Book Of Joel: Part 2

Sermon. Two weeks ago, we started a journey through the Book of Joel. I got about halfway through. We want to complete that today. Since it was a couple of weeks ago, just a little bit of review, the author of the Book of Joel is Joel. His name means Jehovah is God. Now, I did send this out on email, so you should have that somewhere online there. Joel was a prophet of Judah, probably doing his work in the 800s B.C. It is thought that he may have been, in his later life, contemporary with Amos and Isaiah. We'll get to some of that a little bit later. Background to the book, a terrible plague of locusts had struck Judah. The prophet's calling upon the people there to repent, and he's pleading with God to stay the plague. Yet in his book, most of the book really deals with end-time events, God's final judgment on sin during the Day of the Lord, which we were portraying on the Feast of Trumpets recently. Purposes of the book, first, Joel wrote to Call the Nation to Repentance, and secondly, to Comfort, those who read the book with the good news of what's going to take place at the return of Jesus Christ. The theme is the Day of the Lord.

Brethren, as I was preparing the second portion of the sermon, I had not studied Joel for a while, and as I was kind of poring over the book and its totality, I was reviewing what we had already covered and looking what we were about to cover, covering today. And it struck me that as I was looking at the material that, at least in my mind, I was seeing 12 overarching spiritual lessons for us to learn as Christians. We went through five of those last time, and we went through those as I was outlining the book as we were going through it. Let me just review that here for you very briefly. The first spiritual lesson we learned we find in Joel 1, verses 5-7, which is to be vigilant and to awake to danger. These are lessons for us today as we prepare for the return of Jesus Christ. That's why we're covering this material. Lesson number two is found in Joel chapter 1, verses 8-10, talking about how we need to mourn in humility. Humility is a key aspect for us in our Christian walk with God. Lesson number three is found in Joel chapter 1, verses 11-12, where we as individuals need to be convicted of our sins. None of us are perfect. We have God's Spirit. We are members of the church. We are believers and so forth, but we also have sinned to be reckoned with and gotten out of our lives. Number four, spiritual lesson number four, is found in Joel chapter 1, verses 13-18. Once we're convicted of our sins, we need to, lesson number four, repent. Repent. And the last thing we looked at in chapter 1, verses 19-20, spiritual lesson number five, is calling upon God and the great need we have of calling upon God. That brings us to chapter 2. In chapter 2, we see the events taking place prior to the great tribulation and heavenly signs, prior to the day of the Lord. We see that in verses 1-10. And that's where we ended last time. So let's turn to the book of Joel, chapter 2, and we're going to start in verse 11. Joel chapter 2, verse 11.

It says, The Lord gives voice before his army, for his camp is very great, for the strong is the one who executes his word. For the day of the Lord is great and terrible. Who can endure it? The day of the Lord. Notice here in Joel chapter 2, talks about his Lord gives voice before his army. Now, we were looking at this a little bit on the day of trumpets. Let's look at again Revelation chapter 19. Revelation chapter 19, verses 11-14.

Talking about God's army, Christ's army. Revelation 19, verses 11-14.

So again, on trumpets and today we were making mention that this is not a false Christ, this is the true Christ, Jesus Christ, coming with his army, coming to put down the nations of the world. His eyes, verse 12, are like a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns, and he had a name written that no one knew except himself. He was clothed with a robe, dipped in blood, symbolizing the fact he's our Savior. His name is called the Word of God, and the armies in heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed him on white horses. We talked about what that army would look like to the people on planet earth, and that would be quite a scene to behold. Okay, we go back now to Joel chapter 2, and we're going to look at spiritual lesson number 6. Spiritual lesson number 6, which is seek God's mercy. Seek God's mercy. We see this in Joel chapter 2, verses 12-14.

Whenever I'm counseling anybody for baptism, I always turn to this section of the Bible.

All of us are preparing for the feast. Mary and I were in a konoma walk on Thursday. We were kind of crossing the T's, dotting the I's, a lot of nitty-gritty kinds of things, getting ready for the group that will be keeping the feast there. You know, you go to the feast and you just go to services, and you've got somebody who's leading songs, you've got people speaking, you've got chairs. Well, you know, it's up to those of us who run a feast site to say, well, how many chairs? How are we going to place those chairs? What time of services each day? When do we get into the hall? When is all closed?

