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.


The ancient Jewish prophet Joel, in the first two chapters of his prophecy, introduced a very significant prophetic phrase, the "Day of the Lord". The definition of this phrase is "any time in history when the Lord intercedes in the affairs of man, personally on the earth."

In Joel's description of the "Day of the Lord" he starts, as does a Jewish day, with the evening and night first and then the full day to follow. Thus the prophecies in this book are described with the darkest of events first, followed by the more encouraging prophecies. As we come to Joel 3 we see that the Lord is warning the people that "war" is approaching and they must get ready.

This passage does give us insight into the Lord's mind and it reveals that there is justification for "war" for the believer. The Lord tells the Jews to "prepare war". Notice He does not say "prepare for war" but "prepare war". In other words get ready right now.

The "mighty men" are to take their farming implements, their "plowshares" and turn them into "swords". These men must turn their "pruning hooks" into spears. The Jews, in the last days, are to be always ready for going to war.

It seems by Joel's statement that the battle will take place in the area of Jerusalem, the "Valley of Jehoshaphat". The "Valley of Jehoshaphat" is the Kidron Valley located between the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives to the east of the Temple Mount.

At the time of this war, Jerusalem will be the main focus for all wars. Zechariah 14:2 says all the nations of the world will gather at Jerusalem for the beginning of the "Campaign of Armageddon" which is the first phase of the Battle of Armageddon.

This "mother of all wars" actually begins in the Valley of Jehoshaphat in Jerusalem. Verse 16 says that the Lord shall "roar out of Zion (Jerusalem) and the heavens and earth shall shake."

The truth is that before the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, roars out of Jerusalem "He roars into Jerusalem", Zechariah 14:4. The Messiah comes to Jerusalem to the Valley of Jehoshaphat to judge the Gentiles and then become the "hope of His people", the Jewish people.

The days described in Joel, the days during the "Day of the Lord" could well be describing the days we are living in today. There is the threat of war in almost all of the Middle East and much of it is focused on Jerusalem and the Jewish people.

As the days of Joel's prophecy play out in our world today the "voice of the Lord" will be "uttered from Jerusalem", verse 16. The way that the Lord will deal with His people, the Jews, is that His voice shall be heard throughout all the land and, in fact, all of the world. His voice, His word, will go forth from Jerusalem as His prophecies are fulfilled.

By the way, with the Middle East as it is today, the Lord's warning for war is appropriate. That war is coming soon. Jesus is also coming soon, keep looking up.

PRAYER THOT: Help me Lord, to understand the days I'm living in and with all current events setting the stage for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled, help me to be ready for that coming and warn others of these days and their prophetic significance.

Labels: Joel

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.


I am having you read this passage from Joel's prophecy so that we can think together about the fulfillment of this portion of Joel’s prophecy. The big question is, when was this passage fulfilled or when will it be fulfilled? The partial answer is that this prophecy has not yet been fulfilled, it is yet to be fulfilled.

There are those today who believe that this prophecy was fulfilled on “Pentecost” as recorded in Acts 2. That is not correct for a number of reasons.

Peter never said that Pentecost, almost 2,000 years ago, was the time of the fulfillment of Joel 2. Peter, in Acts 2, never said that this event on Pentecost in Jerusalem was the fulfillment of Joel 2, but he simply said this is that, “which was spoken by the prophet Joel”.

Peter was talking about Joel having written this and the Jewish people recognizing it because of their knowledge of the prophecy that they had read - written by Joel.

Peter was reminding the Jews that Joel had spoken of a time, yet future; however, not on Pentecost, when this would happen. The way I know this is correct is by our reading for today.

The passage we are reading today is part of the narrative of what happens in the "Day of the Lord". This is what Joel is revealing in his prophecy, the "Day of the Lord". In fact, the phrase “the day of the Lord" is being introduced in Joel's prophetic book.

The definition of the "Day of the Lord" is any time in history when God intercedes in the affairs of man, personally on the earth. It has a general usage and a specific usage as it relates to the days of the return of Jesus back to earth.

The "Day of the Lord" begins after the rapture, I Thessalonians 5:1-5, and concludes before the Great White Throne Judgment, Revelation 20:11.This is the general usage of the term.

The specific usage is when it refers to the “day” that Jesus steps on the earth at the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. Joel's passage is referring to that time, and leading up to that day. Thus, Joel 2:28-32 could not have been fulfilled on Pentecost, 2,000 years ago.

