King Jesus’ Destruction and Redemption Give Us Hope

Joel 3:1-21

A number of years ago researchers performed an experiment to see how hope affects those going through difficult times. Two sets of laboratory rats were placed in separate tubs of water. The researchers left one set in the water and found that within an hour they had all drowned. The other rats were periodically lifted out of the water and then returned. When that happened, the second set of rats swam for over 24 hours. Why? Not because they were given a rest, but because they suddenly had hope! Those rats somehow hoped that if they could stay afloat just a little longer, someone would reach down and rescue them. If hope gives such power to unthinking rodents, how much greater should it empower people in our lives. Hope empowers us to go through our times of weakness. For example, the hope of a vacation or the hope of a reward gives us the energy to press through a difficult situation. The hope of vindication and deliverance gives us energy to endure tough situations.

We return back to our study of Joel after a month’s break. And this is our last message in Joel before we move to Revelation. So it’s important to do some review as we wrap up. In our study of Joel, we saw that God’s people had experienced times of weakness and judgment. We’re not sure about the whole context - but there was a disaster - either a great swarm of locusts came and destroyed the land, or a great army like a plague of locusts came and destroyed everything. And Joel told the people to weep. The judgment was a result of their sin. And everyone was called to weep - the leaders, old men, young brides, even drunkards. Why? No more grapes, no more wine. No more meat, no more celebration. And he told them to repent for several reasons - for their sins which caused the destruction; but also because there was another day that was coming - the Day of the Lord - a worse day of judgment. If this plague or invasion was bad, the Day of the Lord would be very much worse. Now, we know that in every age, there is a Day of the Lord. Noah had the flood where many died and 8 were saved, Moses had the Exodus where Pharaoh’s firstborn died so Israel’s children could live; Judah was destroyed by the Babylonians but the remnant was saved; Jesus was crucified to save his people but Jerusalem was destroyed for rejecting him. But there will be the final Day of the Lord. If we forsake opportunities to understand God’s mercy and judgment now in difficult times - our days of the Lord - by repenting, we will never be prepared for that ultimate Day of the Lord.

But God not only told the people to repent, he gave them a message of hope. Judgment gives a fearful impetus to repent - but love, kindness, and hope give a better impetus to repent. And hope empowers us to press on in difficult times. And that’s especially for us who believe and have already repented. That Great and Final Day of the Lord - that Judgment Day, when Christ comes back to judge the wicked, the end of the world - is a wonderful day for us, because Christ comes to reward his people. That hope drives us to survive today. How? In 2 ways. Firstly, we can press on in weakness knowing that God will right all wrongs. Secondly, we can press on in victory, knowing that God will save us.

Firstly, we can press on in weakness knowing that God will right all wrongs. Verses 1-2 describe a time when God will right all wrongs. “For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem. 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.” Now, to the Jewish listeners, this was a day that specifically related to them. Israel is located between 3 continents - Europe, Asia, and Africa. There were 2 main highways that went through them - the Via Maris (which is the coastal road) and the King’s Highway (which is the desert road). The Egyptians used it to conquer Syria and Assyria. The Syrians and Assyrians would use them to conquer Egypt. And Israel was caught in the crossfire. She was always attacked, conquered, and defeated - often because of her own sins. And much of the fighting occurred in the Jezreel Valley, a huge plain in the middle of Israel. That’s where the city of Megiddo is located. And that’s why the area is called also called Har Megiddo or Armageddon. It was a valley of Jehoshapat - meaning God’s judgment. So to the Jewish readers, they understood that God would right all wrongs. In the place where Israel was weakened so many times by foreign invaders because of their sins, God would one day restore them.

He’d bring them back and punish the bad countries. But Joel’s vision was larger - it was not just a local experience for Judah, but it was speaking about a universal phenomenon. God spoke to them in the book of Joel, but his words are also meant for us today. What does God want us to learn? Here, Joel was speaking about a time of universal judgment when Christ will come back to judge everyone and save his people. Verse 2 says God will gather all nations and his people. All nations and his people - pretty universal. It means everyone - believers and unbelievers. It says that he’ll bring them to the valley of judgment. Now, to the Jews, the valley of Jehoshaphat was that place in Israel where many wars were fought. And some Christians today believe that Armageddon refers to that same valley. But I don’t believe it’s a geographical place. Why? God will bring all nations and all his people to that small plain in Israel? It’s not large enough to contain all nations and all his people. But while I won’t be dogmatic, I don’t believe it’s a geographical place. And I don’t believe it refers to a single event. The Bible says in those days and in that time. It’s a series of events.

