As we come to chapter 3 of Joel the focus centers on the battle of Armageddon. Verse 2 is specific in stating that all is happening according to God’s sovereign purpose.
Joel 3:2 “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.”
Never in history have all the nations gathered together for war against the LORD. John also records prophecy of this time in Revelation.
Revelation 16:14-16 “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”
Armageddon is the staging ground, but the heat of battle will be focused in the valley of Jehoshaphat, also known as the Hinnon Valley and the Kidron Valley according to Easton’s Dictionary. It is the valley between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives.
The wording of the KJV is a bit confusing. God isn’t going to plead with the nations as in trying to reason with them; He is going to exact judgment. Context of the chapter clearly states that this judgment will be in vengeance on behalf of “my people…my heritage Israel.” Again, I will quote from my journal.
Scripture tells us that God specifically singled out the descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob as His unique possession among the nations and the land of Israel as His special allocation on planet earth.
Deuteronomy 14:2 “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.”
Numbers 35:34 “Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.”
Leviticus 25:17-18 & 23 “Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God. Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety….The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.”
“They” (verse 2) refers back to “all nations.” God holds all the nations accountable for the dispersal of the Jews throughout the nations. As you follow the history of Israel, it is clear that they were driven from land to land due to greed for their wealth, refusal to renounce their faith, and/or unjustified fears or blame for plague, etc. The land of Israel has passed under the rule of empire to empire. However, since the reestablishment of the nation of Israel in 1948, this verse has taken on more obvious application. The predominant news in the Middle East since that time has focused on dividing the land of Israel to make way for another Palestinian state in addition to Jordan. Israel’s borders were initially established by UN mandate and miraculously defended by the fledgling nation. They have since withstood major attacks from surrounding countries in 1967 and 1973 that resulted in their conquering more land. Since that time, the calls for dividing the land have continued nonstop.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
A Promise of Future Blessing for Israel
Verses 21-29 continue to focus on the future blessings that the nation of Israel will experience due to their restored relationship to the LORD. In fact, verse 25 states that the blessings of that time will far exceed the suffering endured from past judgment.
Joel 2:25 “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.”
Double emphasis is given in verses 26-27 that the people of Israel will never again experience shame or disappointment. Why? YHWH will be dwelling in their midst, and they will worship Him as LORD. No thought of false gods will ever tempt them again.
Joel 2:26-27 “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. 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.”
Not only will the LORD be ruling on the throne of David in Jerusalem, He is also going to pour out His Spirit upon His people to empower them.
Joel 2:28-29 “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: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.”
At verse 30 the message of the prophet tempers their expectation of future blessing with the reminder of the judgment that will precede it. The Father has declared His word, and His character demands that He does what He says. His character also allows for restoration of His people after judgment.
Verses 30-31 again reference physical phenomena in the heavens and on earth that will be associated with this judgment.
Joel 2:30-31 “And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.”
These verses affirm that this judgment will impact the whole earth—not just Israel—and tie directly back to verse 2. I couldn’t help but think back to the fact that God used signs and wonders to declare Himself to Pharaoh, and He will do the same again in declaring Himself not only to His own people, but to the nations as well during the coming “great and terrible day of the LORD.” The same Hebrew word for wonders is used in verse 30 as is used in Deuteronomy below.
Deuteronomy 6:22 “And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:”
The book of Revelation is full of descriptions of the wonders that God will do in heaven and earth using blood, fire and smoke. Only in Acts and Revelation do we find companion verses for verse 31.
Acts 2:20 “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:”
Revelation 6:12 “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;”
The verse in Revelation is a result of the opening of the 6th seal that is specifically identified as the beginning of the day of God’s wrath (in anger and vengeance against His enemies).
Revelation 6:16-17 “And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”
Verse 20 in Acts and the verse that follows indicate that Peter is also prophesying about the coming time of God’s judgment with the intent of producing repentance in the heart of those who hear the message.
Acts 2:21 “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
This ties directly to the next verse in Joel.
Joel 2:32 “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered….”
Joel 2:25 “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.”
Double emphasis is given in verses 26-27 that the people of Israel will never again experience shame or disappointment. Why? YHWH will be dwelling in their midst, and they will worship Him as LORD. No thought of false gods will ever tempt them again.
Joel 2:26-27 “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. 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.”
Not only will the LORD be ruling on the throne of David in Jerusalem, He is also going to pour out His Spirit upon His people to empower them.
