Joel 3

2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land,

3 and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it.

4 “What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will return your payment on your own head swiftly and speedily.

5 For you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my rich treasures into your temples.

6 You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks in order to remove them far from their own border.

7 Behold, I will stir them up from the place to which you have sold them, and I will return your payment on your own head.

8 I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far away, for the Lord has spoken.”

9 Proclaim this among the nations:

Consecrate for war;

stir up the mighty men.

Let all the men of war draw near;

let them come up.

10 Beat your plowshares into swords,

and your pruning hooks into spears;

let the weak say, “I am a warrior.”

11 Hasten and come,

all you surrounding nations,

and gather yourselves there.

Bring down your warriors, O Lord.

12 Let the nations stir themselves up

and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;

for there I will sit to judge

all the surrounding nations.

13 Put in the sickle,

for the harvest is ripe.

Go in, tread,

for the winepress is full.

The vats overflow,

for their evil is great.

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 the moon are darkened,

and the stars withdraw their shining.

16 The Lord roars from Zion,

and utters his voice from Jerusalem,

and the heavens and the earth quake.

But the Lord is a refuge to his people,

a stronghold to the people of Israel.

17 “So you shall know that I am the Lord your God,

who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.

And Jerusalem shall be holy,

and strangers shall never again pass through it.

18 “And in that day

the mountains shall drip sweet wine,

and the hills shall flow with milk,

and all the streambeds of Judah

shall flow with water;

and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord

and water the Valley of Shittim.

19 “Egypt shall become a desolation

and Edom a desolate wilderness,

for the violence done to the people of Judah,

because they have shed innocent blood in their land.

20 But Judah shall be inhabited forever,

and Jerusalem to all generations.

21 I will avenge their blood,

blood I have not avenged,

for the Lord dwells in Zion.”

-Pray

Title: “The Final Verdict: God’s Justice Will Prevail” Text: Joel 3:1–21 Series: The Day of the Lord

Introduction: The Courtroom That Shook the World

In 1945, the world watched something unprecedented. The Nuremberg Trials had begun.

Nazi war criminals—men who once held immense power—stood before a human court of justice.

For crimes against humanity, they were sentenced.

Some pleaded for mercy.

Some denied everything.

But justice—though delayed—was not denied.

That courtroom scene, as sobering as it was, is only a faint shadow of what the prophet Joel describes in chapter 3.

Here, in Joel 3, we witness the final courtroom—where God Himself is Judge.

This time, it’s not merely national leaders—it’s the nations themselves on trial.

It’s not a court in Germany, but in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, where God will render His final verdict.

The message of Joel 3 is this: God’s justice will prevail.

He will vindicate His people.

He will judge the nations.

And He will reign forever.

"The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine." – R.G. Lee

Tonight, we will look at Joel 3 together, verse by verse, and hear what God has to say about the coming judgment and the hope of His people.

I. The Summons to the Nations

Joel 3:1–3

“For behold, in those days and at that time when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem…” (v.1)

Joel begins with a promise of restoration.

The context of God’s judgment is not random wrath—it is a response to how the nations have treated His covenant people.

The language here connects to Joel 2:25 and 2:32, where God promises to restore what was lost and to deliver His people.

Now, God shifts focus to those who oppressed them.

In verse 2, we are introduced to the Valley of Jehoshaphat—a symbolic name meaning “Yahweh judges.”

God is gathering the nations, not for reconciliation, but for confrontation.

He brings three charges:

They scattered His people among the nations.

They divided up His land.

They devalued human life—selling boys for prostitutes and girls for wine.

This is the very definition of inhumanity—rooted in spiritual rebellion.

What they did to God’s people, they did to God Himself!

Genesis 12:3 – “I will bless those who bless you… and him who dishonors you I will curse.”

Zechariah 2:8 – “He who touches you touches the apple of His eye.”

This isn’t just about ancient warfare—it’s about how the world treats God’s covenant people, and ultimately, how the world treats God.

