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THEBOOKOFJOEL
Lesson8,Chapter4
Lasttimewespentconsiderabletimeondiscussinghowprophecyworksin
generalandthattheBookofJoeloperatesnodifferently.Inanutshellitisthat
thepropheticfulfillmentsareonlysometimesaone-timeevent.Mostoftenthese
fulfillmentshappenmorethanonce,indifferenteras,andmanifestthemselves
indifferentways.Further,eachtimethefulfillmentofaspecificprophecy
happens,thescopeofitwidens.Thatis,whilemostofthetimetheplaceof
fulfillmentissomewhereinIsrael,andthepeopleinvolvedinthefulfillmentare
thosenearbyIsraelites,thenexttimethatprophecyisfulfilleditgoesbeyondthe
nationofIsraelandinvolveseitheralargergroupofIsraelitesoritbeginsto
includegentilesandgentilenations.Therefore,wecanconfidentlysaythat
prophecyhappensnotonlyasaprogressiverevelationofGod’swillandintent,
butalsoitunfoldsasaprogressivefulfillmentthatwidensthescopeofwhereand
whomitaffects.
Withthat,let’sopenusGod’sWordtoJoelchapter4.
READJOELCHAPTER4all
Joelchapter4essentiallyisaseriesofwhatwecouldcall“restoration”promises.
Thatis,whilethefirsthalfofJoelpromisesdivineretributionuponIsraelfortheir
rebellionagainsttheirfaithfulGodYehoveh,thesecondhalfofJoelspeaksabout
YehovehrestoringIsraeltogreatness…andtoalevelofgreatnesstheyhave
neverbeforeexperienced.Hereinchapter4,then,Godswitchesfromjudging
IsraeltojudgingthenationsthathadafflictedIsraelsomaliciously.
Wemustalwayskeepinsightthatbiblicallyspeaking,sinceearlyintheOld
Testament,theterm“nations”alwaysmeansgentilesandgentilenationsand
neverIsraelorIsraelites.Therefore,wementallyneedtoaddtheword“gentile”
infronttheword“nations”tocorrectlyunderstandtheintent.
TogetthemostoutofstudyingJoelchapter4,weneedtonoticethestructureof
it.Verse1isakindofconnectingstatementthatlinkschapter4tothefirst3
chapters.Aftertheconnectingstatementthatisverse1,immediatelyfollowsa

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threattopunish“allthenations”.Beginningatverse9,thetermsandreasonsfor
thepunishmentsofthenations,aswellasthesortsofpunishmentsthatwillbe
inflicted,areannounced.Essentiallywehavehereadivinesummonstowaras
themeansforGodtofirstgatherthenationstogetherinordertopunishthe
nationsasacollective.Itisinterestingthatthewaythissummonsisworded,it
isverymuchintheformofalegalcourtsubpoena.Further,wemustalsokeep
inmindthatthe“war”thathappens“inthevalleyofJehoshaphat”isnotjustany
waraswiththehundredsofwarsbetweentribesandnationsthathavehappened
overtheeons,ratheritisacontinuationoftheHolyWarthatGodhasbeen
prosecutingforagesandages.Addingtheword“holy”tothefrontoftheword
“war”isnotaboutmakingita“religious”war.Thisisn’tliketheCrusadesthat
wereanythingbutholy,eventhoughthePopesattemptedtoframeitthatwayby
theirownauthority.HolywarisalsonotlikethedevastatingEuropeanwarsof
centuriesagothatwerebetweenCatholicsandProtestantsnorisitlikeWWsI
andII,wherebyWWIessentiallywasoversettlingaroyalfamilysquabble,and
WWIIthatwasoveranevilGermantyrantandhisItalianandJapaneseallies
whowantedtobuildaworldempireundertheircontrol.AHolyWarisa
God-directedandGod-orchestratedwarforthepurposeofadvancing
RedemptionHistory.And,itbringswithitcertainrulesandboundariesand
outcomes.Tobeginwith,Godalwayswins.Itmay,fromearthlyeyes,seemas
thoughthewarandtheprosecutionofitisallabouthumanaspirationsand
humanefforts,withthetypicalresultingwinnersandlosers.But,inreality,itis
verydifferentasitisdirectedfromtheunseenspiritualrealm,andsowemust
understanditinthatway.
