Joel 3:12-17

The Lord shall roar out of Zion -- Joel 3:12-17: These people are brought to Judgment Valley or the Valley of Jehoshaphat where the Lord will judge the nations. The only hope the nations had of avoiding sever judgments was to be gathered by the gospel. These people were to be gathered like ripe grapes from a world of wickedness. The gathering would be accomplished by divine truth. The sinful of all nations are called upon to submit to God. "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision. Will we or will we not submit to God's will?

The pictures of the changes in the heavenly bodies identify these events with the church. (Joel 2:31; Acts 2:20) "From the heart of Jerusalem the LORD roars like a lion, shaking the earth and sky. But the LORD is a fortress, a place of safety for his people Israel." (Joel 3:16) With a strong and reassuring voice God announces salvation in Christ. The hope of the world is not in some earthly king. Our hope is in God's unshakable kingdom. "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." (Hebrews 12:28) Christians are citizens of God's spiritual kingdom. This kingdom will not be destroyed. "There shall no strangers pass through her any more." Of Christians it can be said, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God." (Ephesians 2:19)