Joel 3:1-11

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Future Judgment of the Nations

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. At the time of the end, the nations will be gathered together for war.

  2. At the time of the end, the nations will be gathered together for judgment.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Remember, you will get a free trip to the Holy Land.

QUESTIONS

  1. What is the theme of Joel's prophecy?

  2. Describe the difference between the historical aspect of prophecy and the eschatological aspect of prophecy.

  3. There will be both a judgment of the nations and a war among the nations. What will be the end result for the nation of Israel?

  4. Is there a contradiction between Joel 3:10, Isaiah 2:4, and Micah 4:3? Why or why not?

  5. What is the Millennium?

ANSWERS

  1. The day of the Lord.

  2. The historical aspect means that the prophecies have already been fulfilled in history. The eschatological aspect means that the fulfillment is yet to come.

  3. Blessing and deliverance.

  4. No, these are two different phases of the day of the Lord. Joel 3:10 is concentrating on the tribulation period of the day of the Lord, a time of war. Isaiah and Micah are looking on to the millennium.

  5. The wonderful 1,000-year period when Christ will reign as King of the earth from Jerusalem.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. It is God who will gather the nations for war. See Joel 3:9-11 and Revelation 16:16. But God will intervene and deliver Israel. (See Zechariah 12:9.) What does all of this mean for Israel?

  2. The nations will be gathered together for judgment. Notice why the nations are being judged – because of the way they treated the land of Israel and the Jewish people. In the future judgment of the nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, all anti-Semitism and sins against God's chosen people will be judged. This judgment of the nations is called the Judgment of the sheep and the goats in our Lord's Olivet Discourse. See Matthew 24-25. Does this affect your view and treatment of Jews today?

CHALLENGE

  1. When the Lord returns, believers will be with Him. If you are a believer, you will get a free trip to the Holy Land. Do you have your complimentary ticket? You only have to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.

KEY VERSES

  • “Behold, in those days and in that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel.” Joel 3:1-2

  • “I will return your retaliation upon your own head.” Joel 3:7

  • “Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spear.” Joel 3:10

  • “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.” Isaiah 2:4

  • “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.” Micah 4:3

Joel, Old Testament, TalksDeb HarmsJoel 3:1-11