Psalm 149:5-9
5 Let the saints exult in glory: Let them sing for joy upon their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the nations, And punishments upon the peoples; 8 To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment written: This honor have all his saints. Praise ye Jehovah
Do you see what the above passage indicates? The saints of Jehovah God will wield a two edged sword and execute vengeance upon the nations. This denotes real bloodshed. There is no reason to not take this literally. In fact we will be praising Jehovah God as we kill those of the nations. We will bind the kings and nobles of the nations in fetters and bring them before Jehoshua who will say:
"But these mine enemies, that would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me" ( Luke 19:27).
Jehoshua the Son of God will command us to slay the wicked. We will bring the kings and nobles of the nations before the Son of God in chains and then execute them with our sword. Jehoshua is obviously commanding someone else to do the killing. The above Psalm proves that is the saints of God.
Jude 14-15
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
The Lord comes with his saints to execute judgment upon sinners. This exactly what Psalm 149 is saying. Do you really think we are just gonna come with Jehoshua to watch him do the executing? Scripture says we come with him to execute the judgement and this judgement will be executed by the sword as stated in Psalm 149 and it is us who do it.
1 Thessalonians 4:14
"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him"
Paul proves that the saints that come with the Lord at his second advent are disciples of the Son of God. This tells us who the saints of Jude 14-15 are. The angels are also included in this as well as Jehoshua teaches.
Zechariah 12:8
"In that day shall Jehovah defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of Jehovah before them"
This is in regards to the great and terrible day of Jehovah. In that day He will make the feeble of Jersuslem (New Jersuslem) strong as David. Why would the feeble need to be made as David? Because as stated in the previous passages they will participate in the destruction of the wicked. The reference to David is obviously speaking of his warrior spirit meaning that the feeble among New Jersuslem will be made into warriors in the day of Jehovah God.
The house of David will be as God and the angel of Jehovah. Who is the house of David in the new covenant? According to James it is the new covenant church made up of Judeans and the nations (Northern Israelites) (Acts 15). What does it mean we will be as God and the angel of Jehovah? What was the angel charged with doing?
Exodus 23:23
"For mine angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: and I will cut them off"
The angel of Jehovah was charged with driving and cutting off (killing) Israel's enemies so that they (Israel) could posess the land of Canaan. Even though the angel was leading the campaign in cutting off the enemies of Israel in the land of Canaan the Israelites didn't just sit back and watch as they participated in the bloodshed of the heathens. The same will be true of us in the day of Jehovah, Jehoshua and his angels will be leading the way however we will be participating in the bloodshed of the wicked so as to possess the heavenly Canaan.
We as the new Israel will be required to participate in the war just as the Israel of old. However, we will be immortal and will have the power to vanquish the enemy as the angel of Jehovah did in the old testament.
Malachi 4:1-3
1 For, behold, the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith Jehovah of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings; and ye shall go forth, and gambol as calves of the stall. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make, saith Jehovah of hosts.
This is about the day of Jehovah i.e. the second advent of Messiah. Notice what verse 3 says, Malachi prophesying says that those who fear Jehovah's name will go forth as gambles of the stall and tread the wicked underfoot. This denotes that we will shed their blood as the treading of the wicked denotes pouring their life blood upon the earth. This is exactly what is said about what Jehoshua does to the Edomites (Isaiah 63) in that the treading of the wicked equates to shedding their blood and staining your garments with it. Also, see Genesis 49:8-10 and Revelation 14 and 19. The treading of the wicked is synonymous with killing them with the sword.
The phrase "tread down" comes from the Hebrew word "acac" (Strongs 6072) and means "tread down, crush, press by treading or out, press (grapes), to press"
This is the definition of what the saints are gonna do to the wicked on the great and terrible day of Jehovah. This shows that we will not just be on the sidelines watching Jehoshua vanquishing the enemy but we will have a very real physical part to play in it. The fact that we tread the wicked underfoot shows that we physically crush them like grapes in a winepress are crushed. This denotes that like Jehoshua we kill the enemies of Jehovah with the sword as that what it means when it describes him treading the Edomites underfoot.
2 Chronicles 19:2 “... Shouldest thou help the un-Jehovah-like, and love them that hate
Jehovah? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before Jehovah.”
We are not to help those that hate Jehovah God nor are we to love them as David states in Psalm 139.
Psalm 110:1-3
1 Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 2 Jehovah will send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion: Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 3 Thy people offer themselves willingly In the day of thy power, in holy array: Out of the womb of the morning Thou hast the dew of thy youth.
This passage is the most quoted old testament scripture in the new testament. This means we must take this passage seriously and literally. This is David prophesying about the covenant Jehovah God made with him being fulfilled. This is the coronation of Jehoshua Messiah.
Jehoshua will be King on the right hand of God in heaven until his enemies are made his footstol meaning he treads them underfoot. The rod of strength that comes out of Zion is the shepherd's rod of the Davidic King that he uses to dash the nations to pieces like a potter's vessel.
