Lesson5-JoelChapter2Continued
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THEBOOKOFJOEL
Lesson5,Chapter2Continued
Inthe2
nd
chapterofJoel,wewitnessthebeautyandthejusticeofYehovehon
display:severewrathforJudah’srebellionandtreasonagainstHim,andextreme
mercyandoutpouringofblessingsfortheirobedienceandsincererepentance.
ThisfactisrevealedinthatJoelChapter2isdividedintotwodistincthalveseach
reflectingonesideofthecoinofGod’sdivinecharacter:thefirsthalfcontinues
throughverse17anditisaboutanenemyarmyinvadinganddecimatingJudah
fortheirinsistent,long-termrebellionagainstYehoveh.Thesecondhalfbegins
atverse18,withYehovehturningthetideandrestoringJudah,andinstead
punishingthenationsfortheirmaltreatmentofJudahandIsrael.Eachofthese
eventsaremarkedasaDayofYehoveh.
Thereareseveral,notjustone,DaysofYehoveh(DaysoftheLord).Thefallof
theNorthernKingdomofEphraim/Israelin723B.C.wasone.Theinvasionand
exileoftheSouthernKingdomofJudahin586B.C.wasanother.Thecomingof
ChristactuallyrepresentsanotherDayofYehovehofanunusualtype(when
God’swrathwasraineddownupononepersoninpaymentforthesinsofall),and
Yeshua’ssecondcomingwillbeyetanother,alsoofauniquetype.Arguably,
thereareatleastacouplemorethatwhilenottechnicallylabeledasaDayof
Yehoveh,ineffectandforcetheyare(suchastheinvasionofCanaanbyIsrael,
ledbyJoshua,andcenturieslatertheRomaninvasionofJerusalemwhenthe
Templewasdestroyedin70A.D.).
Joeliscertainlynotthefirstprophettospeakofthesethings,norishethelast.
OneoftheothersuchprophetsisZechariah.Prophecyisamostdifficult
challengetounderstandbecauseitcanbesocrypticandcomplex;so,ithelpsus
tobetterunderstandJoel’swordswhenweaddinsomeofwhattheother
prophetssaidaboutthesameeventsandwhatleadsuptothem.Asconcerns
Israel’smercifulrestorationaftertheseveralDaysofYehoveheventsthathave
targetedIsraelforGod’swrath,hereisapassagefromZechariahthatfleshesout
whatJoel’sprophecybeginninginverse18hastosayaboutit.
CJB
Zechariah1:12-17
12
TheangelofADONAIsaid,"ADONAI-Tzva'ot,howlong
willyoukeepwithholdingmercyfromYerushalayimandthecitiesofY'hudah?

Lesson5-JoelChapter2Continued
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You'vebeenangrywiththemforthepastseventyyears!"
13
ADONAIrepliedwith
kindandcomfortingwordstotheangelwhowasspeakingwithme.
14
Theangel
speakingwithmethensaidtome,"HereiswhatADONAI-Tzva'otsays:'Iam
extremelyjealousonbehalfofYerushalayimandTziyon;
15
and[tothesame
degree]Iamextremelyangrywiththenationsthataresoself-satisfied;because
Iwasonlyalittleangry[atYerushalayimandTziyon],buttheymadethe
sufferingworse.'
16
ThereforeADONAIsays,'IwillreturntoYerushalayimwith
mercifuldeeds.Myhousewillberebuiltthere,'saysADONAI-Tzva'ot;'yes,a
measuringlinewillbestretchedoutoverYerushalayim.'
17
Inaddition,proclaim
thatADONAI-Tzva'otsays,'Mycitieswillagainoverflowwithprosperity.'
ADONAIwillagaincomfortTziyon,andhewillagainmakeYerushalayimthecity
ofhischoice."
