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"); } function WinOpen2() { msg=window.open("","Note2"," toolbar=no, directories=no, menubar=no,width=600 height=200"); msg.document.write("Note2"); msg.document.write("Rimmon North of Nazareth about halfway lake Tiberias about 115 KM's North of Yerushalaim

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Yoel

Chapter 2
In Chapter 1 Yoel told the people to imagine for themselves devastation.
In this chapter Yoel describes the cause that caused those catastrophes.
Yoel was a prophet inspired by Yahuweh and as such he foresaw what was going to happen in the future. However, this is not always about a precisely defined period. Some visions might be regarding repeating phenomena. Some visions may have a gap in between the events seen, ranging from a short period to a period of centuries.

One of the remarkable things of the Tanakh is that several prophets saw the same happenings, but within a different vision. To find out what event a vision is pertaining to, we should compare the various visions in the Tanakh and find a common denominator.
Verse 1.

Blow Shophar in Tziyon and sound a signal for war on mountain my holy (one) be energized (excited) all dwellers of the land, since to come day-Yahuweh, because (it is) near. There are many special ways of blowing the Shophar and one way is used to announce war. It is blown to alert the men for war.
When we read Micah 2:12-13, we see pictured an event in the end times, probably after the events described in Zechariah 14:3-8.
Micah tells us that Yahuweh is going at the head of Israel. It is therefore logical that before His coming the men are called up ready for war.
Verse 2. Day black and calamity day cloudy and thick darkness while dawn spread on the mountains, people many and numerous as what is not been from ancient time and after it not do again till the years of many generations. It was a black and gloomy day, with thick clouds covering the sky. Normally the dawn starts when the first sunrays strike the top of the mountains but now the dawn comes over the mountains in dark and gloom and in this gloom appears a multitude of people as never before has been assembled and after this not will be assembled for many generations. Compare Ezekiel 38:6-9, Zech 14:2, these armies outnumber any strike force utilised in the first and second world war. That a mighty army again might be assembled after many generations, we could learn from Revelations 20:7-10.
Verse 3. Before him consumed fire and behind him burning flame. Like Garden of Eden the land before him but after him wilderness devastation also deliverance not to be for him. I have witnessed a tank-flamethrower in war action. Believe me I understand this text. There is a beautiful landscape in front of them, but a black smouldering wasteland behind it.
However, in Yoel's days flamethrowers were an unknown weapon, yes they even were unknown in their present state, till the Second World War. Therefore, it cannot be applied to any of the known past calamities in Israel. This again brings the context of the prophesy to the end time.
Verse 4-5. Like appearance of horses their appearance and like horsemen so they run as sound of chariots on top of the mountains they leap as sound of flame fire devouring stubble like people numerous arranged for war. Here again the prophet is challenged to translate phenomena he sees, in to something the people of his time could relate to. The closest he gets to this, is the than known biggest war implement, namely horses and chariots. However, they never have been known to leap on mountains or carry flamethrowers.
We know about low flying flame throwing helicopters that seem to leap hills. Everybody might have seen those Vietnam movies and series on the television. They make an awful noise, like the chariots of Yoel's days, which were the noisiest things than known.
Although when we read further in Yoel, it seems more likely to be tanks.
They appear to be like an enormous army in battle array. Again nothing like it ever was, before the twentieth century.
Verse 6. From before them writhe people, all their front parts gather heat. Now most translations are different, but this is how the Hebrew can be translated and fit the context. It is not difficult to imagine what the intense heat does to people before they actually are burned.
Verse 7-10. Like mighty men running, like men of war, him mount walls and each in his way him proceed and not interchanging their path. And each his brother not push, man in his pathway proceed and because of missile falling not him stop. on the city him rush, upon wall running, on the houses him mount, through the windows him come like a thief. Before him quakes earth, him shakes heavens, sun and the moon him make dark and stars him remove brightness. When you went through a war or have seen moving pictures of a war, you can imagine a row of tanks moving on the enemy, followed by infantry soldiers. Missiles fired at them do not stop them, they go straightforward and move over every barricade put in their way.
Yoel could have given a vivid description of such an event. Must have been a frightening sight for Yoel who never saw such a thing before and it would have been incomprehensible to imagine for anybody living before the twentieth century.
Tanks make the earth rumble. The gunpowder haze would obscure the sun by day and moon and stars by night.