In konoma walk, we've got a restaurant. Well, what do we eat? What don't we eat? And so forth. So we were doing all that. The point I'm making is, after the feast, if there's anybody here who would like to counsel for baptism, I would love, I'd be delighted to work with you along those lines. And as I typically do, I go through three sessions with people. One, how do you know you're being called? Two, what kind of faith is required for salvation? And three, how do you know if you're repentant? And in just those three sessions, I will give the people who are counseling for baptism a scriptural checklist where you check yourself out and you determine whether you're ready or not.

I'm not a mind reader. I can't read your heart and mind. I might be able to see some telltale signs if I know you well enough, which at this point I don't. But one of the things I do when I'm going through repentance is I always turn to Joel 2, verses 12, 13, and 14, because this is one of the greatest definitions of repentance found in the Scriptures.

And so lesson number six, seek God's mercy, is found in Joel chapter 2, verses 12 through 14. Joel 2, 12 through 14, verse 12. Now therefore says the Lord, turn to me with all of your heart, all your heart. Over the years, brethren, as I've counseled people, and I've never kept track of all that I've baptized numerically, that over the years, some people have just struck me that, boy, they are really into the counseling, they're really into change.

Others have struck me as well, maybe not so much, but we proceeded. Turn to me with all your heart, all of it, with fasting and weeping and with mourning. In other words, we are going to fast before God, get close to God, with our whole being. Some people weep, some people don't, but the idea there is, our totality of who we are is into this process. Verse 13, so rend your heart and not your garments. God is looking for what's happening inside of our hearts and minds.

Back in the Old Testament times, people literally would tear their garment as a display of their mourning. Well, that's one thing, but God wants more than that. He wants something happening on the inside. So rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and He relents from doing the harm.

Who knows if He'll turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him, a grand offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God. So God here is setting a tremendous example. He's telling the people that, you know, I'm coming and some very bad times are about to take place, but if you repent, you can be spared from those bad times. We saw some of that as we were going through various parts of Revelation on trumpets.

God is always wanting people to repent. That's why it says in Ezekiel, why will you die, O house of Israel? Repent and live. So this is an example here. God sets an example for us. He's our ultimate example. Jesus Christ, God the Father, our ultimate example. Do we have somebody in our life who has caused us a lot of pain, a lot of difficulty? Here's an example for us as God's people to follow to be gracious, to be merciful. Now, I'll give sermons on that topic a number of times over the course of the coming years, but you know, brethren, when you and I are forgiving somebody, that doesn't mean we can don what they've done to us.

Doesn't mean that what they've done to us hasn't hurt us, hurt us tremendously. We're not saying what they did was okay or anything like that, but when we are offering and trying to be gracious, we're saying, I'm not going to keep that poison pent up inside of me because that poison pent up inside of me hurts me.

The other guy may never care whether we reconcile or what have you, but we need to be forgiving. We need to drain that poison. We need to get that out of our system.

And the person that, you know, that maybe you're having an issue with, they may not even be alive or not. They may not even be alive. Over the years, I've had a number of people come to me about somebody in their past who is now dead. They said, Mr. Dallas, I just have to get this off of my chest. Now, this person did this to me, and I just needed to get off my chest. I need to put it behind me. I can't ever forget it. You know, people say, forgive and forget. Tell that to somebody who's been through Auschwitz. Forget. They're not going to forget. Chances are, you're right. I'm going to say something. I have a very democratic statement that God says in Isaiah that He takes our sins and throws them behind His back. And when you and I are wanting to forgive somebody, we take the grievances and we try to – when they come to the front of our mind, we try to put them to the back of our mind. We try to move forward. We try to move forward. And God sets a tremendous example here about being gracious. We need to be gracious. We move on now to spiritual in Joel 2, verses 15 through 17. Joel 2, verses 15 through 17. And the idea here is to seek God's grace. That's the lesson. Lesson number seven. Seek God's grace. Joel 2, verse 15. Below the trumpet in Zion – Zion, you know, a trumpet is the sound of war, a symbol of war. Below that trumpet in Zion, create a fast. Call the sacred assembly. Gather the people. Sanctify the congregation. Assemble the elders. Gather the children and the nursing babies. So in other words, this is for everybody. Let the bridegroom go out from His chamber and abride from her dressing room. No matter what the circumstance, this is more important to draw close to God. Let the priests who minister to the Lord weep between the porch and the altar. Let them say, Spare your people, O Lord. Do not give your heritage to reproach, that the nation should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, Where is their God? So here we see verses 15 and 16. It's a time for not only national repentance, but individual repentance. In relate, you know, when it says in verse 16, you know, or verse 15, Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly. Look at chapter 1, verse 14. Joel 1, 14. Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants. So twice here for emphasis, you see this idea of seeking God's grace, repentance in seeking God's grace. In verse 17, talking about the ministry, how the ministry needs to be praying for others, we see in verse 17 one of the great emphasis of the scriptures, especially for us as believers, and that is the emphasis of intercessory prayer. We had a wonderful prayer update regarding Liz Bradford. Doctors were saying, How did this happen? How could this be? People around this world were praying for her and her family. That's how it came to be. God answering intercessory prayer, people seeking God's grace, and it took place. Okay, we move forward in the study here. Move on now to lesson number eight. Spiritual lesson number eight. This was found in Joel chapter 2, verses 18 through 27.

