Rev.9 Locusts Revealed in Book of Joel

[Davy]

Apostle Peter told us to be mindful of the Old Testament prophets also (2 Peter 3:2). God put prophecy in the Old Testament prophets directly related to the end times leading up to our Lord Jesus' future return. If you understand the Book of Joel, then you will have more info on how to rightly interpret what the cloven tongue of Pentecost is especially for, and what the locusts of Revelation 9 represent. You won't get this understanding by jumping around in Joel, it has to be done line upon line, like God showed how to study His Word in Isaiah 28.

Joel 1:1-15
1 The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
2 Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?
3 Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.

God is saying to teach this info forward from generation to generation until they see these things coming to pass.

4 That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.

Those represent four stages of the locust development ("palmerworm" = pupa; "locust"=imago stage; "cankerworm"=the devourer; "caterpiller"=larva stage). What each stage leaves, the next stage picks up and devours. This is to show a 4-stage working against God's people. When this is for, we will discover later here in Joel. God's people are to keep looking for it though until they see it happening in the world.

5 Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.

One of the main symbols for Lord Jesus and His Word is wine. The reason is because with real wine during the fermentation process, the impurities come to the top and are lifted off, leaving a pure fluid. In Matthew 9, Lord Jesus used the idea of the new wine as a symbol for His Word full strength. You don't put it in old bottles He said, because those bottles will break.

6 For a nation is come up upon My land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.

Now we know what God is using the locust idea to represent, "a nation is come up upon My land, strong, and without number". Those teeth like lions they have is a symbol which Revelation 9 also uses about these locusts. Thus the locusts represent a certain people that come up against God's people.

7 He hath laid My vine waste, and barked My fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.

In Isaiah 5, God said the "house of Israel" represents His vineyard, and Judah His "pleasant plant". The house of Israel is put for the ten northern tribes of Israel. For the time of this prophecy, that house of Israel represents scattered Israelites involving Christ's Church. So think again if you believe this prophecy is meant only for Jews. A prophecy in Joel 2 which Apostle Peter quoted on Pentecost will prove beyond all doubt that this Joel prophecy is definitely for Christ's Church too.

8 Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
9 The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD's ministers, mourn.
10 The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
11 Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
12 The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
13 Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
14 Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,

All those above Scriptures of lamentation is because of what this 4-stage locust attack does upon God's people. All our wealth and many blessings are being taken over by these locusts, so these are symbols particularly about that working.

15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
KJV

That is the first timeline reference we are given here in the Book of Joel for when this prophecy is to occur. It is to be just prior to the "day of the Lord". That "day of the Lord" event will come upon the earth as a "sudden destruction" upon the wicked and deceived, according to Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5. The deceived will be saying, "Peace and safety" when that "sudden destruction" comes upon them, at an instant. That is the last day of this present world when Jesus returns to gather His Church.

(cont.)

 

[Davy]

(Continued...)

Joel 2
2 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

God is warning those in the holy lands particularly, and it's because the "day of the Lord" is near and soon to come. That puts this prophecy in the last days when Lord Jesus will return. In Zechariah 14 we are shown Jesus returning to the Mount of Olives with His faithful Church on the "day of the Lord", so mark that.

2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

Those phrases in red are actually a type reference for the "great tribulation" time leading up to Christ's future return. Jesus said the "great tribulation" would be a tribulation "...such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." (Matthew 24:21)

3 A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.

That is to symbolize how thorough these enemies of God and His people will be in devouring in the way great swarms of locusts devour crops and fertile lands. This does not mean our lands are going to be literally devoured. God is using the locusts as a symbol for how these men take over the wealth of God's people.

4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

Those are more symbols also shown about the locusts in Revelation 9. God uses the idea of an army to symbolize this people who take over His people just prior to the "day of the Lord". In Revelation 13:4-8, we are shown the "dragon" will be given power over all nations and peoples for 42 months.

6 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.
7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:

God is showing basically, they will be unstoppable. Only He is able to stop them.

8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.

That phrase in red that if they fall upon the sword they won't be wounded, reveals these men attack like a real army, but they are not a real army. Soldiers in a real army we easily know would be wounded if they fell upon a sword. This means, these locust attackers can't even be killed by us!

9 They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.

What comes into your windows like a thief? (No, this isn't about Jesus' coming). I believe this symbolizes the methods the locusts use to attack God's people. We know they aren't about a literal military army, what then? Things that come into your house to 'deceive'... you, what would that be? Modern media, movies, TV, periodicals, books, education systems, even false leaven teachings from men in the pulpit. All methods of causing deception can be included in this attack by the symbolic locusts.

10 The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:

On the 4th Trumpet of Revelation 8 we are shown those signs of the sun and moon being darkened. Thus there's another parallel with the Book of Revelation about the signs of the end just prior to Christ's future return.

