Joel Chapter Two

Detour to Revelation 9:7

As we look at verse four we shall detour to Revelation 9:7 of our study “The Fifth Trumpet Judgment.” By examining a section of Chapter Seven of “The Fifth Trumpet Judgment” we will see that it addresses Joel 2:4.

The Fifth Trumpet Judgment

Chapter Seven - Verse Seven

“And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.”

(Revelation 9:7)

<Note: Let us recall that our overall study of Joel chapter one and up to verse twelve of chapter two deals with the invading locusts. Revelation chapter nine is a great parallel section of scripture.>

HORSES PREPARED UNTO BATTLE

We have seen the unleashing of these locusts in verse three; their intentions and purposes in verse four, which is to deceive all those on the face of the earth that do not have the seal of God in their foreheads. Verse five taught that these locusts would torment those men who have not the seal of God in their foreheads; declaring that their torment would be five months. This was compared to a scorpion when he strikes a man. Verse seven gives us much more information and insight on these locusts. God begins by telling us that the shapes of these locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle. This word “shape” in the Greek carries the idea of resembling or appearance. These locusts, as is taught in Scripture, are symbolic depictions and portrayals of those who bring false and damnable doctrines into the Church of Christ. They are knowingly or unknowingly under the influence of Satan to lead astray as many as they can from believing and obeying the true doctrines of God. Why are they now described and pictured as horses prepared unto battle? Will horses have a part in deceiving mankind during this time? Of course we know that is a frivolous thought, but there is a very important reason why God equates these false ministers and false teachers (who are depicted as locusts) to horses prepared unto battle. In illustrating the use of this analogy, let us briefly assess the parallels of the sixth trumpet judgment with regard to the use of horses. Recall that in the Preface of this study we mentioned the fact that the seventh trumpet judgment was the second coming of Christ. However, the first six trumpet judgments are all depicting the overtaking of the congregations of the world and the silencing of the Word of God by false teachers and false ministers. They are out to destroy the “third part” of the earth, which we said was representative of the true Word of God. Please see Section XII of this study entitled “The Church: The Third Part.” As we read from the sixth trumpet judgment, notice that horses symbolically play a major part in this judgment. It is imperative to understand that all six of these trumpet judgments are depicting the very same event, only each is using a slightly different approach. The start of the sixth trumpet judgment begins in Revelation chapter nine and verse thirteen:

13 - ¶And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

14 - Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.

15 - And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

[The original Greek rendering of this verse reads: “…which were prepared for THE hour and day and month and year…”]

16 - And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

17 - And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

18 - By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

19 - For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

Out of the mouths of horses issued fire, smoke, and brimstone; by these three were the third part of men killed. By these three was the “third part,” the corporate church of Jesus Christ silenced. From the mouths of these horses issued God’s judgment of fire, smoke, and brimstone upon the worldwide apostate church of Jesus Christ, which has fallen into spiritual adultery and has become the great harlot. True believers within those congregations that have gone astray will be kept spiritually unharmed, as all true Christians are sealed and made ready to go through this great tribulation, Revelation 3:7. The weapon that these ministers, teachers, self-proclaimed prophets, and such possess is their mouths, as verse nineteen says. What is the job of ministers and teachers, but to declare God’s Word from their mouths? These end-time false prophets are bringing forth half truths, stimulating lies with trickery and chicanery; false signs and wonders for the purpose of leading astray God’s very own elect. God, however, says that His very elect will nearly be led astray by the end time false church - “…if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect,” Matthew 24:24. If it were possible, but it is not possible for any of God’s elect to be eternally damned due to the preaching of these false ministers. Contrary wise, all who do not know Christ as God and Savior, whether they are in the corporate church or in the world itself; all will be deceived and perish by the millions. Today’s world seems to be witnessing some of the full fury of these end-time events within the church of Jesus Christ. Just how far we have already gone into this period is difficult to say, but the condition of today’s apostate church appears to be unlike any time in its history.