Joel chapter 2, verses 18 through 27. And basically, the lesson is this. God blesses a repentant people. God blesses a repentant people.

Verse 18, Joel 2, 18. Then the Lord will be zealous for his land and pity his people. Why? Because they're repenting. The Lord will answer and say to his people, Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil that you may be satisfied by them. I will no longer make you approach among the nations.

Put a marker here. Let's turn over to Isaiah chapter 59.

Isaiah chapter 59, verses 1 and 2. It says, Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, nor is his ear heavy that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity. Your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perversely, perversity. But when we repent, then God does hear us. God does hear us. Okay, we go back to Joel chapter 2, verse 20.

Joel 2, 20. But I will remove far from you the northern army.

Now, we always make mention that prophecy is dual. We see that in this verse. I will remove from you the northern army, and will drive him away into a barren and desolate land with his face toward the eastern sea and his back toward the western sea. His stench will come up, and his foul order will rise, because he's done monstrous things.

In ancient times, it was a nation to the northeast of Israel that took them into national captivity.

In the end of the age, it will be a nation or a group of nations to the northwest in central Europe. So in both cases, both in ancient times and in modern times, it's going to be an army, a northern army, either from the northeast in history or in the future from the northwest that will do ill to God's people nationally. Verse 21. Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done marvelous things. Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field, for the open pastures are springing up, the tree bears its fruit, the fig trees, the vine trees will yield their strength. Be glad, then, you children of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the former rain faithfully. He will cause the rain to come down to you, the former rain, the latter rain in the first month. So we're looking again at a total reversal of what had taken place before. When they were hard-hearted, unrepentant, let's look at Joel, chapter 1 again. Joel, chapter 1, refresh our mind. Joel 1, verse 12. The vine is dried up, the fig tree is withered, the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, the apple tree, all the trees of the field are withered. Surely, joy is withered away from the sons of men.

So you see what happens when people are not repenting. Verse 18 of chapter 1. How the animals grown the herds of cattle are restless because they have no pasture. Even the flocks of sheep suffer punishment. O Lord, to you I cry out, for fires devour the open pastures, and a flame has burned up all the trees of the field. In other words, you know, great weather upset has caused us because of the people's sins. But now, as people are seeking grace, as they are convicted, they repent, they seek grace, God blesses a repentant people. Verse 25, Joel 2.25. So I will restore to you the years the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, the chewing locust, the great army which I sent among you. So here in verse 25, it's a reversal of what we saw in chapter 1, isn't it? Very much a reversal. I'd like you to turn it over, put a marker here. Let's go over to Isaiah 44.

Isaiah 44. Verse 5, verses Isaiah 44, verse 1, Yet here now, O Jacob, my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen, thus as the Lord who made you, informed you from the womb, who will help you. Fear not, O Jacob, my servant, and you, Jesh, you run, whom I have chosen.

You know, recently I had twin granddaughters born to my son and daughter-in-law. I don't know if they've got pet names for them yet. Those of you probably have a pet name that your parents called you. I've got pet names for both of my kids. This word here, Jesh, you run.

In verse 2, that according to the scholars, James and Fawcett and Brown, is a diminutive term of endearment applied to Israel. A diminutive term of endearment. It's a pet name. God loves Israel. He calls them by a pet name. He wants them to repent. He wants them to flourish. He wants them to grow as they repent. Verse 3, Isaiah 44, verse 3, For I will pour water on him who was thirsty and floods on dry ground. Now, again, dual, certainly this is physical but more spiritual. I will pour my spirit on your descendants and my blessing on your offspring. So this water being poured out in the future is the Holy Spirit of God to water a thirsty people who had not been told the truth of God. Verse 4, They will spring up among the grass like willows by the water courses.