Zechariahprophesiedaround520B.C.Thatis,hewrotegoingon70yearsafter
BabyloninvadedJudahandexiledthepeople,andjustbeforethePersians
releasedJudahtogobackhome,andafewmoreyearsbeforeEzraand
NehemiahwouldtakeonthetaskofrebuildingtheTemple.InrelationtoJoel,
then,Zechariahprobablyprophesiedaround250yearslaterafterwhatwe’re
readinginJoel’sbook.ThethemeinthisportionofZechariahispleadingwith
GodtofulfillthealreadygivenprophecythatYehovehWOULDrestoreJudah,
becauseasofyetHehadnot.WhatIwanttohighlightistheverygreatdegree
ofGod’sjealousyandcareforJudahandJerusalem…thepeople,theland,and
theTemple.Conversely,inthissamepassagetheLorddeclaresHisbuilding
angerwiththenations(meaninggentilenations)whosimplymadeIsrael’s
miseryworse.Thepointandprincipleofthispronouncementappliestousinthe
modernageasmuchasitdidtothenationsinthe6
th
centuryB.C.Italsoapplies
especiallytotheConstantinianChurch(themodern-dayChurch)thathas
claimedfor1600yearsthatitistherepresentativeassemblyofBelieversthat
Yeshuabegan;yetIwouldassertthatclaimneedstobere-examined.
WhydoImakesuchastrongstatementandclaimasthis?It’sbecauseofthe
truth;it’sbecausethealarmmustbesoundedeventhoughsomanywillturna
deafearandrespondjustastheresidentsandleadersofJudahdid(andearlier
inEphraim/Israel)thatwereadaboutinHosea,AmosandJoel.They,too,
sincerelybelievedthattheirmanmadedoctrineshadbecomethenewtruth,and
thatGod’sactualWordwaslessimportantorrelevantforthem.

Lesson5-JoelChapter2Continued
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ThefoundationalprinciplesofthemodernChurchturnwhatwearereadingin
JoelandintheotherProphetsIhavequotedinourstudy,onitshead.
ConstantinianChristianityisbasedonthebeliefthatIsrael’srestoration
blessingshavebeenturnedovertogentileChristians,thatIsraelhas
permanentlylostfavorwithGod,andthatalongwiththatlossoffavortheentire
justicesystemandmoralcodeYehovehsetdownforthem(theLawofMoses)
hasalsobeenrescinded.UnwittinglyIsuspect,Christiansingeneralhave
becomeaccompliceswiththenationsintheirpoortreatmentofIsraeleven
though,admittedly,aportionoftheChurchatleasthasdecidedtobefriendly
towardsIsraelinsomeways.OverandoverintheBiblewereadofGod’sgreat
jealousyandfavorforJudahandJerusalem,andofthepromisethatHewould
notonlyrestorethem,butalsothatthoseblessingswouldoverflowlikenever
before.Evenmore,thattheseatofHeavenlygovernmentfromwhichYeshua
wouldeventuallyruleandreignwouldbeinZion(Jerusalem).Whatwereadnot
onlyintheOldTestament,butalsointheNew,isthatintheendthenationsand
thosepeoplethatstandwiththosegovernmentsintheirdisfavorand
maltreatmentofIsraelwillreceiveGod’sangrywrath.Church…ifyouare
listening…doyouseriouslybelievethattheclaimoffaithinJesusexemptsyou
fromthatpromiseofGodtopunishthosewhojoininthemaltreatmentofHis
chosenpeople?Howcanyouknowonwhosesideyoustand,andhowGodjudges
onthismatter?ReadtheProphets.TheProphetsmakeitabundantlyclearthat,
forpeopleofthe21
st
century,ourstanceon2issuesisthebestindicatorof
whetherwe’reonGod’ssideornot.DoyouinsistthatJewsmustgiveuptheir
JewishnessinordertojointheassemblyofgentileBelieverswhofollowYeshua?
