The Last Battle
Text: Joel 3:1-16
Introduction
1. Illustration: Most people think the last battle of the American Civil War was at Appomattox Courthouse. The Battle of Palmito Ranch, also known as the Battle of Palmito Hill, is generally recognized as the final battle of the American Civil War. It was fought May 12 and 13, 1865, on the banks of the Rio Grande east of Brownsville, Texas and a few miles from the seaport of Los Brazos de Santiago, more than a month after Robert E. Lee had surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant in the Eastern Theater. Though the Battle of Appomattox Court House is identified as the last major battle of the war, Palmito Ranch was the last engagement between organized forces of the Union Army and Confederate States Army involving casualties.
2. The last battle of the world will be called Armageddon. It is described as the rallying-place of the kings of the whole world who, led by the unclean spirits issuing from the mouth of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, assemble here for "the war of the great day of God, the Almighty" ( W. Ewing, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia).
3. In that battle...
A. God Will Repay
B. God Will Have The Last Say
C. God's Will Be The Last Voice
4. Let's stand together as we read Joel 3:1-16.
Proposition: In the end, God will have the final say about human history.
Transition: In the final battle...
I. God Will Repay (1-8).
A. Valley Of Jehoshaphat
1. We live in a time where there is little or no reverence for God. People in our society think that they are more important than God. They have believed the lie that God doesn't exist and that, in the end, they will not have to answer to anyone but themselves.
2. Joel chapter 3 tells us a very different story. It begins with, “At the time of those events,” says the LORD, “when I restore the prosperity of Judah and Jerusalem..."
A. Because of the judgments set during the "Day of the Lord," Israel's situation in the world will be dramatically changed, and God will deal justly with the nations of the world for the way they have treated His people Israel (Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary – The Prophets, 339).
B. The judgment is not merely a decision concerning guilt or innocence. It is God’s wrath on the nations.
C. As can be seen in Zech. 14:2f, God will summon the nations to war against Jerusalem so that He can bring his wrath upon them (The Complete Biblical Library – Daniel-Malachi, Under: "Chapter 3").
3. Then God says, "I will gather the armies of the world into the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will judge them for harming my people, my special possession, for scattering my people among the nations, and for dividing up my land. 3 They cast lots to decide which of my people would be their slaves. They traded boys to obtain prostitutes and sold girls for enough wine to get drunk."
A. This great battle will take place in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, a site mentioned nowhere else in Scripture.
B. In verse 14, it's called "the valley of decision," referring to God's decision (decree) to punish the nations.
C. Since the name "Jehoshaphat" means "the Lord judges," the name "Valley of Jehoshaphat" might well be symbolic, but some students believe it refers to the Plain of Esdraelon where the "battle of Armageddon" will be fought (Rev. 16:16).
D. Revelation 16:16 (NLT)
And the demonic spirits gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place with the Hebrew name Armageddon.
E. Joel lists some of the sins that the Gentiles have committed against the Jews: scattering them among the nations; selling them into slavery; treating them like cheap merchandise for which people cast lots; plundering the land of its wealth; and taking what belonged to the Lord and using it for their own gods.
F. Of course, many of the tragic experiences that came to the Jewish people were disciplines from God because they had violated His covenant, but the Gentile nations went beyond discipline to exploitation (Wiersbe, 339).
G. The verb rendered "I will judge them" implies taking up a legal case against someone, usually with Yahweh as the plaintiff subject of the verb.
H. The nations have done something wrong to Israel, for which they are charged.
I. Rather than being the northern kingdom, the term "Israel" here most likely refers to the entire nation, identified in Joel 3:1 as "Judah."
J. She is described as belonging to Yahweh as "my people", explaining his special concern for them as his special "possession" (Baker, The NIV Application Commentary – Joel, Obadiah, Malachi: From biblical text...to contemporary life, 100).
4. Then God deals with those nations specifically. He says, "“What do you have against me, Tyre and Sidon and you cities of Philistia? Are you trying to take revenge on me? If you are, then watch out! I will strike swiftly and pay you back for everything you have done. 5 You have taken my silver and gold and all my precious treasures, and have carried them off to your pagan temples."
A. It appears that the deeds of the Phoenicians (Tyre and Sidon) and the Philistines were viewed by themselves not only a triumph over the Israelites, but as a triumph over Yahwism itself, with an attitude of revenge.
B. God’s speaking of “my silver and my gold” indicates that He took their actions personally.
C. God makes it clear that He will turn the tables and punish those who abused his people and looted his Temple (The Complete Biblical Library – Daniel-Malachi, Under: "Chapter 3").
5. God continues his judgment against the nations by saying, "You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, so they could take them far from their homeland.
7 “But I will bring them back from all the places to which you sold them, and I will pay you back for everything you have done."
A. Tyre, Sidon and Philistia were all on the coast. The Phonecians had trade relations with Mediterranean countries from ancient times. Ashkelon (Philistia) had a seaport.
