The Day of Judgment – A Call for Decision

The Book of Joel

Joel 3.1-21

Introduction
Today we come to the last sermon of a five-part series on the book of Joel. In the first
sermon we saw the Day of the Locust when the Lord sent an infestation of locust that went
on for four years. The locust devoured the land of all vegetation leaving the people without
any hope for the future. The Lord calls the people to lament, to cry out God for Him to act
on their behalf. (1.1-20) In the second sermon we saw the Day of the Lord as the Prophet
Joel uses the locust devastation in comparison to the great day of the Lord and calls the
people to repent. (2.1-17) Basically, the Prophet is telling the people, “If you think you are
helpless against an insect only three inches long, how helpless do you think you will be
when you stand before the Almighty God Himself on that great day.” In the third sermon we
saw a Day of Restoration as the Lord issues a series of promises calling His people to
believe He will restore the years the locust ate away. (2.18-27) In the fourth sermon the
Lord promises the Day of the Spirit when He would pour out His Spirit upon all His people
regardless of gender, race, or social status and calls His people to be filled with the Spirit.
Today we come the last chapter in the book of Joel where the Lord declares that the Day of
Judgment will come when He judges the nations for their wickedness and reward His
people for taking refuge in Him. (3.1-21)
Hear now the Word of God Joel chapter three.
1 “In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will
gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on
trial for what they did to My inheritance, My people Israel, because they scattered My people
among the nations and divided up my land. 3 They cast lots for my people and traded boys for
prostitutes; they sold girls for wine to drink. 4 “Now what have you against me, Tyre and
Sidon and all you regions of Philistia? Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you
are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done.
5 For you took My silver and My gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples. 6 You
sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, that you might send them far from their
homeland. 7 “See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them, and I will
return on your own heads what you have done. 8 I will sell your sons and daughters to the
people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far away.” The Lord has
spoken. 9 Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the
fighting men draw near and attack. 10 Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning
hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, “I am strong!” 11 Come quickly, all you nations from
every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, Lord! 12 “Let the nations be roused;
let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on
every side. 13 Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the
winepress is full and the vats overflow—so great is their wickedness!”

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14 Multitudes, multitudes  in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley
of decision. 15 The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. 16 The Lord
will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But
the Lord will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. 17 “Then you will
know that I, the Lord your God, dwell in Zion, My holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again
will foreigners invade her. 18 “In that day the mountains will drip new wine,  and the hills will
flow with milk;  all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the
Lord’s house and will water the valley of Shittim. 19 But Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert
waste, because of violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent
blood. 20 Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. 21 Shall I leave
their innocent blood unavenged? No, I will not.” The Lord dwells in Zion!
“In those days and at that time”
The first sentence of chapter three is an overview of the entire chapter. “In those days and
at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and
bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. (3.1-2a) The Lord declares, “In those days and
at that time.” In what days? At what time? In those days is a reference to the period of time
known as the last days, which was introduced in last week’s sermon. As you remember, the
Apostle Peter told those who had assembled on the streets of Jerusalem on the morning of
the day of Pentecost that what had just happened was a fulfillment of what was spoken of
through the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour forth of
My Spirit on all mankind. (Acts 2.16-17a) Peter uses this phase “in the last days” to indicate
the period of time between the ascension of Christ and Christ’s second coming when we
will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. (Lk.21.27) So Joel’s
prophecy is telling us that during the period of the last day, in those days, there will come a
time when the Lord restores the fortunes of His people and gathers all nations for
judgment. This will be the last day. This is the day appointed by the Father when the Lord
Jesus will come back. But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of
heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. (Mt.24.36)
I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem
Joel’s prophecy tells us at that time the Lord will restore the fortunes of Judah and
Jerusalem which means that the Lord will restore the fortunes of His elect. Joel’s prophecy
will tell us more about these fortunes at the end of chapter but for now it is important for
you to know that this restoration is not just for Abraham’s descendants but for all the
children of promise. (Rom.9.8) Brothers and sisters, God Word tells us if you belong to
Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise. (Gal.3.29) Therefore,
when the Lord Jesus returns, He will restore the fortunes of His people. As the Apostle
Peter preached in his second sermon in the book of Acts, Christ was appointed for us, whom
heaven must receive (that’s the period of the last days) until the period of restoration of all
things. (Acts 3.21) When Christ comes again, He will set creation free from its slavery to
corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Rom.8.21) There will be a
new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away.
(Rev.21.1)

