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Joel End Times Series - Session #6: Military invasion of God's end time plan
Download Military invasion of God’s end time plan Audio, Handout and Transcription DOWNLOAD Session #6 Military Invasions in God's End-Time Plan Bible Verse Handbook View Session #6 Military Invasions in God's End-Time Plan Bible Verse Handbook online Session 6 Military Invasions in God’s End-Time Plan 1Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the LORD is coming, for it is at hand: 2a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations. 3A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns; the land is like the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; surely nothing shall escape them. 4Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; and like swift steeds, so they run. 5With a noise like chariots over mountaintops they leap, like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array. 6Before them the people writhe in pain; all faces are drained of color. 7They run like mighty men, they climb the wall like men of war; every one marches in formation, and they do not break ranks. 8They do not push one another; every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between the weapons, they are not cut down. 9They run to and fro in the city, they run on the wall; they climb into the houses, they enter at the windows like a thief. (Joel 2:1-9) I. MOSES’ PREDICTIONS OF TROUBLE IN ISRAEL A. Moses prophesied that horrifying things would come to Israel if they rebelled against God. He spoke of locust plagues that would be sent by God (Deut. 28:28-42). This occurred in Joel’s day, yet the people refused to believe that God had sent it. Moses foretold that the Lord would bring a military invasion by a nation from afar (the Babylonians) against Israel (Deut. 28:47-51), and that they would take ownership of all of Israel’s gates and devastate the land. Moses prophesied that Israel would give way to cannibalism during the sieges (Deut. 28:52-53). B. The Babylonian invasion occurred (606–586 BC) in three stages, probably within a few decades after Joel’s ministry. The Lord warned Israel that He would scatter them across the nations, from one end of the earth to the other (Deut. 28:64). This was fulfilled in part on several occasions when Gentile nations invaded Israel and deported them as prisoners to foreign lands. The three main examples in Israel’s history were the Assyrian invasion (722 BC), the Babylonian invasion (606–586BC), and the invasion by the army of the Roman Empire (70AD). 64“The LORD will scatter you among all peoples
[all nations], from one end of the earth to the other…65And
among those nations you shall find no rest…but there the LORD
will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and anguish of soul.”
C. This prophecy by Moses will see its ultimate fulfillment in the end times (Ps. 102:20; Isa. 11:11-14, 16; 14:1-3; 19:23; 27:12-13; 40:11; 42:7, 16, 22; 45:14; 49:9-12, 21, 24-26; 60:10, 12, 14; 61:1, 5; Jer. 30:3, 8, 10, 17; 31:16, 23; Ezek. 39:23-29; Hos. 11:11; Joel 3:1-2, 8; Amos 9:14; Mic. 2:12-13; 4:6-7; 5:6; 7:12; Zeph. 3:19-20; Zech. 9:11-12; 10:10-11; 13:8-9; 14:1-2; Lk. 21:24). Jesus will free Jewish captives from Egypt and Assyria (parts of Iraq, Syria, and Jordan; as seen in Isa. 11:11-12, 16; 27:13; Hos. 11:11; Mic. 5:6; 7:12; Zech. 10:10-11). D. By understanding the basic principles related to the Babylonian invasion as seen in Joel 2, we are equipped to gain more understanding about end-time military invasions and captivity. II. PROPHETIC VOICES DECLARING MILITARY INVASION A. Military invasions and conflicts are a part of God’s plan
to shake and judge nations. 6“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars…7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom…8All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Mt. 24:6-8) B. In Luke 21:20-24, Jesus prophesied of a future military invasion of Israel, which happened at the hands of the Roman Empire in 70 AD, but also has a double fulfillment at the end of the age. He was describing two events. This prophecy had a “near” fulfillment, occurring within one generation, and a “far-off” fulfillment in the end times. One principle of biblical prophecy is that God often intends two fulfillments in one prophecy—a near fulfillment and an end-time fulfillment. 20 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Lk.21:20-24) 2I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem;
the city shall be taken…half of the city shall go into captivity…3Then
the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations… 4And
in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives… C. In Revelation, John prophesied military invasions in God’s end-time plan. He saw Jesus open the seals. With the breaking of the second seal, John saw a red horse, whose rider was granted to take peace from the earth, so that people would kill one another in war. It escalated in the fourth seal, resulting in people being killed by the sword (Rev. 6:8). One-fourth of the population of the entire planet will die in the wake of these military crises and their results. 4It was granted to the one who sat on it [red horse] to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword… (Rev. 6:4) 8Power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword… (Rev. 6:8) D. Paul warns us of end-time military conflicts, saying that when the nations say, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come (1 Thes. 5:3). In other words, when the nations think that an hour of peace has finally come, it will suddenly be disrupted by war. 3For when they say, “Peace and safety!”