Whenwegettochapter4verse15,weseeanironicreversaltakeplace.Thatis,
Joel4:15and16arenearlywordforwordthesameasJoel2:10.InJoel2:10the
targetofGod’swrathisIsrael,buttheninJoel4thetargetofGod’swrath
switchestothenations.Joel2:10saidthis:
CJB
Joel2:10Attheiradvancetheearthquakes,andtheskyshakes,thesunand
moonturnblack,andthestarsstopshining.
AndthiscomparestoJoel4:15and16,whichsays:

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CJB
Joel4:15-16
15
Thesunandmoonhavegrownblack,andthestarshave
stoppedshining.
16
ADONAIwillroarfromTziyon,hewillthunderfrom
Yerushalayim,theskyandtheearthwillshake.
So,thecelestialsignsandportentsofbothGod’swrathuponIsrael,andthen
lateruponthenations,arethesame.Thesunandmoonareaffectedinstrange
ways.Celestialsignsandeventshavealwaysbeenapartofthehuman
experienceandusedbyreligionsofallsortstoinspirethepeopletodoonething
oranotherbecausethevastexpanseofthegreatdomeoflightsaboveusisso
mysteriousandaweinspiringthatsurelyitmusthavemeaning.Itisreallystill
partofusinmoderntimesasChristianauthorshaveusedthesepredictedsigns
andportentsasthesubjectofbest-sellingbooksthatBelieversseemdrawnto.
Therefore,beforewegoanyfurther,Iwanttoaddresssomethingofatrendin
themoderneraaboutthecelestialportentofGod’scomingwraththatis
presentedtousinJoelconcerningthemoongoingdark,whichismoreorless
repeatedintheBookofRevelationchapter6.
CJB
Revelation6:12ThenIwatchedashebrokethesixthseal,andtherewasa
greatearthquake,thesunturnedblackassackclothworninmourning,andthe
fullmoonbecameblood-red.
Indeed,thismentioninRevelationofthefullmoonbecomingblood-redis
essentiallythesameaswhatwearereadinginJoel.It’sjustthatthe“dark”color
ofthemoonissaidtobeadarkredandnotadarkblack.Inourtime,this
prophesiedreddishcolorofthemoonhasgarneredthenameBloodMoonand
unfortunatelyithasbecomethesubjectofunwarrantedhypeandevenhysteria
amongsomegroups,andusedbycertainleadersoftheChristiancommunityto
scarepeopleinordertoprofitforthemselves.Afewyearsago,aseriesof
so-calledBloodMoonswastobeginatPassoverandsomanyChristians
thoughtitportendedthewrathofGodcomingasbiblicallyprophesiedinJoel.
Let’stalkaboutthisbeforewemoveoninordertodispensewithyetanother
manmademyththatiswronglyattributedtoHolyScripture;somethingthat
oughtnottoinfluenceourthinkingaswereadJoel.
Leadingupto2014and2015thetalkofaseriesofBloodMoonsthatarrivedon
thefirstdayofthestartof4BiblicalFeastdaysbecameanationalsensationin

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Christendom,especiallyamongso-calledEvangelicalChristiansandthe
MessianicandHebrewRootsmovements.Thecircumstancewasthatbeginning
onPassoverin2014andalsothenextyeartherewastobeaso-calledBlood
Moon.EvenmoreatthebeginningofSukkotthatsameyearandagainin2015
therewasalsoanotherso-calledBloodMoontobeginthefestival.Itwas
purportedthattheseBloodMoonsareincrediblyrareandthateachtimethis
seriesof4BloodMoonshappensinconnectionwiththebiblicalfeasts,some
cataclysmiceventoccursthatinvolvesIsraelortheJewsinsomeway,andit
drasticallyaffectstheJewsand/orIsraelanditchangesthecourseofhuman
history.Therefore,theBloodMoonsareseenbysomeasunmistakableprophetic
signsthatwearedeepintotheEndTimesandsoweoughttopaycloseattention
tothecelestialevents.