11 And the LORD shall utter His voice before His army: for His camp is very great: for He is strong That executeth His word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

That linked with the previous verse reveals the timing here is for the very end just prior to Christ's future return, and then His literal return by this above verse, also marking that day of His return as "the day of the Lord".

(Yet this prophecy was given in The Old Testament Books. That should be an important lesson for the Bible student to study the prophets also, and not just The New Testament only.)

12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil.
14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, "Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?"
18 Then will the LORD be jealous for His land, and pity His people.
19 Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto His people, "Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:
20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.

Our Heavenly Father wants us to put our trust in Him, and not in the rulers of this world and their locust servants. That doesn't mean go off on a rebellion either.

Because our Heavenly Father mentions that "northern army" coming upon His people, what timing does that represent involving this "day of the Lord". That event is about the battle of Armageddon on the day of Christ's return. God is Who will fight it with His Army from Heaven (see Revelation 19:11-21 and Ezekiel 38 & 39).

21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.
22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for He hath given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.
25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, My great army which I sent among you.

In final, God has promised to restore... what the locusts devoured from the wealth of His people, the land, the beasts of the field, the pastures, the fruit tree, the fig tree, and the vine.

But notice in verse 25 God says "My great army which I sent among you." How's that? All this is supposed to happen for the end per God's Plan. And He told us right here about these locusts that He is Who is sending them upon His people. What for? It is going to help prune the insincere and rebellious among His people. Those of His that truly love Him will instead be willing to be patient in waiting for Him. His faithful will not bow to another, but Him only through His Son Jesus Christ.

(Cont...)

 

[Davy]

(Continued...)

Joel 2:26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, That hath dealt wondrously with you: and My people shall never be ashamed.
27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and My people shall never be ashamed.

That above is for the time after... God has removed the locusts with Christ's return, and He has restored what the locusts ate. That is when He will dwell in the holy land after His return per the Zechariah 14 and Ezekiel 40 thru 48 Scripture.

28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My spirit.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
KJV

The above 28 thru 32 verses are about the latter days leading up to Christ's future return. Apostle Peter quoted the above 28-30 verses on Pentecost when The Holy Spirit spoke through the Apostles before the multitude made up from many different countries, each with its own language. And each person heard the Apostles speak in their own language of birth, even in the very dialect of where they were born. God knows how we speak and hear.

And what this Joel 2:31 verse reveals, is that the cloven tongue has a purpose for the tribulation time at the end. Lord Jesus revealed more about this in Mark 13:11 that when some of us are delivered up to give a Testimony for Jesus, we are not to think beforehand what we will say, but to speak what The Holy Spirit gives us to speak. This is especially why Peter quoted from this Joel 2 Scripture on Pentecost when the cloven tongue manifested by The Holy Spirit.

 

[Truth7t7]

(Continued...)

Joel 2:26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, That hath dealt wondrously with you: and My people shall never be ashamed.
27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and My people shall never be ashamed.

That above is for the time after... God has removed the locusts with Christ's return, and He has restored what the locusts ate. That is when He will dwell in the holy land after His return per the Zechariah 14 and Ezekiel 40 thru 48 Scripture.

28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My spirit.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
KJV

The above 28 thru 32 verses are about the latter days leading up to Christ's future return. Apostle Peter quoted the above 28-30 verses on Pentecost when The Holy Spirit spoke through the Apostles before the multitude made up from many different countries, each with its own language. And each person heard the Apostles speak in their own language of birth, even in the very dialect of where they were born. God knows how we speak and hear.

And what this Joel 2:31 verse reveals, is that the cloven tongue has a purpose for the tribulation time at the end. Lord Jesus revealed more about this in Mark 13:11 that when some of us are delivered up to give a Testimony for Jesus, we are not to think beforehand what we will say, but to speak what The Holy Spirit gives us to speak. This is especially why Peter quoted from this Joel 2 Scripture on Pentecost when the cloven tongue manifested by The Holy Spirit.

In Love, Way To Long, A Novel

 

[Davy]

I could cover the Joel 3 Chapter also, but decided not to. But for those who want me to, all they need do is ask me, and just disregard what others here say that show that God's Word is too long for them to understand.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

One of the main symbols for Lord Jesus and His Word is wine. The reason is because with real wine during the fermentation process, the impurities come to the top and are lifted off, leaving a pure fluid.

In all of your post here…thank you because it helps. I can’t say we agree on all but I do see some of what you are sharing. At least that the locust are not literal but an army of men which eat, devour and consume. I get that it could be nothing but I’m still curious why Paul told Timothy to drink no water but to take a little wine for his often infirmities. Especially in what follows in some mens sins are open before, some follow after. Yes, it could be a little literal wine in a bottle helps with often infirmities but what you posted also seems significant “One of the main symbols for Lord Jesus and His Word is wine. The reason is because with real wine during the fermentation process, the impurities come to the top and are lifted off, leaving a pure fluid.”

