Audio Download

The Book of Joel – Chapter 3:1-2

And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live?
And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. – Eze 37:3.

[Study Aired Sept 14^th]

The Book of Joel to this last Chapter 3, just as has every other testimony from Genisus to Revelations, warns man of the pattern of disobedience to his Lord’s word and guarantees consequences for disobedience and inevitable chastisement and “deliverance”.

Our Lord’s word is the pure Alpha and Omega of every opposing matter ever conceived by our first father, Satan, and our resonance with him results in assured failure. Nonetheless, our flesh, without the perplexing (holy) new spirit the Lord speaks of [only perceived as a new thing since it hadn’t yet been given more visually], will always default to escalating the sensual because the short-term thrill is far more exhilarating than the esoteric that can’t be physically experienced.

We fall seven times, and if we are given righteousness in this age before the First Resurrection, our earthy existence will likewise be given to rising from the furnace of our disobedience seven times ~ even seventy times seven (Matt 18:21-22. Pro 24:16).

Psa 12:6  The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 
Psa 12:7  Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
Psa 12:8  The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

The vilest men are exalted largely because you can see, hear, feel and experience their sensualities that the spirit only offers non-sensually, to be experienced by faith.

Jas 3:15  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Jas 3:16  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

There is confusion largely because we default to the sensual, which is lusciously experienced with devilish ardour. This is a powerful and devilish argument against the spirit that can’t be physically touched and seen.

Jud 1:17  But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Jud 1:18  How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
Jud 1:19  These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the spirit.

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ [The foundation of the devilish physical sensualities that inevitably fail will always mirror the everlasting spiritual correlations].
1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Mat 18:21  Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Mat 18:22  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

And so, around and around the deadly loop of disobedience, chastisement, and repentance leading to spiritual obedience continues for a symbolic seventy times seven. Then, even though that process doesn’t totally stop, Christ’s righteousness is attributed to us even though our sins are as scarlet (Isa 1:18).

Significations

Without the holy spirit and inseparable faith, no wonder old Israel grew weary of hearing her Lord’s “light bread” (Num 21:5) words since the pattern of suggested ‘deliverance’ continues in the opening verses of Joel 3:1,

The Lord Judges the Nations

Joe 3:1  For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,

What Israel couldn’t understand is that without the enigmatic holy spirit, their ability to keep her Lord’s commandments was classicly impossible with assured tears of frustration.

Psa 6:6  I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.
Psa 6:7  Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of [the impossibility of routing] all mine enemies [within without the holy spirit!].

Joe 3:2  I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat [H3092], and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. 

Jehoshaphat H3092 – Transliteration: Y@howshaphat- Phonetic: yeh-ho-shaw-fawt’ Definition: Jehoshaphat = Jehovah has judged n pr m

1. son of king Asa and himself king of Judah for 25 years; one of the best, most pious, and prosperous kings of Judah.

6. symbolical name of a valley near Jerusalem, which is the [equally symbolic] place of ultimate judgment; maybe the deep ravine that separates Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives through which the Kidron flowed. FROM H3068 and H8199

– Y@hovah – Phonetic: yeh-ho-vaw’- Definition: Jehovah = the existing one 1. the proper name of the one true God a. unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of 0136. 1. to judge, govern, vindicate, punish a. (Qal) 1. to act as law-giver or judge or governor (of God, man) 1a.

Armageddon G717

– Original: Ἀρμαγεδδών

– Transliteration: Armageddon

– Phonetic: ar-mag-ed-dohn’

– Definition: Armageddon = the hill or city of Megiddo.

In Rev 16:16, the scene of a struggle of good and evil is suggested by that battle plain of Esdraelon, which was famous for two great victories, of Barak over the Canaanites and of Gideon over the Midianites, and for two great disasters, the deaths of Saul and Josiah. Hence, in Revelation, a place of great slaughter, the scene of a terrible retribution upon the wicked. The RSV translates the name as Har-Magedon, i.e. the hill (as Ar is the city) of Megiddo.

– Origin: of Hebrew origin H2022 and G4023

– TDNT entry: 08:48,8

– Part(s) of speech: Noun Location

– Strong’s: Of Hebrew origin [H2022] and [H4023]; Armageddon (or Har-Megiddon) a symbolical name: – Armageddon.

