Joel 3:17. So shall ye know that I am the Lord dwelling in Zion Very graciously present with you, and ever watching over you and delighting to save you. Then shall Jerusalem be holy After the church’s enemies are destroyed, the Messiah is come, and the remnant saved, the people of God shall be holy. There shall no strangers pass through her No profane or unclean person shall be found in the church of Christ. read more
Blessings for God’s people (3:16-21)The time of God’s judgment on his enemies is also the time of his deliverance of Jerusalem. He protects his people from punishment, purifies them from uncleanness, and gives them peace and prosperity (16-18). Having punished all enemies (symbolized here by Egypt and Edom), God now dwells among his people for ever. The persecutors receive their just punishment, but the righteous enter into eternal life (19-21).The day of the LordIn his book Joel has shown how... read more
So shall ye know , &c. Compare Joel 2:27 . See note on Ezekiel 6:7 . God. Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 . My holy mountain. Compare Daniel 11:45 .Obadiah 1:16 . Zechariah 8:3 . holy = holiness. See note on Exodus 3:5 . no strangers. Compare Isaiah 35:8 ; Isaiah 52:1 .Nahum 1:15 .Zechariah 14:21 .Revelation 21:27 . strangers = foreigners. read more
"So shall ye know that I am Jehovah your God, dwelling in Zion my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.This is a description of the spiritual Zion, mentioned in the preceding verse. It was beautifully understood and commented upon by Hailey in these words:"Spiritual Zion is impregnable; strangers will not pass through her as they did physical Jerusalem. The kingdom over which Jehovah reigns from Zion is one that cannot be shaken... read more
Joel 3:17. Then shall Jerusalem be holy— That is, "After this, Jerusalem shall be safe under my care, and be no more profaned by the hostile armies of these mine enemies." These expressions, perhaps, may have a further reference; and as we have found in the former prophets, that, under predictions of deliverances from particular enemies, great and future deliverances also in some remote ages are signified, this possibly may be the case with this latter part of Joel's prophesy; wherein it has... read more
17. shall ye know—experimentally by the proofs of favors which I shall vouchsafe to you. So "know" (Isaiah 60:16; Hosea 2:20). dwelling in Zion—as peculiarly your God. holy . . . no strangers pass through—to attack, or to defile, the holy city (Isaiah 35:8; Isaiah 52:1; Zechariah 14:21). Strangers, or Gentiles, shall come to Jerusalem, but it shall be in order to worship Jehovah there (Zechariah 14:21- :). read more
B. God’s judgment on Israel’s enemy nations 3:1-17God’s judgment on unbelievers would accompany the spiritual renewal and deliverance of His own in the future day of the Lord. As God promised to wipe out the locusts for despoiling Judah, now He promised to do the same to the nations that had despoiled Judah (cf. Zephaniah 3:8; Ezekiel 38-39; Matthew 25:31-46)."Like a photographer, Joel has used a wide-angle lens for the overall picture in Joel 2:30-32. Then he zooms in for a close look at the... read more
2. The description of judgment 3:9-17This pericope contains a call to the nations to prepare for war (Joel 3:9-11), a statement by the Lord (Joel 3:12-13), and a description of the battle site (Joel 3:14-16). read more
Yahweh’s victory will demonstrate to His people that He is indeed Israel’s covenant God and that His special place of abode is Mt. Zion (cf. Joel 2:27). After this battle Jerusalem will truly be the holy city, set apart entirely for God’s people and no longer defiled by pagan invaders. read more
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Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Joel 3:17
God Himself wondrously joins on His own words to those of the prophet, and speaks to His own people; “so (literally, and) ye shall know,” by experience, by sight, face to face, what ye now believe, “that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain.” So He saith in the second Psalm, “Then shall he speak unto them” Psalms 2:5-6 (the enemies of His Christ) “in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure; And I have set My king on My holy hill of Zion;” and, “Behold the... read more