Doyousupporttheideaofa2StateSolution,oranypoliticalresolutiontothe
statusoftheHolyLandthatmightevolve,thatproposestodividethatland,by
givingaportionofittoIsrael’senemies…thosewhoworshipafalsegod?Ifyou
do,thenyoustandwiththenationsandyouwillbejudgedaccordingthatstance,
andyouwillsufferwhatthenationsaregoingtosuffer.So,ifyoubelievewhat
JoelandZechariahandothersaretellingallwhocaretoreadandhear,thenthe
nextdilemmasomanywillfaceis:doyouintendtostayandfightforreform
withinyourdenomination,orwillyouseparateyourselffromitandseeka
congregationthatwantstoacknowledgeGod’sWordastrueandrelevant,from
GenesistoRevelation?Myadviceisthatunlessyouareahighly-placedleader
withenoughinfluencetomakingreformwithinyourdenominationevenremotely

Lesson5-JoelChapter2Continued
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possible,thenGodtellstherestofussomethingsoverysimpleand
straightforward:
CJB
Revelation18:1-5Afterthesethings,Isawanotherangelcomingdownfrom
heaven.Hehadgreatauthority;theearthwaslitupbyhissplendor.
2
Hecried
outinastrongvoice,"Shehasfallen!Shehasfallen!BaveltheGreat!Shehas
becomeahomefordemons,aprisonforeveryuncleanspirit,aprisonforevery
unclean,hatedbird.
3
"ForallthenationshavedrunkofthewineofGod'sfurycausedbyher
whoring-yes,thekingsoftheearthwentwhoringwithher,andfromher
unrestrainedloveofluxurytheworld'sbusinessmenhavegrownrich."
4
ThenI
heardanothervoiceoutofheavensay:"Mypeople,comeoutofher!sothatyou
willnotshareinhersins,sothatyouwillnotbeinfectedbyherplagues,
5
forher
sinsareastickymasspileduptoheaven,andGodhasrememberedhercrimes.
Mypleatoyou…God’sinstructiontoyouthroughHisProphets…isoneof
self-preservation.Ifandwhenwefinallyrecognizethatwhatourplaceofworship
mightactuallystandforisNOTwhatGodsayswearetodo,thenwearecertainly
notadmonishedtostayandfight,butratherto“Comeoutofher,Mypeople”.
Run.Flee.Getasfarawayfromitasyoucan,anddon’tlookback(don’tbecome
asLot’swife).Insteadseparateyourself,andthenseektheancientbiblicalfaith
asMoses,theProphets,YeshuaandtheApostlestaught.AsIfeelsostrongly
thatatthispointinhumanhistorywehavesteppedover(oratleaststandupon)
thethresholdoftheEndTimes,itpaystoremembersomethingthatisohso
painfultoadmit;itisthatithasbeenrecognizedforcenturiesbyvariousChurch
leadersthatatleastsomepartoftheChristianworldisgoingtobereckonedby
GodasmembersofthesymbolicBabylonoftheBookofRevelation,despitetheir
insistencetheyarenot;andthosememberswillshareinGod’swrath.Some
professedBelievers…whoknowshowmany…aremostdefinitelygoingtobeleft
behindasTimLaHaye’snovelsodeftlypresentsit.Yeshuawarnsaboutthisin
themostdramaticway.
CJB
Matthew7:20-26
20
Soyouwillrecognizethembytheirfruit.
21
"Not
everyonewhosaystome,'Lord,Lord!'willentertheKingdomofHeaven,only
thosewhodowhatmyFatherinheavenwants.
22
OnthatDay,manywillsayto
me,'Lord,Lord!Didn'tweprophesyinyourname?Didn'tweexpeldemonsin

Lesson5-JoelChapter2Continued
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yourname?Didn'tweperformmanymiraclesinyourname?'
23
ThenIwilltell
themtotheirfaces,'Ineverknewyou!Getawayfromme,youworkersof
lawlessness!'
24
"So,everyonewhohearsthesewordsofmineandactsonthem
willbelikeasensiblemanwhobuilthishouseonbedrock.
25
Therainfell,the
riversflooded,thewindsblewandbeatagainstthathouse,butitdidn'tcollapse,
becauseitsfoundationwasonrock.
26
Buteveryonewhohearsthesewordsof
mineanddoesnotactonthemwillbelikeastupidmanwhobuilthishouseon
sand.
