JOEL 2:18-27 The Lord is with us – who can be against us?
Joel 2:18 Then the Lord showed His ardent love for His Land and had compassion for His people. [The Land cleansed and His people gathered and settled in it. Ezekiel 20:34-36]
Joel 2:19 He answered their appeal and said; I will send you plenty of food. You will no longer suffer the reproach of other nations. [As in verses 22-26]
Joel 2:20 I shall remove the Northern peril far from you and banish them into the desert. The vanguard will go into the Dead Sea and the rearguard will go into the Mediterranean Sea. The rotting smell of the dead army will rise up. [Very interesting! Ezekiel 38:14-16 says that a mighty army from the North [Gog and Magog] will attack My people, Israel, when they are settled and undisturbed. So that the nations may know Me and prove My holiness.]
Joel 2:21 Earth, fear not, the Lord has done great things.
Joel 2:22 Fear not, you beasts in the field, the grass will be green. The trees and vines will bear their fruit.
Joel 2:23-27 People of Zion rejoice, be glad in the Lord. He gives you rain and crops in due season. You will have food in plenty. I shall recompense you for the years of drought and famine. My people will never again be put to shame. You will know that I am with you, in Israel and that I am the Lord your God.
This passage is a clear sequence of events, as it starts with- Then the Lord.. and then verse 28 starts- After this…..
Both the verses in Joel 2:27 and Ezekiel 38:16, also Jeremiah 50:4 Hosea 14:7, Jeremiah 29:13-14, Ezekiel 36:23, Ezekiel 20:42 show that Jesus is not actually present in the Land, as He will be during the Millennium. His glorious Return will prove His presence and glory to all the peoples of the earth, so these events are before then. God will be present in the same way as He was with ancient Israel.
So, the complete sequence of events as I figure it from Bible prophecy is:
- The Mid east nuclear war, started by Iran, but God will intervene at the last minute, with a C.M.E. which will depopulate the entire Middle East region [Isaiah 30:26] excepting for a small Jewish remnant left in Jerusalem. [Isaiah 4:3-4]
- After an undetermined period of time, God will arrange for the ethnic descendants of the 12 tribes of Israel to assemble on the hills of Samaria. [Amos 3:9]
- There, He will confront and judge them. The righteous will stay in the Land, but the ones judged unrighteous will not enter. [Ezekiel 20:38]
- His people, Israel, will settle and become prosperous in a blessed Land. [Jer. 16:14-16]
- After a few years, a Northern confederation [Gogs army] will attack them, but will be super-naturally destroyed by God. [Ezekiel 38:21-22]
- Because of this defeat and bad economic conditions, the rest of the world will accept One World government by a strong leader. [Daniel 8:23-26]
- He will sign a 7 year peace treaty with Israel, which will mark the commencement of the 70th week spoken of by Daniel. The Tribulation commences after3½ years. [Dan 9:27]
- The Lord Jesus will return, destroy the army of the nations commanded by the Anti Christ and will then reign in Israel for 1000 years. [Rev. 19:11-16]
- At the end of that time, a resurgent Gog’s army will again attack Israel. They are totally burned up and then will be Gods Great White Throne judgements on all people and the angels.
Reference: Revised English Bible. Some verses abridged.
The Prophetic Word 