Joel 2:28-29 “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: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.”
At verse 30 the message of the prophet tempers their expectation of future blessing with the reminder of the judgment that will precede it. The Father has declared His word, and His character demands that He does what He says. His character also allows for restoration of His people after judgment.
Verses 30-31 again reference physical phenomena in the heavens and on earth that will be associated with this judgment.
Joel 2:30-31 “And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.”
These verses affirm that this judgment will impact the whole earth—not just Israel—and tie directly back to verse 2. I couldn’t help but think back to the fact that God used signs and wonders to declare Himself to Pharaoh, and He will do the same again in declaring Himself not only to His own people, but to the nations as well during the coming “great and terrible day of the LORD.” The same Hebrew word for wonders is used in verse 30 as is used in Deuteronomy below.
Deuteronomy 6:22 “And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:”
The book of Revelation is full of descriptions of the wonders that God will do in heaven and earth using blood, fire and smoke. Only in Acts and Revelation do we find companion verses for verse 31.
Acts 2:20 “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:”
Revelation 6:12 “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;”
The verse in Revelation is a result of the opening of the 6th seal that is specifically identified as the beginning of the day of God’s wrath (in anger and vengeance against His enemies).
Revelation 6:16-17 “And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”
Verse 20 in Acts and the verse that follows indicate that Peter is also prophesying about the coming time of God’s judgment with the intent of producing repentance in the heart of those who hear the message.
Acts 2:21 “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
This ties directly to the next verse in Joel.
Joel 2:32 “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered….”
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
A Dark Time of Judgment
Continuing with our look at the book of Joel--Verse 10 goes on to include a description of some of the physical phenomena of nature that will accompany this struggle. Again, Revelation passages have corresponding descriptions of the same.
Joel 2:10 “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:”
Revelation 9:2 “And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.”
Isaiah’s prophecy also includes similar descriptions concerning this time of judgment.
Isaiah 13:9-13 “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.”
One of the hurdles to jump in helping to understanding prophecy is to avoid the blindness caused by preconceived ideas. The fact that Joel is prophesying to Israel and events in Revelation are impacting the world is not exclusionary to their applying to the same events. God can and will utilize His judgments in that 7-year period to accomplish both his purification of Israel as a refining fire and in exacting His vengeance upon His enemies in the Gentile nations—two entirely different things.
In verse 18 the message turns from one of judgment to one of promise. Though He has had to exact punishment in accordance with His righteousness, God will also show mercy and compassion toward His people when that judgment is over.
Joel 2:18-19 “Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. 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:”
Though almost impossible to imagine at this time, the time is coming when the LORD is going to abundantly bless the nation of Israel—not only with material prosperity, but by establishing them in a place of honor among the Gentile nations.
I did get an interesting idea when I got to verse 20.
Joel 2:20 “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.”
I’ll quote directly from my journal at this point. In looking at the Hebrew for the word northern, it was interesting to note that the reference was to a root word defined as “hidden, dark, used only of the north as a quarter (gloomy and unknown).” Many of the enemies of Israel are described in scripture as coming from the north. In this verse, however, I wonder if the emphasis is more on the connection to verse 2 (“a day of darkness and gloominess”) and the unfamiliar army described in verses 4-9.
I have to keep reminding myself how the messages of the prophets often seem to be jumbled so to speak. He can be speaking of something current, then jump forward in time, then jump back in time, etc.
Maybe this is a reference to how the Lord destroys the demon locusts of Revelation 9 that are only allowed to operate for a 5-month period. I am reminded of the time Jesus healed the possessed man in the land of the Gadarenes. The expelled demons were given permission to enter the swine, and the demon-possessed swine jumped into the lake and were drowned.
Luke 8:30-33 “And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.”
Note that the “devils” in Luke did not want to go to the deep, the abussos, the place from which the demon locusts of Revelation 9 ascended. The locusts from Revelation 9 will inhabit some type of body. When their reign of terror ends, maybe the Lord is going to drive them into the Dead Sea [the east sea] and the Mediterranean Sea [the utmost sea]. Maybe the stink will be so great because there will be so many and their the stink will be increased due to the utter wickedness of their being.
Oh well, I hadn’t thought of that possible connection before.
Joel 2:10 “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:”
Revelation 9:2 “And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.”
Isaiah’s prophecy also includes similar descriptions concerning this time of judgment.
Isaiah 13:9-13 “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.”