I have been known to play a game of golf or two, and when I'm out there, so many times the courses I go to, they'll have willow trees by a pond. I know. I thought too many of my golf balls find their way into the pond. Willow trees like a great deal of moisture. That's why it says they're by the water courses. The soil near a willow tree has got to have a good moisture content. And so what we're looking at here by analogy is that God is going to well water with his Holy Spirit, the people of God in the future, that the ground, their environment will be well watered with God's Holy Spirit. The scripture about how God's truth will cover the earth like the waters cover the sea. Verse 5, one will say, I am the Lord's. Another will call himself by the name of Jacob, and that will go right with his hand, the Lord's, and name himself by the name of Israel. Today, people want to talk about how bad they are. Man, I'm bad. In the world tomorrow, people are going to want to talk about how good they are, how close to God they are, how much like Abraham or Isaac and Jacob they are. And so it's a whole different scenario when God is ruling. Chapter 45 of Isaiah. Isaiah 45, verse 8. Rain down, you heavens from above, let the skies pour down righteousness. So we're talking about not just physical rain to God's Spirit. Rain down, you heavens from above, let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open. Let them bring forth salvation. Let the righteousness bring up together. I, the Lord, have created it. So these are the blessings that come when people are repentant before God. Go back to Joel chapter 2.

Verse 26, I think is where we left off. Verse 26. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God who has dealt wondrously with you, and my people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel. I am the Lord your God and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.

Okay, we move on now to lesson number nine, spiritual lesson learned number nine. It's found in Joel chapter 2 verses 28 through 31 how the God will pour out His Spirit. We've already touched on that in our previous reading, but more so here. Joel chapter 2 verses 28 through 31, God will pour out His Spirit. Verse 28, And I shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions, and also on my men servants and on my maid servants I will pour out my Spirit in those days. You know, again, what is the theme for this book? The theme is the return of Jesus Christ, the day of the Lord. Now, there's a lot of other things happening. Joel doesn't necessarily always go consecutively in chronological order as he's going through these events. He's taking, as Mr. Armstrong would say, about revelation. There's like an inset chapter in Revelation. There's kind of an inset here about the wonderful world tomorrow.

Verse 30, And I'll show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness, the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. So, verse 31, 30 and 31 basically are talking about a general time stamp. Yeah, I don't think Joel is worried about all of his chronology. And, you know, we're kind of going back and forth a little bit here chronologically. But he's talking about this is happening at the end of the age, at the time when Christ returns. We move on to the last lesson in chapter 2, which is lesson number 10. Joel chapter 2, verse 32. Lesson number 10, spiritual lesson, lesson number 10. God will save all who call on him. God will save all who call on him.

Joel 2, 32. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls in the name of the Lord shall be saved. In the Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls. So there's going to be a group of people that are going to be called. It's interesting, and we're going to get more into this as we start chapter 3.

Again, remember where we're at so far as time is concerned. We're talking about the day of the Lord. That's the seventh seal. In the fifth seal, earlier we have this European power that we talked about on trumpets. That power obliterates or does in the United States of America, Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand. As political entities, they're no longer on the scene. Our people have been spread around the world. And there's going to be not a first exodus of God's people, but a second exodus of God's people. Let's turn over to Jeremiah 31. Jeremiah 31, verses 8 and 9. As behold, I will bring them from the north country, where they had gone captive. I will gather them from the ends of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child, the one who labors with child together. A great throng shall return. Why are they returning? Because they've been scattered. They shall come with weeping and with supplications. I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of water in a straight way, which they will not stumble. For I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. And so here we're looking at peoples who've gone to a national captivity, but something is happening with their minds. They're coming to see why they went, why our people went into a national captivity. And you know, brethren, and this is so important, that's one of the things as we give our offerings on the trumpets, on the day of atonement, as we picture these end-time events, as you put forward very generously as the Chicago church, your offering, that offering goes to pieces of literature. That offering goes to a local pastor who can be working with a local congregation. That offering helps put out literature. The people we never will meet, read, and understand. It goes to people looking into their scriptures because we're guiding them, we're helping them. And they may not do anything with it right now, but when they're in a place of captivity, when there's no longer United States, when they realize, what did we do wrong, then they're going to remember what they were told, what they had read, what you helped them to see. And that's where we have this group coming out of the world, here and there. So let's summarize where we were in chapter 2 of Joel.