Verse 3 is where the saints come in, we are the King's people and we will offer ourselves willingly in the day of Jehoshua's power. In context the day of Jehoshua's power is the second advent. The dew of the King's youth means that Jehoshua has his young warriors ready to do battle. We as the saints and the people of the Messiah are the dew of his youth. Let's look at the rest of Psalm 110 to prove that the day of Jehoshua's power is indeed his second coming.
Psalm 110:4-7
4 Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek. 5 The Lord at thy right hand Will strike through kings in the day of his wrath. 6 He will judge among the nations, He will fill the places with dead bodies; He will strike through the head in many countries.7He will drink of the brook in the way: Therefore will he lift up the head.
Verse 4 hearkens back to the ascension of the Son of God where he was given as an eternal covenant the Melchizedek priesthood.
Verse 5, Jehoshua is the Lord (King) at Jehovah's right hand. He will strike through kings in the day of his wrath. See Psalm 2 which says that the wrath of the Son of God is kindled easily.
Revelation 6:16-17
16 and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 for the great day of their wrath is come; and who is able to stand?
The day of Jehovah is both the wrath of God and His only begotten Son Jehoshua.
In verse 6 it says that the King at Jehovah's right hand will judge among the nations. This is a reference to the valley of Jehoshaphat in Joel chapter 3. Jehoshaphat means"Jehovah judges". This is the valley of decision. After the judgement comes the sword in which Jehoshua will say to us and the angels to bring the wicked before him and to slay them (Luke 19:27).
Continuing in verse 6, Jehoshua will fill the valley of the son of Hinnom (Gehenna, lake of fire) with dead bodies. This shows that the Son of God personally kills them with his young warriors (the dew of his youth, verse 3).
Jehoshua will strike through the heads of many countries. This means he will strike military leaders and political leaders dead with his sword. See Revelation 19 for the destruction of the kings and mighty men.
In verse 7 it says that Jehoshua will drink of the brook in the way and lift his head up. This will be after he and we destroy the wicked. This is a metaphor for triumph. At the end of the battle the Messiah will be refreshed. It means his mission will be successfully accomplished, and he will be satisfied with the results. We take part in his mission to tread the wicked underfoot.
Joel 2:1-2
1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of Jehovah cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2 a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, as the dawn spread upon the mountains; a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after them, even to the years of many generations.
The context of Joel chapter 2 is the great and terrible day of Jehovah which we know to be the second advent of Messiah. Interpreters have differed on the identification of this army detailed in Joel chapter 2 but the context shows that it is indeed an army of Jehovah God.
The description of this army shows that it is not any earthly army of a foreign nation since it says that there will not be any army like them for many generations. They are described as great and strong.
Joel 2:3-5
3 A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and none hath escaped them. 4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so do they run. 5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains do they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
Verse 3 indicates a total devastation this army of Jehovah will bring to it's enemies. The description of them as horses and horsemen denotes their strength and swiftness (verse 4).
Verse 5, this again denotes the strength of army and that they will devour the enemies of Jehovah as a flame of fire.
Joel 2:6-8
6 At their presence the peoples are in anguish; all faces are waxed pale. 7 They run like mighty men; they climb the wall like men of war; and they march every one on his ways, and they break not their ranks. 8 Neither doth one thrust another; they march every one in his path; and they burst through the weapons, and break not off [their course].
The unbelievers fear of Jehovah's army is because they know they are facing divine judgement (Isaiah 13:8; Zechariah 14:13). They are described as pale in face due to the panic at the presence of the army. The army of Jehovah will be organized and disciplined hence they march in ranks and they are invincible (run like mighty men).
Verse 8, No weapons will be able to hurt them showing that this is an immortal army. By this time, the saints will have been resurrected and translated into our new bodies. We will capture and/or kill every enemy of God as we will not break course.
Joel 2:9-10
9 They leap upon the city; they run upon the wall; they climb up into the houses; they enter in at the windows like a thief. 10 The earth quaketh before them; the heavens tremble; the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
God's people will terrorize the wicked on that great and terrible day. Verse 10 shows this to be in connection with the events at the last day with cosmic disturbances.
Joel 2:11-12
11 And Jehovah uttereth his voice before his army; for his camp is very great; for he is strong that executeth his word; for the day of Jehovah is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? 12 Yet even now, saith Jehovah, turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
Verse 11 proves that this is Jehovah's army being described and not an enemy army as some try to argue. The prophet Joel says that the camp of Jehovah is great, this refers to Jehovah's people Israel. Jehovah's word will be executed with stunning violence and swiftness. His word is His judgement and destruction of the wicked. The saints will participate in executing His word (Psalm 149).
The day of Jehovah is described as being great and terrible. It will be terrible for the unbelievers and they will mourn and turn pale due to fear. The wicked will seek death in that day but won't find it. This shows just how great the day of Jehovah will be. Modern Churchianty has watered down the day of Messiah's coming to a disneyland fairy tale rather than the brutal day of violence that it will truly be.
