Joel 2

Joel 2

Chart from recommended resource Jensen's Survey of the OT - used by permission Joel Chart from Charles Swindoll John MacArthur's Introduction to Book of Joel Chuck Swindoll's Introduction to the Book of Joel John Phillips Outline Joel: Prophet Of The Plague Day of the Locust (Joel 1:1-14) Divine Displeasure Expressed (Joel 1:1-5) A Word for the Prophet (Joel 1:1) A Word for the People (Joel 1:2-5) Descendants (Joel 1:2-4) Drunkards (Joel 1:5) Divine Displeasure Expanded (Joel 1:6-14) Desecration (Joel 1:6-7) Desolation (Joel 1:8-12) Desperation (Joel 1:13-14) The Day of the Lord (Joel 1:15-3:21) Day of Assyria (Joel 1:15-2:32) A Day of Destruction (Joel 1:15-20) A Day of Darkness (Joel 2:1-10) A Day of Deliverance (Joel 2:11-32) A Call for Repentance (Joel 2:11-19) A Call for Rejoicing (Joel 2:20-27) A Call for Revival (Joel 2:28-32) Day of Antichrist (Joel 3:1-16) The Gathering of the Hebrew People (Joel 3:1) The Gathering of the Heathen Peoples (Joel 3:2-16) A Gathering of the Wicked (Joel 3:2-8) A Gathering of the Warmongers (Joel 3:9-13) A Gathering of the World (Joel 3:14-16) Day of Anticipation (Joel 3:17-21) (Exploring the Minor Prophets: An Expository Commentary) Joel 2:1 Blow a trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of the LORD is coming; Surely it is near, Blow : Joel 2:15 Nu 10:3,8 Jer 4:5 Ho 8:1 trumpet: 1Ch 15:28 Ho 5:8 sound an alarm: Nu 10:5-7,9 Eze 33:3,6 Am 3:6 Zep 1:16 on My holy mountain: Joe 3:17 Ps 87:1 Da 9:16,20 Zep 3:11 Zec 8:3 Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: Ezr 9:3,4 Ps 119:120 Isa 66:2,5 Jer 5:22 16:7,10 Da 6:26 Php 2:12 For the day of the LORD is coming; Surely it is near,: Joe 1:15 Isa 2:12 Eze 7:5-7,10,12 12:23 Am 8:2 Ob 1:15 Mal 4:1 1Th 5:2 Jas 5:8 1Pe 4:7 BLOW A TRUMPET IN ZION Before you read these notes on Joel 2 you must realize that this chapter is difficult to interpret and there is a range of opinions on what Joel's vivid descriptions represent, especially the descriptions in verses 2-10. That said, my approach to this chapter is first to read it in the plain, literal sense (and if you have not done so, you might do that before you read any further!) and in the context of chapter 1 which clearly describes a literal "day of the locusts." In chapter 2 Joel continues to describe the "day of the locust" but now he adds some descriptions that are very difficult (when read literally) to ascribe fully and definitively to a description of the locust plague. And notice that in this section Joel 2:1 begins by calling our attention to the Day of the LORD and he says it is "near." Now think about that statement for a moment. What do we know about the "day of the locusts?" Their "day" is not NEAR but HERE! Chapter 1 describes the effects that are seen in their "day." Their "day" is not future in Joel 1, but is present (or recent past). Now Joel begins chapter 2 with a "time sensitive" word "NEAR" which in English means "not far distant in time, space, degree, or circumstances." Therefore it is fair to conclude that as he begins chapter 2, Joel is beginning to shift his focus away from the "day of the locusts" and toward the imminent "Day of the LORD." In light of this thought, it is interesting that all of his descriptions of the locusts in Joel 2:2-10 while descriptive of a literal locust invasion can also be understood as shadows of a future invasion of the land, an invasion which is "NEAR." In short, the descriptions of the army of locusts can be applied as a foreshadowing of a future army of invading peoples. There are other reasons that lead to this conclusion which I discuss on individual verses (e.g., the time phrase in Joel 2:2-note, the "people" and the word "anguish" in Joel 2:6-note). In John MacArthur's introductions to the books of the Bible, he always has a section subtitled "Interpretative Challenges." As you might guess, he addresses the difficulties with Joel 2 and follows with helpful notes on the outline of the book... It is preferable to view chap. 1 as describing an actual invasion of locusts that devastated the Land. In chap. 2, a new level of description meets the interpreter. Here the prophet is projecting something beyond the locust plague of chap. 1, elevating the level of description to new heights, with increased intensity that is focused on the plague and the immediate necessity for true repentance. The prophet’s choice of similes, such as “like the appearance of horses” (Joel 2:4) and “like mighty men” (Joel 2:7), suggests that he is still using the actual locusts to illustrate an invasion which can only be the massive overtaking of the final Day of the Lord (see schematic below and Dr MacArthur's note on Day of the Lord). Outline - Following Joel 1:1, the contents of the book are arranged under 3 basic categories. In the first section (Joel 1:2–20) the prophet describes the contemporary Day of the Lord. The land is suffering massive devastation caused by a locust plague and drought. The details of the calamity (Joel 1:2–12) are followed by a summons to communal penitence and reformation (Joel 1:13–20). The second section (Joel 2:1–17) provides a transition from the historical plague of locusts described in Joel 1 to the eschatological Day of the Lord in Joel 2:18–3:21. Employing the contemporary infestation of locusts as a backdrop, the prophet, with an increased level of intensity, paints a vivid and forceful picture of the impending visitation of the Lord (Joel 2:1–11) and, with powerful and explicit terminology, tenaciously renews the appeal for repentance (Joel 2:12–17). In the third section (Joel 2:18–3:21), the Lord speaks directly, assuring His people of His presence among them (Joel 2:27; 3:17,21). This portion of the book assumes that the repentance solicited (Joel 2:12–17) had occurred and describes the Lord’s zealous response (Joel 2:18,19a) to their prayer. Joel 2:18–21 forms the transition in the message from lamentation and woe to divine assurances of God’s presence and the reversal of the calamities, with Joel 2:19b,20 introducing the essence and nature of that reversal. The Lord then gives 3 promises to assure the penitents of His presence: material restoration through the divine healing of their land (Joel 2:21–27), spiritual restoration through the divine outpouring of His Spirit (Joel 2:28–32), and national restoration through the divine judgment on the unrighteous (Joel 3:1–21). (Introduction to Book of Joel) (Bolding added) Charles Feinberg's interpretation of this controversial chapter Just as the prophet Joel in the first chapter of the prophecy turned the minds of his contemporaries, who were filled with the sense of calamity because of the ruin wrought by the locust plague, from the visitation of the moment to a far worse judgment from the Lord, so he does throughout the second chapter of the book. There are men who have taken the position that the chapter deals solely with the locust plague; others maintain just as firmly that the passage is entirely future. Both views are extreme. As a matter of fact, Joel starts with the situation then existing in the land after the havoc of the locust plague and then goes on to picture the dreadful Day of Jehovah yet future, but imminent. (The Minor Prophets) NET Note summarizes four of the interpretations that have been offered for Joel 2 (1) Some commentators understand this section to be describing a human invasion of Judah on the part of an ancient army. The exact identity of this army (e.g., Assyrian or Babylonian) varies among interpreters depending upon issues of dating for the book of Joel. (2) Some commentators take the section to describe an eschatological scene in which the army according to some is human, or according to others is nonhuman (i.e., angelic). (3) Some interpreters argue for taking the section to refer to the potential advent in the fall season of a severe east wind (i.e., Sirocco) that would further exacerbate the conditions of the land described in chapter one. (4) Finally, some interpreters understand the section to continue the discussion of locust invasion and drought described in chapter one, partly on the basis that there is no clear exegetical evidence in Joel 2:1–11 to suggest a shift of referent from that of chapter one. (Net Notes Joel 2) POSB comments that "Studying this passage, the reader should keep the following fact in mind: the locust invasion of Judah was only a foreshadowing of God’s terrible judgment against sin that would come through various armies down through the ages: the Assyrian army, the Babylonian army, the Roman army, the Armageddon army—the nations in the end times who will oppose the Lord and His people. The subject of the present Scripture is, The Coming