King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Friday, September 12, 2025
Chapters: Book of Joel
Message: Joel: The Valley of Decision
Hello My Friend,
As we read through the Book of Joel, we learn that God is angry, not only at the world who mocks Him, and the false religious world who sends millions of their followers to hell, but also His Church, whom have neglected His Word for the their sin, [Revelation 2:2-5 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.]
The day will come when every person has a decision to make to either live by faith though their faith in Christ or live by self through their pride and conceit, but regardless of what decision we make, we will all stand before God in judgment and give an account for the life we lived, [Matthew 12:35-37 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.]
Jesus, was not kidding when He said that an evil people bring evil things, and while we all have a little bit if evil in us, this goes beyond your average act of pride, envy, or anger, this is the pure demonic evil. When a woman is killed on a train, just minding her own business and a man is assassinated in broad daylight for speaking his mind, surrounded by thousands of people in America, then you know that we are getting close to Christ’s return, [Luke 12:35-37 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.]
The Book of Joel contains three chapters, the author is Joel and it was written to the people in Judah. The timeline for these events comes with a bit of a debate among Bible scholars, some say 850-860 BC while others say, 400–380 BC. Since the book describes what will take place during the time of Christ’s return, it is likely to be the later date. The purpose of the book was to warn Judah of their sin and need for repentance and to inform them of God’s future restoration for the entire nation. What we are to learn from the book is that even in the midst of God’s chastening, His plans always include restoration, [Joel 2:32 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.]
The book itself was found around the same time that Ezekiel prophesied, which is why I believe that Joel was actually living in Judah during the time that God had shown Ezekiel its devastation. Joel, describes the state of his beloved nation, what once was the land flowing with milk and honey was now a desert land. He is angry with his fellow Jews who were literally drinking themselves to death with the old wine that had been left over and now it was gone and now they are beside themselves.
[Joel 1:2-5 Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers? 3 Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation. 4 That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten. 5 Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.]
We are among a society where it is every man for himself, there is something gravely wrong when kindness has been replaced with selfishness and compassion with mercilessness. Oh, they want you go easy on the thugs, but not their victims, to those who think like they do, they are the victims because society made them that way, [Isaiah 5:20-23 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! 22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: 23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!]
Did it ever occur to these people that we are all accountable for our own actions? No one forces one to put a gun to someone’s head. Of course, I am speaking in general here, but when are people going to start taking responsibility for themselves instead of blaming everyone else for their self inflicted problems. This is what Joel is trying to convey to the people of Judah.
[Joel 1:10-12 The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth. 11 Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished. 12 The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.]
There is absolutely no joy for the wicked, there is nothing that they are completely satisfied with because as soon as they get that kill they crave more. The honest truth is that there will never be any joy because they have no purpose for their lives. When there is no purpose but to feed off every lust to the flesh, there will never be any satisfaction, [2 Peter 2:9-12 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. 12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;]
The closer we get to Christ returning the worse things are going to get as the world loses the very things that fed the lusts of their flesh. In fact, we are seeing these end times approaching rather quickly, especially dealing with pandemics and diseases, catastrophic storms, a godless government, and a society that is all about pleasing every lust of their flesh. However, the Church is not off the hook, many are just as guilty, if not worst than the world, and through Joel, God addresses them as well.
[Joel 1:14-16,19-20 Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, 15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. 16 Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God? 19 O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field. 20 The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.]
Think about it, if Joel is saying this during his time on earth what would he be saying today? Even Christ’s few and faithful need to be sober and alert, always watching for the day that He will return. Through Joel, God tells us to be ready for the sound of that trumpet because it will be a day like we have never seen before.
[Joel 2:1-3 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. 3 A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.]
Joel, is describing the locust, there were so many that they appeared as clouds darkening the sun, it was like a gloomy rainy day, but with no rain. The appearance of these locust is also described in Revelation, so this could hint at what things will be like during the tribulation, [Revelation 9:5-7 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.]
In fact, as Joel continues to describe this devastation, it sounds even more like he is talking about the tribulation.
[Joel 2:6-8,10-11 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. 7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: 8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. 10 The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: 11 And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?]
This also sounds like something from Revelation, [Revelation 19:11-15 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.]