By the way, in Acts 2 there is no record that there were wonders in the heavens and in earth of blood and fire and pillars of smoke on that day. Also, on that day of Pentecost 2,000 years ago, the sun did not turn to darkness and the moon become like blood.

Please do not misuse scripture for your own purposes. This passage will be fulfilled in the future, and I believe in the not to distant future.

I had you read this passage and then made my comments so that we might together learn to approach our understanding of scripture, especially prophetic passages, in the proper context. This is essential in understanding the Bible and especially Bible Prophecy.


PRAYER THOT: Dear Lord, help me, as I study scripture to do so properly so that I can come to the proper understanding of what you are saying.

Labels: Joel

And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.


You might remember from the last time we read in Joel that this ancient Jewish prophet is describing the "day of the Lord," a phrase that Joel introduced to the "end time scenario" found in God's word. The phrase, "the day of the Lord" is any time in history when the Lord intercedes in the affairs of man on the earth, personally.

This definition is used in a "general" sense referring to the period of time after the Rapture and lasting for one thousand and seven years to the time just before the Great White Throne. The "specific" usage of the word is the day that the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth.

In Joel, the prophet describes the "day" as the Jewish day unfolds. The Jews start their new day at sundown and it goes 24 hours until the next sundown. Thus, the day begins with the night and then the day. This usage of the word “day”, as revealed in Genesis 1, “the night and the day”, as in the days of Creation, is today used by the Jewish people.

Joel began the prophetic "day of the Lord" in chapter 2 by describing this day with the "night" first, verse 2. As the day proceeds the Lord now tells Joel that He is going to change the land of Israel to be as productive as it has been at any time in history.

We read first of His jealousy that the Lord has for His land, verse 18, which with the Hebrew flavor of the word "jealous" meaning that the Lord will be "aggressively possessive" of His land that He has promised to give to the Jewish people.

He then tells the Jews that He will stop their Northern enemy, verse 20. Verses 21-26 tell how the Lord will bless the Jews in the Land He has given them with the rains. The "former rains," are those rains in the fall and the "latter rains," are those in the spring.

These rains will nourish the land and make it very productive agriculturally. There will be great harvesting of the crops from the land. God will do this because of His promise, a promise that was made in His name, Ezekiel 36:22.

This prophecy is yet to be completely fulfilled. However, today in Israel you can see evidence of how this prophecy can indeed be fulfilled. This will be the time when God's “chosen people” will not be ashamed, but a testimony to the world that the Lord is in the midst of the Jewish people and that He is their Lord, verse 27.

PRAYER THOT: Thank you for allowing us to see, dear Lord, the process of prophecy being fulfilled.

Labels: Joel

Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand.


The prophet Joel introduces to the reader a phrase that is used throughout all of the prophetic passages in God's Word. That phrase, "the day of the Lord," is used to describe a special time in history.

First let me give you the meaning, or definition of the phrase, "the day of the Lord". "It is any time in history when God intercedes in the affairs of man personally on the earth." That definition has either a “general usage” of the phrase or a “specific usage” of the phrase.

The “general usage” refers to a period of 1,007 years, the period of time between the Rapture and the Great White Throne Judgment. The word "day" used in this general usage to define the "day" as a period of time is not a 24 hour day.

The “specific usage” of the phrase is referring to “the day” that the Lord will step back on earth on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. This usage of the phrase is found in Zechariah 14:1-4. You determine whether it's the general or specific usage of the phrase, the "day of the Lord" by the context of the passage.

In this second chapter of Joel, and throughout the rest of Joel, the Prophet is using the “general usage” of the term, days that will be leading up to the day Jesus returns to the earth, the “specific usage”. Joel says, verse 1, “blow the trumpet in Zion (Jerusalem) and sound the alarm in my holy mountain”.

The term "my holy mountain" is referring to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The rest of the passage for today's reading begins to describe these awesome day leading up to the "campaign of Armageddon", which by the way starts at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

There is much I could discuss with you in this passage that I will leave to another devotional. However, notice where we need to focus to determine where the Lord is in His timetable, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. As you do that today there is evidence that “the day of the Lord”, His return, is close at hand. Keep looking up.

PRAYER THOT: Help me to "sound the trumpet" across the world of His soon return.