Day of the Lord: A Warning to Escape the Coming Judgment, Joel 2:1-27. (The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum) Duane Garrett favors Joel 2 describing a human invasion but links it in with a locust plague description writing that Joel 1 consistently looks to the recent past, but 2:1–11 consistently looks to the future (Many scholars have pointed out the preponderance of perfect forms in chap. 1 in contrast to the shift to the imperfect in chap. 2). Attempts to account for this shift from the viewpoint of a “locust plague” interpretation of Joel 2:1–11 are unsuccessful. J. L. Crenshaw, for example, contends that chap. 1 describes a recent locust attack but that Joel 2:1–11 is a liturgical lament for such disasters in the future (Crenshaw correctly asserts: “That the two accounts cannot refer to a single locust attack is obvious from the tenses of the verbs, completed action in chapter one and future events in chapter two.”). It is scarcely reasonable, however, to imagine that Israel had in its liturgical arsenal some kind of “lamentation for future locust plagues.” Both grammar and content demand that a significant shift has taken place: the prophet is looking ahead now, and he sees a human army on the horizon. This does not mean that the figure of the locust plague has been abandoned entirely in chap. 2. To the contrary, Joel used locust imagery to shape the picture of the invading army. Looking upon the locust swarm, he saw with prophetic insight not just locusts but a mass of human soldiers bearing down on his city, and he described this future army in locust-like terms. It would indeed be strange if Joel, prophesying immediately after a locust plague, had described the human army without allowing the locust analogue to influence his language. Both are armies of the Lord. (New American Commentary - Volume 19A - Hosea-Joel) (Bolding added for emphasis) David Hubbard comments The description of the plague continues but with a dramatic change: in vivid poetic imagery the prophet compares the locusts to an invading army. This attack is so awful in its scope that it must in some way be connected with the Day of the Lord (Joel 2:1, 11), already announced (Joel 1:15). The locust army is the van, and the full revelation of God’s wrath will follow in its train. The locusts are real, not images. But the reality itself is so overwhelming as to carry overtones of an even larger reality—God’s exercise of universal judgment. At this juncture in the text, commentators have a major choice to make. They can read Joel 2:1–11 as an account of a military invasion of which the locusts in Joel 1, are precursors (cf. Wolff, pp. 41–43) or they can read it as a more dramatic, semi-apocalyptical account of the locust invasion which itself is a harbinger of the Day (cf. Allen, pp. 64–65). The approach in the present Commentary is to follow the latter course. A third option would be to read the entire work as a cluster of figurative descriptions of military incursion; to do so, however, seems to find a fantastic visionary cast in the work for which the author has not given us adequate preparation....The whole scene turns military and more than military as its cosmic implications begin to be grasped at Joel 2:10–11.(Tyndale OT Commentary) (Bolding Added) Lloyd Ogilvie - Joel uses images from the locust plague, certainly connecting with his audience’s situation, to communicate the much greater danger of the approaching day of the Lord. Here is more than an army of hungry locusts or the army of another monarch bent on conquest. Note that the descriptions of the invading army (Joel 2:4–7) use simile and metaphor repeatedly as if to say that this army bears some resemblance to armies that the people would recognize, but that it is really outside the realm of the people’s experience. The final phrases of verse 2 underscore the uniqueness of the event—there is nothing like this army in the past nor will it be found in the future (“even for many successive generations” is a fairly mild translation; the RSV “through the years of all generations” catches the implication better). This is an even stronger statement of uniqueness than the one found in Joel 1:2, which introduces the extraordinarily severe locust plague. Moreover, the descriptive language of chapter 1 never moved beyond the level of the agricultural disaster that cut off the food supply of man and beast alike. Yet the coming of the day of the Lord described in chapter 2 results in a cosmic upheaval described in 2:10. This is more than the effect of locusts or even a powerful human army. (The Preacher's Commentary - Joel) David Levy - Like the keen-eyed Ezekiel, Joel was a watchman over the nation of Judah. The word of warning burned within him as a Jeremiah ready to come forth in prophetic proclamation concerning God’s wrath. Feeling the winds of judgment on the horizon, in pungent prophetic tones Joel steps up his impassioned plea: “Blow the trumpet in Zion” (v. 1). (Friends of Israel) Blowing a trumpet warned of enemy invasions (Hos. 8:1; Jer. 4:5; 6:1) and other calamities (e.g. Amos 3:6), including the Day of the LORD (Zeph. 1:16). L. C. Allen has aptly commented that the blast of the horn from the tower was “the ancient equivalent of the modern air raid siren.” Play youtube video with pictures and sound of shofar being blown - it has striking sound that grabs your attention! Blow a trumpet in Zion - See discussion of Zion below. Why blow a trumpet? The ringing sound of a shofar was an unmistakable sound in the land giving a clear signal of some dramatic event, in this case the fact that the Day of the LORD was near and was coming, a prediction Joel gave in Joel 1:15-note "Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, And it will come as destruction from the Almighty." As horrible as the visitation of the locusts was, their destruction was a clear harbinger of what was in store for Israel in this future dread Day of the LORD. Can you picture the sentry on the fortress walls enclosing Mount Zion, God's holy city Jerusalem? The watchman's task was only one thing - remain alert, continually scanning the horizon for dust or noise of horses' hoofs or other evidence of an approaching enemy force. And if anything was seen, his job was to sound the alarm loud and clear, so that the familiar sound of the shofar was heard by everyone in the city. Joel is that "watchman on the wall" much as his fellow prophet Ezekiel to whom Jehovah said ""Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me." (Ezekiel 3:17) Later in Ezekiel, the Lord says And the word of the LORD came to me (EZEKIEL), saying, 2 “Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows on the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, (LIKE 2/3'S OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL IN THIS FUTURE TIME [Time of Jacob's Distress - Jer 30:7 = a time of distress - Da 12:1 = Great Tribulation - Mt 24:15-note ] WHO WILL HEAR BUT NOT HEED - see Zechariah 13:8-9-note) and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. 5 ‘He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning; his blood will be on himself. But had he taken warning, he would have delivered his life (AS WILL 1/3 OF ISRAEL WHO WILL LOOK WITH EYES OF FAITH TO MESSIAH WHOM THEY PIERCED AND BE CLEANSED OF THEIR SIN AND IMPURITY - Zechariah 12:10ff-note and Zechariah 13:1-note) . 6 ‘But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.’ 