JustasJoelandtheotherProphetsarespeakingcandidlyONLYtothosewho
believeinYehoveh,GodofIsrael,canwenotseethatJesusistalkingONLYto
thosewhoopenlyclaimbeliefinHim?Whootherthanthosewhosaytheyfollow
Yeshuawouldprophesy(which,inthaterameanttoteach)inHisName?But,He
doesn’tstopthere.HesaysthatuponcomingtounderstandwhatHe’steaching,
nextthereMUSTBEatransferfrominnerbelieftooutwardaction.Thosewho
don’ttakeconcreteactionaredescribedbyHimasthosewhoare“stupid”
becauseeventhoughtheynowknowthetruth,theycontinuetodependonfalse
doctrines(afoundationofsand)todeliverthem…doctrinesthatareNOTthe
truth.
ThefingerpointingastowhotheBookofRevelation’ssymbolicBabylonis,and
thereforewhotheseparticularBelieversarethatChristconsidersasnot
acceptedbyHim,isusuallyaimedtowardCatholicism.Yet,thisissovery
hypocriticalbecausetherealityisthat95%offoundationalProtestant-based
doctrinesARECatholicdoctrines.ThemaindifferenceisthatCatholicshavea
Pope,andMary-worshipispartoftheirtradition.Buttheunderlying
anti-Semitism,thebuilt-inbiasagainsttheJewishpeople,theexplicitinsistence
thattheJewsarecursedandtheirblessingshavebeentransferredtogentiles,
andthattheJewsoperateunderonedivinejusticesystemandgentilesunder
another,hasbeenthoroughlycarriedforwardintothebulkofProtestantand
Orthodox-basedChristianity,evenifoftenthisissubtleandnotnecessarily
spokentooloudlyfromthepulpit.
God’soracletoJoelishistoricallyaboutIsraeliteswhoclaimtobeGod’speople,
butbehaveandbelievequitedifferentlyfromGod’sscripturalinstructionsto
them.Unfortunately,themajoritywouldn’ttakethiswarningseriouslyandeven

Lesson5-JoelChapter2Continued
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foughtagainstthosewhoattemptedtoreturntothetruefaith.Icannotstress
enoughthatthisappliestous,today,justasmuchasitdidtotheancient
Israelitesbecausethatishowbiblicalprophecyworks.Oneofthereasonsfor
TorahClassundertakingthestudyall12MinorProphetsindepthistobecome
moreawareofourpredicament,andtonotbe“stupid”asYeshuawarned.So,as
wecontinueinJoel,justplaceyourselfasamongthosethegoodProphetis
speakingto…becauseyouare.Astheysay:iftheshoefits,wearit.
Let’sre-readpartofJoelchapter2.
RE-READJOELCHAPTER2:18–end
God’soracleisphrasedinsuchawaythatwearetounderstandthatthe
compassionandmercyHeisgoingtohaveatafuturetimeuponJudahand
Jerusalemisbaseduponthepositiveresponseofthepriestswhoaretoldto
standattheirpostsandprayformercy.
NearlyallEnglishversionshavetheverbtensesstatedincorrectly.Thatis,the
syntaxoftheoriginalHebrewrequiresthatwetaketheimperfect(the
incomplete)tensewhencoupledwiththeVavconsecutiveformasmakingthe
describedactionassomethingthathasalreadyhappened.Inotherwords,this
passageoughttoreadnotassomethingthatwilleventuallyhappen,butas
somethingthathasalreadybeendecidedinHeaven,andthusinspiritualterms
ithasalreadyoccurred.Hereishowitshouldread:
JPS
Joel2:18ThenwastheLORDjealousforHisland,andhadpityonHis
people.
So,whatJoelissayingisthatasofthemomenthespeaksthisprophesy,the
processoffulfillingitbegins.Thisallowsmetoremindyouofanimportant
principleofbiblicalprophecyingeneral,whichisthatwhateverGodhasdecided
inHeavenisbroughtintothisphysicalworldandsetintomotionuponHis
Prophetsspeakingit.Whatever,then,comeslateraftertheprophecyisdelivered
byaProphetisbutthelongseriesofeventsthataredesignedtomovetheball
forwardinorderforthisprophecytoreachitsfullestfulfillmentinourphysical
world.

