Joel presents a similar picture of the end-time gathering of the nations for God’s judgement.
“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgement with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land.” (Joel 3:1-2)
God declares that He will first bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem – that is, He will regather the scattered Jewish people in their own land. Then He will gather all the Gentile nations and bring judgement upon them.
The basis of the judgement is the same as that described by Jesus in Matthew 25. God says He will enter into judgement with the nations “on account of My people Israel.” At this stage in history when anti-Semitism is becoming continually more widespread and more aggressive, it is tremendously important for all nations to be warned that they will be judged by God on the basis of their treatment of the Jewish people.
Once the sheep have been separated from the goats, the judgement of the Gentile nations will be complete. By this time all those who are accounted worthy to enter into the period of Christ’s millennial kingdom will have passed through the refining judgements of God. First, Israel will be purged in the fires of the great tribulation. Then, at the close of the tribulation, the Gentiles will be purged by Christ’s own direct intervention and judgement.
After these purging judgements upon both Jew and Gentile, there will ensue a thousand years of peace and prosperity, with Christ ruling as King over all the earth.
At the close of this period of one thousand years, Satan will make one final attempt to organise the Gentile nations in rebellion against Christ and His kingdom, but this rebellion will be brought to nought by the direct intervention of God.
At this time Satan himself will at last be banished forever from earth and will be cast into the lake of fire, to join the Antichrist and the false prophet who will already be there. With this defeat of Satan’s final uprising, all the rebellious among those living at that time upon the earth will be purged out, and it will then remain to judge the dead of all previous ages. For this purpose, all the dead who have not previously been resurrected will at this time be called forth for judgement. In this way the stage will be set for the third and final scene of God’s eternal judgement.
We will study this further tomorrow.
Heavenly Father, once again I am surprised how accurately and vividly your Word describes what is about to happen in the last day - towards the end of time. Besides that, I personally want to be ready for this, I also want to ask You to use me as a witness of You and Your coming. Amen.
