Two kinds of judgements

The nations will meet the Lord’s judgment in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There are two kinds of judgment there. (1) It says, “Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.” In the Bible, the word “harvest” signifies “salvation.” This refers to the judgment of the “sheep Gentiles.” They will receive salvation (blessing) and will be invited into the Messianic Kingdom (the Millennial Kingdom). “The sheep Gentiles” are Gentiles who become believers during the Great Tribulation. They express their faith through their actions and take a pro-Israel stance (ref. Matt. 25:31-46). This scene is described in detail in Revelation 14:14-16. (2) Furthermore, it says, “Come, tread the grapes, for the wine press is full; the vats overflow…” In the Bible, “treading the wine press” signifies “judgment.” This refers to the “goat Gentiles,” who will undergo “the judgment of the day of the Lord.” The “goat Gentiles” are Gentiles who take an anti-Jewish stance during the Great Tribulation and persecute the Jewish people. Revelation 14:17-20 prophesies this: “And the wine press was trampled outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of 1,600 stadia” (Rev. 14:20). “Outside the city” refers to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. The amount of blood that will be shed on that day is beyond imagination.

The Lord is a refuge

(1) On the day of the Lord, the sun and the moon will grow dark, and the heavenly bodies will fall into darkness. This is the same content that the Lord Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24:29. (2) When the Lord raises His voice from Jerusalem, the heavens and the earth will shake. (3) For the unbelieving Gentiles, the Lord will appear as Judge, but for the people of Israel, the Lord will become a “refuge.” (4) The Lord at His Second Coming will rule the entire world from Jerusalem, and at last the Messianic Kingdom (the Millennial Kingdom) will be established on the earth (v 17). The details of the Messianic Kingdom are prophesied in verses 18-21, which will be addressed next time. It is certain that the Messianic Kingdom will literally be established on the earth. We Christians have been given the privilege of preparing for it even now. The center of the Messianic Kingdom will be Jerusalem, and the Messiah Himself will be present there. If we welcome the Messiah into the center of our lives and practice fellowship with the Messiah at the center, then we are already experiencing the foretaste of the Messianic Kingdom. Let us give thanks today as well that the Lord Jesus is with us.