Lesson5-JoelChapter2Continued
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ThepromisethatGodmakestoJudahincludesthisongoingbalance,or
connectedness,ofthepeopleandtheland.Onewithouttheotherisincomplete;
GodseesthelandofIsraelandthepeopleofIsraelasanorganicunity.Thus,in
God’swrath,whenIsraelisremovedfromtheland,thelandquitsproducing.But
inverse19…therestorationofIsrael…thelandbeginstoagainproduce
abundantly,ifnotmiraculously.OneoftheseveralreasonsthatIinsistall
BelieversneedtomakeatleastonepilgrimagetoIsraelistopersonallyseethis
landsoamazinglyproductive,asproofoftheliteralnessofGod’spromises.Prior
toIsrael’sreturninthemid-20
th
century,thelandtheyformerlylivedinhad
becomealargelydenudedwasteland.Millionsoftreeshadbeenchoppeddown
becausetheArababsenteelandlordsimposedatreetaxonthemigrantArabs
andBedouinswhohadmovedintothearea.Thus,themigrantsdestroyedthe
treesinordertoavoidpayingthetax.ThefertileHulavalleyinthenorthhad
becomelittlemorethanmosquitoinfestedswampland.Theareasurroundingthe
Galileewasrocksandweeds.Thedesertswerebarrenandsterile.Buttoday,all
thathaschangedandIsraelhasagainbecomeanetexporterofproducethat
ranksamongthefinestavailableanywhere.
ThisnewrealityforIsraelisthattheywillnolongerbeareproach…a
laughingstock…ofthenations.Rather,theywillbecomeenvied;which,indeed,
hashappened.Ofcourse,alongwiththeenvycomesjealousyandrecriminations
fromthosewhohateIsraelordenytheconceptofIsraelasaset-apartand
speciallyblessedpeople.Thesourceofthisjealousyandrecriminationis
embodiedinverse20whenitspeaksofthenorthernnationornations…enemies
ofIsrael…thatGodwilldriveintoawaterlessdesert.Isthisspeakingofaspecific
nation?Probablynot.BecauseIsraelisborderedbytheMediterraneanonthe
westandthedeserttotheeast,theninvasionsalmostalwayscamefromthe
north.ObviouslytheinvasionsofAssyriaandBabyloncamefromthenorth.The
ProphetsJeremiahandEzekielinparticularspeakofinvaderscomingfromthe
north.
CJB
Ezekiel38:1-6ThewordofADONAIcametome:
2
"Humanbeing,turnyour
facetowardGog(ofthelandofMagog),chiefprinceofMeshekhandTuval;and
prophesyagainsthim.
3
SaythatAdonaiELOHIMsays,'Iamagainstyou,Gog,
chiefprinceofMeshekhandTuval.
4
Iwillturnyouaround,puthooksinyour

Lesson5-JoelChapter2Continued
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jawsandbringyououtwithallyourarmy,horsesandhorsemen,allcompletely
equipped,agreathordewithbreastplatesandshields,allwieldingswords.
5
Paras,EthiopiaandPutarewiththem,allwithbreastplatesandhelmets;
6
Gomerwithallitstroops;thehouseofTogarmahinthefarreachesofthenorth,
withallitstroops-manypeoplesarewithyou.
CJB
Jeremiah1:13-16
13
AsecondtimethewordofADONAIcametome,asking,
"Whatdoyousee?"Ianswered,"Iseeacaldrontiltedawayfromthenorth,over
afirefannedbythewind."
14
ThenADONAIsaidtome,"Fromthenorthcalamity
willboiloverontoeveryonelivingintheland,
15
becauseIwillsummonallthe
familiesinthekingdomsofthenorth,"saysADONAI,"andtheywillcomeandsit,
eachone,onhisthroneattheentrancetothegatesofYerushalayim,oppositeits
walls,allthewayaround,andoppositeallthecitiesofY'hudah.
16
Iwill
pronouncemyjudgmentsagainstthemforalltheirwickednessinabandoning
me,offeringincensetoothergodsandworshippingwhattheirownhandsmade.