II. The Accusation Against the Nations

Joel 3:4–8

“What are you to Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia?” (v.4)

Here, God names specific offenders.

These are coastal nations known for commerce and cruelty.

They thought they were profiting from Israel’s pain—but God was keeping track.

God says, “Are you trying to retaliate against Me? If so, I will swiftly and speedily return your retaliation on your own head.” (v.4b)

They looted the temple.

They sold God’s people into slavery.

But God declares a reversal.

Verse 7: “Behold, I will stir them up from the place to which you have sold them, and I will return your payment on your own head.”

Romans 12:19 – “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

Quote: “God’s judgment is not like man’s fury. It is the holy expression of His justice against evil.” – John MacArthur

These verses remind us: God doesn’t forget injustice—He repays it perfectly.

III. The Call to Battle

Joel 3:9–15

“Proclaim this among the nations: Consecrate for war…” (v.9)

In divine irony, God invites the nations to battle.

This is not a call for revival, but for reckoning.

The nations are told to turn their farming tools into weapons.

It’s the opposite of Isaiah 2:4:

Isaiah 2:4 – “They shall beat their swords into plowshares…”

Here, they are told: "Beat your plowshares into swords…” (v.10).

They are preparing to fight against God—and they don’t realize they’re walking into judgment.

Verse 14: “Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision!”

This is not man’s decision to follow God—it’s God’s decision to judge man.

The verdict has already been made.

Psalm 2:1–4 – “Why do the nations rage… He who sits in the heavens laughs.”

Illustration: It’s like children bringing water pistols to battle a wildfire.

The nations think they can resist the sovereign God—but they are only hastening their own defeat.

“The same sun that melts the wax hardens the clay. God's presence comforts the believer and condemns the rebel.” — Adrian Rogers

IV. The Victory of the Lord

Joel 3:16–21

“The Lord roars from Zion, and utters His voice from Jerusalem…” (v.16)

Here the tone shifts dramatically.

The Lion of Judah roars, and creation trembles.

The heavens and earth shake—but for God’s people, He is a refuge and stronghold.

“So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who dwells in Zion…” (v.17)

There is a deep comfort here: God doesn’t only judge—He restores and protects.

The closing verses of Joel 3 are some of the most beautiful in all of prophecy:

The mountains drip with sweet wine

The hills flow with milk

A fountain flows from the house of the Lord (v.18)

This is a picture of spiritual renewal, abundance, and joy.

God brings judgment to the rebellious—but blessing to the faithful.

Ezekiel 47:1–12 and Revelation 22:1–2 both describe similar rivers flowing from the temple, bringing life wherever they go.

Meanwhile, Egypt and Edom—symbols of oppression—become a desolation.

Their pride and violence are silenced forever.

“Judah shall be inhabited forever… the Lord dwells in Zion.” (vv.20–21)

God’s presence is permanent, His rule is unchallenged, and His people are secure.

Conclusion: Life Applications

Here are three life-changing truths from this powerful chapter:

1. God sees every injustice—and He will make it right.

We may not see justice immediately, but God will not be mocked.

He will bring perfect justice in His time.

Application: Resist the urge for revenge. Instead, rest in God’s justice.

2. God will protect and restore His people.

While the world shakes, our refuge is in Christ.

The Lord roars to destroy His enemies but to protect His own.

Application: Are you hiding in the refuge of God—or running from Him?

3. Live today in light of God’s eternal kingdom.

If the mountains will drip with wine and the Lord will dwell among His people forever, shouldn’t we live now with holiness, hope, and joy?

Application: Don’t waste your life on temporary pleasures. Live for the eternal King.

Closing Invitation: The Valley of Decision

Joel calls the scene a valley of decision.

While Joel 3 is about God’s decision, today you are faced with one.

2 Corinthians 6:2 – “Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.”

One day, every knee will bow.

The question is: will you bow now in faith or then in fear?

Choose today to trust in Jesus—the refuge from wrath and the fountain of life.

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