But,whatisaBloodMoon?PutsimplyitisafullLunareclipse.So,whatisthe
differencebetweenaregularLunareclipseandaBloodMoon?Absolutelynothing.
Manypeopleexpectedtolookupintothedarknessandratherthanseea
darkeningdiskslowlycoverthemoon,they’dseethemoonturnanalarming
blood-red.Nottrue.Whileitistruethatsometimesthemoondoesseemtoget
aslightreddishtingetoitduringafulleclipse,ithashappenedcountlesstimes
beforeandthereddishtinthasmostlytodowithlightrefractionanddust
particlesinouratmosphere.
So,wheredidthescarynameBloodMooncomefrom?Mostpeoplewillsayit’sin
theBible.Nottrue.Infact,thesourceofthisfrighteningtermisnew,andit
comesfromawell-knownpreacherinTexasnamedJohnHagee;he’stheone
whocoinedthetermBloodMoon.Wheremighthehaveobtainedsuchanidea?
Fromtheverseswe’vebeenreadinginJoel,andfromActs2andRevelation6.
Althoughthisiswheretheidea,butnotthename,camefrom,itisimportantto
noticethattheturningofthemoontoblood-redisprophesiedtooccurinthe
immediatecontextofthefearfulDayoftheLord.Infact,asmostgoodBible
scholarshaverecognized,theBookofRevelationdoesn’tgiveusnewprophecies
somuchasitputsintoasequencethepreviouslygivenpropheciesthatwefind
fromOTprophetssuchasJoel,Isaiah,Ezekielandothers.Asforthetimingfor
themoonturningblood-red(inRevelation6)itistexplicitlygivenasoccurring
duringtheopeningofthe6
th
ofGod’s7Sealjudgments.WelearninRevelation
thatattheendofhistory,asArmageddonisimminent,theLordwillpourourHis

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judgmentonalltheearth,andthosejudgmentswillarriveintheformof3sets
of7judgments(atotalof21definedevents).Thesehavebeenrightlylabeled
theTrumpet,SealandBowljudgments.InRevelation6welearnthatitisinthe
midstoftheseEndTimesjudgmentsthatwearetoexpectthisuniqueeventof
themoonturningblood-red.Letmebeclear:thiseventisnotnow;nottoday;
andthatisbecausewe’renotyetinthemidstofGod’s21judgments(muchmore
prophetfulfillmenthastohappenbeforeweenterthatperiodoftime).
Astotheclaimedcosmicrarityoftherebeingalunareclipsepreciselyonthe
beginningofaBiblicalFeastDay,andithappeningnotonlyon2BiblicalFeasts
inthesameyear,butitrepeatingagainthefollowingyear,suchathing
supposedlymeansthateachtimethisLunarTetrad(asisitknowninthescience
world)occurs,somethingmonumentalhappensinconjunctionwithitconcerning
Israeland/ortheJewishpeople.Let’sexaminethoseclaims.
Justhowrareisthisseriesof4lunareclipsesthathappenon4BiblicalFeastdays?
Theso-calledTetradseriesof2014and2015wasthe8
th
timeithashappened
sincethebirthofChrist(andithappenedwithequalfrequencybeforethebirthof
Yeshua).So,whileitisindeedrare,itisn’tTHATrare.Infact,thelasttimeit
happenedbefore2014and2015wasin1967and68.Didsomething
monumentalhappenthen?Ohyes;inthefamousSixDayWartheIsraelis
capturedJerusalemfromtheArabsandrejoinedittotheLandofIsrael.Andthat
wasindeedthefulfillmentofprophecy.
ButhowaboutthelunarTetradof2014and15?Didsomethingofgreat
significancehappenIsraelortheJewishpeopleuponthatone?No.Intryingto
revisehistory,itisregularlyclaimedthataTetradhappenedwhenIsraelbecame
anationinMay14
th
1948.WasthereaBloodMoonthatyear?No.Despiteallthe
falseclaimsthattherewas,therewasnot.Rather,howeverthereWERE4Blood
Moonsin1949and1950.AndwhileIsraelcontinuedtofightfortheirexistence
againsttheArabsduringthattime,therealityisthattheirre-birthasanation
occurrednearlyayearbeforethelunareclipsesofPassoverandthenSukkotin
1949and50.And(bytheway)itistheyearbeforetheTetradnomatterifwe
calculateitusingthemodernWesterncalendarortheancientHebrewcalendar.