But we know by comparing scripture, this speaks about Jesus’ second coming. When he comes there will be judgment. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” So all will be before that judgment seat. Believers will receive good things before the Judgment Seat and unbelievers will receive punishment before the Great White Throne judgment. Matthew 25:31-32 - “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.” So the valley of the Lord judges is not necessarily a place, but an event where Christ will come back and judge. And no one will escape that judgment. We learn, in those days, God will make a decision. Verse 14 - “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.” It’s a day of final decision. And the fact that it’s called a valley - a deep place - it signifies that no one gets out unless they are lifted out. No one escapes, unless God rescues.

Furthermore, God considers all wrongs done to his people as wrongs done to him. Now, what are some of these things? Verse 2 describes how his people were scattered. In Joel’s day, the enemies of God’s people were the Assyrians and the Babylonians - they had exiled the people. Verse 4 also speaks of cruel people like Tyre, Sidon, and Palestine. They did many terrible things - they conquered the land, divided it, killed and scattered God’s people, and sold them into slavery, verse 3. But God sees all the wrong that they have done to his people, as wrongs done against him. God asks them in verse 4 - “what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence?” In other words, what do you have against me? Why do you do these things against me? Are you paying me back for something I’ve done? If so, I will strike you quickly and pay you back for everything you have done. What the wicked do against God’s people, is done against God. And God will judge.

So this Day of the Lord is not only a time of universal judgment where God will judge the enemies of his people, but God will be just in his punishment. In verse 5-8, God says that he will do to them what they had done to Judah and Israel. The punishment will fit the crime. Verse 7 says, “I will return your recompence upon your own head.” I will pay you back for everything you have done. When Jesus comes back, his punishment of evil doers will be perfectly just. Revelation 22:11-12 says, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” God is a patient and loving God. But we mustn’t forget that God is also a God of war. Exodus 15:3 says - “The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.” That’s why in verses 9-11, God tells the enemies - prepare for war. He’s coming. And he’s going to fight for his people. It’s like a video clip I saw before of a tiny little bear cub being chased by a mountain lion. The mountain lion takes a swipe at the cub and injures its face. Then the mother bear shows up behind the bear cub and stands on her hind legs. And roars - essentially saying - you think you’re so tough? Ok, fight me then. And this is the final day. There will be no living after that. Verse 10 speaks about turning farm equipment into swords and spears. There will be no more farming, working, living. God will come to destroy his enemies!

But dearly beloved, those who are poor in spirit, those who mourn for their sins, those who come meekly to God hungering and thirsting after righteousness and have been persecuted for his sake - they will be delivered. The oppressed will be delivered. That’s why in verse 10, it says, “let the weak say, I am strong.” And that’s a very encouraging thing. As believers, we need not look at this final day with fear and dread. In fact we ought to look with anticipation. Promise of this judgment helps us cast our care on him. Are you oppressed by sin? Do you feel small when you are reviled and don’t revile again because of your Christian character? Do you feel tired because of the never ending onslaught of temptation after temptation like surf that keeps coming? Are there people in your lives that keep hurting you? We are weak. We will limp along. We will experience great trials. We will have failures. We will have opposition. But on that day, when God will be just to right all wrongs done by enemies against him, the weak will be strong. You will be vindicated on that day! The Devil will be punished! All who attack God’s people will be vanquished.

But until that day, what do the weak do? In the face of the devil’s and world’s persecution, what can we do? We live anticipating and hoping for the day that Christ comes. 1 Peter 5:6-7 gives a good principle - “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” God is ultimately in control of all our circumstances. We aren’t in control. In our lives, with the troubles we experience, God may not turn things around for us now. We may not win on this earth. Our enemies may be winning. Things may get better for you, or not. They may work out like you want, or not. But until that last day, we can cast our cares on him because he cares for us; and because on that last day, he wins and our tears are wiped away. But he will exalt us in the last day. As we start on the Book Revelation next week, this the final victory that we’ll look at. Now, just because our tears are not wiped away now, doesn’t mean that God doesn’t care for us. The wicked seem to get away with things, but they are not. Satan seems to triumph over you in temptations, but he is actually defeated. And God takes note of all we suffer. And that’s why we don’t need to seek vengeance against our earthly enemies. We need not despair because of our sins. God will right all wrongs.