then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant
woman. And they shall not escape. E. The OT prophets, as well as Jesus, Paul, and John, all prophesied end-time military conflicts. III. THE END-TIME MILITARY INVASION A. The Babylonian invasion was the most terrible military crisis for Israel in the Old Testament. At that time, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (modern-day Iraq) attacked Israel with three massive invasions over a twenty-year period, leaving the nation utterly decimated. 1. The three waves of the invasion were in 606 BC, 597 BC, and 586 BC, thus occurring over twenty years. In other words, this one judgment took twenty years to come to pass. 2. Joel may have prophesied this ten or twenty years before the first wave occurred. Why? I assume that Joel’s prophecy about this invasion occurred within the lifetime of those he called to fast and pray for it to be averted. B. One principle of biblical prophecy is that God often intends two fulfillments in one prophecy—a near fulfillment and an end-time fulfillment. C. The military invasion against Israel prophesied in Joel 2:1-9 will find its complete fulfillment in the end times. It is also prophesied in Zechariah 12-14 and will be the most severe attack in Israel’s history. IV. BLOW THE TRUMPET! LET ALL THE INHABITANTS TREMBLE 1Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the LORD is coming, for it is at hand: 2A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. (Joel 2:1-2) A. The Lord introduced a terrifying military invasion with a cry to sound the alarm and blow the trumpet on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem. It is a call to wake up the people so that they would repent and cry out to God to intervene with mercy (Joel 2:12-14). B. Zion is the city of Jerusalem. It also represents the people of God. The trumpet is blown to call the people of God. C. This command to sound the alarm has an application today in
God’s servants raising their voices, so that all the inhabitants
in the land would hear and tremble. 1. The trumpet alarms the people that a great emergency or crisis is at hand. In His mercy, God tells His messengers to sound the alarm so that His people can respond. 2. The call to blow the trumpet is a prophetic call requiring boldness and courage. We need preaching that produces trembling. It has never been popular. 3. If God gives a warning of coming judgment to a prophetic watchman and the watchman does not blow the trumpet, then the blood of the people is on the hands of that watchman. 6“If the watchman sees the sword coming and does
not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword
comes and takes any person, he is taken away in his iniquity; but
his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.” 4. God’s end-time trumpet messengers are forerunners. D. The desired result of this trumpet sound is that the people—all the inhabitants of the earth, believers and unbelievers—would tremble. The end-time message has an element of warning that is so alarming that, when understood, both the hearers and the proclaimers will tremble. V. A DAY OF DARKNESS 2A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness… (Joel 2:2) A. Joel describes this day in frightening language, using four different words: darkness, gloominess, clouds, and thick darkness. These convey how ominous and overwhelming the coming judgment is. It will be a day of gloom to those who continue to rebel against God. B. The end-time expression of this darkness is related to the Antichrist’s military invasion of Israel. C. Some say, “I don’t like doom and gloom” because they see it as a contradiction to God’s love. Doom and gloom is God’s language. It is His mercy to speak clearly about what is coming. VI. THE COMING ARMY: LIKE MORNING CLOUDS 2…like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong… (Joel 2:2) A. Joel compares the coming army to morning clouds or the dawning of a sunrise. In what way was the Babylonian invasion like the sunrise? It was sure to come and no one escaped seeing it! 1. In some translations, this phrase like the morning clouds qualifies the first description of Joel 2:2—the day of darkness and gloominess. 2. In other translations it describes the latter part of Joel 2:2—the militant people growing great and strong, like the morning clouds. 3. I believe this phrase qualifies both the day of gloom and the army. For either way, the overarching principle remains the same. A day of darkness is going to encompass Israel and the whole earth, like morning clouds encompass the mountains. B. Another analogy to the morning sunrise is that the intensity of the light increases gradually. As the hours go by, the sun grows until it fills the horizon and ultimately shines intensely as the noon-day sun. Just as God brings forth the morning progressively rather than all at once, so that day of gloom grew stronger and stronger. The progressive nature was seen in the three waves of the Babylonian invasion that broke out suddenly and then gradually increased in intensity over twenty years. Joel’s point is that the day of gloom will be all-consuming by the time it comes into fullness. As the morning clouds spread over the mountains and as the sun arises, the wicked Babylonian army was sure to come in the near future in a way that all would see. VII. A PEOPLE GREAT AND STRONG 2Like the morning clouds…a people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations. (Joel 2:2) A. Joel continues to describe the army that would attack Jerusalem. It was to be unsurpassed in size, might, and in fierceness. In the end times, all nations will gather against Jerusalem (Joel 3:2, 12; Zech. 12:3; 14:2; Zeph. 3:8; Ezek. 38:4; Rev. 16:13-14; 19:17-21). It will be the largest military gathering in all of human history. 