Verse 12 is the reminder to repent so that one can abide on that day and be in the army of Jehovah God.
The question of who can abide the great and terrible day of Jehovah God is answered in Revelation 7 and the answer is the 12 tribes of Israel. Not all Israelites but a remnant from each tribe.
Joel 3:9-10
9 Proclaim ye this among the nations; prepare war; stir up the mighty men; let all the men of war draw near, let them come up.10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.
This is a call to war by Jehovah God. He is about to execute judgement on the nations that have persecuted His people Israel. As.we read in chapter 2 this war includes the children of Israel. Upon our resurrection we will we beat our plowshares into swords. Right now is the time for farming meaning to plow the field of the Kingdom, however as king Solomon says there is also a time for war. In that day the weak will be strong as King David was (Zechariah 12).
Joel 3:11-12
11 Haste ye, and come, all ye nations round about, and gather yourselves together: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Jehovah. 12 Let the nations bestir themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about.
The nations have been called to war and now appear before Jehovah God at the valley of Jehoshaphat which means "Jehovah judges". This will be where the war is fought between the nations and Jehoshua, the Son of Jehovah. This will also be where Jehoshua sits on his white throne to judge the nations.
Joel 3:13
"Put ye in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe: come, tread ye; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great"
The nations are gathered before Jehovah to be slaughtered. We know this because in verse 13 there is the command to put in the sickle, in order to reap the harvest. This is the harvest of the wicked because the prophet Joel says that these ones being harvested will be tread which means crushed like grapes. These nations summoned to the valley of Jehoshaphat are the grapes of wrath. We know the language in verse 13 is about the wicked being harvested because we see the parralel to this in Revelation 14:
18 And another angel came out from the altar, he that hath power over fire; and he called with a great voice to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Send forth thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 19 And the angel cast his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth, and cast it into the winepress, the great [winepress], of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress are trodden without the city, and there came out blood from the winepress, even unto the bridles of the horses, as far as a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
Do you see the connection between verse 13 of Joel chapter 3 and the above passage in Revelation 14? They are the same event which is the destruction of the wicked. Jehovah calls the nations to war and to appear before Him at the valley of Jehoshaphat where Jehoshua and his saints will thrust in the sickle and tread the grapes of wrath underfoot. Remember, to tread means to crush so this denotes physically and violently destroying the wicked. The language of the winepress is used to give a vivid picture of how we will treat the wicked. Revelation 14 says the vintage (grapes) of the earth will be gathered and cast into the winepress.
The grapes are the wicked nations and the gathering will be to the valley of Jehoshaphat where the wicked will be judged, then killed with the double edged sword of the saints (Psalm 149; Luke 19:27) and then cast into the lake of fire. It was prophesied about the Judean King that he would put his hand on the neck of his enemies;
Genesis 49:8
"Judah, thee shall thy brethren praise: Thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; Thy father`s sons shall bow down before thee"
The hand of the Judean King would be on the neck of his enemies. Jehoshua is no hippy and many will find that out on the day of judgement.
Joshua 10:24
"And it came to pass, when they brought forth those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the chiefs of the men of war that went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them"
Joshua had the Israelite war chiefs put their feet on the neck of the enemy kings. Paul the apostle says that Jehoshua must reign until all enemies are put under his feet:
1 Corinthians 15:25
"For he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet"
The putting all enemies under his feet is the same as treading them underfoot. This means the putting his enemies under his feet is eqauted to violently crushing them like grapes in a winepress. The winepress is the vat of Jehovah God's wrath.
As mentioned earlier in the study, the saints participate in the treading the wicked underfoot (Malachi 4).
Joel 3:14-17
14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! for the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of decision.15 The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.16 And Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but Jehovah will be a refuge unto his people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel. 17 So shall ye know that I am Jehovah your God, dwelling in Zion my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.
The day of Jehovah is the valley of decision. These are connected as verse 15 shows the comic disturbances that accompany the great and terrible day of Jehovah. It's the Valley of Jehoshaphat where Jehovah judges the nations and the reaps them with his sickle. Jehovah God will roar from heavenly Zion i.e. New Jersuslem announcing that His day has arrived.
Revelation 10:2-4
2 and he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left upon the earth; 3 and he cried with a great voice, as a lion roareth: and when he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices. 4 And when the seven thunders uttered [their voices], I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
This is the mighty angel, who represents Jehovah God, roaring and seven thunders uttering their voices. This is likely the angel of the holy spirit. This roar indicates that there will be no delay and that the mystery of God is finished. The rest of the chapter indicates this.
The heavens and the earth shaking at the roar of Jehovah show that this passage in Joel is connected with the cataclysmic events of the book of Revelation and the second coming of Messiah.
Verse 17 says Jehovah will be a stronghold to His people in that day. Who are Jehovah's people? Joel says it clearly, the children of Israel. His children will be delivered in that day and as this study shows they will bring vengeance upon the wicked.
No comments:
Post a Comment