You know, Matthew chapter 7, I didn't turn there, I'll read it for you. Matthew 7 verses 7 and 8, Ask, and it will be given to you, seek, and you will find, knock, and it shall be opened to you, for everyone who asks, receives, he who seeks, finds, and to him who knocks, it shall be opened. So largely, what we're seeing in Joel chapter 2, we saw some events happening prior to the second coming of Christ, those first 10 verses. But verses 12 through 14, we saw lesson number 6, Seeking God's Mercy. Joel 2 verses 15 through 17, we saw lesson number 7, Seeking God's Grace. You can check your list, make sure you've got those down. By the way, I will send this to you via email this coming week, just this portion of the 12 lessons to be learned.

In verses 18 through 27, we see how God blesses the repentant people. That was lesson number 8. Lesson number 9, God will pour out his Spirit. You see that in Joel chapter 2 verses 28 through 31. And lesson number 10, Joel chapter 2 verse 32, God will save those who call on him. So a tremendously powerful book. Now, we get into chapter 3, last chapter. The book of Joel is one of the shortest books in all of the Old Testament. Not the shortest, but one of the shortest. Chapter 3 of Joel, we're going to see where God is going to deal with those who have persecuted his people. God is now going to turn his attention to those nations that have persecuted his people and deal with those nations. So, starting in chapter 3 verses 1 through 8, we now see that the 11th lesson to be learned, and that is God will judge. God will judge. Joel 3 verses 1 through 8. Let's take a look at Joel chapter 3 verse 1. I'm going to spend a bit of time here. Joel chapter 3 verse 1. For behold, in those days, and at that time, I will bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem. I'll bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem. It's a time of a second exodus. Now, there's a really interesting Scripture, brethren, found over here in Jeremiah chapter 16. We're going to kind of use other scriptures to fortify what we see in Joel 3. Let's go to Jeremiah chapter 16.

Jeremiah chapter 16.

This is an astounding couple of verses here. Jeremiah 16 verses 14 and 15.

Therefore, behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that it will no more be said, the Lord lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt. But, verse 15, the Lord lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from the lands where He had driven them. For I'll bring them back into their land, which I gave to their fathers. So, brethren, these two verses from Jeremiah show there is coming a future exodus, a second exodus, that will pale into insignificance, that first one, as great as that first one was, a watershed event in the history of God's people. And yet, there is coming another watershed event greater. How can I say that?

Think on this. When God delivered Israel out of Egypt, He was delivering them from one nation, granted, the most powerful nation in the world at that time, but one nation. In the future, when God begins to call back even individuals that have been scattered here and there, God is calling them back from many nations. And just as God had a red sea to bring His people to where they needed to be, God is going to make a way, however He wants to do it. We don't know how He's going to do all that. But God's going to make it a way for these various people, these scattered people, to make their way back to the Holy Land, to where God originally wanted them to be, a second exodus. And as it says here, verse 15, the Lord lives who brought the children up from the land of the north, talking about a future captivity. Now, why is there a need of this second exodus? Let's go to Ezekiel chapter 5. Well-known prophecy, you've probably, when you first were coming into the church, you cut your teeth on this. We may not have looked at it much in recent years. Ezekiel chapter 5, verse 1, And use on a man, take a sharp sword, take it as a barber's razor, and pass it over your head and your beard, then take scales to weigh and divide the hair. Now, scripturally, you know, when you're having your hair forcibly taken off, that is a symbol of punishment. It's a symbol of being degraded. You've probably seen your share of World War II documentaries. I've seen my share, where collaborators are, you know, once the allies were liberating various towns, what the townspeople would do with the people who collaborated with the enemy. In case of the ladies, many times they would take the ladies out into the town square, they would rip off or cut off various portions of their hair, leave them almost bald but looking really very, very bad. That way everybody in the community knows, if they hadn't known, that that woman was a collaborator. It was a shameful thing. And, of course, they did other things to the fellows. So here we see something here that we see that is a different kind of a situation, a sign of disgrace, a sign of humiliation. Verse 2, and you shall burn with fire one third in the midst of the city when the days of the siege are finished. Siege referring to that fifth seal, the Great Tribulation. When the Great Tribulation has come and gone, we are no more than you're going to take in the middle of verse 2 here, you shall take one third and strike...wait a minute, I missed something here...you shall burn with fire one third in the midst of the city when the siege are finished. Then you should take one third and strike around it with a sword. One third, you shall scatter in the wind and I'll draw a sword after them. So basically what you're having here is you're seeing a number of these seals in Revelation being fulfilled. The Great Tribulation, warfare, people having to burn the bodies, seals number three and four because of famine and disease.

