THE LION COMPANY ROARS OUT OF ZION
THE LION COMPANY ROARS OUT OF ZION
Joel 3: 16-21
Sunday, November 27, 2016, the Year of the Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
The fires in Israel appear to me to be another “sign of the times.” Some of the fires in the Old City of Jerusalem are in the Kidron Valley. This is the Valley of Jehoshaphat. Joel 3:12: “Let the heathen be wakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.” If I am discerning the scripture rightly, this is a “sign” of a “Day of the Lord.”
(“The fire is said to have caused serious archaeological damages. The burial complexes in the Kidron Valley are attributed to the Jewish aristocracy of the late Second Temple period and are considered to represent architectural wonders. The national park around the walls of Jerusalem surrounds the Old City, which represents the historical heart of Jerusalem.” (The Jewish Press – 11/13/16)
The heathen are the nations of Joel 3:2 and the Gentiles of Joel 3:9. They have been wakened by Zion’s alarm.
Joel is the prophet of “the Day of the Lord.” The Day of the Lord comes in fullness when the night is over! The vindication in the Valley of Jehoshaphat deals with every strange “nation.” The “valley of decision” is present as well as future. It centers at the Cross, where Jesus was flanked between two thieves, two decisions. One chose to preserve himself; the other chose to be forgiven and restore to Paradise, the Kingdom.
There are five “decisions” that all humankind must make in the “valley of decision.” The Valley of Jehoshaphat was connected with:
- The Mount of Olives (Gethsemane, the “olive press”). This is the decision to surrender our will to God’s will.
- The Valley of Berachah (“blessing”), where Jehoshaphat and his people gathered to “bless” God for a battle won by praise (2 Chron. 20: 20-26). This is the decision to let God fight every battle.
- The place where the Jews historically buried worn-out rolls of Scripture. This is the decision to honor and reverence the Word of God.
- King Melchizedeck’s Dale (Gen. 14:17) or Valley of Shaveh, as identified by the Jewish historian, Josephus. This is the decision to forgive everyone for everything and receive the blessing.
- Absalom’s monument (2 Sam. 18:18), which was in the same vicinity. This is the decision to submit to the King and His Kingdom (honor true spiritual authority).
(Absalom’s monument has been burned through the fires 11/13/16.)
Fidel Castro is dead! Again we watch as God continues to bring cleansing to every "nation." In The Day of the Lord, the nations of the world will be re-captured in the name of the Lord. God continues to deal with every antichrist spirit that the worldly church and politicians have created. The nations of the earth are going to bring their “glory” and "honor" into the City of God (New Jerusalem), the Church of the redeemed.
In the fullness of that Day, once the night is over and gone, we shall see glorious things fill the earth.
These last five verses of Joel’s prophecy describe the spoils of Zion’s “holy war” (Joel 3: 9-11). Those who have been called by the Lord’s trumpet have been ordained to become the Lord’s trumpet in the earth!
Joel 3:16: “The Lord 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.”
The prophet Joel began his message by describing nationwide desolation. The only solution was the complete consecration of its priests and people. Once this commitment to prayer, fasting and cleansing had been made, Jehovah began his restoration of the years (Joel 3: 1-21).
The Lord shall “roar” out of Zion, the Most Holy Place, and “utter” His “voice” from Jerusalem. Jesus is the Lion King of the tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5) whose “testimony” (witness) is the “spirit of prophecy.” (Rev. 19:10). The corporate Overcomer, those apprehended for the “high calling” (Phil. 3: 12-14), make up the Lion Company who prophesy out of Zion.
This roar shall cause the “heavens and the earth to shake”. But the Lord will be the hope of his people.
Isa. 4:6: There shall be a tabernacle (in Zion) for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.” We live in an unshakeable Kingdom. The Seed is safe. The end is secure.
The Lord himself is like the fortress (rock) of Zion. He is the hope, the glory, the tabernacle, and the strength of His people! Zion is where His Presence is.
Joel 3:17: “So shall you know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain…”
The simple meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles is that God tabernacles Himself in a people---His “dwelling” is in Zion! This principle of incarnation flows throughout the Bible---God comes to dwell with man!
God goes “from tent to tent and from one tabernacle to another” as revealed to David (1Chron. 17:5; Ps. 84:7; Rom. 1:17). God is always on the move. The Scriptures speak of His “goings”. He moves especially as wind on water or as the Spirit on the Word.
Second, as God moves “from tent to tent,” the glory of each proceeding House increases. “The glory of the latter House shall be greater than the former” (Hag. 2:9).
1. God dwelled in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, walking in the “cool” (ruach or “spirit) of the day. (Gen. 3:8)
2. God walked with the patriarchs, with Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
3. God dwelled in the Tabernacle of Moses.
4. God dwelled in the Tabernacle of David (2 Sam 6:17).
5. God dwelled in the Temple of Solomon.
6. God dwelled in the post-exilic Temple of Zerubbabel.
7. God dwelled in Herod’s Temple until Jesus (the glory of it) departed from it.
8. God dwelled in Jesus Christ, who then “dwelt” or tabernacled” among us as the Pattern Son, the “House” for the Father. He is Emmanuel---“God with us”, the Incarnate Word.