7 “Now as for you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a message from My mouth and give them warning from Me. (Ezek 33:1-7) So Joel as Jehovah's faithful watchman blows the trumpet and sounds the alarm in his prophecy! While this warning is for everyone, it is especially directed to the rebellious nation of Israel in the Last Days! I have visited Israel and tried to share the Gospel from the Old Testament with Jews I met on the streets of Jerusalem but with virtually no success (still seeds were sown) in part because many with whom I dialogued were essentially Biblically illiterate and instead of the "-ism" of Judaism had substituted the false "-ism" of secularism! But in the last days the Spirit of God will give one-third of the nation spiritual eyes to read and spiritual ears to hear and spiritual hearts to heed the words of warning from their prophet Joel! (cf Zech 12:10ff-note; Zech 13:8-9-note) They will heart the shofar blow and heed the sounding of the alarm! In Zion - Why Zion? Where is Zion? While Zion can have a number of nuances in Scripture (see discussion of Zion below) clearly Joel is referring to the general region of the Holy City of Jerusalem, to Mount Zion, to Temple Mount and the rebuilt Jewish Temple (cf Rev 11:1-2-note). Why? Because this will be the site from which the Antichrist launches his holy war, his Satanically inspired vendetta against the nation of Israel (cf Rev 12:6-note NB: 1260 DAYS, Rev 12:12-17-note NB: "TIME, TIMES, HALF A TIME." NOTE THAT THE "WOMAN" = ISRAEL, Rev 13:1-5-note - NB: "42 MONTHS"), seeking once and for all complete annihilation of the Chosen People, a holocaust that will be far greater than the horrible Nazi Holocaust (Zech 13:8-9-note)! For more detail of this horrible future day in Zion, see the notes below on Matthew 24:15-22. Trumpet (07782)(shophar/shopar/sopar) is masculine noun referring to a trumpet or a ram's horn and is made out of a curved ram's horn. At Mt Sinai the trumpet was the signal that Israel could approach the awesome site (Ex 19:16; 19; 20:18). It was used to signal the year of Jubilee (Lev 25:9). Seven trumpets were to be carried before the Ark of the Covenant as the priests and blown on the seventh day after marching around the city seven times (Josh 6:4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 16, 20). The trumpet was used by Gideon and his men to route the enemy (Jdg 7:8, 16, 18-20, 22). In short, these first three uses of the shophar were all associated with miraculous events! The shophar was sounded to announce a new king in Israel (1 Ki. 1:34, 39, 41; 2 Ki. 9:13). The trumpet was sounded at the celebration of God as King over all the earth (Ps. 47:5). The trumpet sound was used to warn of approaching danger (Hos. 5:8; 8:1), and here in Joel, to warn of the dread Day of the Lord (Joel 2:1, 15). Austel notes that "The general word for the horn of an animal is qeren. This is used only once as a reference to a musical instrument. The word yôbēl means basically "ram" (so also in Phoenician and Arabic), but in the Old Testament it is used as an instrument and then as a name of the year whose beginning it signalled, the Jubilee (Year). The word yôbēl is seemingly interchangeable with shôpār (cf., for example, Exodus 19:13, 16; Joshua 6:4-5). Another word for "trumpet" is ḥăṣōṣrâ. This latter is a straight tube, often metallic." (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament) Ringgren writes that "The šôp̱ār was made of a ram’s horn (cf. qeren yôḇēl, Josh. 6:5), which in cultic use could neither be decorated nor altered with a metal mouthpiece. The horn was generally curved, though the Talmud also mentions straight horns. The horn functioned above all as a means of signaling. Guards used it to warn the people of advancing enemies (Neh. 4:18, 20; Isa. 18:3; Hos. 8:1; Am. 3:6; cf. Jer. 4:5, 19, 21; 6:1; Hos. 5:8; figuratively applied to the prophets as sentinels in Jer. 6:17; Ezk. 33:3-6). The horn was also used to assemble the army for battle (Jdg. 3:27; 6:34; cf. 2 Sa 20:1), to announce the beginning of battle, especially in a holy war (Jdg. 7:8, 16, 20; cf. Jer. 51:27), though also during the battle to signal, for example, the end of the battle (2 Sa 2:28; 18:16; 20:22), announce victory (1 Sa 13:3), or to fulfill an otherwise unidentified function (Job 39:24-25; Jer. 42:14; Am. 2:2). The account of the conquest of Jericho occupies special status in that here the sounding of horns clearly exhibits cultic features (Josh. 6:4, 6, 8, 9, 13, 16, 20). 2. Cult. The sounding of horns also announces the accession of a new king (2 S. 15:10, Absalom; 1 K. 1:34, 39, 41, Solomon; 2 K. 9:13, Jehu). Although Yahweh’s epiphany at Sinai is also accompanied by the sounding of horns (Ex. 19:16, 19; 20:18), this account probably reflects a later cultic celebration. The sounding of the šôp̱ār does, however, appear in various other purely cultic contexts. The commencement of the Year of Jubilee is announced by the sounding of horns (šôp̱ār tᵉrûʿâ, Lev. 25:9). According to Ps. 81:4(3), the day of the new moon is similarly celebrated with the sounding of the šôp̱ār, and the same verse mentions the day of the full moon (kēseh) and “our festal day” (ḥag̱). Several expressions for shouts of joy, singing, and music appear in the context as well. The sounding of horns announces a general fast (Joel 2:15; perhaps Isa. 58:1). When David brings the ark up to Jerusalem, he does so amid the sounding of horns and shouts of joy (tᵉrûʿâ, 2 S. 6:15). The parallel account in 1 Ch. 15:28 mentions other musical instruments as well. Ps. 47:6(5) probably also refers to a procession with the ark: “God has gone up (ʿālâ) with a shout (tᵉrûʿâ), Yahweh with the sound of a horn [NRSV ‘trumpet’; qôl šôp̱ār].” Since vv. 7-9(6-8) refer to Yahweh as king, this rejoicing is that which is appropriate for a king. The same applies to the royal psalm of Yahweh, Ps. 98, where v. 6 encourages the people “with trumpets (ḥᵃṣōṣᵉrôṯ) and the sound of the horn make[s] a joyful noise (rwʿ hiphil) before the king, Yahweh.” Ps. 150:3 mentions the šôp̱ār along with other instruments as part of the musical accompaniment of praise. According to 2 Ch. 15:14, the music of horns and trumpets accompanies an oath ceremony. The “sounding of the horn” of the day of Yahweh combines motifs from the announcements of war with those of epiphanies (so Joel 2:1; Zeph. 1:16; cf. also Isa. 18:3; 27:13; Zech. 9:14). (Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament: Volume 14, Revised) Shophar - 71x in 63v - horn(4), horns(1), ram's horn(1), trumpet(46), trumpeter*(1), trumpets(19). Exod. 19:16; Exod. 19:19; Exod. 20:18; Lev. 25:9; Jos. 6:4; Jos. 6:5; Jos. 6:6; Jos. 6:8; Jos. 6:9; Jos. 6:13; Jos. 6:16; Jos. 6:20; Jdg. 3:27; Jdg. 6:34; Jdg. 7:8; Jdg. 7:16; Jdg. 7:18; Jdg. 7:19; Jdg. 7:20; Jdg. 7:22; 1 Sam. 13:3; 2 Sam. 2:28; 2 Sam. 6:15; 2 Sam. 15:10; 2 Sam. 18:16; 2 Sam. 20:1; 2 Sam. 20:22; 1 Ki. 1:34; 1 Ki. 1:39; 1 Ki. 1:41; 2 Ki. 9:13; 1 Chr. 15:28; 2 Chr. 15:14; Neh. 4:18; Neh. 4:20; Job 39:24; Job 39:25; Ps. 47:5; Ps. 81:3; Ps. 98:6; Ps. 150:3; Isa. 18:3; Isa. 27:13; Isa. 58:1; Jer. 4:5; Jer. 4:19; Jer. 4:21; Jer. 6:1; Jer. 6:17; Jer. 42:14; Jer. 51:27; Ezek. 33:3; Ezek. 33:4; Ezek. 33:5; Ezek. 33:6; Hos. 5:8; Hos. 8:1; Joel 2:1; Joel 2:15; Amos 2:2; Amos 3:6; Zeph. 1:16; Zech. 9:14 Here is an old song but it is too jubilant for the eschatological event it describes! Blow the Trumpet in Zion (a different version) And sound an alarm- So fierce will be this DAY that one warning (shofar sounding a war cry!) is not sufficient. This is a warning the wise dare not miss hearing and heeding! Why the strong, repetitive warnings? Because there will ensue serious times. While one cannot be dogmatic that the shofar and alarm will be sounded in the beginning of the Great Tribulation, Jesus clearly sounded a "shofar" blast in His Sermon on the Mount... Matthew 24:15 (see in depth commentary) “Therefore when (NOT "IF" BUT "WHEN" - THIS EVEN WILL OCCUR!) you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (WHERE? "ON MY HOLY MOUNTAIN"! ON MOUNT ZION. ON TEMPLE MOUNT. ON THE SITE OF THE REBUILT TEMPLE. ANTICHRIST IN THE HOLY PLACE CLEARLY DESCRIBED BY PAUL = 2 Th 2:3-5-commentary) (let the reader understand = [WHICH IMPLIES THIS IS CLEARLY UNDERSTANDABLE TO THOSE WHO HEAR JESUS' PLAIN WORDS AS LITERAL TRUTH!!!]) (WHERE DID DANIEL SPEAK? Da 9:27-commentary - "he [ANTICHRIST] will make a firm covenant with the many for one week (SEVEN YEARS - SEE Daniel's Seventieth Week), but in the middle of the week (MIDDLE OF THE SEVEN AT 3.5 YEARS - compare synonymous time phrases = 1260 days, 42 months, "time, times, and half a time") he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”), 16 then (TIME PHRASE MARKING SEQUENCE IN A SERIES OF EVENTS!) those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains (NOT "SHOULD" OR "MIGHT CONSIDER" BUT MUST!!! JESUS IS SOUNDING AN ALARM ON HIS HOLY MOUNTAIN!). 17 “Whoever is on the housetop must (OBLIGATORY!) not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18 “Whoever is in the field must (OBLIGATORY!) not turn back to get his cloak. 19 “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 “But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21 (see commentary) “For then (WHEN? THIS IS THE CRITICAL QUESTION!!! IN CONTEXT JESUS IS CRYSTAL CLEAR = WHEN YOU SEE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION...STANDING IN THE HOLY PLACE) there will be a GREAT TRIBULATION, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22 “Unless those days (WHAT DAYS? THE DAYS OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION - 1260 days, 42 months, "time, times, and half a time") had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.