Joel 3:12

Let the Heathen be awakened, and come to the valley of Jehoshaphat,.... That is, let the enemies of Christ and his church be aroused from that state of security in which they are, and prepare for

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.

Let the heathen; the several nations in their appointed time; and perhaps the Assyrians are first to awake and stir under Shalmaneser, next under Sennacherib, both which came up against this valley of Jehoshaphat. Be wakened, by the sins and divisions of God’ s own people, by their own ravenous and turbulent disposition, and by a secret hand of Providence. And come up, in hostile manner, against the church and people of God, intended here by this valley: so Sennacherib did in Hezekiah’ s time. For there, in the midst of my people and church, will I sit to judge, to plead with, condemn, and punish by the sword, all the heathen round about; not all the world, but all the heathen round about Judea, which was oppressed by these heathens: there God judged Sennacherib by his own hand; there God punished the Egyptians by Nebuchadnezzar who defeated Necho; and within sight of the Jews were all the punishments God inflicted on the Assyrian, Babylonish, Persian, and Grecian monarchies executed; and God all this while in the midst of his people preserved them as a bush all in a flame, yet not consumed: so did the Lord lead his mighty ones, and limited their power.

Joe 3:12 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.Ver. 12. Let the heathen be awakened] Here begins God’ s answer to the prophet’ s prayer. The heathen, though at ease, Zechariah 1:11, and fast asleep, must be aroused and assembled to the valley of Jehoshaphat, where God the righteous Judge (at the prophet’ s request reminding him of his promise, "I am come for thy words," saith he to Daniel, Daniel 10:12) gets up to the tribunal, and there sits to judge all the heathen round about. Let not us doubt of the like success of our suits; but, when wronged, run to the Judge of heaven and earth, who will do us right. So we pray over the promises, as here, and not faint, though he bear long with us. This our Saviour has taught us, by that famous parable of the uniust judge and the importunate widow, Luke 18:2-3, wherein we may take notice of many excellent encouragements to pray down our enemies. 1. He was a judge only; but God is our Father also. 2. He was an unrighteous judge; but is there unrighteousness with God? Romans 9:14. 3. He, as he feared not God, so he cared not for man; but God is φιλανθρωπος, properly and peculiarly loving to man above other creatures, Titus 3:4 4. He avenged the widow, as wearied out with her, and merely to be rid of her; and shall not God do as much for us, out of his love to righteousness and hatred of wickedness? Psalms 45:7 5. It was troublesome to him to be sued unto; but God is displeased with us for nothing more than for our backwardness and bashfulness, John 16:24. Quid est cur nihil petis? What meanest thou to ask me nothing? said Severus to his favourite. 6. The unjust judge had no care of his credit; but God is most tender of his glory; and delights much in that title of his, "O thou that hearest prayers."

Verse 12. Let the heathen be wakened] The heathen shall be wakened. The valley of Jehoshaphat] Any place where God may choose to display his judgments against his enemies.

9–17. After the digression on the Phoenicians and Philistines (Joe 3:4-8), the thought of Joe 3:1-3 is resumed; and the description of the judgement on the nations, announced in Joe 3:2, is continued. The heathen are invited to arm themselves, and advance for the great contest with Israel in the valley of Jehoshaphat, Joe 3:9-12; but once arrived there, they are annihilated, amid celestial portents, by the agents of Jehovah’s will, whom He commissions to engage with them, while His own people look on securely.

Let the pagan be awakened - This emphatic repetition of the word, “awaken,” seems intended to hint at the great awakening, to Judgment , when they “who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,

9-16. After this condemnation of the bitterest enemies of the chosen people the prophet returns to the announcement broken off in Joe 3:3.