Message of the Week

The Little White Community Church

Scripture: Joel 3:1-5, 12-17 September 10, 2023

Message: “The Valley of Decision!”

By Pastor George Gnade

Intro: 1.As most of you know, we have been studying the Book of Joel. Last week, after learning how Jesus pleads with us to come to Him and be saved and receive His Holy Spirit into our hearts, we also learned that this is very important because a day of judgment is coming for all mankind.

2. In Joel 3: 1-2, it tells us this will take place in “the Valley of Jehoshaphat,” which when translated means “the Valley where the Lord judges.”

a. The writer of Hebrews speaks of this in Heb. 9: 27. “It is appointed unto man to die once and after that the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. He will appear a second time, not to deal with our sins, but to bring His salvation for all who eagerly wait for Him.”

b. Everyone needs to be ready when that “day of judgment” comes. Praise God, everyone who knows Jesus will not have to be afraid since He paid the penalty for our sins on the cross. But many will not be ready.

A. Let us begin this morning by considering what the Bible teaches us about that “Day of Judgment,”

1. In vs. 14, it says: “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision. For the Day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.” In the place where the Lord judges, He will make righteous decisions. He will pronounce judgments of guilt or innocence upon the whole world. All of history is moving closer and closer to that day.

2. Paul spoke of this in Acts 17:16-34. He was speaking to the people in Athens where they were worshipping all kinds of gods. To be safe, they had even created an altar with the inscription: “To an unknown God.” They figured the more gods they worshipped the better off they were.

a. So Paul used this altar as an opportunity to tell them about the true God, the only true God who had created the world and everything in it.

b. The true God was not like the idols they were worshipping. In fact, in the Exodus 20:1-6, everyone was warned and told: “You shall have no other gods before me… You shall not make for yourselves any graven images… You shall not bow down to them nor worship them.”

c. Only this true God was worthy of their worship.

3. Then in Acts 17:30, it says: “In times past, God overlooked such ignorance, but He now commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man whom He has appointed. And He gave proof of this by raising that man from the dead.” My friends, Jesus is that man.

a. God’s Day of Judgment has been set and history is moving closer and closer to that day. Two things are going to happen when that Day comes.

b. In Joel 3:1-2, it says: “In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the valley of judgment.”

B. Let us consider the restoration of Judah and Jerusalem first.

1. Because God’s people had sinned, it seems like He was constantly calling them to repentance. When they went too far, He allowed other nations to punish them. But these nations went too far also.

a. In Joel 3: 2-3, it says: “They scattered my people among the nations and divided up their land. They cast lots for my people and traded boys for prostitutes and sold girls for wine that they may drink.”

b. In vs. 5, it says: “You took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.”

2. Now we must understand this in the light of what He taught us in chapter two. In Joel 2:23, God predicted the coming of “His teacher of righteousness,” the Lord Jesus Christ. And in Joel 2:28-32, He told us about the coming of the Holy Spirit and how “everyone who called on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” In plain words, “God’s people” now includes all Jews and Gentiles who love the Lord, who have called on His name and been saved.

a. Since the days of the early church until now, the nations have continued to attack and persecute and scatter God’s people. In our day, this persecution is reaching a climax.

b. So this promise to restore all Jews who love the Lord Jesus Christ also includes all the Gentiles who also love the Lord Jesus Christ. We are one body in Christ.

3. Peter makes this clear in Acts 3:19-23 where he quotes from this same passage in Joel 3:1-2. It says: “Repent, then, and turn to God so that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that He may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you – even Jesus. But He must remain in heaven until that time comes for the Lord to restore everything… Anyone who does not listen to (Jesus) will be completely cut off from His people.”

a. This is why I expect a great revival among the Jews in these last days. When that happens, Jesus will come again. When He restores the Jewish Christians, God will restore all Christians.

b. In Joel 3:12, it says: “Jerusalem will be holy and never again will foreigners invade her.” I believe this is referring to the new Jerusalem that will come down out of heaven where only righteousness will dwell.

C. When God restores His people, He will also “gather all nations and bring them down to the valley of decision” where He will judge them for all the evil they have done to His people throughout the ages.

1. In Joel 3:9-12, Joel predicts how God will “rouse the nations” and bring them together in preparation for His judgment against them in the valley of decision.

2. I believe this is the Battle of Armageddon, the last battle of history when Jesus will come again and fight for His people.

a. Joel describes it in Joel 3: 15-16. God says: “The sun and the moon will be darkened and the stars will no longer shine. The Lord will roar from Zion (as He comes down from heaven) and thunder from (the new) Jerusalem and the earth and sky will tremble” (See also Rev. 6:12-16).

b. And in vs 17, it continues: ‘But the Lord will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold … Then you will know that I, the Lord your God, will dwell in Zion, my holy hill (See Heb. 12: 22-28), and Jerusalem will be holy…”

In summary: 1. When many of the Jews turn back to Jesus, God Himself will gather the nations of the world. They will join together and turn against Christians everywhere.

a. That is also when Jesus will come and fight for us. He will judge the world and destroy all that is evil once and for all.

b. Then He will restore all things, creating a new world in which only righteousness will dwell. All who love Him will live with Him forever in that new heaven and earth, in the new Jerusalem that will come down out of heaven where He has prepared a place for all who believe in Him (John 14:1-3).

2. Amen! Please come soon Lord Jesus! So let it be.

“Amen. Please come soon Lord Jesus!” But obviously, above all, make sure you are ready!