Thereareothermentionsofthenationsandarmiescomingfromthenorth;but
gettingtoospecificaboutidentifyinginmoderntermswhotheseareinourdayis
probablytoobigofareach,andmuchtoospeculativetoattempt.HereinJoel,
theterm“thenortherners”or“thenorthernone”ismoreofageneralizedand
paralleltermforanyinvadersinceinvadersofIsraelandJudah(forgeographical
reasons)almostalwayscamefromthenorth,andwearetoldthatitwillthe
sameforthefinalHolyWarbattleofArmageddon.Godsaysthattheenemywill
beforcedintotheeasternandwesternseas,andtheodorofthedecomposition
ofthecountlessbodiesofthedeadenemysoldierswillascenduptoGod,justas
theodorofthecorruptionofthesenorthernnationsascendeduptoGod.The
finalphraseinthisverse…“forithasdonegreatthings”…isabitpuzzling.Who
orwhatis“it”thathasdonegreatthings?Probably,becausethispassagehas
Israelbeingencouragedtorejoiceovertheturnofeventstotheirfavor,thenwe
mustassignthe“greatthings”spokenofnottoan“it”butrathertoYehoveh.So,
theideaisthatYehoveh’sdestructionoftheinvadersfromthenorthisdueto
theircorruption,andthisdestructionmustbeatGod’sdirecthandbecauseonly
Hecouldbringaboutsuchagreatthing.
Infact,verses21–23acttogetherinacalltorejoice.Withingthoseverses,Joel
summonstheearth,thedomesticandwildanimals,andthepeopleofJudahto

Lesson5-JoelChapter2Continued
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praiseGodforwhatHehasdoneontheirbehalf.Wehavereadhowterriblythe
soilsufferedbecauseofthelocustinvasionandthedrought.Thevariouswildand
domesticbeastsofthefieldsufferedbecausetheplantsandgrassestheyfedon
hadbeendestroyed.Thepeoplesufferedbecauseofthetwindisastersofthe
locustsandthedrought.Justastheland,theanimals,andthepeoplesuffer
together,sodotheyrejoicetogetherwhenthelandisbountifulandtheirshalom
isrestored.
Verse23isactuallyabitcontroversial.MostBiblesinterprettheHebrewofthis
verseasspeakingaboutrain.However,someversionsinsteadtranslatethe
Hebrewintentnotasrain,butratherasaboutateacher.Thatwordinquestion
isinHebrewmoreh,anditcanlegitimatelybetranslatedasbothrainandas
teacher.Let’scompareacoupleofdifferentBibleversions.
CJB
Joel2:23Beglad,peopleofTziyon!rejoiceinADONAIyourGod!Forheis
givingyoutherightamountofraininthefall,hemakestheraincomedownfor
you,thefallandspringrains-thisiswhathedoesfirst.
YLT
Joel2:23AndyesonsofZion,joyandrejoice,InJehovahyourGod,ForHe
hathgiventoyoutheTeacherforrighteousness,Andcausethtocomedownto
youashower,Sprinklingandgathered--inthebeginning.
So,inonecaseitisrainthatcomesdownfromabove;inanothercaseitisa
TeacherofRighteousness.ItisinterestingthatintheQumranDeadSeaScrolls
society,theypredictedintheEndTimesacomingTeacherofRighteousness.
Wheredidtheygetthatnotionfrom?Onthesurface,onemightthinkthatthe
DeadSeaScrollwriters,theEssenes,tooktheircuefromhereinJoelandfrom
Hosea,whichusedthesamewordinasimilarway.But,thereisnodocumentof
theEssenesthatsaysthat’swheretheideacamefrom.So,itisveryhardto
knowexactlywheretheirinterpretationofaTeacherofRighteousnessemerged,
orifitcamefromtheirownmindsorevenasGodlyinspiration.Nonetheless,in
theQumranDeadSeaScrollsdocuments,thementionofaTeacherof
Righteousnessisacentralcharacterandsometimesitisconnectedtotheadvent
ofaMessiah.Mostcommentatorsbelievethisisspeakingaboutrain(nota
teacher)becauseearlierwereadaboutthedroughtconditionsthatarenow
beingreversed.Thatsaid,thereisathirdpossibilitythatIthinkwellreflectsthe

Lesson5-JoelChapter2Continued
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underlyingdynamicofmostprophecy.ItisthatsinceJoelspeaksofboth
spiritualandmaterialblessingsaheadforJudah,thenitmaybethatweneedto
rendermorehasthe“Teacherofrighteousness”inthefirstpartoftheverse,and
thenlaterinthesameversethesamewordaddressesactualwateryrain.Thatis,
thespiritualblessingsofMessiahfirst,andthenlaterthematerialblessingsof
therainuponthesoil.Idon’twanttospendanymoretimewiththisbecausethe
meaningistooambiguoustogettoorigidaboutit.