(Mt 24:15-22-note) Sound an alarm (07321)(rua) verb meaning to raise a noise, shout, shout, raise a sound, cry out, to sound a blast. Rua was utilized primarily to convey the action of shouting or the making of a loud noise. One could "raise a noise" either by shouting or with a horn (Nu 10:7, or the shofar - Josh 6:5). Shouting often took place just before a people or army rushed into battle against opposition (JUST LIKE THOSE SCENES IN "BRAVEHEART!"). At other times the war cry became the signal used to commence engagement with the enemy (Josh. 6:10, 16, 20; Jdg. 15:14; 1 Sa. 4:5; 17:20; 2 Chr. 13:15). At other times rua represented a shout of joy, often in response to the Lord's delivering activity His people (Job 38:7; Ps. 47:1; 95:1, 2; Isa. 44:23; Zeph. 3:14). Rua was used in rituals of the Israelite tabernacle (1 Samuel 4:5) to describe the exaltation of the people of Israel when the ark of the covenant was brought to the camp. Rua is also used for cries of complaint and distress (Isaiah 15:4). But the most common usage of rua is in signals for war (Nu 10:7) and war cries (Josh 6:10). In the Messianic prophecy in Zechariah 9:9 we read "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph (HAD THEY RECOGNIZED HIM THIS WOULD HAVE INDEED BEEN SINCERE, TRIUMPHAL SHOUTING), O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey." Rua is used in the context of praise of God by the whole earth (Isaiah 44:23). In several other instances, the shout expressed triumph and victory over a foe (Ps. 41:11; 60:8; 108:9); and occasionally mourning (Isa 15:4; Mic. 4:9). A few times, the term denotes the "shout" (blast) of a trumpet, usually as a signal to begin battle (Nu 10:9; 2 Chr. 13:12; cf. Hos 5:8) Numbers 10:7 is an interesting verse stating that "“When convening the assembly, however, you shall blow without sounding an alarm." Clearly the shofar could be blown in ways that were not as alarming as other ways. Wenham says "“If we follow Jewish tradition, long blasts were used to assemble the people to Moses, to the tent of meeting and for worship. Short staccato blasts were used in battle and to order the camps to move off.” Nu 10:8 goes on to say “The priestly sons of Aaron, moreover, shall blow the trumpets; and this shall be for you a perpetual statute throughout your generations." The blowing of the horns was to be a perpetual ordinance in Israel, calling the people to worship or to war. On the other hand Nu 10:9 says "“When you go to war in your land against the adversary who attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and be saved from your enemies." In other words the Israelites would be spared because God remembered them. Apparently the sound of an alarm would be a signal to the people reminding them to seek God's help for deliverance. In response, He would remember them Gilbrant - Rûaʿ is used frequently with reference to military activity, to give the call to battle or sound an alarm. Trumpets were to be sounded, enlisting the Lord's help prior to battle (Nu 10:9). About to suffer defeat against its northern neighbor, Samaria, Judah blew the trumpets (2 Chr. 13:12). Judah's people cried (v. 15) unto the Lord, and He granted victory at the appearance of the invaders (Joel 2:1). Sometimes trumpets were sounded as a signal for the people to gather (Num. 10:7). At Joshua's command, the people were to shout, setting the stage for the attack on Jericho (Josh. 6:10, 16). In each case, rûaʿ appears twice, the imperfect followed by an imperative form of the verb. David arrived just as the Israelites were moving into position against the Philistines, shouting the war cry (1 Sam. 17:20). At the sight of the sacred Ark, the men shouted with a great shout (1 Sam. 4:5). Rûaʿ occurs most often in the arena of Israel's religion and worship. The Hebrew language almost always employs the Hiphil imperative (masculine plural) in these instances: "shout to God" (Ps. 47:1), "make a joyful noise to God" (Ps. 66:1), and "shout aloud to the God of Jacob" (Ps. 81:1, NIV). Along with these are Pss. 98:4, 6; 100:1; Isa. 44:23; Zeph. 3:14; and Zech. 9:9. At the creation of the earth, the angels "shouted for joy" (Job 38:7). In some cases, rûaʿ means "to triumph." It may be stated with either a negative ("my enemy does not triumph," Ps. 41:11) or positive construction ("over Philistia will I triumph," Ps. 108:9). The cry is not always joyous: "Cry aloud at Beth-Aven" (Hos. 5:8); "Why do you cry out aloud?" (Mic. 4:9). Because of Judah's sins, captivity in Babylon was imminent. (Complete Biblical Library Hebrew-English Dictionary) Rua - in 40v - battle cry(1), cry(1), cry aloud(1), crying(1), jubilant shouting(1), raise your battle cry(1), raised a war cry(1), raised the war cry(1), shout(9), shout for joy(1), shout in triumph(1), shout aloud(1), shout joyfully(8), shout loud(1), shouted(8), shouted for joy(1), shouting the cry(1), sound an alarm(3), sound the alarm(1), sounding an alarm(1), utter a shout(1). Num. 10:7; Num. 10:9; Jos. 6:5; Jos. 6:10; Jos. 6:16; Jos. 6:20; Jdg. 7:21; Jdg. 15:14; 1 Sam. 4:5; 1 Sam. 10:24; 1 Sam. 17:20; 1 Sam. 17:52; 2 Chr. 13:12; 2 Chr. 13:15; Ezr. 3:11; Ezr. 3:13; Job 30:5; Job 38:7; Ps. 41:11; Ps. 47:1; Ps. 60:8; Ps. 65:13; Ps. 66:1; Ps. 81:1; Ps. 95:1; Ps. 95:2; Ps. 98:4; Ps. 98:6; Ps. 100:1; Ps. 108:9; Isa. 15:4; Isa. 16:10; Isa. 42:13; Isa. 44:23; Jer. 50:15; Hos. 5:8; Joel 2:1; Mic. 4:9; Zeph. 3:14; Zech. 9:9 GOD'S HOLY MOUNTAIN: MT ZION, TEMPLE MOUNT, MT MORIAH On My holy mountain - First note that although the Jews, Christians and Muslims each lay claim to this mountain, none of them own it! It belongs to God Alone and so here God lays claim with the possessive phrase My holy mountain, but to which mountain does He refer? There are three answers to this question for all are the essentially the same mountain/region - First note that Zion is often called "Mount Zion" (21x - 2 Ki. 19:31; Ps. 48:2,11; 74:2; 78:68; 125:1; Isa. 4:5; 8:18; 10:12; 18:7; 24:23; 29:8; 31:4; 37:32; Lam. 5:18; Joel 2:32; Obad. 1:17,21; Mic. 4:7; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 14:1). Where is Mount Zion? Today most scholars would say this is the area of "Temple Mount" the site of the Muslim's second holiest shrine, the Dome of the Rock. But it also is the site of another famous mountain from Mount Moriah. So God's holy mountain is Mount Zion, Mount Moriah and Temple Mount. It is also notable that Calvary is also in this same mountain ridge! (See allusions to Mount Moriah in study of God's Name - Jehovah-Jireh) Gotquestions has an excellent summary description of Mount Moriah... Mount Moriah’s history begins in Genesis. In the twenty-second chapter, God commands Abraham, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you” (Genesis 22:2). The place God led Abraham was Mount Moriah. Abraham didn’t fully understand what God was asking him to do in light of God’s previous promise to establish an everlasting covenant with Isaac (Genesis 17:19); nonetheless, he trusted God and by faith offered Isaac as a sacrifice. Of course, God intervened and spared Isaac’s life by providing a ram instead. Abraham thereafter called this place “The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided’” (Genesis 22:14). Because of Abraham’s obedience on Mount Moriah, God told Abraham that his “descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed because you have obeyed me” (vv. 17, 18). About a thousand years later at this very location, King David bought the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite and built an altar to the Lord so that a “plague may be held back from the people” (2 Samuel 24:18, 21). After David’s death, his son King Solomon built a glorious temple on the same site. Solomon’s temple lasted for over four hundred years until it was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar’s armies in 587/586 B.C. Seventy years later the temple was rebuilt on the same site by the Jews who returned to Jerusalem following their Babylon captivity. Around the first century, King Herod made a significant addition to this structure, which then became known as Herod’s Temple. It was this temple that Jesus cleansed (John 2:15). However, in A.D. 70, the Roman armies led by Titus, son of the Emperor Vespasian, once again destroyed the temple. All that remains of the Temple Mount of that era is a portion of a retaining wall known as the “Western Wall” or the “Wailing Wall.” It has been a destination for pilgrims and a site of prayer for Jews for many centuries. The God who first called Abraham to Mount Moriah still has plans for that place. The Bible indicates that a third temple will be built on or near the site of Solomon’s temple (Daniel 9:27). This would seem to present a problem given the political obstacles that stand in the way: the religious activities on the Temple Mount are currently controlled by the Supreme Muslim Council (the