John Calvin Commentary Joel 3:14

"Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! for the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of decision." — Joel 3:14 (ASV)

The Prophet confirms the same truth, but he uses many words because the devastation of the Church might have taken away all hope from God’s servants. For who could have said that the Church could be restored when it was so miserably laid waste, indeed, almost reduced to nothing? For the people were so scattered that the name of Israel counted for nothing.

The people then had ceased to exist, for they had lost their name. In short, the very structure of the Church was dissolved, and all might have said that the people were given up to countless ways of destruction, as everyone abhorred the name of Israel. Therefore, whatever the Prophets said about the restoration of the people would certainly have seemed incredible.

The repetition, then, is not unnecessary when the Prophet, in various ways, testifies and affirms that God would remain faithful. He affirms that even though Israel might perish, according to what humans could see, God still had enough power to revive the people when they were dead.

For this reason, the Prophet speaks emphatically, Nations! Nations! for he assumes here the role of a herald, as indeed this office had been committed to him. He shows that his predictions would not be in vain, that he did not declare words that would vanish into thin air, but that whatever he declared in God’s name was full of power and energy.

It might indeed have seemed ridiculous for the Prophet to summon all nations, since his teaching was mocked, even in Jerusalem. How could his voice penetrate to the farthest borders of the world and be heard there? Although the power of this prediction was hidden then, it eventually revealed itself, and it truly became evident that the Prophet had not spoken in vain.

Besides, he addresses the nations as though they could hear. But he thus raises his voice and nobly triumphs over all the wicked for the sake of the godly, even though the wicked then proudly ruled with great disdain.

“They shall come,” he says, “at last before God’s tribunal, though they now trample the Church underfoot; indeed, the nations, the nations.” He does not now mention the valley of Jehoshaphat, but of concision.

Some take חָרוּץ cheruts to mean a fixed decree, but the word means a sledge or an instrument for threshing. We do not know the method of threshing used by the Jews, but it is evident from several passages that חָרוּץ cheruts was an instrument with which they used to thresh. I am inclined to accept this meaning, for the Prophet had first called God’s judgment a harvest, then he compared it to winepresses.

But if the word “concision” is more approved, I do not object. At the same time, I do not doubt that the Prophet alludes to threshing, as he attributes to God His role of scattering nations, who now seem to have conspired for the destruction of the Church.

If anyone considers it to mean a fixed decree, or a cutting off, as it means in Isaiah, I make no objection, for many offer this interpretation. However, I have explained what I most prefer.

As to the main point of the subject, there is no ambiguity. The Prophet’s meaning is that God will so punish all the ungodly that He will cut them down and scatter them all, as when grain is threshed on the floor.

At last he adds that near was the day of Jehovah in the valley of the sledge. He intimates that though God, for now, overlooked their wickedness, yet the day was approaching, unknown indeed to humans,

and that He would come at last to that valley; that is, He would inflict such punishment as would prove that He was the protector of His people.

We have already spoken of this valley, and no doubt he refers to it throughout; otherwise, he would not have used appropriate language when he said, Ascend into the valley.

But what does it mean to “ascend into the valley”? For, on the contrary, he should have spoken of descending.

However, he compares Judea with other parts of the world. It is, as is well known, elevated in its situation. Therefore, the higher location of Judea aligns well with the ascent of which the Prophet speaks.

But he always means that God would so punish the nations as to make it evident that He did this in favor of His Church, as we will soon see more clearly. But he says—