The Valley of Decision : Part 2
The Next STEP (laid out for us regarding the events of the last days) is,
The Presentation
In verse 14, Joel raises the loud and prolonged cry, “Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision.” Now, I want you to understand right away that these multitudes are not being called to this valley of judgment to make a decision. No, they’ve already made their decision to oppose God Almighty. The hordes that gather in this valley are there to receive the announcement of God’s decision against them! God is making the presentation of His decision and it is unmistakable. I think you’ll see that clearly as we move forward in the text.
The word multitude is hamonim. It is a picture of a confused, turbulent, noisy mob. Isaiah 9:5 uses similar imagery as he introduces the coming Prince of Peace. He talks about confusion, noise, and garments rolled in blood. Certainly, an army of this size will generate a lot of noise and dust and confusion. And remember, in Hebrew, the repetition of the word, multitudes, strengthens the intensity of the meaning.
Notice once again the appeal to agricultural scenes in verse 13. The winepress is full, and the vats are overflowing during the time of grape harvest. The picture of abundance portrays the great wickedness of the nations. God’s mighty ones (verse 11) are commanded to “put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.” The apostle John saw a similar picture in Revelation 14:17 to 20.
“Then another angel came out of the temple, which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” So, the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.”
At that place “outside the city,” in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, in this valley of decision, there will be a great slaughter. There, the blood will be running so deep that it will come up to the bridle of a horse. The word translated decision can also be translated as “trench” which could refer to the place where the blood will flow so deeply.
When I think about these scenes, my mind goes to Genesis 6. “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intentof the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually… The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So, God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” You know what happened after that, the flood of Noah’s day.
But after the flood was over, we read these sobering words in Genesis 8:21, “Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.” Did you notice what God said? Even after He cleansed the earth by way of the worldwide flood, man’s...