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At that time the Lord Jesus will wipe away every tear from our eyes; and there will no longer
be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have
passed away. And He who sits on the throne will say, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
(Rev.21.4-5a) At that time Christ will hand over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He
has abolished all rule and all authority and power. (ICor.15.24)
Gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
The second thing Joel’s prophecy tells us is at that time the Lord will gather all nations and
bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. What is interesting is that you will never find
the Valley of Jehoshaphat on a map. The Valley of Jehoshaphat is not a location but
description of what the Lord will do when He gathers all the nations together. The name
Jehoshaphat means “Jehovah has judged.” Basically, the Lord is declaring that at that time,
the Lord will gather the nations for He has judged.
This reminds me of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew chapter twenty-five when He tells us that
when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His
glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from
one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on
His right, and the goats on the left. (Mt.25.31-33) Notice that when the Lord returns there is
no opportunity to make a decision for Christ. On that day and at that time you are either a
sheep or a goat and the Lord will judge accordingly. Jesus continues, “Then the King will say
to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world. This is when the Lord restores the fortunes to His
people. But Jesus continues by telling us, “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart
from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his
angels. (Mt.25.34, 41) This is the day of judgment.
Now as we move into the rest of the chapter, we will see that the Lord will give details of
why He will judge the nations. Then He will paint a picture of what will happen in the valley
of Jehoshaphat. And finally, the Lord will describe the fortunes He will give to those who
seek refuge in Him.
Why will the Lord Judge the Nations
The Lord declares, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
There I will put them on trial for what they did to My inheritance, My people Israel. (3.2a)
After putting the nations on trial the Lord then states a list of charges against the nations
for their defiance against Himself and His redemptive purposes. (3.2-8) The Psalmist tells
us that the nations are in uproar against the Lord and His Anointed. (Ps.2.1-2) And here in
Joel’s prophecy we see these defiant nations have scattered God’s people across the world.
(3.2c) They have divided up His land claiming it as their territory. (3.2d) They have
participated in human trafficking by selling children for sexual favors and wine. (3.3) They
took the silver, gold, and precious treasures from God’s temple and used them to adorn
their own temples. (3.5) They dislocated families as far away as possible from their homes
and communities. (3.6) Verse thirteen tells us “their wickedness is great.” (3.13)

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God has Appointed a Day
Even though we understand these charges are spoken against the nations for their defiance
and persecution against the Lord’s people, I want to take a moment to broaden our
understanding to make sure you know that God has appointed a day when He will judge the
world in righteousness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 17.31) In the day of twenty-four news
we have the tendency to move from one atrocity to another often becoming numb to the
horrible things that happen in the world. But the events of the past two weeks have
awakened us from our slumber as we have witnessed the acts of unprovoked violence of
one nation upon another. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought us face to face with
the reality of human depravity. I must confess that as I watched the bombardment of pain
and suffering leveled upon the Ukrainian people the question came to my mind, “Will there
ever be justice?” And the answer that Joel’s prophecy gives us is “Yes!” Yes, God has
appointed a day when He will judge the world in righteousness. We see the same evil
actions committed by villains in Joel’s day are being committed by villains our day. Because
of the actions and pursuits of a tyrant, families are being dislocated and scattered
throughout other nations. Human traffickers are selling children at our southern border
and around the world for personal gain. Lands, resources, and treasures are being
destroyed and stolen from innocent people and used to enhance the power and position of
the thief who stole them. Their wickedness is great, but God has appointed a day when He
will judge the world in righteousness.
Books and a Bottle
I know that the events of the past two weeks weigh heavy on many of your hearts. I want
you to know that the Bible tells us that God has both books and a bottle. In His books He
records all the deeds of humanity whether good or evil. (Rev.20.12, 2Cor.5.10) The evil
actions of men can be forgotten in the annals of history, but God never forgets. Every evil
act God records in His books. But the Bible also tells us that God has a bottle where He
collects the tears flowing from those suffering in pain and hardship caused by the actions of
another. (Ps.56.8) Brothers and sisters, God records all atrocities of humanity and gathers
the full effect of human agony. Neither atrocity nor the agony caused by them are forgotten
by God. For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels and will
then repay every man according to his deeds. (Mt.16.27) There will be a day of judgment.
The Valley of Jehoshaphat
Starting in verse nine the Lord paints a picture of what will happen to the wicked in the
valley of Jehoshaphat on the day of judgment. The Lord calls all the nations, outside of the
people of God, to assemble for war. (3.9) He wants all the soldiers of the world’s army from
the mightiest to the weakest to draw near and come up. (3.11-12) Then the Lord tells them,
“Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears.” (3.10) This is the
exact opposite of the word of the Lord that came to the Prophet Isaiah and Micah. (Is.2.4,
Mic.4.3)