Waqf). Yet nothing can put a wrinkle in God’s sovereign plans. Thus, Muslim control of this area simply fulfills the prophecy of Luke 21:24 that “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Gotquestions.org) Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble - This is an exhortation to the inhabitants (the Lxx actually has it as a command). The coming day of the Lord's holy anger should stir any sane heart with an emotion of fear. Yes, they are to tremble, but not let their trembling and fear keep them from exiting Jerusalem as quickly as is humanly possible! (cf Mt 24:16-20-note) Joel 2:2 also explains why the Israelites will tremble - "A day of darkness and gloom" - This would make most of us tremble! The prophet Amos associates the blowing of the trumpet with trembling asking If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble (ragaz)? If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it? (Amos 3:6, cf ragaz in Amos 8:8 = "land quake") Tremble (0764)(ragaz) is a verb with the primary meaning to quake or shake, from which derive such ideas as shaking in anger, fear, or anticipation. Thus ragaz can mean to agitate or be agitated, quiver, quake, be excited, to provoke or perturb, to tremble, to disturb, to rouse up, to rage. Most usages of rāgaz express agitation growing out of some deeply rooted emotion. It most often expresses the idea of the physical moving or shaking of someone or something -- lands (1 Sa 14:15; Amos 8:8); mountains (Ps. 18:7; Isa. 5:25); heavens (2 Sa 22:8); kingdoms (Isa 23:11); whole earth (Joel 2:10). Often the shaking is the result of the Lord's anger. Ragaz may describe God's trembling or raging in anger (Isaiah 28:21). Ragaz expresses the trembling of the world's inhabitants before God's appearance in judgment (Isa 64:2; Joel 2:1). People tremble at God's great works, both the destructive works (Dt. 2:25) and the beneficial ones (Jer 33:9). Trembling may be a reaction misfortune (Isa 32:10-11), bad news (2 Sa 18:33), some profoundly stirring revelation (Hab 3:16), or the prospect of God's rule (Ps 99:1). Often people shake, being stirred by deep emotions in response to specific circumstances such as fear (Ex. 15:14; Dt. 2:25; Isa. 64:2; Joel 2:1; Mic 7:17), anger (Pr 29:9; Ezek. 16:43); even grief (2 Sa 18:33). God promised that Israel would not be disturbed from the Promised Land (2 Sa 7:10; 1 Chr. 17:9). David was disturbed at the death of his son (2 Sa 18:33). Ragaz can occasionally signify disturbing or rousing up of someone (1 Sa 28:15; 1 Chr. 17:9). Finally ragaz can convey the act of rebellingagainst another, literally, to shake oneself against someone (cf. 2 Ki. 19:27, 28; Isa. 37:28, 29). Ragaz - 41x in 40v - come trembling(1), deeply moved(1), disturbed(2), enraged(1), excited(1), moved(1), provoke(1), quake(1), quaked(2), quakes(2), quarrel(1), rages(1), raging(4), shakes(1), stirred(1), tremble(11), trembled(3), trembling(3), troubled(2), turmoil(1). Ge 45:24; Exod. 15:14; Deut. 2:25; 1 Sam. 14:15; 1 Sam. 28:15; 2 Sam. 7:10; 2 Sam. 18:33; 2 Sam. 22:8; 2 Ki. 19:27; 2 Ki. 19:28; 1 Chr. 17:9; Job 9:6; Job 12:6; Ps. 4:4; Ps. 18:7; Ps. 77:16; Ps. 77:18; Ps. 99:1; Prov. 29:9; Prov. 30:21; Isa. 5:25; Isa. 13:13; Isa. 14:9; Isa. 14:16; Isa. 23:11; Isa. 28:21; Isa. 32:10; Isa. 32:11; Isa. 37:28; Isa. 37:29; Isa. 64:2; Jer. 33:9; Jer. 50:34; Ezek. 16:43; Joel 2:1; Joel 2:10; Amos 8:8; Mic. 7:17; Hab. 3:7; Hab. 3:16 THE DAY OF THE LORD IS COMING AND IS NEAR For - term of explanation. Explaining the reason for the alarm. Like an air raid siren, with the blowing of the shofar comes the warning, “for the day of the Lord is coming. Surely it is near." It is worth noting that according to one source the Hebrew word "is coming" more literally reads "has come." In other words although the judgment is still future, it is so certain to come to pass that God sees it as having already taken place. Notice that in Joel 2, the two uses of the phrase the Day of the LORD is like a set of "Scriptural bookends" of this first section of the chapter 2 which goes from Joel 2:1 to Joel 2:11. This fact is another reason that Joel 2:1-11 is best interpreted not only as a description of the "day of the locusts" but as an apt illustration of the "Day of the LORD." Joel is reasoning from the lesser past destruction (from the locusts) to the greater future destruction (from the LORD). He is using the horrible things that his readers have seen and/or heard about (the locusts) to warn them of the most horrible event in world history, the destruction and devastation of the Day of the LORD. Joel is doing this not simply for dramatic effect, but for its spiritual impact which hopefully will serve to stimulate the people's hearts to the repentance he describes in the following section beginning in Joel 2:12. POSB comments that the Day of the Lord "is one that must be learned and understood by the entire human race. The Day of the Lord refers to the terrifying judgment of God that will fall upon all the wicked of the universe—both nations and individuals. But we must always remember that the Day of the Lord also refers to the great deliverance of God’s people from their enemies and from all the corruption of this world. Dramatically, the prophet Joel shifted the thrust of his message away from the locust invasion. He began to warn of the invasion by the powerful northern army that would soon sweep down upon the tiny nation of Judah. (The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum) The day of the LORD is coming - Coming is the Hebrew verb bo (0935) and in the Septuagint is translated with pareimi which means to be present and here in the present tense could be paraphrased "is continually present!" Surely it is near - or is "at hand" or is imminent. The etymology of the English word imminent is gives us an incredible sense of the idea Joel is attempting to convey, for our English word is from the Latin word imminens in turn from imminere a verb which means to hang or project over. The picture of this imminent Day of the LORD is that it is "hanging over" the heads of the reader, that it is impending. Joel wants to make absolutely sure his readers do not miss this point so three times, once in each chapter, he says "the day of the LORD is NEAR!" (Joel 1:15-note, Joel 2:1, Joel 3:14-note). See also previous comments on multiple resources on the Day of the LORD under Joel 1:15 commentary. Video on the Day of the LORD by Ray Bentley - At Epicenter Conference with Joel Rosenberg The Day of the LORD is mentioned five times in this short book: Joel 1:15-note Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, And it will come as destruction from the Almighty. Joel 2:1 Blow a trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of the LORD is coming; Surely it is near, Joel 2:11-note The LORD utters His voice before His army; Surely His camp is very great, For strong is he who carries out His word. The day of the LORD is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it? Joel 2:31-note “The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. Joel 3:14-note Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. It is worth noting that each time the phrase the day of the LORD is near is used, it refers to sudden and terrifying judgment (cf. Joel 1:15; 3:14; Isaiah 13:6; Ezekiel 30:3; Zephaniah 1:7, 14). Near (07138) see discussion of the use of qarob in Joel 1:15. Clearly the three uses of qarob by Joel (Joel 1:15, Joel 2:1, Joel 3:14) are all in the context of the Day of the LORD and signify that it is "at hand" or imminent. Chuck Swindoll - God’s judgment is a waiting, wise judgment. It is never at the mercy of an irrational temper, impulsiveness, or misinformation. It always responds at exactly the right time and in exactly the right measure. And when His people repent, God’s judgment steps aside to let His mercy and grace flow! Joel 2.1 The Day of the Lord cometh; for it is nigh at hand.