Jehoshaphat / Azal / Valley of Decision

[whirlwind]

Joel 3:11-12 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause Thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. 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.

"Let the heathen be wakened" means let their eyes be opened. The "mighty ones," as shown below, "come down" from heaven and join His "sanctified ones" and they are "His weapons of indignation." They are the "rod of iron," in [Revelation 2:27]. The judgment in the valley of Jehoshaphat is the same event written of in....

• Isaiah 13:3-5 I have commanded My sanctified ones, I have also called My mighty ones for Mine anger, even them that rejoice in My highness. The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle. They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of His indignation, to destroy the whole land.

The eyes of the heathen will be opened, they will see truth. Notice that in Joel the mighty ones come down but the heathen....come up to Jehoshaphat. Who are the "heathen" that shall be judged? Strong's gives the description....

• #1471 gowy, goy ~ from the same root as 1465 (in the sense of massing): a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile: also (fig.) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts: - Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
  
  So heathens are Gentiles and Gentiles are non-Israelites. I find it interesting that "a flight of locusts" was used for Satan will unleash his "locust army" in the end of days.

Where is the Valley of Jehoshaphat? What is being said?

• The scene of Jehovah's judgment has been localized, and the name has come down to us attached to that deep ravine which separates Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, through which at one time the Kedron forced it's stream. It is not mentioned in the Bible or Josephus. Both Moslems and Jews believe that the last judgment is to take place there. The steep sides of the ravine, where ever a level strip affords the opportunity, are crowded, in places almost paved, by the sepulchres of the Moslems, or the simpler slabs of the Jewish tombs, alike awaiting the assembly of the last judgment. ~ Smith's Bible Dictionary

So the "valley of Jehoshaphat" is only mentioned that one time in Joel in connection with the judgment. If I understand the above...before that time it isn't on the map. Consider...

• Zechariah 14:4-5 And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with Thee.

This is the same event written of in Joel and Isaiah. Here, instead of naming the valley of Jehoshaphat we see, "Azal." Just as Jehoshaphat is only mentioned Biblically in connection to the judgment...so is Azal. They are only used in the above verses. Bullinger states..."Azal, a new place yet to have this name, at one extremity of the valley." What will happen in this future valley?


Joel 3:13-14 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

The day of the Lord "is near"...so it is not yet there! The sickle is being called for but isn't yet thrust into the earth. The seventh trump hasn't sounded but, the harvest is ripe and the sickle is to be "put in." That makes me question...is this "valley of decision" one where those of earth must make their decision or is this so named as it is where God will make His? Or...both? The place of mankind's decision....His judgment.

• Revelation 14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

 

[whirlwind]

The day of the Lord "is near"...so it is not yet there! The sickle is being called for but isn't yet thrust into the earth. The seventh trump hasn't sounded but, the harvest is ripe and the sickle is to be "put in." That makes me question...is this "valley of decision" one where those of earth must make their decision or is this so named as it is where God will make His? Or...both? The place of mankind's decision....His judgment.

In looking for an answer to the above question I found the following verses about....valleys.

Valley of decision....

• Psalms 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
  
  Ezekiel 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones.(11) Then He said unto me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.' (12) Therefore prophesy and say unto them, 'Thus saith the Lord GOD; 'Behold, O My People, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

Valley of His judgment.....

• Jeremiah 31:40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.' "
  
  Ezekiel 39:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamon-gog.
  
  Zechariah 12:11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
  
  [list:3m2gjh8u]The valley of Megiddon is....Armageddon

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Revelation 16:14-17 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a placed called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the Temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, "It is done."[/list:u:3m2gjh8u]

In the above Revelation verse we came full circle. The valley of decision, where mankind is now is being beset by "the spirits of devils" pretending to be of Christ. Both sides are in this "valley of the shadow of death" and both sides are gathering their army for "that great day." Armageddon is a spiritual gathering, a spiritual battle. Our Savior comes "as a thief," so this won't be an announced call to arms. The valley of decision becomes the valley of His judgment when..."It is done."