Verse24isalmostthesameasverse19whenitspeaksofthelandproducing
abundantly.The3standardhouseholdstaplesofgrain,juicefromthegrapes
(wine),andoliveoilallareaddressedandtheninthefollowingverseitismost
interestinglyexpressedasthisnewabundancebeingbutrepaymentforthe
yearsofscarcitythatthe4locustattackscaused.Therepaymentisa
recompencetothepeoplefortheirsuffering,sotospeak.Wegetaverysimilar
thoughtintheBookofLeviticus,whenalistofcursesagainstIsraelfornot
obeyingGodisgiven.Thisparticularone,however,speaksofapaybackinterms
ofbenefitingtheland,asopposedtothepeople….althoughbecausethelandand
thepeopleareorganicallyconnected,thenofcoursethepeoplewillalsobenefit.
CJB
Leviticus26:31-35
31
Iwilllaywastetoyourcitiesandmakeyour
sanctuariesdesolate,soasnottosmellyourfragrantaromas.
32
Iwilldesolate
theland,sothatyourenemieslivinginitwillbeastoundedbyit.
33
YouIwill
disperseamongthenations,andIwilldrawouttheswordinpursuitafteryou;
yourlandwillbeadesolationandyourcitiesawasteland.
34
Then,atlast,the
landwillbepaiditsShabbats.Aslongasitliesdesolateandyouareinthelands
ofyourenemies,thelandwillrestandberepaiditsShabbats.
35
Yes,aslongas
itliesdesolateitwillhaverest,therestitdidnothaveduringyourShabbats,
whenyoulivedthere.
So,basicallyLeviticusissayingthatoneofthereasonsthatIsraelwillbeejected
fromthelandwillbebecausetheyignoredthe7-yearcyclesofSabbathyears.
Thatis,accordingtotheLawofMoses,thelandistobeworked,plantedand
harvestedfor6consecutiveyears,butinthe7
th
yearitistoliefallow(thereby
givingthelanditssabbathrest).Therefore,withIsraelinexile,theland
(ironicallyenough)getsrepaidtheyearsofsabbath-yearreststhatitshould

Lesson5-JoelChapter2Continued
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have,butdidn’t,getbecauseofIsrael’sdisobedience.Thethingtonoticeis,
again,howconnectedthepeopleofIsraelandthelandofIsraelare.
Thefirsthalfofverse26isfairlystraightforward.Therestorationofblessings
shallbesostartlingandseeminglyimpossiblethatthepeoplewillspontaneously
burstoutinpraisetoGod,inwhatisnothinglessthanafullreorientationfrom
theirformerwaysofunfaithfulnesstoobedienceandrighteousness.Thefinal
wordsoftheversehowever,aren’tasclearcut(asthenumberofwaysthiswinds
upbeingtranslatedtoEnglishdemonstrates).WhereastheCJBsays“…whenMy
peoplewillneveragainbeshamed”,theKJVsays“….whenMypeopleshallnever
beashamed”.AndtheYLTsays,“….andnotashamedareMypeopletotheage”.
