The Kingdom in Joel

By, Apostle John Eckhardt, www.impactnetwork.net

Character is often overlooked as a true sign of apostolic ministry. To order visit: www.johneckhardtministries.com

The prophecy of Joel fits predominately in the minds of the apostles in connection to the Kingdom. Joel is quoted by Peter in Acts 2 and Paul in Romans 10 in connection with SALVATION.

Joel 2:28-31 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.

In addition to the Holy Spirit being poured out, Joel prophesied BLOOD, FIRE, and PILLAR OF SMOKE in connection with the the coming Day of the LORD.

According to the prophets the Age of Messiah would be preceded by a time of great trouble, judgment, and national disaster. Joel was one of those prophets. Joel prophesied both salvation and judgment.

This tension between salvation and judgment must be understood in order to understand the kingdom. The judgment that came upon Israel, the temple, and the nations was NOT a sign that the kingdom was postponed, but a sign of its arrival, and was necessary to remove the old to usher in the new. Through it all a REMNANT would be SAVED. This was the salvation of Israel (the remnant, Rom.9:27), through judgment. In other words the judgment upon Israel would bring forth her salvation by the REMNANT calling on the LORD and being DELIVERED (SAVED)

Joel 2:32
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the REMNANT whom the LORD shall call.

This is quoted by Peter to scattered Israel on the day of Pentecost and has a first century application. Judgment was impending.

Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be
saved.

God would bring the nations (Roman armies) to Israel to plead for his people (those who called upon the name of the Lord). The enemies of his people would be judged in the valley of decision. Those who persecuted his church (both Rome and Israel) would be judged during this time of Tribulation. God would judge the heathen. Heathen is gowy

meaning a nation, people, usually of non-Hebrew people, of descendants of Abraham, of Israel, of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

Joel's prophecy is not referring to just Gentiles but the HEATHEN.

Acts 4:25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, why did the HEATHEN rage, and
the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both HEROD, and PONTIUS PILATE, with the GENTILES, and the people of ISRAEL, were gathered together,

The heathen were not only Gentiles but also Israel (see Psa.2, and Acts 4). They were those that had opposed Messiah and his people (the church)

Joel 3:12-16
Let the HEATHEN be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

The valley of JEHOSHAPHAT is the VALLEY OF MOURNING also known as MEGIDDO. It is the place of battles, and the place where Josiah died and Israel mourned. Israel would MOURN.

Zechariah 12:11
In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

Revelation 16:16
And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue ARMAGEDDON.

This is ARMAGEDDON, the place where God judged the HEATHEN, his enemies for their mistreatment of his New Covenant people, the church.

This is when God would dwell in Zion, and strangers would no longer pass through her. This is the Kingdom (Zion) the full establishment of the New Covenant people (Heb.12:22-23)

Joel 3:17-18
So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth out of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.

The result of this JUDGEMENT would be the FULL ESTABLISHMENT OF ZION, the KINGDOM. The result would be NEW WINE, MILK, and RIVERS of JUDAH (PRAISE), and a FOUNTAIN from the HOUSE of THE LORD.

JUDAH (PRAISE) would dwell forever and JERUSALEM (ZION) from GENERATION TO GENERATION.

Joel 3:20
But Judah shall dwell forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

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