The Lord; who, Joel 2:27, is the Lord in the midst of Israel or in the midst of his church. Shall roar; when he brings forth his mighty ones the men of war, and commands them to march out against his and his church's enemies, he will strike the enemy with astonishment and fear, as the roaring of the lion doth astonish the weaker beasts of the forest. Fear shall surprise them when God shall speak against them. Out of Zion; the place where God chooseth to dwell, emblem of his church, and of the kingdom of Christ. And utter his voice, in wrath and indignation against those he will destroy, because they have destroyed his church. From Jerusalem; typical, so God roared and uttered his voice against Sennacherib; mystical, so he hath often already, and still will further discover his displeasure against his enemies, and he will, as one who dwells in a place for the defence of it, rebuke and check those who assault it: so God dwells in his Jerusalem, as it is Joel 3:17. The heavens; metaphorically the states and kingdoms, the great ones in those states. The earth; the common sort of people, the inferior ranks of men; the foundations of those kingdoms shall be shaken and overthrown. Shall shake, and fly as affrighted, so the word signifieth. But the Lord; but at that time, and in the midst of all those commotions, the eternal and almighty God, who fills the enemy with fears and astonishment, will be the hope; shall be the object of his people's expectation, they shall look for good from him by all these troubles: and so God was to his after their return out of captivity, through the Medo-Persian reign, through the Grecian rule under Alexander, and under the times of Alexander's successors. Of his people; of them that believe his word and obey his law. And the strength, strong defence and fortress, to his, here called the children of Israel, those that are Israelites indeed.

Continues after advertising
Continues after advertising