One of the hurdles to jump in helping to understanding prophecy is to avoid the blindness caused by preconceived ideas. The fact that Joel is prophesying to Israel and events in Revelation are impacting the world is not exclusionary to their applying to the same events. God can and will utilize His judgments in that 7-year period to accomplish both his purification of Israel as a refining fire and in exacting His vengeance upon His enemies in the Gentile nations—two entirely different things.
In verse 18 the message turns from one of judgment to one of promise. Though He has had to exact punishment in accordance with His righteousness, God will also show mercy and compassion toward His people when that judgment is over.
Joel 2:18-19 “Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. 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:”
Though almost impossible to imagine at this time, the time is coming when the LORD is going to abundantly bless the nation of Israel—not only with material prosperity, but by establishing them in a place of honor among the Gentile nations.
I did get an interesting idea when I got to verse 20.
Joel 2:20 “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.”
I’ll quote directly from my journal at this point. In looking at the Hebrew for the word northern, it was interesting to note that the reference was to a root word defined as “hidden, dark, used only of the north as a quarter (gloomy and unknown).” Many of the enemies of Israel are described in scripture as coming from the north. In this verse, however, I wonder if the emphasis is more on the connection to verse 2 (“a day of darkness and gloominess”) and the unfamiliar army described in verses 4-9.
I have to keep reminding myself how the messages of the prophets often seem to be jumbled so to speak. He can be speaking of something current, then jump forward in time, then jump back in time, etc.
Maybe this is a reference to how the Lord destroys the demon locusts of Revelation 9 that are only allowed to operate for a 5-month period. I am reminded of the time Jesus healed the possessed man in the land of the Gadarenes. The expelled demons were given permission to enter the swine, and the demon-possessed swine jumped into the lake and were drowned.
Luke 8:30-33 “And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.”
Note that the “devils” in Luke did not want to go to the deep, the abussos, the place from which the demon locusts of Revelation 9 ascended. The locusts from Revelation 9 will inhabit some type of body. When their reign of terror ends, maybe the Lord is going to drive them into the Dead Sea [the east sea] and the Mediterranean Sea [the utmost sea]. Maybe the stink will be so great because there will be so many and their the stink will be increased due to the utter wickedness of their being.
Oh well, I hadn’t thought of that possible connection before.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The Locust Army of Joel
I actually interrupted other studies to complete a study of this book so I could include it in this series of blogs. I had been putting it off because making specific application is difficult, and I’m still not sure how helpful my understanding will be. I’m pretty convinced that the first chapter had pretty specific application to the people of Joel’s day. I thought it was significant to note how closely the events described corresponded to the words of warning for disobedience recorded by Moses in Deuteronomy 28.
I’m also pretty convinced that, not discounting application to past events, the main thrust of the message beginning with chapter two is concerning future events. In verse 2 the reference is to a time so unique in Israel’s history that there will never be another like it.
Joel 2:1-2 “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; 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.”
This thought also seems to have a direct connection to the words of Jesus regarding the tribulation period that immediately precedes His second coming to earth as King.
Matthew 24:21 “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
This coming judgment is also described as a time of great darkness and gloom. I think this gives emphasis to the fact that evil and wickedness will be in full reign over planet earth at that time. Revelation tells us that Satan and His hosts will no longer have access to the heavens and will be furious; that fury will be directed in persecution of the people of Israel.
Revelation 12:9, 12-13 “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him….“Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.”
My struggle comes with determining specific application; but after considering the possibilities, I think it connects with both Revelation 9 and the final battle of Armageddon. Verses 4-5 seem to connect with both Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 9.
Joel 2:4-5 “The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. 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.”
Ezekiel 38:4 &9 “And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords…. Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.”
Revelation 9:7-9 “And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.”
With verse 6 I only found a specific connection with the passage in Revelation.
Joel 2:6 “Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.”
Revelation 9:4-6 “And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.”
Once I got to verses 7-9, the passage in Ezekiel seemed to be eliminated. The verses in Joel indicate that this mighty locust army will not break ranks and will be indestructible. The enemy armies of the Ezekiel passage will turn on one another and will be killed.
Joel 2:7-8 “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: 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.”
Ezekiel 38:21 “And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.”
Ezekiel 39:3-4 “And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.”
I’m also pretty convinced that, not discounting application to past events, the main thrust of the message beginning with chapter two is concerning future events. In verse 2 the reference is to a time so unique in Israel’s history that there will never be another like it.
