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stands back and takes man's abuse but then . . . . . in that day . . . . . in that great and
terrible Day of the Lord things will be different. This dispensation will have closed.
After the selling and scattering of the children of Judah and Jerusalem (verse 6) we get
the gathering of them (verse 7). In an age of law, where the rule is an eye for an eye and
a tooth for a tooth, He would exercise that justice. Thus those who have mistreated the
people in this way will be treated likewise and will be sent to a people far off. It is not
certain who the Sabeans were but it is certain that the children of Judah will then be free
from those who have persecuted and mistreated them.
Before moving on some may care to know that these verses, Joel 3: 4-8 are the only
ones which do not appear in poetic form in any of the translations which have been
consulted.
Joel 3: 9-13. In Joel 3: 9-12a we have the other side of verse 2. There God said "I
will also gather all nations" but from this section it is clear that they gather without Him
forcing them. Here in Joel 3: 9-12a, Joel 2: 2-10 is described again and God is calling
on the might of the Gentile armies and challenging them to come up and do battle, and
attack His people in the valley of Jehoshaphat.
Moffatt
N.I.V.
[9] "Proclaim this to the nations:
[9] "Proclaim this among the nations:
Let it be war! Rouse up your warriors,
Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors,
Muster your fighting men, march!
Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
[10] Hammer your ploughshares into swords,
[10] Beat your ploughshares into swords
your pruning-hooks into lances.
and your pruning hooks into spears.
Let your weaklings think them warriors
Let the weakly say, I am strong!
Let your coward think them heroes!
[11] Let the nations rouse themselves
[11] Come quickly all you nations
and march to Judgment valley."
from every side, and assemble there."
What a challenge! Come! Come with everything and everybody! Come and attack!
Come and attack Jerusalem! But then . . . . . then . . . . . when the people of Israel are on
the very point of extinction they will learn that "If God be for us who can be against us?"
(Rom. 8: 31).
"Bring down your warriors, O Lord!
Let the nations be roused;
Let them advance into the valley of Jehoshaphat,
for there will I sit
to judge all the nations on every side" (Joel 3: 11, 12, N.I.V.).
"I will sit in judgment there, on all the nations round" is how Moffatt puts those last
words. What will be God's judgment on those nations? How will it be executed? That
which was threatened in Joel 3: 3-8 is now carried out and the figurative language of
verse 13 does not hide the severity of the judgment.