Joel 3
DortA prophecy of Gods judgment upon the enemies of his church deriding their vain devices and preparation against the same verse 1 c. the everlasting happiness of the church and destruction of the enemies.
1. For behold in those days and at that time [hence appears that this prophecy likewise appertaineth to the state of the New Testament spoken of in the latter end of the foregoing chapter in both place4s according to the manner of the prophets by the expression borrowed from the state of the old testament as many may be seen above chap 2verse 28 .32 and here in this verse and the sequel] when I shall turn the captivity of Juda and Jerusalem ;[that is when I shall deliver my church by the Messiah and punish her enemies especially and perfectly towards the end of the world when the enemies shall raise and bring up all their forces to destroy her see below 9.10,11,12 &c this being typified and represented and delivered by the Jews out of Babel and gods vengeans against their enemies .]
2. Then I will gather all the heathens [that is their enemies of my church counted as heathens whether Jews or Gentiles for the Jews proved the first and the bitterest enemies of Christ and the church of the New-testament see Psalms 2:1 Acts 25:5,26,27. and chapter 6.12,13c.] and I will lead them down into the valley of Josaphat [that is into the place of my judgment which may be called a valley in regard to the heavens as we are wont to say this carthly vale of misery c where God is said to inhabit and Christ doth sit in glory at the right hand of his father and whence he sendeth down his Angels for the destruction of his enemies below verse11 but this seems altogether to have respect to the history 2 Chronicles 20 when God in the time of the pious king Josaphat upon the prayer of that king and his people even before their eyes and his assistance or cooperation of theirs by his own power or ministry of his Angels judged and destroyed that great multitude of his enemies which came marching on against Juda in the valley of Beracha or of praise ;so called from the praise and thanks which then and thee was offered up to God by the by the church for that great and wonderful defeat of their enemies see 2 Chronicles 20:12,16,22,26 with the annotate thus the Lord implies shall I likewise in the last times judge and punish all the enemies of my church before her own eyes for which she shall give me her own praise ,and thanks .The Hebrew name Josaphat doth signified the Lords doom or judgment or the Lord judgeth and it seems to be explained here by the word subjoined there I will plead with them which is the reason why some take the word Josaphat here to be no proper name but read thus the valley of the Lords judgment other conceive that between Jerusalem and mount Oliver whence our saviour ascended up to heaven there was a certain valley of Josaphat but of that there is no certainty see Zach 14.4,5.] and there I will plead with them because of my people and mine inheritance [see Deut 32on verse 9] Israel [that is my church the spiritual Israel consisting of believing Jews and Gentiles see Galatians 6:16]which they scattered among the heathens and divided [viz among themselves as a prey compare Daniel 11:39] my land [see above chapter 1 on verse 6]
3. And have cast the lot over my people [by lot dividing the conquered and captives of my people among themselves and to make up he full measure of their wicked lusts and appetite ,valued and entreated them as vilely as followeth]and given a lad for a whore [some think that the Hebrew word doth signifie meat in this place]and sold a lass for wine to drink .
4. And also what have ye to do with me ye Tyre and Zidon and all the borders of Palestina ?[viz that ye are such enemies to my people, land and sanctuary, have either I or they done ye ought which you may pretend to avenge ? not the least implies the question it is meer wicked and malicious hatred in you ,to be thus set and embittered against me who find myself concerned and grieved in what is put upon and done to my church others what are ye by me ,or what will or mean ye against me? that is what value should I make of you then seeing ye deal so basely and unworthily with my people ?or what should ye be able to attempt or prevail against me .Heb. what ye to me ? or with, by, against me. The Tyrians ,Zidonians and Phililstines lay nearest to Juda along the coast of the midlands sea and were very bitter enemies of Gods people compare Amos 1,7,8 but by those we are to understand all the enemies of the church as also the punishment threatened unto these respects their enemies in general thus the Moab Isaiah 25:10 and below verse19 by Egypt and Edom and by the Edom alone in Obadia c. are likewise understood all other the churches enemies]should ye render me a recompense ? But if you would recompense me easily, [other hastily shall I return your recompense upon your head .]
5. Because ye have taken away my silver and my gold [viz that of my temple or also as some will have it belonging to my land and people as God is wont to speak .]and brought my best jewels [the vessels of my temple or jewels of my people all this is spoken according to the style of the old testament and thereby is represented all manner of wrong and abuse which the enemies should offer to and put upon the church of God for his true worship sake see above verse 1] into your temples [that is of the idols to honour them with my goods to my disgrace and scorn.]