Bottomline:thereisnofit.Theseriesof4BloodMoonsdidnotcoincidewiththe
yearandeventofIsrael’srebirth.

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Aswecontinuetogobackintimewefindthatpriorto1949and50,thelast
seriesofBloodMoonswasin1493and1494.However,itistheyear1492thatis
muchmoreburnedintotheconsciousnessofWesternersbecauseitistheyear
thatChristopherColumbussetsailtodiscovertheNewWorld.Somethingelse
quiteimportantalsohappenedin1492:Spain’smonarchyorderedallJewstobe
forciblyexpelledfromSpainandallSpanish-heldterritories.Thereisnodoubt
aboutthecoincidenceofthesetwomonumentalevents,becauseinhisowndiary
ChristopherColumbussaidthatitwasinthesamemonththathewas
commissionedtosailtotheNewWorldthattheJewswereexpelled.But...1492
wasNOTtheyearthatbeganaseriesof4BloodMoons,itwastheyearbefore.
Thus,sofar,wefindthattheONLYeventofsomethingofgreatimporthappening
totheJewishpeopleand/orIsraelduringtheyearsofthelunarTetradwasthe
1967-68eventofthecaptureofJerusalem.
Let’sstepbackevenfarther,now.Priortothe1493-94seriesoflunareclipseson
BiblicalFeastdays,thenextonewasin860and861.Beforethatitwas842and
843,andpriortothatitwas795and796.Whatawesomethinghappenedto
Israeland/ortheJewishpeopleinthoseyears?NothingthathistoryorJewish
Traditionrecords.Theonethingthatthosewhosensationalizetheso-called
BloodMoonsdrawattentiontoistheriseandspreadofIslamatthattime.But
thathasbeenanongoingebbandflowforcenturiesandIslamwascreatedand
spreadinglongbeforethosedates.Otherwise,thereisnothinghistorically
specificconcerningIsraelandtheJewsthatwecanattachtothoseevents.
Thefinalonewe’lllookat(whichisthefirstsetofBloodMoonssincethebirthof
Yeshua)tookplacein162and163B.C.Therewasagreatdealofpersecutionby
theRomansoftheJewsduringthattime,butnothingunprecedented.Thereisno
recordedhistorychangingeventthatrevolvesaroundtheJewishpeopleinthat
timeframe.
Soastotheclaimthateverytimethereisaseriesof4lunareclipsesonPassover
andSukkotintwoconsecutiveyearsproducingBloodMoonswitha
correspondinggreathistoricalchangeconcerningIsraelandtheJewishpeople,it
issimplyfalseandsensational.Wecanonlyfindoneinstanceofit,andthatwas
inthe1967-68lunarTetradeventwiththeliberationofJerusalem.

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Nowlet’slookatthisfromanotheraspect:howoftendolunareclipsesoccur?
NASAsaysthatsince3000B.C.anduntil2000A.D.(aperiodof5000years),
therewillhavebeenover12,000lunareclipses.Theearthhasaveragedmore
than2lunareclipsesperyearsincetimeimmemorialandthiswillcontinuewell
intothefuture.Lunareclipsesthemselvesareanythingbutrare,happening
aroundevery5monthsorso.
HowabouttherarityofaneclipsefallingonthebeginningofaBiblicalFeastday?
Firstunderstandthattotallunareclipsesalwaysoccuronfullmoons.Andthat
the1
st
dayofPassoverandSukkotalwaysfallonfullmoons.Infact,thefull
mooniswhatmarksthestartofthese2BiblicalFeasts.So,whileIdon’thavean
exactnumber,sinceIsraelwasgiventheTorahatMt.Sinaiabout3300years
agountiltoday,there’sbeenhundredsoftimesthatoneortheotherofthese
BiblicalFeastsexperiencedafulllunareclipse,whichusuallyappearedasthe
moonhavingareddishtinge.AndwhiletheonlydataIhavedealswiththeA.D.