— In these words we have the same fundamental idea, but stated with a variation in method. Having interpreted the locust plague, by declaring that the Day of Jehovah was at hand, the prophet now said: "The Day of Jehovah cometh, for it is nigh at hand." In that sentence the word "for" has the force of "because." The truth emphasized now was not so much that of the actuality of the Divine government, as that of its continuity. Joel declared that the Day of Jehovah was not over. There were still other experiences before them of the Divine judgment. Under the figure of the locust plague, he described the imminent invasion of a foe which would bring far more terrible desolations to the people. Therefore again he called the nation to repentance, and declared the way by which they might change the very character of the Divine government into that of mercy, and healing,. and restoration. Here again is a matter for our careful attention. The Day of Jehovah is not only present; it is always coming. When some great activity of God has ended, His government has not ceased. He proceeds upon His way without intermission. If by one manifestation of His power and majesty, men do not learn the lessons He would teach, then they have not escaped from Him. By yet other means, more terrible than those already experienced, He will make Himself known. This is the story of humanity; and so it will continue until "the great and terrible Day of Jehovah come," the day of the final putting forth of His judgment of evil in order to the establishment of His Kingdom upon earth according to the grace of His heart.- G Campbell Morgan EXCURSUS ON THE MEANING OF ZION NORTH WEST EAST Ancient City of David (Replica) See the pictures (above and below) to help you visualize Zion and Mount Zion and its relationship to the three major valleys. Notice that at the top of the picture is Mount Moriah, which is today known as Temple Mount (see picture and discussion). With the building of Solomon's Temple, Mount Moriah became known as Mount Zion. The Kidron Valley is on the East and the Central Valley (aka, Tyropean valley) is on the West as shown to better advantage in the schematic pictures below. Zion (06726)(Tsiyyon) is a proper noun the which may mean fortress (but this is debated). The name Zion does not occur at all from Genesis to 1 Samuel. Summary - Zion is the mountain where Jerusalem and the Temple were built (and will be rebuilt). Zion sometimes refers to ancient Jerusalem and sometimes stands for the home where God’s people will live with Him (see Isa 4:2–6; Isa 12:1–6; Isa 65:17–25). Zion was originally associated with the hill Ophel, the fortified area just to the south of the field King David purchased from Ornan (eventual site of the Temple Mount), lying between the Kidron Valley on the East and the Tyropoeon Valley to the West (Here is an excellent schematic picture which shows the major valleys surrounding Jerusalem). Click images below to enlarge for Ophel, Kidron and Tyropoeon Valleys (Here is a great schematic showing the valleys and the Temple Complex in the time of Jesus.) As discussed in the following section the meaning of Zion depends on the context. It is notable that there are no uses until the use in 2 Sa 5:7 "David captured (from the Jebusites) the stronghold (fortress) of Zion, that is the city of David (also referenced in 1 Ki 8:1, cf also parallel description in 1 Chronicles 11:5; 7)." So in that context, Zion is synonymous with "The City of David." When Solomon's Temple was built on "Temple Mount" ("Mount Moriah" in picture above), the mountain became known as "Mount Zion." In Isaiah 24:23 Isaiah gives a prophecy of the Millennial reign of Christ recording that "the LORD of hosts (MESSIAH) will reign on Mount Zion (the rebuilt Millennial Temple on Temple Mount) and in Jerusalem," so in this passage there is a slight distinction between the site of Messiah's future throne and the city in which His throne is located, but other times these two designations merge or overlap. Thus the distinction between the "mount" and the "city" is not always clear cut. For example Mount Zion is equated with the city of Jerusalem as in Ps 48:2 "Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion in the far north, the city of the great King." Similarly in 2 Ki 19:31 we read "‘For out of Jerusalem will go forth a REMNANT, and out of Mount Zion SURVIVORS." Jerusalem and REMNANT parallel Mount Zion and SURVIVORS (cf similar parallel in Isa 4:3 "he who is LEFT in Zion and REMAINS in Jerusalem"). Similarly in Isaiah 2:3-note (Context = Future reign of Messiah in the Millennium) the "law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." (cf "when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem." = Isa 10:12) In summary, Zion (or Mount Zion) may refer specifically to the Temple vicinity (Mount Moriah in the picture above) or more generally to Jerusalem itself. Once Solomon's Temple was completed, Zion began to take on a broader identity, being used as a description of the entire city of Jerusalem. It was the site of the Temple, the place where God dwelt. It is listed as God's abode in Ps. 76:2. Psalm 9:11 declares that God dwells in Zion. There has been disagreement on whether these verses refer to the Temple itself, to the Temple Mount or to the city as the location of the Temple. Sometimes Zion refers to the entire nation as in Isaiah 1:27 which says "Zion will be redeemed with justice and her repentant ones with righteousness." In Ps 78:68 the psalmist equates "the tribe of Judah" with "Mount Zion." Ps 125:1 says "Mount Zion...cannot be moved but abides forever." In Ps 2:6 God the Father declares ' I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain." Isaiah 8:18 says "the LORD of hosts (MESSIAH)...dwells on Mount Zion." In the glorious Millennium Isaiah 4:5 records that " the LORD will create over the whole area of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy." (See numerous other passages that refer to Zion in the Millennium) At times, "Zion" may refer to the people of Jerusalem or its environs. Messengers are to announce the triumph of the Lord to Zion (Isa. 52:7). God has redeemed Zion to be the tribe of his inheritance (Ps. 74:2). Psalm 78:68 equates Zion with the tribe of Judah, the special objects of God's love. And Ps. 48:11 mentions "the daughters of Judah," usually thought to be a reference to the villages surrounding Jerusalem. The phrase "Mount Zion" occurs 21x in 21v especially in Isaiah - 2 Ki. 19:31; Ps. 48:2; Ps. 48:11; Ps. 74:2; Ps. 78:68; Ps. 125:1; Isa. 4:5; Isa. 8:18; Isa. 10:12; Isa. 18:7; Isa. 24:23; Isa. 29:8; Isa. 31:4; Isa. 37:32; Lam. 5:18; Joel 2:32; Obad. 1:17; Obad. 1:21; Mic. 4:7; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 14:1 The phrase "Daughter of Zion" occurs 28x in 28v - 2 Ki. 19:21; Ps. 9:14; Isa. 1:8; Isa. 10:32; Isa. 16:1; Isa. 37:22; Isa. 52:2; Isa. 62:11; Jer. 4:31; Jer. 6:2; Jer. 6:23; Lam. 1:6; Lam. 2:1; Lam. 2:4; Lam. 2:8; Lam. 2:10; Lam. 2:13; Lam. 2:18; Lam. 4:22; Mic. 1:13; Mic. 4:8; Mic. 4:10; Mic. 4:13; Zeph. 3:14; Zech. 2:10; Zech. 9:9; Matt. 21:5; Jn. 12:15. Note the phrase virgin daughter of Zion" occurs in 2 Ki. 19:21; Isa. 37:22; Lam. 2:13. Both phrases are figurative personifications of the city or the nation, as shown by the mention of Zion's wall (La 2:8) and gates (Ps. 9:14). See more detailed discussion of Daughter of Zion. Other phrases refer to the people of the city: "inhabitant of Zion" (Isa. 12:6; Jer. 51:35), "sons of Zion" (Lam. 4:2; Joel 2:23; Zech. 9:13) or "daughters of Zion" (Isa. 3:16; 4:4). Senior citizens of Jerusalem are called "the elders of the daughter of Zion" in Lam. 2:10. Baker explains that Zion " refers to (1) the city of Jerusalem, the City of David (2Sa 5:7); (2) the Temple Mount or Temple (Ps. 9:11); or (3) to the area or cities of larger Judah (Ps. 69:35). It was God’s chosen location for His people. It was recognized ideally to be none other than a reference on earth to “the city of our God, His holy mountain” (Ps. 48:2), the city and country that God would show to Abraham and his descendants (Ge 12:1)." (The Complete Word Study Dictionary – Old Testament) ESCHATOLOGICAL USES OF ZION There may be other eschatological uses but here are some of the uses of Zion in the context of the Millennial Kingdom of the Messiah - It is important to note that Zion is frequently mentioned in many eschatological passages, most of which describe Zion in the Millennial reign of Messiah. While you may not agree with all of these passages (be sure to check the context before you disagree), all have some elements that are difficult to explain other than ascribing them to a future time when Messiah returns to save Israel (Ro 11:26-28) and establish His Kingdom on earth where He will reign as King of kings for 1000 years - 2 Kings 19:31 Psalm 2:6-note Psalm 14:7 Psalm 20:2 Psalm 53:6 Psalm 69:35 Psalm 110:2 Isaiah 1:27-note Isaiah 2:3-note Isaiah 4:3-5-note Isaiah 18:7 Isaiah 24:23 Isaiah 33:5 Isaiah 33:20 Isaiah 34:8 Isaiah 35:10 Isaiah 51:3 Isaiah 51:11 Isaiah 51:16 Isaiah 52:1 Isaiah 52:2, 7, 8 Isaiah 59:20 Isaiah 60:14 Isaiah 61:3 Isaiah 62:1 Isaiah 62:11 Isaiah 64:10 Isaiah 66:8 Jeremiah 30:17-note Jeremiah 31:6-note Jeremiah 31:12-note Jeremiah 50:5 Joel 3:16-note Joel 3:17-note Joel 3:21-note Obadiah 1:17 Obadiah 1:21 Micah 4:2, 7, 8-note Zephaniah 3:14-note Zephaniah 3:16-note Zechariah 1:17 Zechariah 2:10 Zechariah 8:3 Gilbrant - Zion denotes some portion of the Jerusalem