July 18, 2019: Day 82 – Joel 3

We find ourselves at the end of Joel and a promise that the nation who had abused and taken Israel to battle will fall on the day of the Lord.  So I guess the day of the Lord is not so bad after all.  But actually, this is not the day of the Lord this all takes places after the day of the Lord.  Do you notice the anti-Isaiah 2:4 and the anti- Micah 4:3 which you find in vs. 10 and following?  While these verses mentioned talk about the time when the day of the Lord  will bring about peace, to the point where we will not learn war any longer.  Both of these verses describe a scene where swords are beaten into plowshares so that peace can truly infuse the land.

Well, not so much here in Joel.  Here we find the opposite taking place in vs. 10 where plowshares become swords and pruning shears become spears.  It  is not at all a time of peace, but rather a battle cry for people to take up arms.  As a result there is a promise that all of the old-time enemies of Israel will suffer.  So there is a prophesy against Egypt and also against Edom where they will become both desolate.  So ends Joel.