Remember, this is about an invasion in Israel, the armies marching forward to Yerushalaim.

According to the description of the armies here in Yoel, it could not have been anything that happened before. Now remember, all this is something that the people have to imagine as a vivid description of something that can happen. If it is going to happen or if it is going to stop when it has started, depends on the people. This will be made clear to them and us, in the following verses.
Verse 11.

But Yahuweh utters His voice before His army as very great His camp of armoured hosts, like numerous executing His business, as great day-Yahuweh and to be awful greatly and who can endure it? According to various sources in the Tanakh, such as mentioned before, shall that day arrive on which Yahuweh says, 'enough is enough!' and He personally shall call His people to the battle. This is not only Israel's army it is also the mighty heavenly host that is to Yahuweh's disposal. Many times in the Tanakh He is called Yahuweh of hosts.

Indeed many prophets have predicted an awful time in the end times before Yahuweh shall restore everything.

Again we should take notice of the fact that the Tanakh specifically mentions Yahuweh as the deliverer. Verse 12-13. Also you declares Yahuweh return back to me in all your hearts and in fasting and in weeping and in wailing. And rend your hearts and not your garments and return you to Yahuweh your Elohiem, since gracious and compassionate Him, patient in angers and great of goodness compassionate not to do the evil. Most translations have the last bit wrong. They say repenting or relenting from evil. It should be translated, 'He is compassionate and He is not doing evil things.'

Rendering one's clothing is a sign of inevitable disaster. However, Yahuweh says it is not inevitable, just render your hearts instead of your clothes and turn to me to overcome the disaster. Fast to show your willingness and weep and wail over your previous behaviour.

Remember the Tanakh says that this should not have happened if the nation Israel, which is all of Jacob's descendants, had kept Yahuweh's Torah and commandments. Verse 14. He who perceives, turn back and repent and leave after his person (behind him) blessing sacrifice and drink offer to Yahuweh your Elohiem. Again, many translations give a different meaning. But this is a legitimate Hebrew translation, which fits the context. It is not Yahuweh who has to turn back as many translators have to believe you. It is the people who see what is happening, who have to turn back to Yahuweh.
Verse 15-16. Blow shophar in Tziyon, set apart fast, call out assembly. Gather people set apart congregation assemble elders gather children and suckers of breasts, come out bridegroom from his room and bride from canopy. Everybody, even the ones normally exempted, should come together to fast and turn together to Yahuweh.
Verse 17. Between the porch and the altar weep the priests the ministering of Yahuweh and say' "have compassion Yahuweh on your people and do not give your property to scorn, to have dominion on them nations, and say among people where is their Elohiem!" To show repentance1 they must admit that they are Yahuweh's property. This is a basic requirement when we want Yahuweh to listen to us, we must realise and admit that we are His property. He made us and has full ownership of each individual, but He also chooses Israel as His nation and the land Israel as His land.

Again we have an indication of the era. It must be when a Temple has been built in Yeruselaim because it mentions the Porch and the Altar.
Verse 18.

Then passionate Yahuweh for His land and pity upon His people. The Hebrew word 'qana' can mean jealous, envious or zealous and the latter one can be expressed as passionate.
Yes Yahuweh is jealous for His land, meaning He does not like others to take it, but this is an ongoing jealousy and not something evoked by repentance. However, repentance causes Yahuweh to be passionate, which is activating His love.
Verse 19. Then answer Yahuweh and says to His people "See here to be send to you the wheat and the new wine and the fresh olive oil and you be sated with them. And not give to you again scorn by nations!" This clearly indicates the final restoration, because up till now the nations have always scorned the sons of Jacob and at the present are for sure scorning Israel.
Verse 20. And the northern-one, be put far away from upon you and trust him away to country dessert and waste, His front to the sea the eastern and his end to the sea the western and go up his stench and will go up his foul odour, because great is doing (great works are being done). The Northern-one, those are the armies coming up from the North. From the context we know that it is not one country, but people from many countries, Ezek. 38:1-6. When we turn to Ezek 39 -11-16, we see the total annihilation of the attacking armies announced.