Labels: Joel

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.


The ancient Jewish prophet Joel, in the first two chapters of his prophecy, introduced a very significant prophetic phrase, the "Day of the Lord". The definition of this phrase is "any time in history when the Lord intercedes in the affairs of man, personally on the earth."

In Joel's description of the "Day of the Lord" he starts, as does a Jewish day, with the evening and night first and then the full day to follow. Thus the prophecies in this book are described with the darkest of events first, followed by the more encouraging prophecies. As we come to Joel 3 we see that the Lord is warning the people that "war" is approaching and they must get ready.

This passage does give us insight into the Lord's mind and it reveals that there is justification for "war" for the believer. The Lord tells the Jews to "prepare war". Notice He does not say "prepare for war" but "prepare war". In other words get ready right now.

The "mighty men" are to take their farming implements, their "plowshares" and turn them into "swords". These men must turn their "pruning hooks" into spears. The Jews, in the last days, are to be always ready for going to war.

It seems by Joel's statement that the battle will take place in the area of Jerusalem, the "Valley of Jehoshaphat". The "Valley of Jehoshaphat" is the Kidron Valley located between the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives to the east of the Temple Mount.

At the time of this war, Jerusalem will be the main focus for all wars. Zechariah 14:2 says all the nations of the world will gather at Jerusalem for the beginning of the "Campaign of Armageddon" which is the first phase of the Battle of Armageddon.

This "mother of all wars" actually begins in the Valley of Jehoshaphat in Jerusalem. Verse 16 says that the Lord shall "roar out of Zion (Jerusalem) and the heavens and earth shall shake."

The truth is that before the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, roars out of Jerusalem "He roars into Jerusalem", Zechariah 14:4. The Messiah comes to Jerusalem to the Valley of Jehoshaphat to judge the Gentiles and then become the "hope of His people", the Jewish people.

The days described in Joel, the days during the "Day of the Lord" could well be describing the days we are living in today. There is the threat of war in almost all of the Middle East and much of it is focused on Jerusalem and the Jewish people.

As the days of Joel's prophecy play out in our world today the "voice of the Lord" will be "uttered from Jerusalem", verse 16. The way that the Lord will deal with His people, the Jews, is that His voice shall be heard throughout all the land and, in fact, all of the world. His voice, His word, will go forth from Jerusalem as His prophecies are fulfilled.

By the way, with the Middle East as it is today, the Lord's warning for war is appropriate. That war is coming soon. Jesus is also coming soon, keep looking up.

PRAYER THOT: Help me Lord, to understand the days I'm living in and with all current events setting the stage for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled, help me to be ready for that coming and warn others of these days and their prophetic significance.

Labels: Joel

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.


I am having you read this passage from Joel's prophecy so that we can think together about the fulfillment of this portion of Joel’s prophecy. The big question is, when was this passage fulfilled or when will it be fulfilled? The partial answer is that this prophecy has not yet been fulfilled, it is yet to be fulfilled.

There are those today who believe that this prophecy was fulfilled on “Pentecost” as recorded in Acts 2. That is not correct for a number of reasons.

Peter never said that Pentecost, almost 2,000 years ago, was the time of the fulfillment of Joel 2. Peter, in Acts 2, never said that this event on Pentecost in Jerusalem was the fulfillment of Joel 2, but he simply said this is that, “which was spoken by the prophet Joel”.

Peter was talking about Joel having written this and the Jewish people recognizing it because of their knowledge of the prophecy that they had read - written by Joel.

Peter was reminding the Jews that Joel had spoken of a time, yet future; however, not on Pentecost, when this would happen. The way I know this is correct is by our reading for today.

The passage we are reading today is part of the narrative of what happens in the "Day of the Lord". This is what Joel is revealing in his prophecy, the "Day of the Lord". In fact, the phrase “the day of the Lord" is being introduced in Joel's prophetic book.

The definition of the "Day of the Lord" is any time in history when God intercedes in the affairs of man, personally on the earth. It has a general usage and a specific usage as it relates to the days of the return of Jesus back to earth.

The "Day of the Lord" begins after the rapture, I Thessalonians 5:1-5, and concludes before the Great White Throne Judgment, Revelation 20:11.This is the general usage of the term.