(orC.E.)eraanddoesn’tconsidertheB.C(orBCE)era,welearnthat2014and
2015wereonlythe8
th
timethatwehavehadaseriesof4fulllunareclipsesthat
occuronPassoverandSukkotinconsecutiveyears.
Let’ssumupwhatwe’velearned.Ofthose8previoustimesofLunarTetradsonly
onONEoccasiondidanythingmonumentalhappentoIsraelortheJewishpeople;
anditwasagoodthing…itwasthere-captureofthecapitaloftheHolyLand,
Jerusalem.ThereisnomentionofsomethingcalledaBloodMoonintheBible;it
isanamecoinedbyJohnHageeonlyafewyearsago,anditisalsothetitleofHis
bestsellingbookthathasbeenthecatalystforthisimmenseinterest(ifnot
downrightanxiety)ofLunarTetrads.WhattheBibledoesspeakofisthatduring
thetimeofGodpouringoutHiswrathontheearthattheEndofDays(theDay
ofYehoveh),themoonwillturnblood-red;butnodoubtthiswillbeadifferent
colorthanonatypicallunareclipse.However,thereisnospecificreferenceto
anybiblicalFeastDaythatthiscelestialportentofGod’swrathmighthappenon.
FurthertheselunareclipsesonFeastdayswillnotturnthemoontoblood-red,
andinrealityanyminorreddishtingeduringalunareclipseisn’tunusualasithas
happenedcountlesstimesinthepast(andIhavepersonallywitnesseditashave
mostofyou).

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I’veoftenparaphrasedSirIsaacNewtonwhowiselyexplainedseveralhundred
yearsagothatbiblicalprophecyisnotacrystalballplacedtheretotellusthe
future.Itistheresothatwhenthefuturehappenswecanlookbackandseethat
Godhaspre-planneditall,andthatHispropheciesarealwaystrue,andthatthey
allhappenedfaithfully,exactlyaspromised.Iknowhowanxiousweallarefor
MessiahtocomeandfortheworldtobetransformedintotheKingdomofGod,
butwemustn’tusethatasexcusetobecomefalseprophetsortorepeatthe
wordsofmodern-dayfalseprophets.Notonlydoesitruinourpersonalwitness,
itcanbeespeciallydebilitatingforHebrewRootsandMessianicfolkbecauseit
candiscreditthehardworkandtruththatmanyhavelaboredon,formanyyears.
WiththatmythofBloodMoonsdealtwith,let’sreturntoJoelchapter4.
Verses18throughtheendofJoeldrawnotonlyacontrastbetweenwhatwill
happentothenationsversustherestorationthatwillhappenwithIsrael,butit
alsoaddsinspecificmentionandpunishmentsforEgyptandEdom.Thelocation
ofancientEgyptisessentiallythesameasmodernEgypt.ButancientEdomis
nowpartofthenationofJordan.So,inmoderntermsthisisaprophecyagain
EgyptandJordan.
WiththatbroadstructureofJoelchapter4nowexplained,let’sbeginour
interpretationandstudybeginningatverse1.Verse1begins:“Forthen,atthat
time…”.Whattimeisthistalkingabout?Theversejustbeforethisone(whichis
foundinmostBiblesaschapter3verse5)is:
CJB
Joel3:5Atthattime,whoevercallsonthenameofADONAIwillbesaved.
ForinMountTziyonandYerushalayimtherewillbethosewhoescape,as
ADONAIhaspromised;amongthesurvivorswillbethosewhomADONAIhas
called.
“Atthattime”inJoel3wasreferringtothepouringoutoftheSpiritofGodwhich
ushersintheDayofYehoveh(theDayoftheLord).So,thefirstverseofchapter
4isreferringtothesameperiodoftime.Obviouslytheseveralthingsthatare
foretoldtohappenattheEndarenotgoingtohappenallatonceononesingle
day(one24-hourperiod)norwilltheyoccurinperfectlysequentialorder…there
willbeoverlap.Thatis,it’snotthatoneprophesiedthingwillhappenandthen

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proceedtoitsend;andafterthatthenextprophesiedthingwillhappenuntilit
ends,andsoonuntilalltheprophetichappeningsarecompleted.Thisknowledge
lendsfurtherproofthatTheDayoftheLordinnowayreferstoaone-day
event…toonerotationoftheearth.Rather,thisparticularDayoftheLordspeaks
ofanunspecifiedperiodoftimeduringwhichGodwillpouroutHisHolySpiriton
humanity,HiswrathonIsrael,andthenlaterHiswrathuponthegentilenations.