area or to Jerusalem itself. But it is far more than a mere location on a map. Its usage is interwoven with the monarchy of David, the activity of God and the divine plan for Israel (ED: ESPECIALLY THE FUTURE PLACE FROM WHICH MESSIAH REIGNS DURING THE MILLENNIUM). (Complete Biblical Library) Nave's Topical Summary of Zion is helpful in understanding the various uses of "Zion" in the Bible: ZION, called also Sion, stronghold of Jerusalem. Taken from the Jebusites by David, 2Sa 5:6, 7, 8, 9; 1Chr 11:5, 6, 7. Called thereafter "the city of David,'' 2Sa 5:7, 9; 6:12, 16; 1Ki 8:1; 1Chr 11:5, 7; 15:1, 29; 2Chr 5:2. Ark of the covenant placed in, 2Sa 6:12, 16; 1Ki 8:1; 1Chr 15:1, 29; 2Chr 5:2; Ark of Covenant removed from, to Solomon's temple on Mount Moriah, 1Ki 8:1; 2Chr 5:2, with 2Chr 3:1. Collectively, the place, the forms, and the assemblies of Israel's worship, 2Ki 19:21, 31; Ps 9:11; 48:2, 11, 12; 74:2; 132:13; 137:1; Is 35:10; 40:9; 49:14; 51:16; 52:1, 2, 7, 8; 60:14; 62:1, 11; Je 31:6; 50:5; La 1:4; Joel 2:1, 15; Mt. 21:5; Jn 12:15; Ro 9:33; 11:26; 1Pe 2:6. Name of, applied to Jerusalem, Ps 87:2, 5; 149:2; Song 3:11; Is 33:14, 20; Je 9:19; 30:17; Zec 9:13. Called the city of God, Ps 87:2, 3; Is 60:14. Restoration of, promised, Is 51:3, 11, 16; 52:1, 2, 7, 8; 59:20; 60:14; Ob 17, 21; Zeph 3:14, 16; Zec 1:14, 17; 2:7, 10; 8:2, 3; 9:9, 13. (See many more Scriptures above) Name of, applied to the city of the redeemed, He 12:22; Re 14:1 Tsiyyon - 154x in 154v - all the OT uses translated Zion (153), Zion's (1). Note the predominance of uses in the prophetic books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations and the Minor Prophets - while not all uses speak of Zion's future, many do (see list) - the point is that God has glorious future plans for Zion! 2 Sam. 5:7; 1 Ki. 8:1; 2 Ki. 19:21; 2 Ki. 19:31; 1 Chr. 11:5; 2 Chr. 5:2; Ps. 2:6; Ps. 9:11; Ps. 9:14; Ps. 14:7; Ps. 20:2; Ps. 48:2; Ps. 48:11; Ps. 48:12; Ps. 50:2; Ps. 51:18; Ps. 53:6; Ps. 65:1; Ps. 69:35; Ps. 74:2; Ps. 76:2; Ps. 78:68; Ps. 84:7; Ps. 87:2; Ps. 87:5; Ps. 97:8; Ps. 99:2; Ps. 102:13; Ps. 102:16; Ps. 102:21; Ps. 110:2; Ps. 125:1; Ps. 126:1; Ps. 128:5; Ps. 129:5; Ps. 132:13; Ps. 133:3; Ps. 134:3; Ps. 135:21; Ps. 137:1; Ps. 137:3; Ps. 146:10; Ps. 147:12; Ps. 149:2; Cant. 3:11; Isa. 1:8; Isa. 1:27; Isa. 2:3; Isa. 3:16; Isa. 3:17; Isa. 4:3; Isa. 4:4; Isa. 4:5; Isa. 8:18; Isa. 10:12; Isa. 10:24; Isa. 10:32; Isa. 12:6; Isa. 14:32; Isa. 16:1; Isa. 18:7; Isa. 24:23; Isa. 28:16; Isa. 29:8; Isa. 30:19; Isa. 31:4; Isa. 31:9; Isa. 33:5; Isa. 33:14; Isa. 33:20; Isa. 34:8; Isa. 35:10; Isa. 37:22; Isa. 37:32; Isa. 40:9; Isa. 41:27; Isa. 46:13; Isa. 49:14; Isa. 51:3; Isa. 51:11; Isa. 51:16; Isa. 52:1; Isa. 52:2; Isa. 52:7; Isa. 52:8; Isa. 59:20; Isa. 60:14; Isa. 61:3; Isa. 62:1; Isa. 62:11; Isa. 64:10; Isa. 66:8; Jer. 3:14; Jer. 4:6; Jer. 4:31; Jer. 6:2; Jer. 6:23; Jer. 8:19; Jer. 9:19; Jer. 14:19; Jer. 26:18; Jer. 30:17; Jer. 31:6; Jer. 31:12; Jer. 50:5; Jer. 50:28; Jer. 51:10; Jer. 51:24; Jer. 51:35; Lam. 1:4; Lam. 1:6; Lam. 1:17; Lam. 2:1; Lam. 2:4; Lam. 2:6; Lam. 2:8; Lam. 2:10; Lam. 2:13; Lam. 2:18; Lam. 4:2; Lam. 4:11; Lam. 4:22; Lam. 5:11; Lam. 5:18; Joel 2:1; Joel 2:15; Joel 2:23; Joel 2:32; Joel 3:16; Joel 3:17; Joel 3:21; Amos 1:2; Amos 6:1; Obad. 1:17; Obad. 1:21; Mic. 1:13; Mic. 3:10; Mic. 3:12; Mic. 4:2; Mic. 4:7; Mic. 4:8; Mic. 4:10; Mic. 4:11; Mic. 4:13; Zeph. 3:14; Zeph. 3:16; Zech. 1:14; Zech. 1:17; Zech. 2:7; Zech. 2:10; Zech. 8:2; Zech. 8:3; Zech. 9:9; Zech. 9:13 Joel 2:2 A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn is spread over the mountains, So there is a great and mighty people; There has never been anything like it, Nor will there be again after it To the years of many generations. A day of darkness and gloom Joe 2:10,31 3:14,15 Ex 20:21 Ps 97:2 Isa 5:30 8:22 Jer 13:16 Am 5:18-20 Zep 1:14,15 Heb 12:18 Jude 1:13 As the dawn is spread over the mountains: Am 4:13 So there is a great and mighty people: Joe 2:5,11,25 1:6 There has never been anything like it: Ex 10:6,14 Da 12:1 Mk 13:19 To the years of many generations: De 32:7 Ps 10:6 ESV a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been before, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations. NLT It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of thick clouds and deep blackness. Suddenly, like dawn spreading across the mountains, a great and mighty army appears. Nothing like it has been seen before or will ever be seen again. CSB a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and dense overcast, like the dawn spreading over the mountains; a great and strong people appears, such as never existed in ages past and never will again in all the generations to come. Keil & Delitzsch “A day of darkness and obscurity, a day of clouds and cloudy night: like morning dawn spread over the mountains, a people great and strong: there has not been the like from all eternity, nor will there be after it even to the years of generation and generation. NIV a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come. AN UNPRECEDENTED DARK DAY FOR THE NATION OF ISRAEL A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness (cf Dt 4:11, Ex 10:22) - What had Joel just described? The Day of the LORD, and so here he adds that is a day of darkness and gloom. Now in chapter 1 Joel had been speaking of the "day of the locusts" and indeed a massive swarm of these flying critters can darken the sun because their numbers can be so large! But in the context of the rest of the passage, it becomes clear that Joel has been inspired by the Spirit to speak of a coming future day of darkness in Israel, specifically the "Day of the Lord. While he uses phraseology that can be descriptive of a "day of locusts," he is doing so to give his reader a sense of what it will be like in the future Day of the LORD. We see a similar description in Joel 2:31 "The sun will be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes." So three times in Joel 2 (Joel 2:1, 11, 31) he mentions the Day of the LORD, and so clearly the "theme" of this chapter is this dreadful DAY! He describes this DAY by speaking metaphorically of the locust invasion in Joel 2:2-11 (keeping in mind that the events of Joel 1 would be fresh on his reader's minds), artfully and vividly integrating and interweaving these two days, the day of the locust descriptions giving us a precursor picture of what the great and very awesome Day of the LORD (Joel 2:11) will be like when it arrives. Remember, he has already warned this DAY is coming and is near (Joel 2:1-note). Now he gives a vivid portrayal of what this Day of the LORD will look like. But he is not giving his readers this incredible description in Joel 2:2-11 simply to terrify them, but to cause them to ponder why would Jehovah allow such devastating events to occur in Israel? Why did He allow the devastating "day of the locust"? But even more importantly why would He allow the future Day of the LORD? And of course the implicit answer is He has allowed it (and sent it) because of Israel's sin against Him, their repeated unfaithfulness to their covenant bonds of "marriage" to Jehovah (Jer 31:31, 32-note), their continual playing the harlot after other gods that are no gods, (cf Dt 8:19, 28:14, Dt 31:16, 17, 18, Jdg 2:17, 1 Chr 5:25, Jer 7:6, 9, 11:10, 13:10), etc, etc. How can we be so certain that God's objective in giving these frightening descriptions in Joel 2:2-11 is to stir their consciences and stimulate their sense of guilt? It is because of the wonderful phrase that follows the description of darkness and gloom like a shining shaft of sunlight in a dark room. And what is that great phrase? It is YET EVEN NOW! (Joel 2:12-note) The purpose of God is not to destroy but to deliver His people from the wrath to come (cf 1 Th 1:9,10-note). Other OT prophets also describe this day of darkness... Ezekiel 30:3 “For the day is near, Even the day of the LORD is near; It will be a day of clouds, A time of doom for the nations. Amos 5:18-20 Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD, For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be darkness and not light; 19 As when a man flees from a lion And a bear meets him, Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall And a snake bites him. 20 Will not the day of the LORD be darkness instead of light, Even gloom with no brightness in it? Zephaniah 1:14; 15 Near is the great day of the LORD, Near and coming very quickly; Listen, the day of the LORD! In it the warrior cries out bitterly. 