The specific usage is when it refers to the “day” that Jesus steps on the earth at the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. Joel's passage is referring to that time, and leading up to that day. Thus, Joel 2:28-32 could not have been fulfilled on Pentecost, 2,000 years ago.

By the way, in Acts 2 there is no record that there were wonders in the heavens and in earth of blood and fire and pillars of smoke on that day. Also, on that day of Pentecost 2,000 years ago, the sun did not turn to darkness and the moon become like blood.

Please do not misuse scripture for your own purposes. This passage will be fulfilled in the future, and I believe in the not to distant future.

I had you read this passage and then made my comments so that we might together learn to approach our understanding of scripture, especially prophetic passages, in the proper context. This is essential in understanding the Bible and especially Bible Prophecy.


PRAYER THOT: Dear Lord, help me, as I study scripture to do so properly so that I can come to the proper understanding of what you are saying.

Labels: Joel

And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.


You might remember from the last time we read in Joel that this ancient Jewish prophet is describing the "day of the Lord," a phrase that Joel introduced to the "end time scenario" found in God's word. The phrase, "the day of the Lord" is any time in history when the Lord intercedes in the affairs of man on the earth, personally.

This definition is used in a "general" sense referring to the period of time after the Rapture and lasting for one thousand and seven years to the time just before the Great White Throne. The "specific" usage of the word is the day that the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth.

In Joel, the prophet describes the "day" as the Jewish day unfolds. The Jews start their new day at sundown and it goes 24 hours until the next sundown. Thus, the day begins with the night and then the day. This approach to a “day”, as revealed in Genesis 1, in the days of Creation, is used by the Jewish people.

Joel began the prophetic "day of the Lord" in chapter 2 by describing this day with the night first, verse 2. As the day proceeds the Lord now tells Joel that He is going to change the land of Israel to be as productive as it has been at any time in history.

We read first of His jealousy that the Lord has for His land, verse 18, which with the Hebrew flavor of the word "jealous" meaning that the Lord will be "aggressively possessive" of His land that He has promised to give to the Jewish people.

He then tells the Jews that He will stop their Northern enemy, verse 20. Verses 21-26 tell how the Lord will bless the Jews in the Land He has given them with the rains. The "former rains," are those rains in the fall and the "latter rains," are those in the spring.

These rains will nourish the land and make it very productive agriculturally. There will be great harvesting of the crops from the land. God will do this because of His promise, a promise that was made in His name, Ezekiel 36:22.

This prophecy is yet to be completely fulfilled. However, today in Israel you can see evidence of how this prophecy can indeed be fulfilled. This will be the time when God's “chosen people” will not be ashamed but a testimony to the world that the Lord is in the midst of the Jewish people and that He is their Lord, verse 27.

PRAYER THOT: Thank you for allowing us to see, dear Lord, the process of prophecy being fulfilled.

Labels: Joel

Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand.


The prophet Joel introduces to the reader a phrase that is used throughout all of the prophetic passages in God's Word. That phrase, "the day of the Lord," is used to describe a special time in history.

First let me give you the meaning, or definition of the phrase, "the day of the Lord". It is any time in history when God intercedes in the affairs of man personally on the earth. That definition has either a “general usage” of the phrase or a “specific usage” of the phrase.

The “general usage” refers to a period of 1,007 years, the period of time between the Rapture and the Great White Throne Judgment. The word "day" used in this general usage to define the "day" as a period of time is not a 24 hour day.

The “specific usage” of the phrase is referring to “the day” that the Lord will step back on earth on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. This usage of the phrase is found in Zechariah 14:1-4. You determine whether it's the general or specific usage of the phrase, the "day of the Lord" by the context of the passage.

In this second chapter of Joel, and through out the rest of Joel, the Prophet is using the “general usage” of the term, days that will be leading up to the day Jesus returns to the earth, the “specific usage”. Joel says, verse 1, “blow the trumpet in Zion (Jerusalem) and sound the alarm in my holy mountain”.

The term "my holy mountain" is referring to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The rest of the passage for today's reading begins to describe this awesome day leading up to the campaign of Armageddon, which by the way starts at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

There is much I could discuss with you in this passage that I will leave to another devotional. However, notice where we need to focus to determine where the Lord is in His timetable, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. As you do that today there is evidence that “the day of the Lord”, His return, is close at hand. Keep looking up.

PRAYER THOT: Help me to sound the trumpet across the world of His soon return.

Labels: Joel