9. God dwells in the Church individually, the Body of Christ, the real Temple and eternal building or habitation of the Holy Spirit. The Church is His ongoing incarnation! We are His Naos, His “inner sanctuary.”
10. God will dwell in the completed and glorified House of the Lord (Ez. 40-48); Rev. 21-22). This is the glorified community of God.
Throughout Scripture, God comes to dwell “with” man, “among” man, and “in” man. The Bible does not emphasize the going of the church, but the “coming” of the Lord. It does teach about the “appearing” of the Lord.
Rev. 21:3: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.”
The consummate victory of Joel 3: 16-21 is that God lives in the people whom His love has conquered! His overcoming people will have fully entered the Sabbath rest of the Lord.
Joel 3:18: “It shall come to pass in that day that the mountains shall drop down new wine…”
This is a vivid description of real revival, restoration, and reformation. This takes place in “that day”, the “Day of the Lord”. The new wine is flowing again.
Amos 9:13: “…the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that sows seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine.”
The mountains shall prophesy! There shall be a fresh outpouring of His joy, for there shall be a fresh Word from the Lord!
Joel 3:18: “…and the hills shall flow with milk…”
The “milk” is metaphorical of the abundance of the land; to be fat, the richest, choice, best part. The Promised Land of Canaan flowed with milk and honey. This abundance of “milk” in the Day of the Lord speaks of all the new believers who will receive Jesus as Savior and Redeemer. This reveals the harvest principle and “flow” of Kingdom evangelism!
“…and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters…”
Hab. 2:14: “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”
Zech 14:8: “It shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem…”
The “rivers” are the waters of life, the pure flow, the moving of God’s Word and Spirit. The prophetic river is from the belly. The priestly river is from the sanctuary, and the kingly river is from the throne.
Joel 3:18: “…a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim.”
Zech. 13:1: “In that day shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.
In that Day, the “fountain” opened at Calvary’s Cross shall “come forth of” the corporate “House” of the Lord. Jesus Christ is the open Fountain. When He was pierced, there flowed forth blood and water. His blood will cleanse us from all sin. The full effect of His finished work will be manifested in Zion, and then flow out of Zion to the ends of the earth.
Jesus is the Rock that was smitten. This “fountain” flowed from the House of God will “water the Valley of Shittim.
Joel 3:19: “Egypt shall be 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.”
Whether this is literal or metaphorical or both, Egypt represents the world (kosmos) with its bondage to sin. Pharaoh the king and god of Egypt is a picture of Satan, the prince and god of this world.
Edom was the name give to Esau after he forfeited the birthright to his brother Jacob. Edom represents the flesh.
Men and women have sacrificed their children to the ways of the world and the lust of the flesh. The evils of secular humanism in our school systems, domestic or ecclesiastical child abuse, the vile practice of child pornography, and America’s national evil of abortion are all examples of shedding innocent blood. All of this will be shaken and removed in the Day of the Lord. All that remains is His unshakeable Kingdom---in Zion (Heb. 12: 25-29),
Joel 3:20: “But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.”
The “Judah” (praise) Company, the righteous remnant of Zion are those who have attained the “high calling” (Phil. 3:14). The corporate Overcomer rules and reigns with her Husband and High Priest after the order of Melchisedec, King of Salem or Jerusalem.
Joel 3:21: “…for the Lord dwells in Zion.”
Joel’s prophecy is ended. The “nations” have been judged. The Feast of Tabernacles has come. The Lord dwells in Zion. The Lord now tabernacles Himself in His permanent House of living stones. Mount Zion is His resting place of deliverance and holiness.
Obad. 1:17: “Saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.”
These are awesome, incredible days! God is doing something so big that He is the only One who has the faith for it. His eyes are running to and fro throughout the earth to find a man or a woman who will do it with Him.
Trumpets are blowing and the alarm is sounding throughout every nation. The Army of God is mustering. The “burden” of the Lord is the weight of what He has spoken. The “burden” of the prophet Joel is the church must repent of all mixture, and return to the Christ-centered paradigm and purity of the gospel of the Kingdom.
This is a new Day in God. God’s voice has awakened us. The Day of the Lord of the Book of Joel is not near, it is here.
Only radical disciples who love God more than themselves or the opinions of others will follow on to know the Lord even though all is not clear, and we don’t have all the answers. We have a compass, not a map. The Holy Spirit alone is out guide, our sole sense of direction.
This journey will require a keen sense of following the Holy Spirit in complete obedience.
I am reading a new book, En Punto by C. R. Oliver, it is a chronicle of radical disciples who followed the Lord arriving at “there”, without knowing where “there” would be when they were called or sent.
I suppose that has been the journey we have been on the past three years. We have been following wholly after the Lord by faith not knowing “where” we were being led or what “there” will look like.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
Scripture from K.J.V. – I entered into the labors of Rev. Kelly Varner (1949-2009) – Sound the Alarm.