Joel the
prophet shared how the LORD was to “bring again the captivity of
Judah and Jerusalem”, and in chapter three and verse two of his
prophesy, Joel shared how the LORD will “gather all nations”
where we read:
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.
The
verse begins, “I will also gather all nations, and will
bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat,...” Joel
began with the phrase, “I will also gather”
or “assemble and collect” “all nations”
which means “people who are usually non-Hebrew”, “and
will bring them down” or
“descend, decline, march and sink down” “into the
valley” which refers to “the
vale, lowland and open country” “of Jehoshaphat”
which means “Jehovah has judged” and was “symbolical
name of a valley near Jerusalem which is the place of ultimate
judgment; maybe the deep ravine which separates Jerusalem from the
Mount of Olives through which the Kidron flowed”.
At this point in time, the LORD will “assemble” the people who
are non-Hebrew into the valley which is named “Jehovah has judged”.
The verse continues, “...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.” Joel added, “and
will plead” or “judge, govern, vindicate
and punish” “with them there for my
people” which means “nation, persons,
members of one's people, compatriots, countrymen, kinsman and
kindred” “and for my heritage”
or “possession, property, inheritance, portion and property”
“Israel” which
means “God prevails” and is “the name of the descendants and
the nation of the descendants of Jacob”, “whom
they have scattered” or “dispersed”
“among the nations”
which means “people who are usually non-Hebrew”, “and
parted” or “divided, shared, plundered,
allotted, apportioned and assigned” “my
land” which refers to “the earth,
territory, district, region, piece of ground and surface of the
earth”. Not only will the LORD “gather the
nations” into this “valley”
of judgment, but he will “vindicate and punish” them because they
“dispersed” the people of “Israel”
and divided God's land.
When
we meditate upon these words of Joel, we begin to see the judgment of
God upon the enemies of “Israel”. Though it may appear the
“enemy nations” are escaping God's mighty hand, His judgment is
sure, and His reasons are certain. Let us not be deceived. If we are
“friends of the world”, we are “enemies of God”.
Those who refuse to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord
will receive their just recompense for their rejection. May all who
read these words take heed and receive the LORD Jesus before His
judgment falls.
Next
time Joel shares more about how the nations treated God's people,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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