B. Thus, all three coastal cities had the means to involve themselves in trade, which could include slave trade.
C. The principle here is akin to reaping what one has sown. However, here it is not merely the idea that the universe has some kind of automatic retribution principle built into it.
D. Rather, God says that He will take an active role in paying them back. As Nah. 1:2 says, God is a master of wrath, that is, skilled at it. God indicates that He will bring his people back to their land and punish those who exiled them.
E. This exile, whenever it occurred, was on a smaller scale than what the Assyrians did in 722 b.c., or what Babylonia did in 586 b.c. (it may account for some of the Jewish population which was scattered throughout northern Mediterranean lands).
F. It nevertheless invoked a similar response from Yahweh: He intended to bring them back to their land and punish their persecutors (The Complete Biblical Library – Daniel-Malachi, Under: "Chapter 3").
6. Then God promises to turn the tables on the nations. He says, "I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the people of Arabia, a nation far away. I, the LORD, have spoken!”
A. Part of the reward which God will bring upon Judah’s oppressors is that Judah itself will sell these oppressors (Tyre, Sidon and Philistia) into slavery—a punishment fitting for their crime.
B. One should note that the Sabeans were in the opposite direction of the Greeks, and probably as far as one could imagine going in that direction.
C. The Sabeans were a “Semitic people who dwelt in the southwest corner of the Arabian Peninsula, and who traded in spices, gold and precious stones....
D. The Sabeans occupied that part of southwest Arabia which roughly corresponds to modern Yemen” (Van Beek, 144ff).
B. God's Judgment
1. Illustration:
IT IS A WELL KNOWN FACT, THAT HOLLYWOOD IS FIXATED ON A WORLD ENDING SCENARIO, EVIDENCED IN THE 1998 MOVIE: ARMAGEDDON, WHICH CHARACTERIZES GOOD AND EVIL AS AN ASTEROID TWICE THE SIZE OF TEXAS, AND BRUCE WILLIS, THE GOOD GUY, WHO SAVES THE WORLD FROM DESTRUCTION.
H. ARMAGEDDON GROSSED $201,573,391 IN IT’S FIRST YEAR, AND IT CONTINUES TO PLAY TO AUDIENCES TODAY.
2. In our arrogance we think that we know more than God, but He isn't impressed.
A. Psalm 2:1-5 (NLT)
Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? 2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one. 3 “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.” 4 But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. 5 Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury.
B. We don't like to hear that! We like hearing about a God who is loving, forgiving and merciful.
C. But the truth is that God is a God of righteousness and justice.
D. He is a God that will make us account for our sins and rebellion.
E. We think that God owes us an answer and a blessing, but the reality is that we owe God everything and he owes us nothing.
F. We will have to give account to God for what we have done.
Transition: Not only will God repay, but...
II. God Will Have The Last Say (9-15).
A. The Valley Of Decision
1. Everybody likes to have the last say in an argument. But on the Day of the Lord, God will have the last say.
2. In vv. 9-10 He says, "Say to the nations far and wide: “Get ready for war! Call out your best warriors. Let all your fighting men advance for the attack. 10 Hammer your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Train even your weaklings to be warriors."
A. These verses could be seen as a taunt. These nations have been called to battle against the Almighty God—not exactly an even match!
B. This is the reverse of the familiar “swords into plowshares” peace passages which are seen in Isa. 2:2ff and Mic. 4:1-5.
C. This is a call to war. In a time of war in a poor nation, one can easily imagine a call to beat farm implements into weapons.
D. It is possible that all three prophets were utilizing popular expressions, with Isaiah and Micah actually reversing what the people were hearing and turning them into calls to peace.
E. Since all three used similar expressions, and two (Isaiah and Micah) were clearly contemporaries, it is possible that Joel was also from their time period (The Complete Biblical Library – Daniel-Malachi, Under: "Chapter 3").
3. Then in vv. 11-13 it says, "Come quickly, all you nations everywhere. Gather together in the valley.” And now, O LORD, call out your warriors! 12 “Let the nations be called to arms. Let them march to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I, the LORD, will sit to pronounce judgment on them all. 13 Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread the grapes, for the winepress is full. The storage vats are overflowing with the wickedness of these people.”
A. The nations have been summoned and told to bring their weapons.
B. The Lord is bringing his warriors. These warriors are not human, but angelic.
C. The wrath of God is not without reason: the nations have engaged in great wickedness.
D. The blood of the nations will be spilled in great amounts, so that it resembles a winepress which overflows.
E. Similar imagery of judgment is seen in the NT (Rev. 14:19f; 19:15).
F. In Revelation, the one who treads the winepress of the wrath of God is Jesus Christ (The Complete Biblical Library – Daniel-Malachi, Under: "Chapter 3").
4. Then the Valley of Jehoshaphat is given a different name, "Thousands upon thousands are waiting in the valley of decision. There the day of the LORD will soon arrive.
15 The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will no longer shine."
A. It's called "the valley of decision.
B. Frightening signs from the Lord will accompany this battle, signs that Jesus mentioned in His prophetic discourse on the Mount of Olives.