Notice the attributes of Christ: He is Faithful, because He will stand by us to the end and He is True, never doing less but always more than He has promised. That sharp sword will be none other than the Word of God, and all Jesus is going to do is speak it as He watches nation upon nation that rejected Him become utterly destroyed. The time to accept Christ is not when you stand before Him on Judgment Day, it is now. He is actually calling on all to come to Him, but He will never force or beg anyone. If you die without knowing Him as your Saviour, then that is all on you. He is giving you ample warning to come to Him. As Joel continues he calls for a day of repentance.
[Joel 2:12-14,17 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? 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?]
Have you noticed that Christians are not ashamed of their sin anymore either? The Church is dying, grasping for the air that only Christ can give them, and it is time that the entire Church, whether we are faithful to Christ or not, to start praying and fasting for each other, [Galatians 6:1-3 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.]
Appearance means nothing to God, you can change your clothes, but that does not mean you are trusting Christ as your Saviour. True repentance comes from the heart, and by the way, when the heart changes so do the garments because we start to become a reflection of Christ. This has been the same message from the beginning, and through Joel, God tells them how He restores and creates His believers into witnesses.
[Joel 2:21,23,25,27 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. 23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. 25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. 27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.]
Repentance, goes a long way with God, even if one struggles with sin as long as we are repentant, and God will restore much more than what was taken away due to sin, [James 4:8-10 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.]
This is actually speaking of when Christ will return and rule the throne from Zion. The most amazing thing about receiving Christ is that immediately we receive the Spirit of God inside of us, and He does not leave us, ever. As Joel continues, we learn of the day that God will pour His Spirit on all who remain on the earth.
[Joel 2:28-32 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. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 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.]
Do you see how the same message applied to all, not just those of us in the New Testament age, but Old Testament as well. Zion, is the hill in Jerusalem on which the temple was built, when Jesus returns, all will gather there for judgment before the entire earth will be destroyed. Through Joel, God, foretells of the day that Israel recognizes Christ and returns to Jerusalem and then judgment will begin.
[Joel 3:1-4 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. 3 And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink. 4 Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;]
Does this sound familiar? If God sent judgment upon Palestine way back then it is no wonder they are fighting Israel today. Through Joel, God tells Israel to be ready for the Gentiles, for all will stand before Christ.
[Joel 3:6-9,13-14 The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. 7 Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head: 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. 9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.]
Until one receives Christ as their Saviour they are considered as heathens, and those who are just playing the part of being Christians under their false religions are also a part of this group. Jesus, Himself is going to come with that sickle to reap all His people before the entire earth is destroyed. The harvest is ripe, the fields are white, just waiting from someone to preach the Gospel to them, [Revelation 14:14-16,19 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.]
Think about it, while Jesus is gathering up His remnant, those who are left behind will be gathered and squished, in other words, cast into the lake of fire. Our countries are in the shape they are in because the ministers are tired, many are quitting, and becoming part of the world, some are just content to preach the Gospel and that is it. We need to lift up and encourage those who are tired, we need to fast and pray for God to work in our lives like never before, and we need to remember how merciful and slow to anger God is toward us. However, one day that mercy will run out, and we will all stand before Christ for judgment. Through Joel, God explains the day of judgment, where it will take place, and who will be saved from it.
[Joel 3:16,18-21 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. 18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. 19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. 20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. 21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.]
Jesus, is the one who cleanses our blood with His blood, the one who saves our soul from the fire, and the one whom is our hope and strength while we are still here. I am not going to lie, we are going to be put to the fire like never before, and the closer you are to Christ the more we are going to feel it, but we will get through it with Christ, [1 Peter 4:12-14 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for your mercy, grace, and that you truly are slow to anger, I think of the life I lived and sometimes even the things I do today and know that I truly do not deserve Your good graces, but am grateful that I can wake up each day knowing that my Saviour lives and because I am solely trusting Him as my Saviour I know I will live eternally also. Lord, I know the harvest is white, and You could send Jesus any day now, lead me and guide me, let me be a faithful witness to reach as many as I can with the Gospel. Restore unto me the joy of my own salvation, my fear, and renew Your Spirit within me. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/ready-to-follow-jesus/
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Read Previous Devotions: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Read The Bible: http://kingjamesbible.imfollowingjesus.com/
Visit I’m Following Jesus: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/welcome/
Like I’m Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength
Copyright © 2025 I’m Following Jesus, All rights reserved.