When we ignore most translation but look at the Hebrew we read in verse 11 'Eastern Sea.' Reading Zech. 14:10 we read about Rimmon2, which is on the northern part of the plain that shall come in existence. Now Rimmon is situated between the Eastern Sea, the Sea of Galilee and the Western Sea, the Mediterranean Sea.

map Israel
Reading from Yoel and combining it all together we can assume that from Yerushalaim up till Rimmon, there will be a plain. North of that plain will be a valley, named Hamon Gog,3 where the invading army will be rotting away.
This is the result of great works been done and the next verse tells us who did the great work.
Verse 21. Fear not land (actually soil) be glad and rejoice because great (works) Yahuweh is doing. Although disaster has been to parts of the land, the result will not be a permanent disaster, because Yahuweh shall restore even the scorched land.
Verse 22. Fear not animals of the field because to sprout meadows uninhabited land, because tree bears his fruit, fig tree and fine produce their wealth. There will be sustenance for man and beast.
Verse 23. Then children of Tziyon be glad and rejoice in Yahuweh your Elohiem, because given to you the teacher of righteousness. And to come down to you shower early rain and the spring rain in the first. Here we find a Hebrew play on words, such as are found frequently in the Tanakh. The word 'moreh'means teacher as well as early rain.
Unfortunately most translators have missed this gem.

Israel is expecting the coming Moshiya (deliverer) to be to them the righteous teacher of the Torah, Jer.31:33-34. Therefore in this verse the promise of restoration is embraced.
Compare this to Hosea 6:1-3. However, the word 'moreh' is not used in this text, the word rain as in shower, 'geshem' is used.

The spring or late rain falls in the month Nisan (March-April) and is in Israel needed to make the sown wheat grow.
The early rain falls in the autumn and is eagerly awaited for, to relieve the hot dry summer conditions.
Therefore both the early and the late rain are vital to the well being of the nation and so is the teacher of righteousness.
Verse 24.

Then full the threshing-floors grain. Then overflow the wine presses fresh wine and fresh oil. There shall be not just enough, no there will be abundance.
Verse 25. Then I compensate to you, the years which consumed the swarming locust the young locust and the finishing locust and the breeding locust, my army great which I send on you. Yahuweh shall compensate for what the invading armies, likened to locusts, have destroyed.
Verse 26-27 Then you shall eat eating (consume food) and be filled and you to praise name Yahuweh your Elohiem who worked with you people wondrously and not disappoint my people forever. Then you shall know that in the midst of Israel I; and I Yahuweh your Elohiem and there is no other and not disappoint my people forever. This reminds the people of the Shema Deut. 6:4 Shema Yisrael Yahuweh Elohienu Yahuweh echad.
Pay attention Israel Yahuweh our Elohiem Yahuweh is one (a single unity) After this they all shall know and understand this from the marvellous works that Yahuweh has done among them.
    Notice:
  1. That no other name or identity is mentioned then Yahuweh, in all the deliverance work done.
  2. That Yahuweh stresses the point that it is Him and Him alone who shall dwell in the midst of Israel and there is no other.
The picture the Christianity paints of Yahuweh being in the Temple and Yeshua ruling as king has no Tanakh backing whatsoever.
Compare Zech. 14:9 but do not trust translations that say 'Lord' because the Hebrew says: 'Yahuweh" and not Baal. This means that if Yeshua the deliverer from the apostolic writings is the Moshiyach, the deliverer, He must be Yahuweh Himself. This verse concludes the second chapter of Yoel in the Tanakh. For their own reasons, the early Church decided not to close this chapter but continue with what is chapter 3 in the Tanakh.
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