Joel 3
Amos 3 is the text in which God’s judgment against Israel is proclaimed. In verses 1–2, God reminds them that He led Israel out of the land of Egypt and set them apart from other nations, establishing a special relationship with them. However, precisely because of that closeness, a declaration follows that Israel’s sin will be dealt with even more strictly. Verses 3–8 emphasize the basis on which the prophet has no choice but to proclaim judgment, using everyday examples and illustrations. Finally, verses 9–15 specifically point out the crimes of Samaria and Israel, and foretell the judgment that will result (disaster, the destruction of palaces, and the downfall of religious centers).
1verse“For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
2verseI will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will execute judgment on them there for my people, and for my heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations. They have divided my land,
3verseand have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a prostitute, and sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.
4verse“Yes, and what are you to me, Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Will you repay me? And if you repay me, I will swiftly and speedily return your repayment on your own head.
5verseBecause you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my finest treasures into your temples,
6verseand have sold the children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem to the sons of the Greeks, that you may remove them far from their border.
7verseBehold, I will stir them up out of the place where you have sold them, and will return your repayment on your own head;
8verseand I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hands of the children of Judah, and they will sell them to the men of Sheba, to a faraway nation, for the LORD has spoken it.”
9verseProclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for war! Stir up the mighty men. Let all the warriors draw near. Let them come up.
10verseBeat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’
11verseHurry and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves together.” Cause your mighty ones to come down there, LORD.
12verse“Let the nations arouse themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.
13versePut in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread, for the wine press is full, the vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.”
14verseMultitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
15verseThe sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
16verseThe LORD will roar from Zion, and thunder from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth will shake; but the LORD will be a refuge to his people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel.
17verse“So you will know that I am the LORD, your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. Then Jerusalem will be holy, and no strangers will pass through her any more.
18verseIt will happen in that day, that the mountains will drop down sweet wine, the hills will flow with milk, all the brooks of Judah will flow with waters; and a fountain will flow out from the LORD’s house, and will water the valley of Shittim.
19verseEgypt will be a desolation and Edom will be a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
20verseBut Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
21verseI will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed, for the LORD dwells in Zion.”
The Core Message of the Passage
The message that repeatedly appears in this chapter is that privilege comes with responsibility. Israel enjoyed a close relationship with God, but when it drifted farther from His will, it could no longer avoid heavier judgment. The prophet Amos uses the logic of nature (cause and effect) to stress that God’s judgment is not accidental, and ultimately proclaims that justice and righteousness must certainly be fulfilled.
Meditation Points
- Responsibility that comes from a relationship with God: Let us think about what responsibilities God’s grace and choosing require of us.
- Cause and effect in life: As we look at the relationship between actions and outcomes in our daily lives, we reflect on the importance of our choices.
- The meaning of warning: Through God’s warnings of judgment, let us meditate together on God’s concern and love for us.
Try Applying It to Yourself
- I also reflect on whether I have received God’s grace and calling.
- How does God’s special love and attention connect to responsibility in my life, and what should I specifically put into practice in my life?
- Listen to the voice of God given to me today (warnings, encouragement, etc.) and check my faith and my life.
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This is the last chapter of Joel.