2“I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat [near Jerusalem] and I will enter into judgment with them there.” (Joel 3:2) B. The army will be great—greatness is due to numerical strength; they will come in vast numbers. C. The army will be strong—strong in military sophistication, advanced technology, and the highest levels of biological and chemical warfare. It is mighty in economics and with demonic miracles. 1. They will have economic strength (Rev. 13:17). 17That no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark… (Rev. 13:17) 2. Their strength will also be in occult power. 13He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do… (Rev. 13:13-14) D. The Antichrist will use demonic signs and wonders. E. Joel describes this force as the northern army coming from Babylon (Joel 2:20). Jeremiah prophesied that an army would come from the north (Jer. 3:18; 16:15; 23:8; 31:8). A coalition of evil nations led by the Antichrist will come against Israel from the north (Ezek. 38-39). 20“I will remove far from you the northern army, and will drive him away into a barren and desolate land…his stench [from so many of his dead soldiers] will come up, and his foul odor will rise, because he has done monstrous things.” (Joel 2:20) F. This will be a people the like of whom the world has never seen (Joel 2:2). This army will be unprecedented in its fierceness, its size, and its strength. G. An invasion and attack on Israel of this magnitude would not be seen again for many successive generations, in other words, not until the millennial rebellion (Rev. 20:7-9). VIII. A FIRE DEVOURS BEFORE THEM 3A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns; the land is like the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; surely nothing shall escape them. (Joel 2:3) A. Unprecedented desolation will result from raging fires that will precede and follow the terrible army that invades Jerusalem. This happened in the Babylonian and Roman invasions, and it will happen again at the end of the age. The land of Israel was like the “Garden of Eden,” because it was plush and fruitful. It became as a desolate wilderness after being invaded. B. Joel prophesied that fires would rage before and after the military invasion. When the Nazis attacked Russia, they bombed the land ahead of time to destroy all resistance. When they retreated from the eastern front in the Ukraine and Russia, they burned much in their “scorched earth” policy. They did this so that their enemy could not use the resources from that land. C. The condition of the desolate cities of Europe and Asia after WWII gives us a graphic picture of many desolate cities at the end of the Tribulation (Lev. 26:31-32; Ps. 46:8; Isa. 13:6, 9; 24:1-3, 6, 12, 16; 25:2; 27:10; 34:2, 10; 42:15, 24; 44:26; 49:8-9, 17, 19, 26; 51:3, 19; 60:12, 18; 61:4; 62:4; Jer. 30:16; 49:2, 13, 20; 50:3; Ezek. 32:15; 33:28-29; 35:4, 14-15; 38:10-13; Dan. 9:27; 12:7; Joel 2:20; 3:19; Amos 9:11, 14; Mic. 7:13; Zech. 2:8-9; 14:1-5, 11; Mt. 22:7; Lk. 19:43-44; 21:20-24; Rev. 8:9; 17:16; 18:19). IX. THEIR APPEARANCE LIKE HORSES 4Their appearance is like…horses; and like swift steeds, so they run. 5With a noise like chariots over mountaintops they leap, like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array. 6Before them the people writhe in pain; all faces are drained of color. (Joel 2:4-6) A. Speed and appearance: The advancing army was like horses that run like swift steeds; Joel expressed their military advance using the language of his own day. He painted a terrifying scene. Joel was speaking of an army unmatched in speed. 1. Hitler conquered Poland in three weeks. He conquered France in four weeks. He conquered the Netherlands in less than two weeks! 2. This same swiftness will characterize the Antichrist’s army. In a time when men say, “Peace! Peace!” suddenly this evil empire will arise in fierceness (1 Thes. 5:3)! B. Sounds: The sound of the army is like chariots leaping on mountain tops and like raging fire. Imagine the deafening noise of ten thousand chariots charging through the land. Then imagine the sound of raging forest fires and bonfires in the grass. These sounds of war were terrifying. C. Devastation on Jerusalem: The faces of those who see the advancing army are filled with fear. Their faces are drained of color, becoming ghostly white in fear at the sight of this army. They writhe in pain even before a hand is laid upon them. Their bodies are gripped with terror. D. The sheer sight and sound of their enemy sent them into utter dread. Joel describes Jewish victims in Jerusalem before the Babylonian invasion; their faces are drained of color as their bodies are gripped with terror. Similarly, some will faint for fear in the end-time crisis. 26“…men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.” (Lk. 21:26) X. MEN OF WAR 7They run like mighty men, they climb the wall like men of war; every one marches in formation, and they do not break ranks. 