Knowing the LORD Your God Joel 3:17

Joel the prophet declared, “The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem” as he continued his discourse on the LORD's judgment against Judah's enemies. The LORD's “roar and voice” would “shake” the “heavens and the earth”, but would “be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel”. In chapter three and verse seventeen of his prophesy, Joel revealed the results of the LORD's “roar and voice” upon the people of Judah as he wrote, “so shall you know that I am the LORD”. We read:

So shall you know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

The verse begins, “So shall you know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain:” Joel began with the phrase, “So shall you know” or “learn, perceive, find out, discern, discriminate and distinguish” “that I am the LORD” which refers to “Yehovah or Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the one true God” “your God” or “ruler, judge and divine one” “dwelling” which means “settling down, abiding, tabernacle and residing” “in Zion” or “parched place and another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books”, “my holy” or “sacred, separated, dedicated and hallowed” “mountain” which refers to “hill or range of hills”. Jerusalem sits upon a “hill” and when the LORD shows Himself strong on this “mountain” against Judah's enemies, the people will “know” He is “Jehovah God”.

The verse goes on to say, “then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.” Joel added, “then shall Jerusalem” or “teaching of peace and the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split” “be holy” which means “sacred, separated, dedicated and hallowed”, “and there shall no strangers” or “foreigners, enemies, loathsome and estranged” “pass through her any more” or “pass over or by, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take away, transgress, march over, traverse and sweep by” the city of “Jerusalem” any longer.

When we meditate upon these words of Joel, we see the benefit of the LORD standing against the enemies of Judah. By the LORD declaring His “roar and voice” the people of Judah would “know” Him. The LORD will stand for His people, and we can only imagine how He will stand for those who align themselves with His Son Jesus Christ. Knowing the LORD's “voice” and identifying what makes Him “roar” only draws us closer and closer to our Heavenly Father. May we learn to hear the LORD at all times, and may we always know what makes Him passionate enough to “roar”.

Next time Joel shares about the “mountains, hills, rivers” and a “fountain”, 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.