Joel 2:1-2 “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; 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.”
This thought also seems to have a direct connection to the words of Jesus regarding the tribulation period that immediately precedes His second coming to earth as King.
Matthew 24:21 “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
This coming judgment is also described as a time of great darkness and gloom. I think this gives emphasis to the fact that evil and wickedness will be in full reign over planet earth at that time. Revelation tells us that Satan and His hosts will no longer have access to the heavens and will be furious; that fury will be directed in persecution of the people of Israel.
Revelation 12:9, 12-13 “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him….“Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.”
My struggle comes with determining specific application; but after considering the possibilities, I think it connects with both Revelation 9 and the final battle of Armageddon. Verses 4-5 seem to connect with both Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 9.
Joel 2:4-5 “The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. 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.”
Ezekiel 38:4 &9 “And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords…. Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.”
Revelation 9:7-9 “And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.”
With verse 6 I only found a specific connection with the passage in Revelation.
Joel 2:6 “Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.”
Revelation 9:4-6 “And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.”
Once I got to verses 7-9, the passage in Ezekiel seemed to be eliminated. The verses in Joel indicate that this mighty locust army will not break ranks and will be indestructible. The enemy armies of the Ezekiel passage will turn on one another and will be killed.
Joel 2:7-8 “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: 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.”
Ezekiel 38:21 “And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.”
Ezekiel 39:3-4 “And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.”
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The Dead Sea Lives
As is usual with the prophets, the message does not maintain chronological continuity. Zechariah 14 begins with reference to the time in Jerusalem prior to the Lord’s return. Again the statement is made that the Lord is in sovereign control of the events taking place.
Zechariah 14:2-3 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle….Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
I had always interpreted verse 4 in connection with Acts 1:11-12 to mean that Jesus’ initial return would be on the Mount of Olives.
Zechariah 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Acts 1:11-12 “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.”
In my study of Isaiah, I searched for reconciliation of these sections of scripture and those describing Jesus as being clothed in a garment stained red and coming from Edom.
Revelation 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood:
Isaiah 63:1-3 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
During that study I came across Arnold Fruchtenbaum’s article, “Campaign of Armageddon” at www.raptureready.com. He made much more sense in explaining that the Lord would begin at Bozrah/Edom if, as is believed by many, a remnant of Israel is being preserved there at Petra, and end up at the Mount of Olives for the final defeat of Antichrist and his armies.
At some point the Mount will split, half moving north and half moving south, and form a valley running east to west between the Mediterranean and Dead Seas. Verse 8 tells us that there will be a river that flows from Jerusalem toward both seas. Ezekiel tells us that this river will flow from the temple and will provide healing wherever it flows. The Dead Sea will come to life.
Ezekiel 47:1-9 “Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side….These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.”
Again, emphasis is made that the Lord will rule over the whole earth and Israel will dwell in safety.
Zechariah 14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
Zechariah 14:11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
I couldn’t help but think of the words from Isaiah describing this time.
Isaiah 11:6-9 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”
Isaiah 65:21-25 “And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.”
Zechariah 14:2-3 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle….Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
I had always interpreted verse 4 in connection with Acts 1:11-12 to mean that Jesus’ initial return would be on the Mount of Olives.
Zechariah 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Acts 1:11-12 “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.”
In my study of Isaiah, I searched for reconciliation of these sections of scripture and those describing Jesus as being clothed in a garment stained red and coming from Edom.
Revelation 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood:
Isaiah 63:1-3 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
During that study I came across Arnold Fruchtenbaum’s article, “Campaign of Armageddon” at www.raptureready.com. He made much more sense in explaining that the Lord would begin at Bozrah/Edom if, as is believed by many, a remnant of Israel is being preserved there at Petra, and end up at the Mount of Olives for the final defeat of Antichrist and his armies.
At some point the Mount will split, half moving north and half moving south, and form a valley running east to west between the Mediterranean and Dead Seas. Verse 8 tells us that there will be a river that flows from Jerusalem toward both seas. Ezekiel tells us that this river will flow from the temple and will provide healing wherever it flows. The Dead Sea will come to life.
Ezekiel 47:1-9 “Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side….These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.”
Again, emphasis is made that the Lord will rule over the whole earth and Israel will dwell in safety.
Zechariah 14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
Zechariah 14:11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
I couldn’t help but think of the words from Isaiah describing this time.
Isaiah 11:6-9 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”
Isaiah 65:21-25 “And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.”
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