8They do not push one another; every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between the weapons, they are not cut down. 9They run to and fro in the city, they run on the wall; they climb into the houses, they enter at the windows like a thief. (Joel 2:7-9) A. This prophecy of a total assault on Jerusalem by Babylon had a “near” fulfillment in Joel’s day. The Antichrist’s armies will do this again in Jerusalem as a “far” fulfillment in the end times. B. They are a zealous and fierce army: They run like mighty men of war and overcome the walls. C. They are a disciplined army that marches in formation without breaking ranks! They are trained, disciplined, and seasoned. They do not push one another; every one marches in his own column. D. They are a courageous army: In the heat of battle, they lunge courageously between the weapons instead of retreating in fear! E. They are an invincible or unstoppable army: They run to and fro in the city, they run on the wall; no obstacle will stop them in their assault. No resistance except divine intervention will stop them. The Babylonian army was not stopped by the walls of Jerusalem. The Antichrist’s army will be unstoppable until the Lord comes to deliver Israel (Zech. 14:1-5). F. They are an invasive army: They climb into the houses; they enter at the windows like a thief. XI. ALL CREATION WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE TERRORS OF THIS DAY 10The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble; the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness. 11The LORD gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the LORDis great and very terrible; who can endure it? (Joel 2:10-11) A. Supernatural demonstrations will precede and follow the Antichrist’s army. The earth and the heavens will shake, the sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will fade in brightness. The entire atmosphere will tremble, including the sky and the solar system! This is not figurative—it is literal and it will come to pass. B. Why does God speak of cosmic signs in the same passage as the evil army in Joel 2:1-9? The message God is giving through these wonders is that He is in full control. He has power over the Antichrist’s army to accomplish His purposes. God gives a heavenly power display in the hour that a wicked army is trampling the globe in order to reveal that the earthly armies are nothing to Him. Effortlessly, He causes the sun to lose its light! (Acts 2:19-20; Rev. 6:12; Mt. 24:29; Mk. 13:24; Lk. 21:25). C. The military crisis results in the demonstration of God’s power in the heavens. The theme of the Babylonian invasion in Joel’s day and the Antichrist’s assault on rebellious nations flows into the theme of God’s cosmic judgments (the most severe end-time judgments). God is saying, “I have power over all armies and the sun and stars. I have all power on earth and in heaven.” D. The Lord gives voice—He gives direction as the One leading His armies. E. Evil nations can be used as a rod in His hand to discipline other evil nations (Isa. 10:5)! God does not cause them to be evil, yet He employs them to discipline other nations. God will raise up the Antichrist to discipline Israel and the Gentile nations who are in disobedience to Him. The Babylonian invasion did not surprise God, nor will the Antichrist. F. Why does God use these cosmic signs? With these extraordinary manifestations, God will declare to those who love Him, “Do not fear, I am in total control!” (Lk. 21:25-28). 1. Through these cosmic signs, God demonstrates His full awareness of everything going on. Every detail has been orchestrated. He has authority over the stars in the heavens. God’s statement through the shifting of these solar powers is that He is in control. 2. The Church will be assured of His power on their behalf. He has the power to move the stars in the heavens and He can keep His own through this strategic hour of history. 25“To whom then will you liken Me…”26Lift
up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, who
brings out their host [stars] by
number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might
and the strength of His power… 3. If God can administrate the heavenly realm with such power and wisdom, we can rest assured that He can also direct the earthly realm. It is easy for God to overpower all earthly armies, whether they are from ancient Babylon or the armies of the Antichrist. 15The nations are as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust on the scales…17All nations before Him are as nothing, and they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless. (Isa. 40:15-17) XII. GOD IS WORKING OUT HIS GREAT PLAN ON EARTH 11The LORD gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; who can endure it? (Joel 2:11) A. Joel describes this evil camp as very strong; when the Lord puts his hand upon any vessel, whether righteous or unrighteous, and says, “I have need of you,” they are unstoppable for that season! His purpose is inescapable, for strong is the One who executes His word. In other words, mighty is the God who fulfills His plan. The Lord gives voice—He gives direction as the One leading His armies. His army was the Babylonian army in Joel’s day. They were His army in the sense that they fulfilled His purpose. They were His instrument to discipline rebellious Israel. The Lord Himself brings this vile army into power and provides direction before them to fulfill His purposes. He is responsible for using them to make an impact upon His people. 1. The One who gave the prophetic scriptures will reveal His might by fulfilling the word of prophecy. The Lord declares that His camp is very great and He is the strong God who is executing His Word. He is the One fulfilling His eternal plan as declared by the prophets. His plan will be fulfilled precisely! 2. Babylon did not disrupt God’s plans and the Antichrist will not thwart them. B. The Day of the Lord is great and very terrible (Joel 2:11). The end-time drama will be intense and dreadful. The two sides of the coming Day are the glory and the terror. C. Joel asks, “Who can endure this intense drama?” or “Who can survive this Day in God’s favor?” The answer is, we can! Joel gave us the way to find God’s favor in a time of crisis (Joel 2:12-17). D. When this question is asked in relation to the end times, it
refers to enduring the military crisis caused by the Antichrist’s
reign of terror, God’s cosmic judgments, and Jesus’
second coming. |
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