Joel 2 lists a sequence of major events
relating to Israel in 7 years tribulation. I have
explained Joel 2 in raptureready forum back in 2009. I
try to make it short here.
Joel 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion,
sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
16 Gather the people, sanctify the
congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children,
and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go
forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
Verse 15,16 is rapture verse. The
bridegroom is Jesus, while the bride is the church. A
note here, the children, and those that suck the breasts
(infants) are not allowed to attend a solemn assembly.
So this event has nothing to do with a gathering in the
Jewish temple. Their appearance in these verses is
because these children and infants shall be taken into
rapture.
But what happens to Israel and Judah after
the rapture?
17 Let the priests, the ministers of the
LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them
say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine
heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over
them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where
is their God?
There is an urgent praying to God, and ask
God to spare His people Israel, and give not God's
heritage to reproach, so that heathen and gentiles
nations shall rule over Israel and the Jews. Satan knows
his time is short. He is gearing up nations to be
hostile against Israel.
18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his
land, and pity his people.
After rapture and the church is gone, God
shall be jealous for His land, pity His people and turns
His attention to Israel and the Jews again.
But how?
20 But I will remove far off from you the
northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and
desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his
hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall
come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he
hath done great things.
Verse 20 is the battle of Gog/Magog.
Immediately after rapture, a northern army which is made
up of Gog's army shall invade Israel. God shall drive
him ( Gog) into a land barren and desolate, with his
face (Gog's face) toward the east sea. East sea is Dead
sea. From Ezekiel 39:11, the valley of Hamongog shall be
the burial place for Gog and his armies. The valley of
Hamongog is situated to the east of Dead sea. I have
attached a map of Hamongog.
Ezekiel 39:11 And it shall come to pass in
that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of
graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the
east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the
passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his
multitude: and they shall call it The valley of
Hamongog.
Verse 21 to 27 is God's blessing to Israel
during the first half of tribulation. They shall eat
sufficiently.
28 And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your
sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men
shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29
And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in
those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew
wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and
fire, and pillars of smoke.
Verse 28,29,30 is events in the second
half of tribulation. God shall pour out his spirit on
the Jews while they are under persecution. They shall
dream dreams and young men shall see visions.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood, before the great and the
terrible day of the LORD come.
Verse 31 is parallel to Matthew 24:29. The
sun shall turn dark, moon shall not give her light. This
is the phenomenon before Jesus' second coming. The great
and the terrible day of the LORD is Jesus' second coming
to earth.
32 wraps up the 7 years tribulation.
32 And it shall come to pass, that
whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be
delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be
deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant
whom the LORD shall call.
Ray