Joel 3:8
And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken it. And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken it.
The verse declares a reversal of judgment in which, because the nations scattered Israel and sold its people into distant lands, their own sons and daughters will be given into the hand of Judah to be sold to the Sabeans, to a people far off. Its outcome is certain because the Lord has spoken it, and its setting is among the gathered nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, the valley of Jehovah's judgment, near the day of the Lord at the great battle at Jerusalem during the last plague immediately before Christ's coming. As a figure it applies to the last-day judgment and deliverance of God's people, fulfilled at the beginning of the day of the Lord before the thousand years begin, when Israel is gathered and delivered and God's Spirit is poured out on the living saints just before the resurrection of the righteous. It belongs to a prophecy of preparing for war that answers the nations' peace talk with the opposite command, foretelling latter-day strife and world-wide war stirred by demonic miracle-working spirits gathering the kings of the earth to Armageddon. Its fulfilling in the buildup of armaments and the gathering of the nations shows the day of the Lord is approaching and the harvest is ripe, warning God's people to prepare for Christ's second coming by fasting, prayer, and reform before the multitudes in the valley of decision meet the great judgment day.
Recompense and Deliverance
Joel 3:8 declares a reversal of judgment upon the nations for scattering Israel and selling its people into distant lands. God will raise the captives from the place where they were sold and return their wrongdoing upon their own heads. Their own sons and daughters will be given into the hand of the children of Judah, who will sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off. This handing over by Judah to a far-off people is God's recompense, answering deed with deed.
The outcome is certain and divinely authoritative because the Lord hath spoken it. That declaration authenticates what follows about preparing for war and arming for conflict. It likewise authenticates the vision of multitudes in the valley of decision.
Its setting is among the gathered nations in the Valley of Jehovah's Judgment, the valley of Jehoshaphat, near the day of the Lord. That valley is connected with the great battle at Jerusalem during the last plague, immediately before Christ's coming.
The prophecy applies not only to ancient Israel but also, as a figure, to the last-day judgment and deliverance of God's people. Its return of captivity signifies their coming deliverance, while its gathering of nations and call to prepare for war point to the universal conflict of the great day of God.
It is fulfilled at the beginning of the day of the Lord, before the thousand years begin. It places together Israel's gathering and deliverance and the outpouring of God's Spirit on the living saints just before the resurrection of the righteous. It includes the deliverance of many of literal Israel at Jerusalem during the battle of the great day of the Lord, alongside the deliverance of God's people in every nation.
Final War and Warning
The verse stands within a summons to get ready for war that lays bare the real condition hidden behind talk of peace, for while nations speak of peace the divine word calls them to arm themselves, and its result is sure because the Lord has spoken it. It is a great international proclamation to make preparation for war, to which every nation answers, small and great alike. In the last days the popular church declares that out of Zion shall go forth the law and that the nations shall beat their swords into plowshares and learn war no more, but the Lord declares exactly the reverse, to prepare war and to beat plowshares into swords, and because smooth things are preached when war and trouble are coming the Lord forsakes His people, which shows Isaiah 2:3 has no reference to the day of Pentecost.
Jerusalem and the surrounding country will bear the brunt of the nations' final attack just before Christ comes. The nations lay siege to the city in their war against the Turk, yet their assault fails, and God strikes them when victory seems near.
It foretells latter-day strife, unrest, and preparation for war as part of a world-wide war before the coming of the King of Kings. The war spirit it describes is the spirit of the devil, stirred up and sustained by miracle-working demonic spirits going forth to the kings of the earth to make them ready for the great war of Armageddon. Its fulfillment exposes the utter unfitness of men to rule the world and clears the way for Him whose right it is to reign.
It belongs to God's prophecy concerning these times, remarkably fulfilled in the present state of the nations, and that fulfillment shows the day of the Lord is approaching while watchmen sleep and the alarm is sounded only feebly, with the terrible day coming as a thief in the night and pressing the question of who is on the Lord's side. Its truth is proved by modern engines of destruction for war on the sea, wireless torpedoes, mined harbors, invisible fortresses with heavy guns, ever-increasing battleships with gas engines, and partially submersible ships, a vast naval buildup that points onward to Armageddon and the destruction of the world.
It points to the days in which we live, showing the world is in the last days and Christ's coming is near. It concerns the last day, the earth's terrible shaking, and the Lord's coming to judgment. Preparations for war and the gathering of the nations show the harvest is ripe and the end is near. It calls for preparation for war and brings the world to a decisive choice involving multitudes before the great judgment day. It closes the prophetic scene with Armageddon and the second coming of Christ.
It carries a worldwide application as a message of warning and reform given to prepare people for Christ's second coming. Its local illustrations point to calamities before the great day of Jehovah and to the war and trouble closing earth's history, and it urges God's people to fast and pray to avert calamity. In the last days the end of the Sunday-Sabbath movement brings persecution against those who obey God. What follows the verse is declared to be spoken by the Lord, joining His command to prepare for war with His vision of multitudes in the valley of decision, while God's people are urged to pray to be kept from a warlike spirit.