Joel 3

Introduction

God’s promise is that our future is always better than our past

I. The Lord Will Judge the Nations (v.1-16)
‘…in those days and at that time…” – referring back to 2:28-32 and particularly the day of the Lord.

‘…all the nations’ – those who opposed God’s people – ‘Valley of Jehoshaphat’ – Yahweh has Judged

God judging: 1) Scattered His people, 2) divided up the land, 3) casts lots for my people, 4) traded a boy for a prostitute, 5) sold a girl for wine, 6) to my silver, my gold, my rich treasures into your temples, 7) sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks

v.7 – This is what the Lord is going to do to the oppressor!

v.9-15 – Gives imagery of a great moment where the sun, moon, and stars will grow dark and the Lord’s loud and majestic voice will come from Zion. All of this will cause the earth to shake because of its greatness.

v.16 - goes on to say that in the midst of all of this, God will be a shelter for his people. Even though there is much chaos due to God’s hand of judgment, he also offers shelter with his other hand.

II. The Glorious Future of Judah (v.17-21)
v.17 – “So you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.”

v.18 – “in that day” – God’s blessings in the future will be full of productivity and peace

“The closing promise that Yahweh would dwell in Zion gives final vindication to the people of Jerusalem. After all their sufferings of locusts, drought, and warfare, the vow that God would dwell eternally among them is the reassurance that they were not abandoned. In God they had an eternal home because God dwells among them” DA Garrett

III. Conclusion
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Revelation 21:1-5