You see here in verse 2 where our peoples are scattered into the wind and even then a sword is drawn after them. Harsh times in captivity. But notice number three, notice verse three, because brethren this talks to you and to to to me. You shall take a small number of them and bind them in the edge of your garment. We heard in today's sermonette, Mr. Diggins was talking about people, you know, God's people fleeing for safety. Here we see an indication that a small number in verse three is talking about God's church. A small number of people being protected by God. However way God wants to do that. Places of safety like he did with Israel and in their homes. I don't know how God's going to do that. Some people say, well, I know exactly well, I don't know exactly, but I know that God's going to do it. How he's going to do that's up to him and we'll be happy that he does it. But take a look at Revelation chapter 12.

There's a place of safety great.

Revelation 12 verse 14 leads one to think that there would be. Revelation 12 14.

But the woman, the church, this is one of these inset chapters, was given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness to her place. To her place where she is nourished for a time, times, and half a time. A time is one year biblically. Times would be two, half a times, a half a year. So three and a half years. 1260 days. So here we see God's church being protected during the course of the great tribulation and day of the Lord. Is every last person going to be protected? Well, we've gone through that in the past. No, that's not the case. But in general, God is going to protect his people. We see in, going back to Ezekiel chapter 5 verse 3, so he shall take a small number of them and bind them in the edge of your garments. We want to be in that small number. But notice verse 4, then take some of them, some of who? Some of those spoken of in verse 3. Then take some of them, again, and throw them into the midst of the fire and burn them in the fire. From there a fire will go out into all the house of Israel.

So who is verse 4 talking about? Well, they're still talking about God's people. In your notes, you might want to write down Revelation chapter 3 verses 14 through 22 talking about the church in Laodicea. They will have to go through some fiery trials. You don't want that. I don't want that. We want to be the kind of people where, you know, if God has us go through the flaming trials, it's not because we've been faithless or weak. It's because God wants to use us for his own purposes as martyrs in a positive way. You might also put down Revelation chapter 7 verses 9 through 14 talking about a great innumerable multitude.

Now, part of the reason this great innumerable multitude comes out of the great tribulation is because of the working of the two witnesses. They're preaching the whole three and a half years. You know, there's going to be a famine of the word. There's coming a time when we as a church can no longer do the work of a church. This is when we are at a place of safety or this is where God does protect us in whichever manner he wants to do. But make no mistake, just because we don't have a church in Hinsdale or there's no broadcast going out or literature, the two witnesses are doing their work the whole three and a half years. The whole three and a half years before Christ returns. And so people will either remember what we've preached to them, what, you know, we preached back in the worldwide Church of God days, or what the two witnesses are preaching. But also take a look at, let's turn to Revelation chapter 6. I've referred to it so many times. Revelation chapter 6.

This is during that same time we're talking about God judging the nations, judging us, in the time of a, you know, why there's going to need to be a second exodus. Revelation chapter 6 verse 9. When He opened the fifth seal, great tribulation, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. So historically these are the people who've already been martyred in times gone by. And they cried out loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth. Now this is talking about current times. A white robe was given to each of them, and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who will be killed as they were, was completed. So yes, there will be people who are, will be able to go to a place of safety or find protection. There will those who won't be. And brethren, that's where you and I need to make sure we've got that relationship with God that we need to have. Times that come in, we've got to be tough. Ezekiel chapter 6. Ezekiel chapter 6.

Verse 8. Ezekiel 6, 8. Yet I will leave a remnant, so that you may have some who escaped the sword among the nations, this is talking about those who have gone into captivity, when you were scattered through the countries, then those who have escaped will remember me among the nations, where they are carried captive, because I was crushed by their adulterous heart, which was departed from me, and by their eyes, which they would play the harlot after their idols. They will loathe themselves for the evils they have committed in all their abominations, and they shall know that I am the Lord, and have not said in vain, I will bring this calamity upon them. So once again, the warning witness that we have done as a work for generations will find its mark in people's hearts. Brethren, you remember back during the worldwide church of God days, we were putting out what was it, eight million plain truths a month. Eight million. And every year we would lose four million and add another four. That went on for years. There's a lot of folks out there who know something of the truth of God. And over the years where I've gone visiting, I've been in people's homes one after another, where they know about the Sabbath, and they know about the Holy Days, and they know what they should eat and not eat, what they should do with their money and not do with their money. And they have not had the courage to do what you've done. They may have felt, well, if I go that way, then I may lose my job, or I may lose my wife, or my husband, or my kids. But you stepped out on faith. God appreciates the stance you've taken. Others have not taken that stance, but in the end, no one sits on the fence at the end of the age. That fence is going to be well shaken, as we talked about on trumpets. That last year will be the last year before Christ returns, will be the last year of the great tribulation, Satan's wrath, but will also be the day of the Lord, the year of God's wrath. So both God and Satan shaking that fence. Everybody has to fall one way or another. Going back to Ezekiel chapter 5, verse 14, this is all going to the fact of why we why there will be a second Exodus, Ezekiel chapter 5 verse 14. Moreover, I'll make you a waste and a reproach among the nations that are all around you in the sight of all who pass by. So it will be a reproach, a taunt, a lesson, an astonishment to the nations that are all around you when I ask you judgment among you in anger and fury and in furious rebukes. I, the Lord, have spoken. So the world who wondered and were in awe of the might and the economy of great America will also realize, wow, because they disobeyed God. Here's what's happened to them. One last thought here before we go back to Joel chapter 9. Let's go over to the book of Amos and Hosea Joel and Amos chapter 9.

