THE prophet Joel is the only Bible writer who mentions the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There is a Jewish burying-ground there, and tradition says that King Jehoshaphat and also King Absalom and the prophet Zechariah have their tombs in this valley. Our illustration on this page is a photograph of that part of the valley which is said to contain the tombs of Jehoshaphat and some of the other noted personages of Jewish history.
VALLEY AND TOMB OF JEHOSHAPHAT.
ONE of the scriptures that thrills the Christian with the deepest emotions of reverential delight and expectancy is that portion of the prophecy of Joel which speaks of the Jehoshaphat Valley. The words of the prophet are, “For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will plead with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted My land.” “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. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears; let the weak say, I am strong. Haste ye, and come, all ye nations round about, and gather yourselves together; Thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. 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. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, tread ye; for the winepress is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. And the Lord shall roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the Lord will be a refuge unto His people, and a strong hold to the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion My holy mountain; then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass thru her any more.”
No ONE can read the foregoing scripture without having the fact impressed upon his mind that the judgment scenes are being presented by the prophet. And the words of the text give us a plain understanding of what will be some of the striking events in the world when this judgment-day is imminent. Men have been zealously teaching that the people are getting so good that there will be no more wars. These men have taught that there will be no further need for weapons of warfare, and so they will be beaten into pruning-hooks and plowshares. And right into the very midst of this false teaching the Lord thunders the proclamation of the real facts.2
HE says: “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. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears; let the weak say, I am strong.” What is the condition in the world to-day? Are not the most unprecedented and the most undreamed of preparations for war going on? To all human foresight the time can not be long delayed when the whole world will be racked and torn by a turbulent, entangled, and furious war. It will not merely be one nation at war with another; but all the nations will be involved in the ferocious strife. And then in each one of these nations there are elements of internal revolution that may well cause the bravest to tremble.
THESE facts concerning the spirit of war in the world to-day are apparent to all. They are not things that have to be proven. Every one sees them and realizes them. God’s prophet shows us that they betoken the impending judgment-day, and you know, as you read this prophecy of Joel, that the sublimity and awe of that great assize right at hand fasten themselves unconsciously and irresistibly upon your mind. This is the action of God’s Spirit, uniting with His Word to impress you with the importance and the blessedness of being ready to stand in that great day.
THE time is at hand. It is getting late to ask you, What will you do about it? You are earnestly confronted with the question, What are you doing about it now? T.
