Joel 3
Lutheran reading notes
In Joel chapter 3, the prophetic message develops the theme of the Day of the Lord and the call to repentance. Lutheran interpretation often highlights the contrast between divine judgment against sin and the promise of grace that God provides for those who trust in Him.
1
For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
Joel 3:1 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and {for} my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
Joel 3:2 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.
Joel 3:3 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
4
Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly {and} speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;
Joel 3:4 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
5
Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: {pleasant: Heb. desirable}
Joel 3:5 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. {the Grecians: Heb. the sons of the Grecians}
Joel 3:6 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
7
Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:
Joel 3:7 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken {it}.
Joel 3:8 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: {Prepare: Heb. Sanctify}
Joel 3:9 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
10
Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I {am} strong. {pruninghooks: or, scythes}
Joel 3:10 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
11
Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. {cause...: or, the LORD shall bring down}
Joel 3:11 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
12
Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
Joel 3:12 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
13
Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness {is} great.
Joel 3:13 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
14
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD {is} near in the valley of decision. {decision: or, concision, or, threshing}
Joel 3:14 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
15
The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
Joel 3:15 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
16
The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD {will be} the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. {hope: Heb. place of repair, or, harbour}
Joel 3:16 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
17
So shall ye know that I {am} the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. {holy: Heb. holiness}
Joel 3:17 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
18
And it shall come to pass in that day, {that} the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. {flow: Heb. go}
Joel 3:18 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
19
Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence {against} the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
Joel 3:19 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
20
But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. {dwell: or, abide}
Joel 3:20 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
21
For I will cleanse their blood {that} I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion. {for the...: or, even I the LORD that}
Joel 3:21 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.