dispersed to many different places and subjected to great scorn, shame, and persecution. The work of Hitler during World War 2 was the culmination of what the Jewish people had endured over the last two thousand years. Tick-tock. The clock is ticking in God’s prophetic schedule. In the near future, the nations will attack for the final time.
Joel 3:4 God takes no ransom
“Yes, and what have you to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? Will you render me a recompense? And if you recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompense upon your own head.”
Joel mentions Tyre and Zidon. These were cities that represented power bases just to the north of Israel. It’s not a coincidence that this is Lebanon today. Hezbollah, one of the most bitter enemies of Israel, is stationed in Lebanon and has sworn allegiance to Iran. Both armies are determined to destroy Israel. They will be two of several nations that march into Israel during the final battle of Armageddon.
God promises to repay them for the deeds that were done to the Jewish people.
Joel 3:5 The Lord remembers their decision to steal the gold
“Because you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things.”
The centerpiece of Jewish life was their temple. That temple was lavishly arrayed with bronze, silver, and gold. Once the nation began to fall into ruin after the reign of King Solomon, the attacking enemies made it a habit to take as much gold and silver as they could.
Eventually, it was all gone. Like the Jews, their gold, silver, and riches were spread amongst the greedy nations. God has kept a record of it all.
Joel 3:6 Sold into slavery
“The children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have you sold unto the Grecians, that you might remove them far from their border.”
Many are familiar with the terror, shame, and disgrace of human trafficking. Many people groups have endured this at the hands of humanity’s worst. The Jewish nation has also been subjected to this shame.
God created every man, woman, and child as a special individual with great promise and value. Many who don’t believe in or follow God don’t acknowledge the intrinsic value of each person. It’s been a dreadful sub-culture of humanity that has preyed on the weak among the nations and sold them into slavery. God will hold all to account for the wrongs done over the centuries.
No one will escape their just reward if they have been involved in this. God is just and has not missed a thing over the last six thousand years of biblical history.
Joel 3:7 God reclaims His possession
“Behold, I will raise them out of the place where you have sold them, and will return your recompense upon your own head.”
God has brought the Jews out of their captivity. He promised to repay them for the wrongs done to them. That full repayment will take place during the Millennial period when the earth finally sees long-lasting peace.
Joel 3:8 An eye for an eye=equal justice
“And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the Lord has spoken it.”
God initially established the law we know as, “an eye for an eye.” This law was established, under the Mosaic Law, so that justice would be just, not vengeful. Most humans want to exact excessive revenge on those who have done them wrong. The Lord set firm limits on that. Over the centuries people thought it was just to go around chopping off hands and feet and gouging out eyes to get even with people who offended them. God has been offended by these ‘idiots’ who have taken revenge on people unjustly.
God sees our hearts when we do these idiotic things which are supposed to show God’s holiness. It’s insane what people have done in an effort to establish religious guidelines. All religions have done this. God, who is just, will deal with it accordingly.
What is the valley of decision
The following quote comes from ‘gotquestions.org’
Answer: Joel 3:14 says, “Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.” Many evangelists have drawn from this passage to challenge audiences to “make a decision” for Christ. Others view this valley of decision as a time of judgment when the Lord decides the fate of the nations. Which is it? An invitation or a prophecy of doom?
Context
The context of Joel 3 clarifies that this is a time when God judges the earth. Verse 2 says, “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.” The Valley of Jehoshaphat is the same as the “valley of decision.” Jehoshaphat means “Yahweh judges”; the “decision” being made in the valley is God’s, not the multitudes’. The literal, geographical location of this valley is likely the Kidron Valley on the east side of Jerusalem.
The Focus
The focus of Joel 3 is on the future Day of the Lord. This time will include a gathering of the nations (verse 2), a judgment on wickedness (verse 13), and astronomical signs (verse 15). Joel’s prophecy of the valley of decision finds its counterpart in Jesus’ Olivet Discourse and the judgment of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31-46).
The Day After
Immediately following the prophecy of judgment, Joel transitions to a description of the Lord’s millennial reign, a literal 1,000-year time period that follows the tribulation. During the millennium Christ rules as king of Jerusalem. Some interpreters argue the millennium is figurative, yet many passages, including Joel 3:18-21, describe this time in great detail. Further, Revelation 20:1-7 refers to “1,000 years” six times. It seems that God desires us to know that the millennial kingdom is a literal time period.
The Final Decision
Ultimately, the “valley of decision” in Joel 3:14 is not about humans choosing whether or not to follow Christ; it is God handing down His decision of judgment at the end of the tribulation. Wickedness will be dealt with decisively, swiftly and justly. Praise the Lord for His promise to make all things right one day and to be “a refuge for his people” (Joel 3:16).
In the next part of the chapter, we’ll explore the battle of Armageddon which Joel briefly describes.
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This book presents to you the teachings of a very old disciple of Christ (The Dead Man of Rome)–Hippolytus. He was an ardent defender of the teachings of the early disciples. He was an early disciple himself, but he was very aware of the many false teachings that were creeping into the church and affecting the truth of scripture. One of his more renowned writings was called, ‘Against Heresies.’ In it, he defended the word of God and the word of the first Apostles.
Hippolytus was born around A.D. 170 and lived to about A.D. 236. He was a contemporary of a more famous Irenaeus and learned under the teaching of Polycarp and Justin Martyr. He was born only seventy years after the death of the Apostle John. John was the last of the original twelve disciples of Christ, and the only one to avoid martyrdom.
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