Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, “I am strong!” Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, Lord! “Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow— so great is their wickedness!” Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.

Here Joel describes God’s immediate judgment on the nations who tortured the Jews. It will be swift and fierce! God taunts them to bring their best warriors. “Let the weakling say, ‘I am strong.’” Here he taunts the powerful men as weaklings, compared to God.

He also foreshadows the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. “For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.”  

There was three hours of darkness after Jesus died. There was an earthquake that tore the temple curtain apart.  Yet three days later Jesus rose again and sits at the right hand of God the Father, as an advocate for his followers. Judgment day has come, and those who reject the Lordship of the Messiah are doomed. But those who put their trust in him — to them he will be a refuge and an unbreakable stronghold!

Oh, God, you truly see all time and space at once. Joel prophesied, and it happened exactly like the prophecy. I can trust you to always deliver your best for me and your people.  Thank you for this wonderful passage dealing with judgment of evil and your provision for the righteous (who follow you with their whole hearts). There is peace in life when I have peace with the Almighty God, by obeying his commands. Lead on, Jesus, lead on!