Now we know what God is using the locust idea to represent, "a nation is come up upon My land, strong, and without number". Those teeth like lions they have is a symbol which Revelation 9 also uses about these locusts. Thus the locusts represent a certain people that come up against God's people.

7 He hath laid My vine waste, and barked My fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.

what is “the branches thereof is made white”? Thankful for Christ because some of the OT seems so crazy …like the leper and the plague the raw flesh, the white spot, the white hairs where there is this whole list of looking for these things and if the leper be unclean then he is shut up seven days. BUT “the branches thereof made white” seems significant, as does the priest going forth out of the camp to look on the leper to see if his plague be healed. Especially with “Having a High Priest” that went forth without the camp bearing the reproach of many, “sanctifying them in his own blood” Paul mentioned going also without the camp
Leviticus 14:3-6 And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper; [4] Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: [5] And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: [6] As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:

Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
12 The vine is dried up,

a few thoughts: who are husbandmen?

“Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.”
also John 4:34-35 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. [35] Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
“The branches thereof are made white”?

“you vinedressers”
“The vine is dried up.”
What of “I am the vine” “abide in Me and I in you.”? What “vine” exactly is being dressed where Paul mentioned that he didn’t want to be unclothed but clothed upon …or what is “vinedressers” in “clothed in Christ”?

 

[VictoryinJesus]

God is using the locusts as a symbol for how these men take over the wealth of God's people.

you might not agree but to me the promise being made is that They can’t take over the wealth of God’s people. Because God’s people wealth is Him.(where no thief approaches?) The point being in lust they are mislead in what is wealth instead of rich towards God. For example “as poor yet making many rich.” Still, are the locust consuming or devouring money(that wealth) truly or: be careful that you don’t consume (devour) eat up one another? Where the thief comes in, to steal, kill, and destroy… “fear not what they do to the body”? why warn against eating up of one another up if it is not already as possibly in “they came in” already as spies unaware, to spy out your Liberty, that they might snare or catch you “digging pits”? “I come that they may have Life” be you renewed in the renewing of your mind? What is “those that put there trust in God will never be ashamed” (unfruitful?) in contrast to “warn those who put their trust in uncertain riches”?

 

[dismas]

8 Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
9 The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD's ministers, mourn.
10 The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
11 Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
12 The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
13 Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
14 Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,

All those above Scriptures of lamentation is because of what this 4-stage locust attack does upon God's people. All our wealth and many blessings are being taken over by these locusts, so these are symbols particularly about that working.

15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
KJV

That is the first timeline reference we are given here in the Book of Joel for when this prophecy is to occur. It is to be just prior to the "day of the Lord". That "day of the Lord" event will come upon the earth as a "sudden destruction" upon the wicked and deceived, according to Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5. The deceived will be saying, "Peace and safety" when that "sudden destruction" comes upon them, at an instant. That is the last day of this present world when Jesus returns to gather His Church.

(cont.)

The 'locusts' are the 'people of the prince to come' (Dan 9:26) 'plundering' 'Israel' (just like Gog in Ezek 38:10-13).

This 'devouring'/ 'plundering' by the 'northern army' (Joel 2:20) is enslaving Israel, spiritually.

Joel 3

2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them
concerning My people, My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations as they divided up My land.
3 They cast lots for My people; they bartered a boy for a prostitute and sold a girl for wine to drink.

4 Now what do you have against Me, O Tyre, Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering against Me a recompense? If you retaliate against Me, I will swiftly and speedily return your recompense upon your heads. 5 For you took My silver and gold and carried off My finest treasures to your temples. 6 You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, to send them far from their homeland. 7Behold, I will rouse them from the places to which you sold them; I will return your recompense upon your heads. 8 I will sell your sons and daughters into the hands of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans—to a distant nation.”​

It is a metaphor for 'stealing souls' like in Revelation 18

11 And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there is no one left to buy their cargo— 12cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots; of slaves and souls of men.​

 

[dismas]

Also, forgot to point out that Joel 1:9

8Wail like a virgin dressed in sackcloth,grieving for the husband of her youth.

9 Grain and drink offerings have been cut off from the house of the LORD;the priests are in mourning,
those who minister before the LORD. 10 The field is ruined; the land mourns. For the grain is destroyed,
the new wine is dried up, and the oil fails.​

is a pretty direct reference to Daniel 12:11

And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days.​

 

[Davy]

The 'locusts' are the 'people of the prince to come' (Dan 9:26) 'plundering' 'Israel' (just like Gog in Ezek 38:10-13).

