In The Valley Of Decision

            In Joel 3:14, the Lord says, “Multitudes (of) multitudes in the valley of decision!  For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decisions.” 

            It must be said that this is a sorely abused Bible passage as well is the whole book of Joel (and the whole of the Major and Minor Prophets for that matter).  Our Premillennialist friends will emphatically demand that this passage (Joel 3:1-17) refers to some future final battle between good and evil called Armageddon.  This is unfortunate since the actual text doesn’t even begin to suggest that as even a possibility. 

            If you are to read Joel 3:1, you will read when this is supposed to occur, namely, “in those days and at that time.”  Our questions should be: when are “those days” and when is “that time”?  If you go back a few verses into Joel 2, you will see that “those days” and “that time” are the time when the LORD would “pour out [His] Spirit on all mankind” (Joel 2:28-29).  In Acts 2:16-21, Peter said that the Holy Spirit coming upon the Apostles enabling them to preach the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ in various languages so that all could hear and understand to the point of belief was the fulfillment of that prophecy.  In essence, what Peter said was this: that “that time” was the day of Pentecost there in Acts 2.  Additionally, one might ask about all of the judgment terminology in Joel 3.  Well, with the coming of the Holy Spirit also came judgment on the world in a very real sense.  In John 16:8, speaking of the Holy Spirit, Jesus says, “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”  And, in essence, this is what the Holy Spirit did when He brought the fullness of the Gospel to the world to either accept or reject (Matthew 12:30-32); the whole world was judged by their acceptance or rejection of the Holy Spirit.  And, let us be clear: while spiritual gifts have been done away with because they are no longer needed, the judgment of the Holy Spirit is still happening today and will continue until Final Judgment.  So, when we read about the “valley of decision,” we must not believe that it is referring to the outcome of Armageddon (which is another false doctrine coming from a misunderstanding of Scripture).

            Likewise, we must not believe that the valley of decision in this passage refers to what all of the gathered nations will do (i.e., decide whether to accept the Lord or to reject Him) in that valley at that time.  If you just read Joel 3, you will see that no one in that valley will be deciding anything for the LORD will be doing all of the judging (3:2, 12-13) and the nations will be powerless to do anything about it (3:16-17).

            Now, while the “valley of decision” in this passage does not refer to Final Judgment, Final Judgment IS coming.  In Acts 1:11, the angels said that Jesus would return in the clouds.  In Revelation 1:7, John said that every eye would see Him when He comes.  In Second Corinthians 5:10, Paul says that everyone will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ.  And, while we cannot know when that Day will come (2 Peter 3:10), we DO know that it is coming.  And, because of that, while the “valley of decision” in Joel 3 does not refer to any decision that man makes, before the final Day of the Lord, we all must make the decision as to whether or not we will serve the Lord.  It is our decision to make, to choose between God and idols, wisdom and foolishness, righteousness and wickedness, salvation and condemnation, Heaven and Hell (Joshua 24:15).  Therefore, in our own “valley of decision,” let us all make the only real decision there is and decide to serve the Lord, working out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) by obeying His Gospel from the heart (Romans 1:16-17; 6:17).  And, let’s understand that this means more than repenting of our sins and being baptized for the remission of them (even those things are necessary for salvation, Acts 2:38); it means being a living sacrifice to Him every day to His glory (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:31).  So, again, let us decide to serve the Lord today and every day until He comes.

~Curtis Carwile