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Here in Joel’s prophecy the Lord is taunting the world’s armies saying, “Take anything you
have and make it into the best weapon you can imagine because when it comes to the day
when you stand before Me, the Almighty God, your weapons are not going to help.”
So, the world’s armies stand in the valley waving their little swords and spears in defiance
to the Almighty God, do you know what the Lord is doing? He is sitting on His throne to
judge. (3.12) Once again the words of the Psalmist come to mind. The kings of the earth take
their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed,
saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!” He who sits in the
heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify
them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy
mountain.” (Ps.2.2-6) Yes, it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
(Heb.10.31)
The Fortunes the Lord
While those who revolted against the Lord and His Anointed dwell in wastelands and
desolate wilderness recorded in verse nineteen as a poetic description of hell those who
seek refuge in the Lord enjoy the greatest treasure of all, an intimate relationship with the
sovereign Lord of the Universe. But the Lord will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for
the people of Israel. Then you will know that I, the Lord your God, dwell in Zion, My holy hill.
(3.16b-17a) The Lord is a refuge for the people of God from the chaos and conflicts in the
world. When we seek the Lord as our refuge and our stronghold, we receive comfort to
know that the Lord is God and there is no one mightier than Him. As we heard in our call to
worship this morning from the Prophet Isaiah, The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He
has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. And He will be the stability of your times,
A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; The fear of the Lord is his treasure. (Is.33.5-6)
To know the Lord Jesus and to have an intimate relationship with Him is the greatest
treasure we will ever find. It is like finding a treasure hidden in a field and once we find it,
we sell all that we have and buy that field. (Mt.13.44) Brothers and sisters, finding refuge in
the Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest treasure in this life and the Lord promises that we will
enjoy His intimate for all eternity. “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He
will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them.”
(Rev.21.3)
In the remaining portion of chapter three Joel’s prophecy uses imaginary to describe the
fortunes God’s people will enjoy in the new heavens and new earth. The mountains will drip
new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A
fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house and will water the valley of Shittim. (3.18) Brothers
and sisters, no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has
prepared for those who love him.” (ICor.2.9)
Closing Thought
Brothers and sisters, as we conclude this series of sermon, I want to emphasize that the
same God who said, “I will restore the years the locust ate away.” The same God who said, “I

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will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh.” This is the same God who says, “I will gather all the
nations and enter into judgment against them.” God will judge the injustice of this world.
And until then we are called to lament and to repent.
As a conclude today’s sermon and this series I want to point out that Joel’s prophecy speaks
about the valley of decision. (3.14) But if you wait until the day of the Lord, the decision
will have already been made. Behold now, is the acceptable time, behold now is the day of
salvation. (2Cor.6.2b) Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. (Ps.95-7-8)
Surrender your life to Jesus Christ and you will enjoy the treasure of God’s love and
forgiveness through Christ for all eternity. Seek the Lord as your refuge and your
stronghold against the wiles of the world. The Lord is the stability for today. In Him is the
wealth of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. He is our treasure.