So,itwillbeunlikeanypreviousDaysofYehoveh.
Now;whatissaidtohappen“atthattime”?AlongwithGod’swrathwillalso
comerestorationforIsrael…morespecificallytoJudahandJerusalem.But,in
ordertorestoreJudahandJerusalem’sfortunes,firstthegentilenations’
collectiveoppressionofIsraelwillhavetobedealtwithandended.Clearlythe
pouringoutoftheHolySpiritwillnotbringthisoppressiontoandend;ratherit
isgoingtotakeaviolentconfrontationbetweenYehovehandthenations.In
ordertobringthisabout,Godisgoingtocausesomethingtohappen(nodoubt
somethingofapoliticalnature)thatwillbringthecollectivewilloftheworldtogo
againstIsraeltothepointofwar(wereallydon’tknowwhatthatmotivationto
gathertogetherapparentlytoattackIsraelwillbe).Eventhoughitissaidthat
thiswarwilloccuratTheValleyofJehosaphat,wedon’tknowwherethatis.The
wordJehoshaphatmeans“Yehovehhasjudged”.Forthelongesttimeitwas
thoughtthatthiswastheKidronValleythatdividesJerusalem.Thatthoughthas
moreorlessfadedbecauseitisn’tthatbigofavalleythatitcouldcontainlarge
elementsofamulti-nationmilitaryforce.And,whileitistoooftenstatedas
settledfact,nothinghereinJoelsaysthatthisValleyofJehoshaphatis
necessarilyeveninIsrael(althoughIthinkitprobablethatitwillbe).Intruth,it
maynotevenbetheformalnameofaplaceatall,becausehereinJoelistheonly
timeintheBiblethatwefindthewords“TheValleyofJehoshaphat”.Itmaywell
bethatisbutanexpression(suchaswhenwespeakofsomeonebeinginthe
valleyofdespair…despairbeingaconditionandnotalocation).Thatis,the
nationsareundertheconditionofbeingunderGod’sjudgment(althoughthey
apparentlydon’trecognizeit).Whereverthewarmightoccur(assumingthisis
speakingoflocation),ithastobeanenormousbattletheaterwhereGodwill
exactafinaljudgmentupontheearth’sgentilenationstovindicateHispeople,
Israel.What’sthepurposeofthiswar?GodwantsHispeopletofinallybesafe
andsecureandthisHolyWarisHismeanstoaccomplishit.

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RegardlessofwhetherTheValleyofJehoshaphatistheactualnameofanactual
place,itplaysnoroleinunderstandingthispassage.GodisgoingtouseHis
Heavenlyauthoritytobringaboutalegalactionagainstthenations…a
well-deservedjudicialpunishmentuponthenations…onaworld-widescale…for
thebenefitofIsrael.
Wheneverthiseventisspokenof,inevitablythequestionisasked:whichamong
thenationswillbethere?Does“allnations”literallymeanall200ofthem,
withoutexception?Willanynationbespared?WilleventheUSA,whichis
currentlyIsrael’sbiggestally,bethere,too?Icannotpossiblyanswerthat
question.First,becausebiblically“all”doesn’tnecessarily100%;itmeansthe
vastandcontrollingmajority.Consideringthatthisgatheringofthenationsin
TheValleyofJehoshaphatoccursduringorafterthetimeoftheAnti-Christruling
theworld,itmeansthatthepoliticalmapoftheworldasweknowittodaywillbe
significantlydifferent.MypersonalobservationisthatIsraelissteadilylosing
supportamongtheworld’snations.PartofreasonofthislossisduetoIsrael’s
oftenchaoticandirritatingself-servinggovernmentleadersandtheirfoolish
policies.Butprobablythelargerreasonforthelossofsupportisaspiritually
induced…anevilspirituallyinduced…hatredofGod’speople.Anti-Semitismis
backwithavengeanceinEurope,itisgainingsteaminAmericaandinAmerican
politics,andcontinuestobeadoctrinalmainstayofCatholicismandtheWestern
ChristianChurchingeneral(eveniftheChurchtendstodenyit,andanother
portionoftheChurchclaimssomeleveloffriendlyconcernforIsraelandthe
Jewishpeople).
