Book of Joel Chapter 3 Vs. 1

 

The Lord Judges the Nations

For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, Joel 3:1

For, behold, in... The 4th section of the prophecy of Joel (Joel 3:1-16, unfulfilled; will be fulfilled at the battle of Armageddon and the day of the Lord). Next, Joel 3:17.

For...

כִּי

kı̂y

kee

A primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjugation or adverb; often largely modified by other particles annexed: - and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured [-ly], + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, who, yea, yet,

behold...

הִנֵּה

hinnêh

hin-nay'

Prolonged for H2005; lo!: - behold, lo, see.

Fourteen Predictions—Unfulfilled:

1. In those days and at that time, when I bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem. I will also gather all nations (Joel 3:1-2).

2. I will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:2).

3. I will plead with them there for My people and for My heritage whom I scattered among the nations, parting My land among the Gentiles.

4. I will raise them out of the place where you have sold them (Joel 3:7).

5. I will recompense upon your own head.

6. I will sell your sons and daughters into the hands of Judah (Joel 3:8).

7. They will sell them to the Sabeans and to a people far off.

8. Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near and let them come up (Joel 3:9-12; cp. Jer. 6:4).

9. I will judge them in the valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:12-14).

10. The sun and moon will be darkened.

11. The stars will withdraw their shining (Joel 3:15).

12. The Lord will roar out of Zion and utter His voice from Jerusalem (Joel 3:16).

13. The heavens and earth will shake.

14. The Lord will be the hope of His people and the strength of the children of Israel.

And at that time, Which Kimchi refers to the times of the Messiah; and is true of the latter times of the Messiah, of his spiritual reign yet to come.

in those days... In those days, and in that time—when I bring the Jews back from all lands and they have a new nation in Israel with Jerusalem as the capital, I will gather all nations against them (Joel 3:1-2; Zec. 14:1-5; Rev. 16:13-16; 19:11-21).

in those...

הֵמָּה הֵם

hêm hêmmâh

haym, haym'-maw

Masculine plural from H1931; they (only used when emphatic): - it, like, X (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, X so, X such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.

days...

יוֹם

yôm

yome

From an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literally (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figuratively (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverbially): - age, + always, + chronicles, continually (-ance), daily, ([birth-], each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, + (for) ever (-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as (. . . live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually, presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space, then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole (+ age), (full) year (-ly), + younger.

and in that...

הִיא הוּא

hû' hı̂y'

hoo, he

The second form is the feminine beyond the Pentateuch; a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are: - he, as for her, him (-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (. . . it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.

time...

עֵת

‛êth

ayth

From H5703; time, especially (adverbially with preposition) now, when, etc.: - + after, [al-] ways, X certain, + continually, + evening, long, (due) season, so [long] as, [even-, evening-, noon-] tide, ([meal-], what) time, when.

when...

אֲשֶׁר

'ăsher

ash-er'

A primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as adverb and conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.: - X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how (-soever), X if, (so) that ([thing] which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither (-soever), who (-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.

I shall bring again...

שׁוּב

shûb

shoob

A primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbially again: - ([break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep]) X again, (cause to) answer (+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call [to mind], carry again (back), cease, X certainly, come again (back) X consider, + continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back, fetch home again, X fro, get [oneself] (back) again, X give (again), go again (back, home), [go] out, hinder, let, [see] more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), X repent, requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, + say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, X surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.

again, the captivity... Again indicates that it was done before this, which was true when they returned from Babylon under Ezra and Nehemiah. The next time will be the second time, fulfilling Isa. 11:10-12. The second time is now in process of fulfillment, and it will be completed at the second coming of the Messiah (Mat. 24:31).

the captivity...

שְׁבִית שְׁבוּת

sh^ebûth sh^ebı̂yth

sheb-ooth', sheb-eeth'

From H7617; exile; concretely prisoners; figuratively a former state of prosperity: - captive (-ity).

Judah and Jerusalem... References to Judah, Jerusalem, and Zion in the prophecy indicate that Joel prophesied to Judah. In fact, the ten tribes had been taken into captivity and the northern kingdom completely destroyed before Joel prophesied, as we gather from internal evidence in the prophecy. There is not the slightest mention of the ten tribes so it must be that they were not in existence as a kingdom at that time. So not from the Edomites, Tyrians, and Philistines, that had carried them captive in the times of Ahaz. Nor from Babylon, where they had been carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar. For nothing of what is after foretold followed upon the return of these captivities.

of Judah...

יְהוּדָה

y^ehûdâh

yeh-hoo-daw'

From H3034, celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory: - Judah.

But this designs the present captivity of the Jews, and the restoration of them to their own land (of which see Isaiah 52:8).

and Jerusalem...

יְרוּשָׁלַיִם יְרוּשָׁלַםִ

y^erûshâlaim y^erûshâlayim

yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im, yer-oo-shaw-lah'-yim

A dual (in allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of the former reading, seems to be that of H3390)); probably from (the passive participle of) H3384 and H7999; founded peaceful; Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Israel: - Jerusalem.

The days that are spoken of, here, are the same as the Day of the Lord in the last lesson, when God would pour out of His Spirit on all flesh. I believe the time when Jerusalem and Judah were brought again to their land, is in our times. In 1948, Israel became a nation, and Jerusalem is the spiritual city again.