In all of this being sifted through the nations, there's an interesting thought here that God gives us. An interesting glimpse into God's personality, you know, talking about him being gracious and being merciful. Amos chapter 9 verse 9. Again, Amos may well have been a contemporary with Joel and Isaiah. Amos 9-9, For surely I will command and will sift the house of Israel among the nations, as grain is sifted in a sieve, but now notice something, yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground. God knows each individual. He knows everybody's name. If he can name all the billions upon billions and trillions of stars, he knows every human being's name. He knows every Israelite who's in captivity. He knows where they're at. And it says, not the smallest, not the least of these people will be forgotten by the great God, who God will come to rescue them. Okay, we go back now to Joel chapter 3. Joel chapter 3 verse 2. I will gather all nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will enter into the judgment with them there on account of my people, my heritage Israel, whom they've scattered among the nations. They have also divided up my land. So here, as God is about to take charge fully, the nations are gathered at a place called Armageddon. The battle is not there. We discussed that on trumpets. Armageddon is 55 miles north of Jerusalem. However, the nations will come down to the area of Jerusalem. Verse 3, Joel 3. They have cast lots for my people. They have given a boy as payment for a harlot and sold a girl for wine that they may drink. So verse 3 just shows the utter lack of value that human life has at the end of the age. Verse 4. Indeed, what will you do with me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the coasts of Phyllistia? Will you retaliate against me? But if you retaliate against me swiftly and speedily, I will turn your retaliation upon your own head. Because you've taken my soul over and my goal and have carried it into your temples, my prized possessions, also the people of Judah and the people of Jerusalem. You've sold to the Greeks that you may remove them far from their borders. Now, we heard some of that in today's sermonette, which was very well done, by the way. So historically, we have seen nations who have really hurt Israel. And God said, you know, what goes around comes around. There comes a time where God says, enough is enough. Enough is enough. Verse 7 and 8.

The old, I will raise them out of the place to which you have sold them. I will return your retaliation upon your own head. I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the people of Judah. And they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off where the Lord has spoken. Verse 7 and 8 is, you know, this not the whole book deals with future events. Verse 7 and 8 can be taken a couple of different ways. Historically, certainly. Prophecy is dual. So these two verses did take place historically. But there's another thought here that some have put forth. That verse 7 and 8 simply is trying to show the ascendancy of God's people over their enemies.

Continuing on, verse 9. Proclaim this among the nations. Prepare for war. You know, people don't want Christ the rule. They want to fight Him. Well, God says here, I'm coming. I'm coming. You want it. I'm bringing it to you. Proclaim this among the nations. Prepare for war. Wake up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near. I mean, get your very best guys. Get your very best troops.

You know, assemble all your special forces. Let them come up. And notice what He says here. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Now, Isaiah probably came after the, they may have been contemporary. Or, you know, Joel, Isaiah may have just been coming into his own as Joel was ending his life.

But notice the difference between what Joel was writing, what Isaiah wrote. Verse 10, Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, I'm strong. So they're given a spirit of delusion. Assemble and come all you nations and gather together all around. Cause your mighty ones to go down there, O Lord.

Let the nations be awakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for they'll sit the judge all the surrounding nations. So God is saying, you know, you want it? Here we go. We're going to go into it. You want to fight the valley of Jehoshaphat? Some of you have probably been there.

A number of you probably have been there in that area. You know, the nations will gather at Armageddon, which is 55 miles north of Jerusalem. They will go south to the valley of Jehoshaphat, which relies between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. That's where this final end-time battle is going to take place. Verse 13, Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down, for the winepress is full, the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near, in the valley of decision.