The2
nd
halfofverse2saysthatthemainoffensesthatthenationsarebeing
divinelypunishedforarethattheyscatteredGod’speopleandthentookover
God’slandanddivideditamongthemselves.Verse3addstoitthatintaking
God’speoplecaptive,thenationsusedIsrael’syoungboysaspossessions
(slaves)thattheytradedforthefavorofuncleanwhores,andalsousedIsrael’s
younggirls(againasslaves)totradeformaterialthingssuchaswine.The
mentionofwhoresandwinetogetherisabiblicalwayofpicturingimmoralityand
debauchery.
I’vedemonstratedinmanyofmylessonsonthebooksoftheMinorProphetsthat
Godisn’tgoingtopunishthenationssimplybecausetheytickHimoff.Rather,

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theyviolatethetermsoftheMosaicCovenantandthusGodwillmatchthe
specificviolationtothespecificcurse(thepunishment)Hewillimpose.Itwillbe
aswefindtheselawsandthepunishmentsforviolationaslistedintheCovenant
ofMoses.YehovehactsinthesamewayforIsrael’scovenantviolations.As
DouglasStuartnotes,these2verses(2and3)arecoupletsthatdescribean
enemy’scaptureofIsraelitelandandthedeportationofpeopleforsaleasslaves.
Kidnappingsomeone(andGodseesIsrael’senemieswhotakeHebrewsfor
slavesaskidnappers)are,accordingtoExodus21:16,duethedeathpenalty.
Therefore,theresultofthisHolyWarofJoelwillbethedeathofcountless
millions….probablybillions…theresidentsofthegentilenationswhocometo
fightGodinTheValleyofJehoshaphat.
CJB
Exodus21:16"Whoeverkidnapssomeonemustbeputtodeath,regardless
ofwhetherhehasalreadysoldhimorthepersonisfoundstillinhispossession.
WemustalsonoticeGod’sseverereactionuponvariousnationsforthecrimeof
takingHisland(Israel)anddividingitupforthemselves.ToYehoveh,theland
andthepeopleofIsraelareorganicallyconnected.ThelandsetapartforIsrael
isjustassacredandset-apartforHimasaretheIsraelitepeople.Letmepause
torepeatsomethingthatI’vesaidseveraltimesinthepast:don’tyoudare
supporttheOsloAccordsTreatythatdividesIsraelinto2statesifyouhopeto
remainonGod’sgoodside.ThattherearethoseinIsrael(perhapsasmuchas
halfthepublic)thatsupportsuchathing,isallthemoreshameful.AsaBeliever,
itisunfathomabletomethatyoucouldsayyouareforChristbutthenturn
aroundandagreetobringsuchharmtoGod’speopleastotakeawaylandfrom
themthatGodspecificallygavetothemfortheiruse.The“TwoState”and“Land
forPeace”scenariosareanabominationtoGod.You’dthinkthatIsrael’sfoolish
givingawayofGazatothePalestinians(somethingtheinternationalcommunity
ofnationspressuredthemintodoing)thatformallyoccurredin2005wouldbea
hardlessonlearned.Thisgive-a-wayhasresultedintheterroristgroupHamas
takingitoverasGaza’srulersandnearlydailyeversinceattackingIsraelinone
wayoranother,aslivingproofofthefollyofanylandforpeaceproposition.Now,
ofcourse,anothergroupofPalestiniansemboldenedbythisGazaland
give-a-waytoIsrael’senemies,andsoaredemandingIsrael’srelinquishmentof
theWestBankofIsraeltothem.Sadly,theUSA,Europe,andnearlyallthe
nationsoftheworldarepressuringIsraeltodojustthat.Itmightsoundgood

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andrightpolitically…orevenfromsomewarpedideaoffairness…butsucha
divisionofGod’slandisanoffensetoHimofthehighestorderandthe
punishmentforitisterrible.