6. And ye have sold the children of Juda and the children of Jerusalem unto the children of Grecians [Heb Jevanim of Javan see Genesis 10 on verse2] that ye might bring them far from their borders .
7. Behold I will raise them up out of the place wither I sold them and I will return your recompense upon your head [that is as I shall deliver my people out of Babel and other places wither they were scattered so I will likewise deal with my church in general and punish their enemies]
8. And I will sell your sons and daughters into the land of Juda who shall sell them [that is I shall order or dispose it that all this shall come upon them for my peoples sake as if they did it themselves so in general they deliver up unto my church all her enemies for to judge and condemn them see below verse 11 and Psalms 50 on verse 6]to these of Scheba [see Genes 10 on verse 7]unto a very remote people [other for to carry to a remote c.]for the Lord hath spoken it [compare above chapter 2.32.]
9. Proclaim this among the heathen hallow a warre [see Jeremiah 6:4]rows up the champions let all the men of warre draw near march up [thus God speaketh here in a deriding manner to all the enemies of his church as if he should have said do the best ye can bring all your power together acquit yourselves like men of valour yet shall ye speed no better then followeth compare Isa8.9,10 Jeremiah 46:3,4 Ezekiel 38:7,9 c.]
10. Beat your spades into swords and your sickles into spears [that ye may be sure of wanting no armies to employ against my church see your promise to the contrary for the church of God Isaiah 2:4 Mich4.3]let the weak one say I am a valiant man .
11. Run together and come on all ye people round about and gather yourselves O LORD [a servant prayer of the prophet in regard of this great power of all the enemies against the which he finds no support nor comfort but in God compare above chapter 1 on verse 19 and see such another inserted allocution of God Zach 14.5 Isaiah 63:14 Hosaih 11.3 c.] cause thy valiant men to come thither [that is thine holy angels so called and commended by reason of their power and might Psalms 78:25 and 103 .20 and whose service God was wont to make use of in the protection of his church and destroying of her enemies compare 2 Chronicles 20:22 with the annotate there some understand it of the assessing of God in the judgment together with the saints compare Psalms 50 on verse 6 both belongs to the office of the Angels .And this the prophets opposeth here against enemies valiant men verse9 as if he should have said Lord as the enemies do all they can do thou the same alsoother there the Lord shall lay down that is defeat destroy your that is every one of all these hostile nation champions .]
12. The heathens shall get up themselves and march up [Or let the nations &c for &c or the nation shall be stirred up and come up or ascend &c.] towards the valley of Josaphat [see above verse 2] but there will I sit [viz as king and judge of the world see Psalms 9:5 and 29.10 and 55.20.] for to judge all the heathens from round about [viz by my son Jesus Christ Job 5:22 Acts 17:31.]
13. Strike n the sickle [fall a cutting reaping and threshing that is destroy and consume them down and burn them with fire these are the words of God to his valiant ones mentioned above verse 11 compare Matthew 13:30 ,39 Rev14.15,19.] for the harvest is become ripe [their sins are ripe for judgment the measure is filled up compare Genesis 15:17 and 18.21 with the same annotate the appointed time and day of judgment is at hand]come on descend thither for the press is fall [viz of grapes to be trodden and prest that is the great press of Gods wrath where into all the wicked shall be thrown is full see Revel 14.19 and compare Isaiah 63:3] and the press fats run over for their wickedness in great [or manifold this explains explain the proceeding similitudes .
14. Multitudes [that is by ay of admiration O the infinite number of people that shall come or gather or how full shall it lie everywhere of those defeated and slain enemies having regard to the former verse compare 2Chrons 20.24 &c. Isaiah 66:24 and see of the like doubling words Genesis 14:10 Deuteronomy 16:20 Ezekiel 13:10 in the annotate other Tumults or noise stirre]in the valley of the threshing wayn [understand the fore mentioned valley of Josaphat so called because the enemies of Gods people should there be threshed that is trodden down and broken in pieces this agrees well with the former verse where God had said strike on the sickle for the harvest is ripe whereupon the threshing follows and so the Hebrew word Charus is taken for the using of the threshing wayn at that season Isaiah 28:27 Amos 1:3 and in the like matter as here Isaiah 41:15 compare also herewith Isaiah 25:10 Jeremiah 51:33 Habakkuk 3:12 but I regard the said word also signifieth cut off and consequently likewise decided or precisely appointed determined decreed some read the text here the valley of decision that is of destruction or the valley of precisely appointed ,determined judgment ,doom or sentence in a good sence also see of this signification of the Hebrew word Job 14:5 Isaiah 10:22,23 Daniel 9:26,27 and chapter 11.36 for the day of the Lord is nigh [spoken prophetically and in respect of God as if the judgment were at the door compare Revelation 1:1 and 2 Peter 3:8,9.] in the valley of the threshing-wayn.