15 A day of wrath is that day, A day of trouble and distress, A day of destruction and desolation, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness, Charles Feinberg observes that "Darkness is a figure in Scripture for misery and distress. (Note in this connection such passages as Is 8:22; 60:2; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:18; and Zep 1:15-16.) The figure is a most telling one because locust swarms by their density do obscure the light of the sun. (The Minor Prophets) See Whiting's descriptions of the sky growing dark with swarms of locusts - "Jerusalem's Locust Plague" J. D. Whiting - National Geographic 28 - December 1915: 511-50 Garrett - Clouds and darkness are a stock metaphor for the day of the Lord (cf. Isa 5:30; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:18–20; 8:9; Zeph 1:15), but this fact should not blind us to the theophanic significance of the language. In the exodus a “pillar of cloud” stood between the Israelites and the Egyptian chariots (Exod 14:19–20). When Yahweh gave the Ten Commandments at Sinai, the people were terrified at the thunder, lightning, and the sound of the ram’s horn (Exod 20:18). Now, Joel implied, the Israelites, having failed to keep the covenant, had to face the wrath of Yahweh. (New American Commentary - Volume 19A - Hosea-Joel) ESV Study note - Darkness recalls the Lord’s appearance at Sinai (Ex. 19:16–19; Dt. 4:11; 5:22–23). God’s appearance at Sinai foreshadows His “day” (ED: Day of the LORD) in the future (Amos 5:18–20; Zeph. 1:14–15). Darkness (02822)(choshek) means darkness, an absence of light and figurative an absence of moral values. Choshek is first seen in Genesis 1:2 (cf Ge 1:4, 5, 18) describing "darkness… over the surface of the deep." As in English, the word has many symbolic uses. In its first occurrence, it is associated with disorder (Gen. 1:2) and is distinguished and separated from light (Ge 1:4). In subsequent uses, whether used in a physical or a symbolic sense, it describes confusion and uncertainty (Job 12:25; 37:19); evil done in secret (Job 24:16; Pr 2:13; Ezek. 8:12); obscurity, vanity, things forgotten (Job 3:4; 10:21; Eccl. 6:4); death (1 Sa 2:9; Ps. 88:12). The Septuagint (Lxx) translates choshek with skotos which can describe physical darkness (eg, Jesus' crucifixion! = Mt 27:45, Mk 15:33, Lk 23:44) but also is used to describe spiritual darkness (And thus skotos is used in the NT quote from Isaiah 9:2= Mt 4:16, cp similar meaning of skotos in Jn 3:19, Acts 26:18, Ro 2:19, 2Cor 6:14, 1Pe 2:9, 1Jn 1:6). NET Note - "darkness and gloom." These two terms probably form a hendiadys here. This picture recalls the imagery of the supernatural darkness in Egypt during the judgments of the exodus (Exod 10:22). These terms are also frequently used as figures (metonymy of association) for calamity and divine judgment (Isa 8:22; 59:9; Jer 23:12; Zeph 1:15). Darkness is often a figure (metonymy of association) for death, dread, distress and judgment (BDB 365 s.v. %v,x 3). (Net Notes Joel 2) Hubbard on darkness...gloom...clouds...thick darkness - all terms that signify the divine presence in the midst of his people, obscuring all light so that their focus of attention will be on him. (Tyndale OT Commentary) As the dawn is spread over the mountains - A term of comparison to describe the coming invasion of Israel. Think of the sun rising over the horizon, slowly but surely spreading from side to side so that the entire horizon is lit up by its brightness. In a similar way the great and mighty people will fill up the horizon as far as the eye can see from one side to another. And as the sun dawns incrementally in increasing brightness, so too the size of the great and mighty people will grow larger and larger to the eye of the beholders. Feinberg adds that "just as the dawn is sudden and widespread, so will the darkness of the Day of Jehovah be." (Ibid) So there is a great and mighty people (It is a huge and powerful army = NET) - Joel says a great and mighty people. He literally wrote it so let us read it literally! This does not sound like a description of a horde of locusts! This is not a figurative description of a locust swarm (unless one spiritualizes Joel's description which can be interpreted literally in its plain sense!) but is a literal description of a godless Gentile "swarm!" Joel is referring to the horrible time period which includes the Time of Jacob's Distress - "‘Alas! for that day is great, There is none like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s distress, But he will be saved from it. (Jeremiah 30:7-note) Zechariah also prophesied of this time For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. (Zechariah 14:2-note) Let me reiterate that there is a considerable difference of opinion about what Joel is describing in Joel 2, especially Joel 2:2-11 - It is simply an invasion of locusts or is it a future Babylonian (in 586 BC) or Assyrian invasion (721 BC) (which might be a reasonable interpretation given that Joel was written in 835 BC) or it might describe an future invasion at the end of the age just before Messiah returns. The time phrase in this passage ("Nothing like it has been seen before or will ever be seen again" - NLT) could hardly describe of the first two possibilities, as bad as both were. That is, they were not the worst destruction that would ever come to pass on the nation of Israel! No, Joel (using the metaphor of a locust invasion) describes an event which is unprecedented and unique in the history of Israel. And so as discussed below this description must point to a future, yet to be fulfilled event. To buttress this supposition, several other virtually identical time phrases are referenced below, all of which clearly describe a future unfulfilled day of destruction in Israel. Charles Feinberg agrees with this assessment writing "What a great and mighty people the prophet is alluding to can be discerned from the latter part of the verse where it is clearly stated that there never has been the like nor will there be in the future. We have proof here that an ordinary, or even extraordinary plague of locusts is not the final and ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy. The Spirit of God through the prophet is pointing to an unparalleled foe of the people of God who will in a coming day inflict greater desolation than did the locust plague. Who is this enemy? With many other students of the book we understand it to be the Assyrian power of the future, the northern power of the last days. Study carefully Isaiah 10:1-34 (notes) and Daniel 11:1-45 (See Daniel 11:1-19 Commentary and especially beginning in Da 11:36-45 - Daniel 11:20-45 Commentary). (The Minor Prophets) (Bolding added for emphasis) A TIME LIKE NO OTHER! There has never been anything like it, Nor will there be again after it To the years of many generations - (ESV = "nor will be again after them through the years of all generations"; NLT = "Nothing like it has been seen before or will ever be seen again") Joel 1:2 has a similar but not identical phrase referring to the "Day of the Locusts" asking "Has anything like this happened in your days Or in your fathers’ days?." But in Joel 2:2 the description is not of a present or past event but speaks of a future event (NB: future = "nor WILL there be"). Joel is not speaking here of the "day of the Locusts" (Joel 1:4-note), but is speaking of the "Day of the Lord," of the events that WILL come upon Israel and Jerusalem and Mount Zion in the last days. Compare Jeremiah's description of the Time of Jacob's Distress this in the day of the LORD "Alas! for that DAY is great, There is none like it." (Jer 30:7-note) We see similar phrases describing this unprecedented time period in both Old and New Testament passages which speak in some way of the coming Day of the LORD... Daniel 12:1-note “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a TIME OF DISTRESS such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. Matthew 24:21-note (Jesus plainly explained) “For then there will be a GREAT TRIBULATION, (A PERIOD OF 3.6 YEARS) such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Comment: I realize you may be reading this and saying "No, that is not correct. This unprecedented event occurred in 70 AD when the Roman general Titus destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, killing many Jews in the process." If you are of that mindset, I encourage you to read my commentary notes on Matthew 24:15-21 (in which I compare a similar but not identical passage in Luke 21:20-24 see commentary). If you still disagree, then we will remain friends and will eagerly look forward to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ to make all things right (aka, "pan-millennialism" - it will all "pan out" in the end!) Mark 13:19 “For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will. Henry