OK.Verse4isquiteinterestingtoconsider.IfonegoestoseveraldifferentBible
versionswe’llfinditworded(inEnglish)somewhatdifferentlyineachone.What
itmainlyconcernsarethenationsthatimmediatelysurroundJudah.Forsome
reason,GodfounditnecessarytomakeitclearthatPhilistiaandPhoeniciawere
asequallyresponsiblefortheoppressionofIsraelasalltheothernationsofthe
world.AlthoughPhoeniciaisnotmentioned,IcallitthatbecauseTyreand
SidonweretogetherthemaincitiesofPhoenicia.Theopeningwordsareabit
hardtounderstand.Howarewetodiscerntheintentofthewords“whatwould
yewithme?”,or“WhathaveItodowithyou?”,or“WhatareyoutoMe?”.The
CJBtakesitmean“WhatdoyouhaveagainstMe?KielandDelitzschmakea
dynamictranslationofthesewordsthatseemstometogettheintentofitacross
tousinanunderstandableway.Hereitis:
YehaveneithercausetoavengeyourselvesuponMe(thatis,uponmypeople
Israel),noranyoccasiontodoitharm.Butifrepaymentisthethinginhand,I
willmakeitanddoitveryspeedily,andbringbackyourdoing(toMypeople)
uponyourownhead”.
Thenverses5and6goontoexplainwhatitisthatPhilistiaandPhoeniciadidto
Israelandthusthisiswhatisalsogoingtohappentotheminreturn.
Thisverse(amongothers)isregularlyclaimedbyBiblescholarstobealater
additiontotheBookofJoelbysomeunknowneditor,becauseitwouldbedifficult
toapplysuchcircumstancestothe8
th
centuryB.C.,whichiswhenJoelwasalive.
Itisprovablethroughrecordedhistorythataroundthemiddleofthe4
th
century
B.C.thatPhoeniciaandPhilistiaactedtogetherasakindofpoliticalcommunity,
andbeingseafaringnationsoneofmostlucrativecargosatthattimewashuman
slaves.OftenenoughthoseslaveswereHebrews.Usingtheirvastfleetofships,
theywereknowntoshiptheseslavestodestinationsallovertheMediterranean.
SinceAlexandartheGreatconqueredthatareainthemiddlepartofthe4
th
centuryB.C.,thenwhatisbeingprophesiedbyJoelmusthavefinallyoccurred
priorto343B.C.ThecontentionbymanyBiblescholarsis,then,thatthisportion

Lesson8-JoelChapter4
13/13
ofJoelchapter4hadtohavebeenwrittenaboutthistimeandnotbefore.In
responsetothat,Isaythis:no.The4
th
centuryB.C.isn’twhenitwaswritten.
Ratherthisprophecywaswritteninthe8
th
centuryB.C.,butthisparticular
predictiondidn’thappenuntilthemid-4
th
century.Thatis,itperfectlyforecasted
theeventualpoliticalallianceofPhoeniciaandPhilistiaandthattheresultwould
bethembeingslavetraderswhoalsotradedcapturedIsraelites.Theproblemfor
fartoomanymodernBiblescholarsisthattheydonotbelieveinprophecy.That
is,forthemprophecyisbutamyth…noprophetcouldpredictthefuture.So,
theylookatthematterstrictlyhistoricallyanddeducethatProphetspretended
tomakepredictionsofthefuture,butinfacttheseeventshadalreadyhappened.
Thus,myconclusionaboutwhatishappeninghereisdismissed,becauseIDO
believeinprophecyaslegitimatepredictionsofthefuture.
Today,modernPhilistiaisGaza,whilePhoeniciaandTyreareLebanon.So,asit
wouldapplytoourcurrentera,whateverGodisgoingtodotothosefolksitwill
betothepeopleofGazaandLebanon.Howthepoliticalmapmightchangeby
thetimetheEndTimesfulfillmentsoftheseprophecieshappenIcannotpredict.
ButIwillpredictthatitwilllooksomewhatdifferentthanitdoestodayintheyear
ofourLord2023.
Let’sstophereandwe’llcontinueinJoelchapter4nextweek.