15. The sun and the moon become black and the star have drawn in their splendor [as above chapter 2.10 see there all the tokens implies the prophet hereby which were to go before the day of the Lord are come to pass having regard to that time of the executing judgment.]
16. And the Lord shall roar out of Zion and give his voice out of Jerusalem that heaven and earth shall tremble [that is out of the church shall he cause his gospel to be heard all the world over with a denouncing of his dreadful judgments upon all the disobedient which shall not be brought to pass without commotion of all the world compare the phrase with Isaiah 31:4,5 Hosiah 11.10 with the annotate also Haggai 2:6,7 Hebrew 12.26] but the Lord shall be refuge to his people [in all the aforesaid dreadful troubles and judgments of God]and the strength of the children of Israel [that is of his church]
17. And ye shall know that I am the Lord your God [that is my church whereof the faithful of those times were fellow members shall find it experimentally compare above chapter 2.27]dwelling on Zion as above chapter 2.32 and below verse 21] the mountain of thy holiness and Jerusalem shall be a holiness [that is completely holy perfectly sanctified see below verse 21 Revelation 21:2 and withal wholly purged of the noisome and burthensom society of all the unholy and profane goats and hypocrites which are none of Christ and have not his spirit as followeth] and stranger shall no more pass through them [see Zach 14.21 Matthew 7:23 and 13.30 and 25.32,46 Revelations 27.]
18. And it shall come to pass in that day that the mountains shall or be trickling with sweet wine and the bills flow with milk and all streams of Juda still with water [by these sweet and figurative expression is shadowed forth the blessed estate of the church under the kingdom of Christ specially that of triumphant church in his kingdom of glory when God shall perfect his work of grace begun here in this life and be all in all compare Amos 9:13] and there shall proceed a fountain [see Isaiah 49:10 Ezekiel 47:1 c. Zach 14.8 and the annotate Revelation 22:1] out of the houseof the Lord and shall water the valley of sittim [situated in the East side of Jordan in the plains Moabites over against Jericho near the salt sea or dead-sea see Genesis 14:3 whose waters were deadly and by reason thereof the adjoining countries dry and barren compare Ezekiel 47:1,2,3 where it is said that the waters ran likewise East-ward out of the house of the Lord and see of the places Sittim Heb Shittim Numbers 22:1 compare with 25.1 and 33 .49 Jos .1 Mich 2.1 Mich 6.5 other the valley of the choice Cedar that is of the Church compare Psalms 92:13,14 and see Exodus 5:5 Isaiah 41:19]
19. Egypt shall be made a desolation [see above on verse 4 and Edom shall become a waste desert [as above chapter 2.3] because of the violence done to thechildren of Juda [Heb for the violence of the children of Juda that is which the enemies shall have committed against Juda compare the phrase with Jeremiah 2:2 and see the annotate there]in whose land they have spilt innocent blood .
20. But Juda shall abide forever [or shall be inhabitated see Jeremiah 17:6 by Juda Jerusalem and Zion in this and the next verse understand the church of God compare above chapter 2.32] and Jerusalem from generation to generation [Heb unto or in generation and generation .]
21. And I will cleanse their blood which I had not cleansed [that is I will sanctify them thoroughly cleansing them from all sinful pollution which formerly in this life I had not done perfectly compare Ezekiel 16:6 ,19 Hos 12.15 with the annotate and see above here verse 17 some apply this to the grace of God shewed to the Gentiles who in foretimes were strangers to Gods covenant Ephesians 2:12 others I will declare them blood guiltiness which I had to declare guiltiness that is I shall make it then to appear by my judgments that that those were guiltlessly put to death which were put to death for my sake whereas before I had refrained mine anger and kept silence as such things compare Revelation 6:10 and above verse19] and the Lord shall dwell in Zion [compare Ezekiel 48:35 Zach 2.10,11 Revel 21.3,22 and chapter 22.3.]