ThedifferenceliesisjusthowlongaperiodoftimeafterGodrestoresthese
blessingsmighttheseblessingscontinue.Oneversionmakesitforever.Another
isindefinite(itcouldbeforanylengthoftime)andyetathirdputsitintermsof
notbeingashamedthrough-outwhatiscalled“thepresentage”.Theissueisthis:
if“neveragain”,or”throughtheendofthepresentage”arewhatisbeing
envisioned,thenthisversehastobespeakingofthefutureandfinalEndTimes
event.Ifnot,thenitcouldbesomethingthatlastsjustforawhile,withanother
fulfillmentofitcomingyetlaterstill.IfitisabouttheEndTimes,thenweagain
haveaconflationofJoelseeingpropheticfulfillmentsbothinthenearerandin
thefarfuturetimes.Ithinkthisisexactlythat.Judahwillreturnfromtheir
Babylonianexile,andthelandwillflourishagain.Theywillbeallowedtostayin
thelandfromaround500B.C.to70A.D.,whentheRomanswilldispossessand
exilethemonGod’sbehalf.Thenthelandwillagainstopproducing.Israelwill
notbeallowedbackintothelanduntiltheyear1948(whenthemodernstateof
Israelwasreborn),afterwhichtimetheywillneveragainbedispossessedand
exiled…andthisisa“forever”promise.
Ezekielspeakseloquentlyaboutthattimeofthe“forever”promisethatweare
livinginrightnow.TheproofofwhichisthereturnfirstofJudah(theJews)tothe
landaftertheRomanexilefrom1900yearsago,andlatelyinthe21
st
centurythe
returnofEphraim/Israel(alsoknownasthe10LostTribes)tothelandfromtheir
Assyrianexileof2700yearsago.
READEZEKIEL37all

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JoelandEzekiellineupperfectly,withEzekielgreatlyexpandingonJoel.Since
whatEzekielhasdescribedneverhappenedbeforeinhistory,butitishappening
nowinmodernIsrael,thenwhatwearewitnessingwithourowneyesiswhat
EzekielandJoelwerespeakingabout.Weareassuredthatnowthatallthetribes
arereturning,andthelandisnearlyentirelyunderIsrael’spossession,theywill
neveragainbeejectedfromitbyGod.And,theonlywaythateachtimein
historythattheywereinvadedandejectedwasbecauseGodledcertainnations
todoso,becauseotherwisenonationorempirecouldpossiblysucceedin
ejectingthemsinceYehovehwastheirprotectorandHecannotbedefeated.
ThisissomethingthatbothIsraelandthosefollowersofYeshuawholoveIsrael
canresteasyabout.However,muchtoomuchofthemodernChurchWANTS
Israelejectedfrompartoftheland(especiallyfromtheWestBank,whatatone
timewascalledSamaria),andWANTShalfofJerusalemremovedfromtheJews,
andgivenovertotheArabPalestiniansinconcessiontothedemandsofMuslims
theworldover,believingthatthisisthefairandjustroadtoalastingMiddleEast
peace(thegreaterpartofJewsinAmerica,andabouthalftheJewsinIsrael,
wantthistohappenaswell).Iwantalltopleasehearme:justrememberthat
thewordPalestiniansisbuttheGreektranslationoftheHebrewwordP’lishtim,
whichinEnglishisPhilistines.TheRomanEmperorthatdestroyedtheTemple
renameditthatinordertoheapshameupontheJews.Thatis,herenamed
Israeltothatoftheirstaunchhistoricalenemy,Philistia.Therefore,anytimeor
eventfromthedestructionoftheTempleonbackintopriorhistorycannotbe
whatthesecondhalfofJoel2:26isspeakingabout,norwhatEzekiel37is
describing.However,since1948weHAVEenteredthattimeframe,andweare
soveryprivilegedtoliveinsuchatimeasthisthattheancientProphetswould
havegivenanythingtosee.
Verse27completeschapter2withthewordsthatbecauseofwhatYehovehhas
done,thenIsraelwillknowthatHeindeedistheirGodandthereisnootherto
turnto.AnditrepeatsthepromisethatIsraelwillneveragainbeheldinshame
forhavingbeenkickedoutfromtheirownland,bytheirownGod.
ThenextchapterofJoel,chapter3,beginswithsomewordsthatexplainthat
God’sseveralinterventionsinthehistoryandfateofIsraelandtheworldare

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anythingbutonhold.Thosewordsare“Afterthis”.So,nextweekwe’llstudyJoel
chapter3,andfindoutwhatexcitingthingshappen“afterthis”.