This 'devouring'/ 'plundering' by the 'northern army' (Joel 2:20) is enslaving Israel, spiritually.

Joel 3

2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them
concerning My people, My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations as they divided up My land.
3 They cast lots for My people; they bartered a boy for a prostitute and sold a girl for wine to drink.

4 Now what do you have against Me, O Tyre, Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering against Me a recompense? If you retaliate against Me, I will swiftly and speedily return your recompense upon your heads. 5 For you took My silver and gold and carried off My finest treasures to your temples. 6 You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, to send them far from their homeland. 7Behold, I will rouse them from the places to which you sold them; I will return your recompense upon your heads. 8 I will sell your sons and daughters into the hands of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans—to a distant nation.”​

It is a metaphor for 'stealing souls' like in Revelation 18

11 And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there is no one left to buy their cargo— 12cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots; of slaves and souls of men.​

Joel 3 does cover 'some' of Israel's past history, but the majority of it is for the last days just prior to Christ's future return.

 

[Jay Ross]

Hello @Davy

Joel helps us to understand what the Locusts in Rev. 9 are, but not where they have come from when they are imprisoned in the Bottomless pit.

Isaiah 24:21-22 tells us where the Locusts come from and how they are imprisoned in the Bottomless pit with Satan and the other judged heavenly hosts. The Isaiah 24:21-22 prophecy is still a near future event and the Sixth Bowl Judgement tells us the drawing of the kings of the earth to the time of their judgement at Armageddon is around 22 years from this present time.

Joel helps to understand the Locusts as armies that have trampled the Sanctuary of God and His earthly hosts as foretold in Dan. 8, but that prophecy which started around 250 BC will end after the completion of the 2,400 years that has been allotted to that prophecy.

The armies that enter the Bottomless Pit in our near future come from the armies presently on the earth today and are not the Armies of the Roman Empire which caused the Temple to be destroyed and the scattering of the Israelites to the four corners of the earth because of their continual idolatrous worship.

Shalom

 

[Davy]

Continued...

Joel 3
1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,

The "captivity" God foretells here is not by the enemy, it is from Him when He will gather the dispersed of the house of Judah and the house of Israel (ten tribes) back together again at Christ's future return, a.k.a. Ezekiel 37 with the joining of the two sticks, and David made their king again (see also Ezekiel 47 and Ezekiel 48).

2 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.

This gathering of the nations against Israel is just prior to Christ's future return. It is about the Revelation 16:14-16 gathering in prep for the battle of Armageddon. The "valley of Jehoshaphat" refers to a valley between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. It was used back in Old Testament history to set an ambush upon the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir per 2 Chronicles 20:21-26. But this mention of that valley is for the day when Christ returns for the battle of Zephaniah 3:8 when all the earth will be devoured by the fire of His jealousy (see end of Hebrews 12, and 2 Peter 3:10 also about that consuming fire on the "day of the Lord").


3 And they have cast lots for My people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.
4 Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render Me a recompence? and if ye recompence Me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;
5 Because ye have taken My silver and My gold, and have carried into your temples My goodly pleasant things:
6 The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.
7 Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:
8 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 hath spoken it.

That above is about the pagan nations that tried to destroy Israel, and scattered Judah having sold many of them into slavery in past history. God is bringing those things into remembrance of how His people have been abused, and is giving a warning to those nations of a coming recompense, which follows...


9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, 'I am strong.'
11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.
12 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.
14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

That is the battle and sickle harvest Lord Jesus was pointing to at the end of Revelation 19 and in Revelation 16 with His future return. All the islands and mountains are to tremble and be moved out of their place in that future event of His coming (Revelation 6:14). See also the end of Hebrews 12 where Paul claims God said, "Once more" that He will not only shake the earth, but heaven also.

Zechariah 14 reveals to the Mount of Olives is where His feet will touch down, and there a great valley will be formed, and He brings all the saints with Him there at His future coming. That is why the Joel 3:16 verse says He shall roar out of Zion, from Jerusalem on earth with a great shaking on earth.


17 So shall ye 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.

Once His return to Jerusalem on earth and that battle is over, then will all of God's people know beyond all doubt, Who He is dwelling in Zion, His holy mountain, in Jerusalem, ON EARTH.


18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.
KJV

What's that "house of the LORD" mentioned existing there after Christ's future return to Jerusalem upon Mount Zion? That is The "father's house" of John 14 where Jesus spoke of the "many mansions" for His elect priests. The Ezekiel 40 through 47 chapters give details of that House on earth in the holy land, after Christ's future return. That is about Christ's future Millennial temple on earth, alluded to as the "camp of the saints" on earth in Revelation 20.

The last verse of Ezekiel 48 shows the name of the holy city from thence forth will be called, "The LORD is there", being from Yahaveh Shammah per the Hebrew.