Let's turn over to Revelation chapter 14, corresponding prophecy, Revelation chapter 14. Revelation 14, verse 15, verses 15 through 20. Revelation 14, verses 15 through 20. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him, who sat on the cloud, Thrust in your sickle and reap. For the time has come for you to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe. So he who sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. Then another angel came out of the temple, which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. Another angel came out from the altar, who had the power over fire, and cried with a loud cry to him, who had the sharp sickle saying, Thrust in your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vines of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.

So the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vines of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and bub came out of the winepress up to the horses of bridal for over 1,600 furlongs. So again, a great battle. Mankind doesn't want to repent. Human nature doesn't want to submit. And Jesus Christ has got to take events in hand. Joel 3, verse 15, The sun and the moon will grow dark, the stars will diminish their brightness, so verse 15 is talking about a date stamp. We've seen this these discussions before. They talk about the not only the heavenly signs, but also we saw these during the other portions of Revelation, talking about the latter part of the day of the Lord.

Verse 16, The Lord will roar from Zion. He's angry. He's not coming as a meek individual on a lamb, on a donkey. The Lord will also roar from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem. The heavens and earth will shake, but the Lord will be a shelter for his people and the strength of the children of Israel. So again, we see this idea in verse 16 of people, God's people, being protected.

Now we come to the very last lesson, lesson number 12. This is the balance of the book, Joel 3, verse 17 through 21. Joel 3, verses 17 through 21.

The book ends on a very positive note. God's people finding rest in the kingdom. God's people finding rest in the kingdom.

Verse 17, So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain, when Jerusalem shall be holy, no alien shall ever pass through her again. There's coming a time where only the righteous live there. There's coming a time when God lives there. And how can God live there with us there unless we are spirit beings? Verse 18. It will come to pass in that day that the mountain shall drip with new wine, the hill shall flow with milk. All the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water. A fountain shall flow from the house of the Lord and the water from the valley of the Acacias. So again, symbolism here of the millennium, symbolism of the wonderful world tomorrow, a very positive scene. Let's go forward to the book of Amos, Amos chapter 9. After all the horrible things that humankind has had to endure, now we finally, these are the things you and I pray about. This is, you know, there's horrible times coming, but at the end of that we've got scriptures like we're now reading. Amos chapter 9 verse 13.

Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, the treader of grapes him who sows seed, the mountain shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hill shall flow with it. I will bring back the captives of my people Israel. They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them. They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them. They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land. They shall no longer be pulled up from the land I have given to them, says the Lord your God.

Times so great, harvest so great, that those who sow and those who plow, they're right on the backs of one another. Because the earth is producing so wonderfully because people now are beginning to obey God and do what God has always wanted them to do. Just live by his word. On the other hand, we go back to Joel chapter 3 verse 19. People have a have a choice to make. We know from Zechariah chapter 14 that not everybody is going to just automatically fall into line. You know, as they move from Revelation, the end of Revelation, into the world tomorrow, we still have a very rebellious mankind that had to be put down by the army of Jesus Christ. For some years inside the millennium, people may not receive rain because they may not want to go to the feast. There's still going to be some rebellion even inside of the millennium. Verse 19, Egypt shall be a desolation, eat them a desolate wilderness because of violence against the people of Judah. That's talking about on our side of the millennium. But again, there's a there's a mindset that needs to be changed, and that's going to take a while inside the millennium. For they've shed innocent blood in their land, but Judah shall abide forever in Jerusalem from generation to generation. So it's clearly, verses 19 and 20, show two ways of life being outlined. A way of give or a way of get, as Mr. Armstrong used to say, a way of life or death, a way of blessing or cursing. Verse 21, finally, for I will acquit them of the guilt of bloodshed, whom I have not acquitted, for the Lord dwells in Zion. And the key there for me is that very last phrase, for the Lord dwells in Zion. God lives with us. We can walk up to Him, talk Him, ask Him all the questions, because we're now spirit beings. We're not going to be vaporized because He is so great and we're physical. We're no longer physical. So a wonderful thing to have seen. So, brother, that brings us to the end. I will send you a email this coming week giving you these 12 overarching spiritual lessons. I feel I learned as I was studying the book of Joel, I want to make sure that you get a copy of that, so I'll send it out to all of you. Look forward to seeing you on the Day of Atonement. And if some of you are going to be going before that time, please have a great Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day.