Commentary - Joel 3:18-21

Bird's-eye view

The prophet Joel, having detailed the great and terrible day of the Lord, now concludes his prophecy with a vision of glorious restoration and finality. This is not a sentimental tack-on, but the logical and covenantal outcome of God's judgment. Once the Lord has dealt with His enemies and purified His people, the result is supernatural abundance, permanent security, and the manifest presence of God with His people. The passage paints a picture of a new creation reality, flowing from the vindication of God's people and the judgment of their oppressors. It is a postmillennial vision in seed form, where the blessings of God's kingdom transform the created order and establish a permanent distinction between the righteous and the wicked.

The central theme is the reversal of the curse. Where there was drought and famine from the locust plague, now there is supernatural abundance. Where Israel's enemies gloated, now they are desolate. And where God's presence was mediated through a Temple that could be defiled, now His dwelling in Zion is a permanent and holy reality. This is the end toward which all of God's judgments move: a world filled with His glory, flowing from His redeemed people.

Outline

Context In Joel

This final section of Joel is the capstone of his prophecy. The book begins with a devastating locust plague, a historical event that serves as a type of the coming Day of the Lord. The prophet calls for repentance, and promises that God will restore what the locusts have eaten. He then prophesies the outpouring of the Spirit on all flesh, a promise Peter declares fulfilled at Pentecost. Following this promise of salvation comes the prophecy of judgment on all nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. Our text, verses 18-21, is the direct result of that final judgment. It describes the state of affairs after God has dealt decisively with His enemies. The logic is covenantal: judgment for the wicked means blessing for the righteous. The desolation of Egypt and Edom is the necessary backdrop for the supernaturally fruitful land of Judah.

Verse by Verse Commentary

v. 18 And it will be in that day, That the mountains will drip with sweet wine, And the hills will flow with milk, And all the brooks of Judah will flow with water; And a spring will go out from the house of Yahweh To water the valley of Shittim.

The phrase "in that day" points us to the eschatological reality that is established by the coming of Christ. This is not some far-off, disconnected future, but the era of the Messiah, the age of the Spirit. The imagery here is one of supernatural abundance, a reversal of the curse of scarcity. The locusts had devoured the land, leaving nothing, but in the day of salvation, the mountains themselves "drip with sweet wine." This is not just a good harvest; this is creation itself bursting with the blessings of God. This is poetic language, to be sure, but it points to a reality. When God's grace flows, it is not a trickle, but a flood. The gospel makes the world fat and happy.

The "spring" that goes out from the house of Yahweh is a clear picture of the gospel. Ezekiel saw a similar river flowing from the temple, bringing life wherever it went (Ezekiel 47). In the new covenant, the "house of Yahweh" is the Church, the assembly of God's people. From the Church, the life-giving water of the Word and Spirit flows out to the world. It waters the "valley of Shittim," which was a dry, arid place on the edge of the promised land, a place associated with Israel's sin with Baal of Peor. The gospel goes to the driest, most sinful places and makes them fruitful. This is the worldwide advance of the kingdom of Christ, transforming the wilderness of the nations into a garden for God.

v. 19 Egypt will become a desolation, And Edom will become a desolate wilderness, Because of the violence done to the sons of Judah, In whose land they have shed innocent blood.

The blessing of God's people is always set in contrast to the judgment of God's enemies. Egypt and Edom here stand as representatives for all nations and peoples who set themselves against God and His covenant people. Egypt represents the sophisticated, powerful pagan state that held God's people in bondage. Edom represents the treacherous brother, the one who should have been an ally but instead gloated over Judah's destruction. God does not forget. He is a God of justice, and the "violence done to the sons of Judah" will be answered.

Their crime is specific: they "have shed innocent blood." This is the ultimate sin of the persecuting state and the treacherous neighbor. They attack the righteous. And for this, their own lands will become a "desolate wilderness." The principle is clear: those who fight against the Church will ultimately be destroyed. Their flourishing is temporary. Their political systems, their economies, their cultures, all of it will come to nothing. History is littered with the ruins of empires that persecuted the Church. This is not a threat; it is a statement of fact, a law of history. God is for His people, and to be against them is to be against Him.

v. 20 But Judah will be inhabited forever And Jerusalem from generation to generation.

In stark contrast to the desolation of Egypt and Edom is the permanence of God's people. While the persecuting nations rise and fall, "Judah will be inhabited forever." This is not a promise made to a particular patch of real estate in the Middle East, but to the covenant people of God. Judah and Jerusalem are here symbols for the Church of Jesus Christ. The promise is one of perpetuity. The gates of Hell will not prevail against the Church. Empires will come and go, philosophies will have their day and cease to be, but the assembly of the saints, the city of the living God, will endure "from generation to generation."

This gives the believer a profound sense of stability and hope. We are not part of a fleeting movement. We are citizens of an eternal kingdom. This is why we build. This is why we have children and teach them the faith. We are not polishing brass on a sinking ship. We are laying the foundations of a city that will last forever, because its builder and maker is God.

v. 21 And I will avenge their blood which I have not avenged, Indeed, Yahweh dwells in Zion.

The prophecy ends with two foundational certainties. First is the certainty of God's justice. He says, "I will avenge their blood." The blood of the martyrs cries out from the ground, and God hears it. There may be a time when it seems that wickedness is triumphing and the blood of the saints has been shed for nothing. But God says He will "avenge their blood which I have not avenged." This means that no sin against His people will go unpunished. The final accounts will be settled. God's patience is not His approval. The final judgment is certain, and it will be righteous.

The second and ultimate certainty is the reason for all of this: "Indeed, Yahweh dwells in Zion." This is the ground of our security, the source of our blessing, and the terror of our enemies. God is with us. Not in a stone temple, but in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, who is enthroned in the heavenly Zion, and by His Spirit, who indwells the Church. God's presence is what makes the Church unconquerable. It is what makes the land fruitful. It is what guarantees the judgment of the wicked. The final word of the prophet is not about us, but about God. He dwells in Zion. And because He is there, all these things are true. The whole of redemptive history comes to its climax in this glorious fact: God tabernacling with His people, forever.

Application

The promises in this passage are not meant to be spiritualized away into an ethereal fog. They are robust, earthy promises for the people of God in history. We should expect the influence of the gospel to make the world a more fruitful and prosperous place. Where the Church is faithful, the mountains will, in a very real sense, drip with new wine. Culture is transformed by the gospel, and this includes everything from agriculture to art.

We should also take comfort in the promised judgment on God's enemies. When we see wicked rulers and corrupt systems persecuting the righteous, we should not despair. Their end is written. Egypt and Edom are destined for desolation. Our task is not to fret, but to remain faithful, knowing that God will settle all accounts in His time. We are citizens of a permanent city, and we should live like it, building, planting, teaching, and worshiping with a long-term, generational view. Our confidence is not in our own strength, but in the final declaration of this prophecy: Yahweh dwells in Zion.