Joel 3:2 KJV
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.
Or in other words:
Then I will bring all the nations together. I will bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat (a place of judgment). There I will judge against them because of what they did to my children, my people Israel. Those nations pushed my people out into other countries. They broke up my land and each took pieces.
The end of the book Joel gives a look at the denouement of history.
It ends in undeserved salvation for God’s people, and deserved judgment for His enemies.
Soon the day will come when the Lord will publicly take it up for His people.
In those days – in the last days – I will turn the prison of Judah and Jerusalem.
Should we, reading these verses, remember the end of the exile? That is possible, but we can see further. It goes to that very last denouement.
Enemies can oppress Israel. Until today.
And to this day, enemies can also oppress the followers of Jesus.
But this has an end.
In the end, God Himself will judge.
God does not forget His people. Not even now!
From Pentecost we can draw it even wider: God keeps all who follow Jesus. Both from Israel and from the nations.
And all God’s enemies will perish.
They will be taken to the valley of Jehoshaphat. God is Judge.
Soon God will triumph over His enemies as Judge.
The valley of Jehoshaphat is God’s judgment seat.
There it ends on God’s great day for all of God’s enemies.
All things are straightened out.
Though it may seem, as if God had cast out His people, when strangers rule over them, the Lord will judge the nations.
Although the arbitrariness of the rulers may go so far as to give a boy to satisfy her own desires and lusts, and a girl to drink wine, the Lord will raise Judah again and remember Jerusalem. And His glory will be seen over His people.
Again, something of the messianic era flares up here.
No matter how many questions may remain, God is going to His purpose.
And one thing we can say: it will be more wonderful than you or I can imagine; Praised be His name!
And we may already see the first signs of the new future in the coming of the Lord Christ; but more is waiting. Watch His Word!
The bill will be presented, the account will have to be settled.
The Judge of heaven and earth will summon the enemies of His people to His court.
When will that happen? In those days and at that time, says the prophet.
That is the time of salvation that will come one day.
The time of the Messiah.
Take note of the charges.
Because of My people and My inheritance, and because of what those nations, those enemies did to Judah. Their hostilities were actions against God Himself. They will experience what it is like, to have fought against the Lord.
The Lord will rise to battle.
That is a comfort to all who belong to the Christ in the arena of this life.
So often we fail to win in this battle. That can make you despondent.
The victory is the Christ’s.
And in all of this we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Romans 8:37 NASB
But in all these things
we overwhelmingly conquer
through Him who loved us.
× 0 ×
Internet: http://harryschoemaker.nl
Website: https://devotionals.harryschoemaker.nl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldwide.ekklesia/
About Author