Secondly, we can press on in victory knowing that God will save us. Yes, we press on in our humbled and weak state - we endure. But we can also press on in victory. Why? Because God’s people in the end will be rewarded. Verse 16 second part says, “the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.” When Jesus comes again, the wicked will be punished, but the righteous - God’s people - sinners saved by grace alone - they’ll be saved. He’s our strength - or more accurately, our fortress. What’s interesting here is that the same God that comes in judgment of the wicked, is the same God that comes to save the righteous. In every Day of the Lord that’s the case. We’ve seen Noah rescued from the flood, Moses and the Israelites were spared in the 10th plague, a remnant of Judah was returned after the Babylonian exile - even in Jesus’ death, the righteous thief was in paradise. And we see in verse 19 that God’s enemies will be desolate. But in verse 20, God’s people will be live forever and prosper. But why are these saved and not others? Why are believers rewarded? Is it because we’re good? No. It’s because we have a faithful savior. God’s people have been made clean. Verse 21 (NKJV) says “For I will acquit them of the guilt of bloodshed, whom I had not acquitted.” Why we and not they can go to heaven is because our sins have been washed away by Christ. Noah was in an ark that was painted inside and outside with waterproof tar. The Israelites had the blood of the lamb painted on the door of their homes. The thief believed and was covered by Christ’s blood. As one theologian said, “Hell is eternity in the presence of God. Heaven is eternity in the presence of God with a mediator.”

We’re saved from the wrath of God by Christ to enter heaven. That’s our reward! And that’s why don’t have to live only in defeat. We live by picking ourselves up daily by the help of the Spirit, energized by the reward we have. Heaven is a wonderful place. And there, we will have sweet fellowship with God. Verse 17 tells us what that sweet fellowship will be. “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.” Everyone will be believers. It’ll be holy there. There’ll be no strangers - no unbelievers. No trouble. This is a picture of the new heavens and earth. Verse 18 says that the mountains will drip new wine, the hills shall flow with milk, the rivers will flow with water, and there will be a fountain that comes from the house of God. This is a picture of heaven. Revelation 22:1 says, “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Jesus is on his throne! Yes, even Egypt, Tyre, Sidon, Philistia - historic enemies of God’s people will be destroyed, symbolizing the destruction of all of God’s enemies, but the repentant of these nations will be received. Psalm 87 speaks of how God’s people are comprised of those from Egypt, Tyre, Sidon, Philistia. Heathen lands and hostile peoples have all come the Lord to know.

Knowing that God will bring us to heaven, save and reward us, destroy sin and wickedness, how shall we live today in our weakness and trouble? We can press on in victory. We may be weak. We may be in that tub of water - sinking and sinking. But we need to swim. We can swim. We can keep our heads above water. How? By looking to Jesus. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus is on the throne of God. We are struggling down here. But he promises to save us completely one day. This hope helps us to press on in victory - to keep our heads above water, to run with all our might until the finish line. When Jesus was on the cross, he knew that his death and suffering - his weakness - would end. By his sacrifice, he’d purchase for himself a people - not a weak people, but a people whose faith he’d perfect. He also knew that they’d be persecuted here on earth - the servant is not greater than the master; he also knew that they’d feel the ravages of sin and the devil - he was tempted also for our sake; but in his weakness, he rejoiced. He did not deny God. And he knows the crucible of our trials, and he prays for us. And he gives us hope that at the end of all of our suffering and weakness, when he comes to destroy sin and death once and for all, he comes to take us into glory. Dearly beloved, you can press on because Jesus pressed on for you.

What is your tub of water today? What is your weakness? What sins are you struggling with? Are there unbelievers who are hurting you? Knowing that God will right all wrongs, we can press on despite our weakness. And knowing that God will save us completely in the end, bringing us to heaven, we can press on in victory.

I close with a poem that has given me encouragement. May it encourage you to press on in hope:

“You Will Press On, I Have Saved You”

The marks of grace upon our lives,

Are hating sin and loving Christ.

For all He lost for us that day,

We dare not Him forsake, betray.

The earthly voices strongly woo,

So we must them by faith subdue.

As countless saints have done before,

But we are heirs of so much more.

Christ speaks with God in Heav’n above,

And for my sake He pleads in love.

I cannot fail, nor fall from grace,

For he has run, for me, His race. 

Although till death I’ve not endured,

My trials are hard; more are assured!

Yet God, to me, is good - I know,

Through flame and fire, my faith will grow.

But if enthralled by Satan’s charm,

We sin and fall and do much harm.

So God, as Father, does delight,

To chide, in love, as is His right.

That we may learn not to reject,

His grace and love for His elect.

If you have sinned and gone astray,

Return to Christ - God's Only Way!

You stumble as you run this race,

And struggle hard to see His Face.

The journey’s long and filled with risk,

But run it steady, run it brisk.

The prize of Heav’n is just in reach,

To those who trust, Christ does beseech:

“The promise I have giv’n is true,

You will press on, I have saved you.”

Mark Chen, 18 November 2015