C. Jesus taught that these signs would prepare the way for His personal coming to earth when He will defeat Israel's enemies, cleanse His people, and establish His kingdom (Wiersbe, 339).
D. Joel not only makes use of common Day of the Lord imagery again to depict the Day (judgment, immediacy, darkness and vengeance on enemies), but he even takes his own phraseology from the first section of the Book and reuses it with a different significance.
E. Here the Day is directed at the enemies of God’s people. Similar cosmic imagery is seen in the NT, related to Christ’s return (Matt. 24:29f; Luke 21:25) (The Complete Biblical Library – Daniel-Malachi,Under: "Chapter 3").
F. Luke 21:25-27 (NLT)
“And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. 26 People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory.
B. Give An Account
1. Illustration: We live in a strange community, where it is not uncommon to see bumper stickers that say things like, I am Light, or Due to circumstances within our control Armageddon has been cancelled. But the one that really gets me is the one that reads simply, I AM. Thank God, the I AM doesn’t drive a VW van. If the guy driving that van has numbered our days, we’re in trouble. Somehow I don’t think he was the one that hung the stars in space and sustains all things by his word. It would be funny if it weren’t so sad.
2. When it comes down to it God will have the final say.
A. Philippians 2:10-11 (NLT)
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
B. From the time that Jesus walked the earth until now he has been ridiculed and scorned.
C. From the time his ministry began until the present time people have doubted his love, mercy and kindness.
D. If you think for a moment that was then but things have gotten better you are sadly mistaken.
E. Today in the media, on college campuses, and increasingly in our society the name of Jesus is scoffed at, mocked and blasphemed.
F. Well I have news for all of those who reject the love of God only found in Jesus, one day you will acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ either because you choose to or because you have to!
G. The day will come when we will all bow before the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!
H. When Jesus came the first time he stood before Pilate but when Jesus comes the second time Pilate will stand before him!
Transition: Not only will God have the last say, but...
III. God's Will Be The Last Voice (16).
A. Voice Will Roar
1. Jesus has many names in Scripture. He is referred to as the Son of God, Son of Man, Prince of Peace among many others. However, one of my favorite name for Jesus in the Bible is the Lion of Judah.
A. Revelation 5:5 (NLT)
But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
B. The reference to the Lion of Judah indicates that His victory would bring fulfillment of the promises made to God's ancient people, Israel (Horton, The Complete Biblical Library – Revelation, 87).
2. One of those promises is right here in Joel 3:16, which says, "The LORD’s voice will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth will shake. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a strong fortress for the people of Israel."
A. Like a fierce lion, God will "roar out of Zion" and conquer the enemy.
B. When the Lamb becomes a Lion, the nations had better tremble (Rev. 5:5).
C. The lost nations of the earth will perish when He utters His voice in judgment, but to His own people the Lord will be a refuge and a stronghold (Wiersbe, 339).
D. When the Lord roars, it should bring terror to his enemies, but comfort to his people, for it means that their deliverance is coming.
E. For those who serve God, the “fear” of the Lord would mean “reverence,” not “terror.” (The Complete Biblical Library – Daniel-Malachi, Under: "Chapter 3").
B. Almighty God
1. Illustration: Rich Mullins wrote a song called "My Deliverer Is Coming," and here are some of the words to that song...
Joseph took his wife and her child and they went to Africa
To escape the rage of a deadly king
There along the banks of the Nile, Jesus listened to the song That the captive children used to sing
They were singin'
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by
Through a dry and thirsty land, water from the Kenyon heights
Pours itself out of Lake Sangra's broken heart
There in the Sahara winds Jesus heard the whole world cry
For the healing that would flow from His own scars
The world was singing
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by
He will never break His promise, He has written it upon the sky
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by
I will never doubt His promise though I doubt my heart, I doubt my eyes
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by
He will never break His promise though the stars should break faith with the sky
My Deliverer is coming, my Deliverer is standing by
2. The Lion of the Tribe Of Judah is coming!
A. Revelation 5:9 (NLT)
And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
B. If you are here this morning and you are feeling lost or abandoned, take heart because your deliver is coming.
C. If you here this morning and your heart has been broken, take courage because your deliver is coming.
D. If you are here this morning and you feel trapped and backed up into a corner, be of good cheer because your deliver is coming.
E. Your deliver is coming and his name if Jesus!
F. Your deliver is coming and his name if the King of Kings.
G. Your deliver is coming and his name is the Lord of Lords.
H. Your deliver is coming and his name is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
I. Your deliver is coming and his name if the Lion of Judah!
J. He will never break his promise!
K. He will not leave you or forsake you!
L. Your deliverer is coming!
Conclusion
1. The last battle of the world will be called Armageddon. It is described as the rallying-place of the kings of the whole world who, led by the unclean spirits issuing from the mouth of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, assemble here for "the war of the great day of God, the Almighty" ( W. Ewing,
2. In that battle...
A. God Will Repay
B. God Will Have The Last Say
C. God's Will Be The Last Voice
3. Don't be afraid, the last battle is coming, but our deliverer will win the day!