Rev 16:12  And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
Rev 16:13  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Rev 16:14  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Rev 16:15  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Rev 16:16  And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

The Valley of Jehoshaphat is another name for the Valley of Jezreel. At the western end of the valley is a small hill, or Mount Armageddon. Geographically and collectively called Meggido, this small valley, just 20 miles long by 7 miles wide, is just outside of Jerusalem and will symbolically contain the implausible vastness of “all [the physical] nations” of the earth represented as Gog and Magog, yet, and conclusively spiritually within, to battle and bloody destruction in our dying daily:

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
1Co 15:32  If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus [literally and within], what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die
[The unconverted are effectively saying, ‘scriptures are too hard to understand; we may as well have wine, women and song and take what happens because God says that he is love and we are (deludedly) saved, anyhow’ by him dying in our stead].

Rev 14:19  And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Rev 14:20  And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

Very few valleys don’t exit via a stream. The valley of Meggido, just 20 x 7 miles in size, exited the huge volume of blood from the winepress of God’s wrath downstream for 322 km, or 1,600 furlongs (200 miles).

Hos 1:10  Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God [Solomon’s “two armies” Son 6:13 – The elder, Old Israel depicted as “you are not my people “and the second and younger Bride of Christ, “ye are the sons of the living God].
Hos 1:11  Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head [Each person, sitting on God’s throne saying that he is god 2Thes 2:4], and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the [slaughter in the] day of Jezreel. 

Jezreel H3157 –Definition: Jezreel = God sows n pr m 1. a descendant of the father or founder of Etam f Judah 2. first son of Hosea the prophet n pr loc 3. a city in the Nekeb of Judah 4. a city in Issachar on the northwest spur of Mount Gilboa – Gilboa H1533 = swollen heap 1. a mountain-ridge at the southeastern end of the plain of Jezreel, site of the death of Saul and Jonathan.

Every time Mt Gilboa is mentioned in the scriptures, its symbolism is accompanied by an immense swelling of our pride, fattening its host for slaughter. It all began with Israel’s whoredoms, graphically portrayed by Hosea marrying the known harlot, Gomer, and prophesying Israel’s day of slaughter. Of course, the Lord’s Bride knows that the most outstanding slaughter it all refers to is hers, for her whoredoms.

Hos 1:2  The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.
Hos 1:3  So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.
Hos 1:4  And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.
Hos 1:5  And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. 
Hos 1:6  And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. 
Hos 1:7  But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah [Symbolically the Bride of Christ!], and will save them [The “remnant” spoken about in Joel Chapter 2] by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen [meaning, by their Old Covenant physical strength opposed to the coming of the mysterious (holy) spirit].

Zec 12:9  And it shall come to pass in that day [for the Bride of Christ, ‘the day of the lord’], that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem [meaning, the customised nations of opposition to Christ’s word within the Bride]. 
Zec 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace [… doesn’t it make you shiver?] and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced [every man understanding in his order of salvation], and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Zec 12:11  In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon [H7426 Pomegranates synonymous with exaltedly and the Bride’s chastisements and subsequent returning to truth and the love of God] in the valley of Megiddon.

Afresh: “I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land”.

Notice in Joel 3:2 that the Lord brings his people to the symbolic abyss of Meggido (Jehoshaphat) and “pleads” with her face to face in that wretched valley. She stares at the stark reality of its symbolism and what is going to happen to her if she continues to spurn his love overtures not to follow through for her inheritance. She knows that this valley is traditionally represented as a ‘valley of death’ ordained for immense slaughter. Even though she is brought to remembrance of her physical “heritage”, her “Promised Land”, it is her younger sister, the Bride today, who ecstatically knows it is Christ who is her spiritual heritage. It is the Bride alone who knows that she is to keep her garments pure. Otherwise, she, along with her elder sister, Israel, Gog and Magog will, as one, face being cast into the vastly more fearful spiritual death in the Lake of Fire, the Great White Throne Judgement.

Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me [with the Him, her promised heritage]. 
Psa 23:5  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil [the holy spirit]; my cup runneth over.
Psa 23:6  Surely [the hope of the First Resurrection] goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Rev 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Rev 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Rev 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon G717.

We see that the names for that highly prominent and mysterious location of death, the Valley of Jehoshaphat, Jezeel, Meggido, and Armageddon, identify the same address.

Hence, and paradoxically to Babylonians, the Lord exalts his Bride for her judging herself within to die a much “lighter” ‘spiritual death’ from her lawlessness as opposed to physical Israel’s bloody death and literal exile to Babylon, symbolised by the Valley of Jehoshaphat.

Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden [believing in free will and delusionally encumbered with saving yourself], and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me [that Christ is our workmanship creating us by his power and might spiritually]; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls [because Christ is building his temple within us].
Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light [… indeed!]. 

In Babylon, Israel continues worshipping every false god more vigorously and unconsciously, imagining in her flesh that God, their enemy, wouldn’t utterly destroy her when belonging to a far more powerful nation than they had been in the Promised Land. What they couldn’t see in Joel 3:2 is that their coming ‘scattering among the nations’ would result from their lockstep with their real enemy, Babylon, and collectively building a great tower to beat any imagined future Noah-like flood, that more profoundly represented the entire Earth’s stubborn and petulant face against her Lord’s commandments.

Gen 11:1-9  And the whole earth [Represented by Babylon, the strongest nation representative of the entire Earth to this day!] was of one language, and of one speech [meaning, 200,000,000 lies (Rev 9:16) of their own ideologies all opposing God’s word].
Gen 11:2  And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar [H8152 country of two rivers. 1. the ancient name for the territory later known as Babylonia or Chaldea]; and they dwelt there.

In type, Israel’s physical exile and journey from her former estate in the Promised Land to Babylon, as were the sons of Noah from the “mountains of Arat” to Babylon, were from the West, and Israel even southwest of Babylon! For Israel to travel to Babylon from the East, as Gen 11:2 says, they would absurdly have come from the Indian Ocean and the mouth of the Euphrates River. Israel’s journey from the East is clearly a metaphor for her, in particular, and later, the entire world’s journey in Christ, their Sun who rises in the East with the healing of increasingly ‘burning’ righteousness in his wings into the spiritual heat of midday. Geographically and astronomically spiritually, it means that wherever we are on Earth in regards to its rotation from the West to the East, it gives the impression that the sun, meaning Christ and his Bride, rises from the East to herald the infinitely greater riches of the Heavenly Jerusalem (… don’t give up understanding that physical reality of the Earth’s rotation that gives the impression that it is the sun that revolves around the Earth). As such, and in regards to Israel still in Babylon, the figurative centre of the financial and Satan’s spiritual world, she, to the deluded world, has today risen again her tower of godship from the East to sit on the throne of God, effectively stating that she IS god! She is all prepared to enter the valley of death in Megeddo, Armageddon to be destroyed as God said would happen to anyone rebuilding old Babylon, particularly within.

(Mal 4:1  For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven [In the valley of Meggido/Armageddon]; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Mal 4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.)

Continuing…

Gen 11:3  And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
Gen 11:4  And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 
Gen 11:5  And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
Gen 11:6  And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language [of total opposition to His word]; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. (Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient)
Gen 11:7  Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.
Gen 11:8  So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city [… at the beginning of the soon coming of the One Thousand Year rule with the rod of iron]. 
Gen 11:9  Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. 

That action is the audacity of a harlot standing piously on her self-righteousness, stating that she will eat her own bread and wear her own apparel (Isa 4:1. Rev 18:7. Rev 19:18) while claiming salvation even as she feels safely ‘scattered’ in Babylonian Christianity throughout the world, serving multiple representations of “another Jesus” (2 Cor 11:4). Babylon’s rule is soon to close with the outward coming of Christ and resurrection of his faithful Bride.

These two verses studied are devoted to the Lord pleading today with the joints in his Bride! She, in the spirit today, the Lord’s day, symbolically and paradoxically literally standing in the Valley of Jehoshaphat among the dry bones of her predecessors, where her Lord is graphically presenting a historical visualisation of where she, too, will die a bloody death if she doesn’t repent from her ways.

Eze 37:1  The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
Eze 37:2  And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

The Bride is already clothed in her Lord’s white robes. Yet, within her remains a sub-remnant of unidentified tares containing schisms and rottenness to her bones (1 Cor 11:19). Our Lord has almost finished dragging those divisions out of her that collectively are called Sodom, Egypt, Tyre and Babylon, which all represent Old Jerusalem, the Great Whore, even as she, in pain, patiently laments, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.  – Rev 6:10-11.

Continuing next week in verse three of Joel Chapter three, we will, Lord willing, quietly listen intently to him as he continues to reflect upon the final dying days of our decreasing wretchedness in the glorious expectation of him winning our battle.