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                                             Dr. Dan Hite, President                FreeWay Foundation                   February 29, 2008

Multitudes In The Valley Of Decision

(Joel 3:1-21)

Dr. Curt Scarborough

I.  Concentration:  on the two main truths of this chapter

        1.  God will judge the nations of the earth, vv. 1-17.

        2.  God will bless His chosen people, vv. 18-21.

II.  Meditation:  on some of the important expressions used here

1.      "Valley of Jehoshaphat," v. 2 – a part of the Kidron Valley between the temple

and the Mount of Olives; "Jehoshaphat" means "Jehovah is Judge," the

reference here means that God will bring the nations to a place of judicial decision.

2.      "Beat your plowshares into swords . . . " v. 10 – the inversion of Isaiah 2:4,

where weapons of war were to be made into instruments of peace; here farm tools

are to be made into swords and spears; God is warning the heathen nations

(through Joel) to prepare for war because His "mighty ones," (v. 11 – heavenly

army of angels) are coming to punish them.

3.      "Multitudes," v. 14 – the word also can be translated "tumult" and refers to the

noisy clamor of the sinful nations flowing into the valley to await God's final verdict

in judgment.

4.      "Valley of Acacias," v. 18 – the barren valley of the Jordan River, just north of the

Dead Sea; God's living fountain shall flow from the temple in Jerusalem to bring life

to the Dead Sea . . . a picture of God's spiritual blessings upon His people in the

"peaceful kingdom."

III.  Revelation:  on God's blessed Messianic kingdom to come

1.      "Zion" and "Jerusalem" in verse 17 refer to the holy city, New Jerusalem, which

shall come down out of heaven, Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 21:1-2.

2.      That coming Messianic kingdom will feature abundant provision for God's chosen

people; "the mountains shall drip with new wine, the hills shall flow with

milk," v. 18.

3.      God's river of eternal life shall flow there, v. 18; Ezekiel 47:1; Zechariah 14:8;

Revelation 22:1.

4.      The Lord God Almighty shall dwell there with His chosen people, v. 21;

Revelation 21:3-4.

IV.  Application:  as a Christian, I need to . . .

1.      Prepare . . . because someday I shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ,

II Corinthians 5:10.

2.      Serve as a peacemaker, Matthew 5:9 . . . pointing persons toward the Prince of

Peace, Who can turn their swords into plows . . . their spiritual hostility against

God into spiritual fellowship with Him.

3.      Thank the Lord for His abundant provisions for all my needs in this life, and for His

promised super-abundant blessings in the life to come.

4.      Worship and praise the Lord in preparation for the eternal fellowship and spiritual

communion that I shall enjoy in the New Jerusalem.

What Goes Around, Comes Around

(Obadiah 1:1-21)

Dr. Curt Scarborough

I.  Concentration:  on the background and setting of the book

        1.   The writer is a prophet named Obadiah, meaning "Servant or worshipper of

              Jehovah."  (More than ten men bear this name in the Bible.)

2.      He prophesied about the coming judgment upon Edom, the descendants of

Jacob's twin brother, Esau, who were bitter enemies of the Israelites, v. 1;

Numbers 20:14-21.

3.      The Babylonians had invaded Israel for twenty years, and they finally captured

and destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C.

4.      The Edomites had joined with Babylon in desecrating the land, Psalm 137:7;

Lamentations 4:21-22; Ezekiel 25:12-14.

II.  Meditation:  on the coming judgment upon Edom

1.      From Edom's position of pride and false security, God will bring her down,

vv. 2-4.  "I will make you small" (v. 2) means "I will cut you down to size!"

2.      Edom will be pillaged and plundered; it will be completely and finally destroyed,

vv. 5-9.

3.      This judgment is coming because Edom dealt violently with his brother, Jacob,

v. 10, and rejoiced over Israel's sufferings and joined with her attackers and

looters, vv. 11-13.

4.      This judgment is coming also because Edom prevented the escape of the people

the people of Judah and handed them over to the invaders, v. 14.

III.  Revelation:  on the "Day of the Lord"

1.      This Day will be a time of retribution, of reaping what has been sown, v. 15;

Galatians 6:7.

2.      This Day will bring doom upon Edom, v. 16.
3.      This Day will bring deliverance to Judah, vv. 17-20.
4.      This Day ultimately will bring all the world and all mankind under the dominion

of the One True God, v. 21.

IV.  Applications:  as a Christian, I need to . . .

1.      Ask God to reveal areas in which my heart is deceived because of pride; repent

of those attitudes of arrogance and cultivate true humility.

2.      Refuse to judge others, knowing that any judgment or criticism I express will return

upon me; do not rejoice in the punishment or discipline others receive.

3.      Seek reconciliation and restoration in broken relationships; model a lifestyle of

forgiveness and acceptance, Matthew 5:21-26.

4.      Worship and exalt the Lord Almighty; glorify the King of Kings Who reigns forever

and ever!

Make Time For Ordinary Things

by:  Harvey Mackay

        Author Mitch Albom says he wrote his book "One More Day" when he became

fascinated by how people answer this question:  If they could spend one more day with

a loved one already departed, how would they spent it?  What would they do?

        In Parade magazine, Albom says that he repeatedly found that people wanted

to spend an ordinary day doing ordinary things with the people they had loved.

        How does this relate to careers and work issues?  No matter how passionate

you are about your work, it's only part of your life.  As you've heard so many times,

don't work so hard at making a living the you forget to make a life.  When work stress

spills over to disrupt the rest of your life, you need to plug the dam.  Is this how you

would spend your "one more day"?

        When you feel like you are tottering on the edge and you just need a break –

you should take one.  In today's busy world, it is easy to fall into the trap of never taking

any time for yourself.  Just about every time you pick up a newspaper or magazine these

days, you find a study declaring that Americans are more stressed, sleep-deprived and

time-crunched than they ever have been.  That's no way to spend one more day.

        While you can't turn back the clock, you could certainly benefit from some real

time away from the things that drain you.  Spend that time instead with the people who

are special in your life.

MacKay's Moral:  "You can't count you days, but you can make your days count."

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