Joel 3 - Introduction
_GOD'S JUDGMENTS AGAINST THE ENEMIES OF HIS PEOPLE. GOD WILL BE KNOWN IN HIS JUDGMENT: HIS BLESSING UPON THE CHURCH._ _Before Christ 800._... [ Continue Reading ]
_GOD'S JUDGMENTS AGAINST THE ENEMIES OF HIS PEOPLE. GOD WILL BE KNOWN IN HIS JUDGMENT: HIS BLESSING UPON THE CHURCH._ _Before Christ 800._... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR, BEHOLD, IN THOSE DAYS, &C.— As the foregoing promise of the Spirit was an assurance to the Jews, that, notwithstanding they might be reduced very low by their enemies, yet they should not be destroyed as a nation till God had accomplished all the great prophesies relating to the Messiah; so he... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL—GATHER ALL NATIONS, &C.— It is very evident from the phrase at the close of the verse, _Who have parted my land,_ that _all_ is not to be taken in a very extensive sense. It is to be understood of the neighbouring nations;—_All the heathen round about,_ as in Joel 3:12. In this third and last... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY HAVE CAST LOTS FOR MY PEOPLE— That is, "They have divided my captive people by lot among themselves, according to the laws of war then in use among mankind." See Nahum 3:10. Obad. Joel 3:11. _They have given a boy for a harlot;_ that is to say, they gave a boy as the price of a harlot; _and... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, AND WHAT HAVE YE TO DO, &C.— _But what have ye to do,_ &c. After God by the prophet had put them in mind of their injustice and cruelty towards his people, he now comes to inquire into the reason of so unrighteous a conduct. _But, what have ye to do with me?_ The expression denotes the same as... [ Continue Reading ]
OUT OF THE PLACE WHITHER, &C.— It is said in the preceding verse, that the Jews were sold to the Grecians. Therefore this _place_ is to be understood principally of Greece; whence the Jews should hasten to the Maccabees, on hearing of their victory.... [ Continue Reading ]
PROCLAIM YE THIS AMONG THE GENTILES— God, having foretold these judgments against Tyre and Sidon, the Philistines, and the neighbouring nations, who had used the Jews with injustice and cruelty, proceeds here to confirm his people in the belief of the certainty of their destruction; which, he tells... [ Continue Reading ]
BEAT YOUR PLOUGH-SHARES INTO SWORDS— He bids them turn all such of their instruments as they used in times of peace, into instruments of war: so Virgil, _———Non ullus aratro Dignus honos: squalent abductis arva colonis, Et curvae rigidum falces constantur in ensem._ Dishonour'd lies the plough; th... [ Continue Reading ]
THITHER CAUSE THY MIGHTY ONES TO COME DOWN— _The Lord shall cast down the strong ones:_ Houbigant. Our translation, however, may be justified. At the ninth verse the proclamation is for the enemies to ascend, Judaea being a high and mountainous situation; and, as God's _mighty ones_ were to meet the... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THE HEATHEN BE WAKENED— The prophet seems to deliver the words of this verse by way of answer to his own prayer: "That God would lead down his people, and give them the victory over their enemies." _Let the heathen be wakened,_ should rather be rendered, _the heathen shall be wakened:_ "When the... [ Continue Reading ]
PUT YE IN THE SICKLE— God here either calls on his people the Jews to prepare themselves to execute his vengeance, for that the time of it was drawing near; or comforts them by an assurance that he would provide proper instruments to effect it; and this under a metaphorical representation, _Put in t... [ Continue Reading ]
MULTITUDES, &C.— After the prediction of the slaughter of the enemies of God's people, Joel cries out with prophetic warmth and agitation, _Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!_ as if he had said, "See what mighty numbers are brought together for their destruction!" The sentence, thus a... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD—SHALL ROAR OUT OF ZION— This verse may be thus paraphrased; "Thus shall Jehovah take vengeance on the enemies of his people, and make the inhabitants of Zion and Jerusalem to execute his judgments upon them, like a roaring lion devouring his prey. Their destruction shall be as certain, as i... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALL JERUSALEM BE HOLY— That is, "After this, Jerusalem shall be safe under my care, and be no more profaned by the hostile armies of these mine enemies." These expressions, perhaps, may have a further reference; and as we have found in the former prophets, that, under predictions of deliveran... [ Continue Reading ]
_JOEL 3:18_. THE _MOUNTAINS SHALL DROP DOWN NEW WINE_— Chandler paraphrases this verse thus: "The consequence of this happy deliverance shall be the utmost plenty; for at this time the vine shall produce the greatest abundance, so that the mountains shall drop down new wine. The hills shall abound w... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDAH SHALL DWELL FOR EVER— That is, shall subsist a separate kingdom and estate, (as it is explained in the next clause) _from generation to generation,_ or, for several generations or years; referring to the Christian church, and the final restoration of the Jews. The words may be understood in th... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I WILL CLEANSE, &C.—_CLEANSED_— _For I will avenge,_ &c. _avenged._ Houbigant reads, _I will avenge their blood, and not spare; and the Lord shall inhabit Zion._ The reader will see a variety of different interpretations in Pocock: but none of these, says Dr. Chandler, satisfy me. If we read the... [ Continue Reading ]