Joel 3:1–21

Introduction

Joel 3:1–21: The prophet Joel announces that the LORD will judge the nations and punish those who have committed outrageous acts against the LORD’s people. The restoration of the LORD’s people is promised.

Today’s Key Verse: Joel 3:16

The LORD roars from Mount Zion; his voice thunders from Jerusalem; earth and sky tremble. But he will defend his people.

Read

3 The Lord says,
“At that time I will restore
the prosperity of Judah and Jerusalem.
² I will gather all the nations
and bring them to the Valley of Judgment.
There I will judge them
for all they have done to my people.
They have scattered the Israelites in foreign countries
and divided Israel, my land.
³ They threw dice to decide
who would get the captives.
They sold boys and girls into slavery
to pay for prostitutes and wine.

⁴ “What are you trying to do to me, Tyre, Sidon, and all of Philistia? Are you trying to pay me back for something? If you are, I will quickly pay you back! ⁵ You have taken my silver and gold and carried my rich treasures into your temples. ⁶ You have taken the people of Judah and Jerusalem far from their own country and sold them to the Greeks. ⁷ Now I am going to bring them out of the places to which you have sold them. I will do to you what you have done to them. ⁸ I will let your sons and daughters be sold to the people of Judah; they will sell them to the far-off Sabeans. I, the Lord, have spoken.

⁹ “Make this announcement among the nations:
‘Prepare for war;
call your warriors;
gather all your soldiers and march!
¹⁰ Hammer the points of your plows into swords
and your pruning knives into spears.
Even the weak must fight.
¹¹ Hurry^[a] and come,
all you surrounding nations,
and gather in the valley.’”

Send down, O Lord, your army to attack them!

¹² “The nations must get ready
and come to the Valley of Judgment.
There I, the Lord, will sit to judge
all the surrounding nations.
¹³ They are very wicked;
cut them down like grain
at harvest time;
crush them as grapes are crushed
in a full wine press
until the wine runs over.”

¹⁴ Thousands and thousands
are in the Valley of Judgment.
It is there that the day of the Lord
will soon come.
¹⁵ The sun and the moon grow dark,
and the stars no longer shine.

God Will Bless His People

¹⁶ The Lord roars from Mount Zion;
his voice thunders from Jerusalem;
earth and sky tremble.
But he will defend his people.
¹⁷ “Then, Israel, you will know that I am the Lord your God.
I live on Zion, my sacred hill.
Jerusalem will be a sacred city;
foreigners will never conquer it again.
¹⁸ At that time the mountains will be covered with vineyards,
and cattle will be found on every hill;
there will be plenty of water for all of Judah.
A stream will flow from the Temple of the Lord,
and it will water Acacia Valley.

¹⁹ “Egypt will become a desert,
and Edom a ruined waste,
because they attacked the land of Judah
and killed its innocent people.
^20-21 I will avenge^[b] those who were killed;
I will not spare the guilty.
But Judah and Jerusalem will be inhabited forever,
and I, the Lord, will live on Mount Zion.”

Reflect

What criminal acts against God’s people are mentioned? Once again the prophet mentions the day of the LORD. How is it described (verses 14–15)? How are God’s people to be blessed? What does God promise? In what ways have you been blessed by God?

Pray

Holy God, you alone are God and you are righteous and loving. I trust in your promises. Draw me close to you and reign in my heart forever. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

Acts 2:1–13: The coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.