We see that the ability to deceive mankind has mushroomed with the use of the airwaves through television and radio. In the early days of television, a more pure Gospel was being proclaimed, but now it has been made a mockery of by many television evangelists. This in turn has led to new television comedies that mock the Gospel of Christ. Sadly, those who reject Christ, mainly because of the hypocrisy of television ministers and others, have unknowingly fallen victim to an unseen plan; a strategy deployed by the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), who dispatches his Christian counterfeiters; his imitators of Christ; his “ministers of righteousness” (II Corinthians 11:15). They are deployed to the front lines of this spiritual Armageddon; they are dispatched to the universal church congregations. This is where the spiritual action is. The congregations of the Church of Jesus Christ that are still proclaiming a reasonably true Gospel are the munitions factories of this warfare. At the onset of the final phase of this age-old war, Satan’s strategy is to deliver direct hits on these munitions plants; these rivers, streams, and fountains of living waters. Far worse are the results of these attacks than say the London blitz of World War II. There the damage could be readily observed with the naked eye. The pain from the blitz was only temporal and London’s citizenry knew who their enemy was. On the contrary, today’s church-goers cannot see the damage being inflicted by this spiritual blitz. Most are not only incapable of detecting the enemy, but they are not even aware that there is a battle raging! Finally, the results of this meaningful and momentous warfare are not temporal, but eternal. Therefore, those that spurn and condemn the precious Gospel, indicting the church hypocrisy as their reason, have been beguiled; outwitting themselves, having fallen precisely into the hands of God’s arch enemy - Satan. Many of these television ministers are on the air for this very purpose; whether they are aware of it or not makes no difference. To deceive those who have not the mark of God on their foreheads. This statement will seem for many to be very reckless and presumptuous. It is a mind boggling thought, nonetheless a sound fact based solely upon the overall context of Holy Scripture. These false teachers are, for the most part, unaware of the fact that they are indeed working for the kingdom of Satan and this world. They have many different reasons for doing what they do: a desire for fame and recognition; a lust and greed for a better and continuous wealth of worldly possessions; even a beguiled desire to propagate a false religion. Many other reasons could be given if the heart of unsaved man were revealed. However, we must go back further, past man’s wicked heart where we find the illegitimate root and motive behind the decline of today’s church. That force is Satan’s ongoing desire to “be like the most high,” Isaiah 14:14. On the other hand, thank God that there are still some faithful ministers left at this late hour to preach an uncompromised Gospel.

In returning to the Fifth Trumpet Judgment, Revelation 9:7, we are examining the phrase “horses prepared unto battle.” These false teachers, these locusts, all appear as horses prepared unto battle. It is no great mystery to the Christian that we are indeed in the midst of a great spiritual battle. Such is the life of a true and born-again believer. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places,” (Ephesians 6:12). These locusts are prepared for this warfare, as horses prepared unto battle. The Old Testament gives us many examples of battles and warfare involving Israel, including the ten tribes of Judah that God used in Scripture, pointing us to the spiritual battle and our spiritual warfare. What is Satan’s purpose, but to make war with the saints (Daniel 7:21)? This verse not only teaches that Satan will make war with the saints, but it says that he will prevail against us. Revelation 13:4 asks the question concerning the end-time power and authority of Satan: “…who is able to make war with him?” Clearly indicating that Satan’s power during this time will be monumental. His power will be massive to the extent that all whom yet have not come under the saving blood of Christ will fall victim to the darkness of Satan’s kingdom, but of course God is still in full control.

As the Israel of the Old Testament days battled with many enemies, we in today’s church can draw many parallels from these lessons. They were printed in Scripture, not only as biblical history or as some upright and moral lessons to be learned; but much more than that, they pointed us to God’s spiritual application to be fulfilled during the Church Age. As examples, we see in the Old Testament a vast number of battles being fought against Israel. These battles paralleled in the spiritual realm the battles that would be fought against the New Testament spiritual believers in spiritual Israel; that is…the Church of Christ. As we look in the Old Testament Book of Habakkuk chapter one, we find the army of the Chaldeans warring against God’s people. Verse eight declares:

“Their horses are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.”

This army of Chaldeans would represent, in the latter days or the New Testament Era, the false teachers and false gospels doing battle against the church. They are more fierce than the evening wolves, verse eight says. Spiritually the time of great tribulation is said to be at night, when no man can work. That is to say when no man will believe or few will believe. “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent, John 6:29. The Great Tribulation or the events of the end of the age are signified by the night, due to the vast spiritual darkness that is engulfing the world. An evening wolf come at dusk for the attack, so shall these armies of deceivers; they come at this earth’s time of dusk or evening, when the world is near its end. Christ has warned us to beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves, Matthew 7:15. The apostle Paul gives stern warning against these spiritual wolves, as we read from Acts 20:28-31:

28 - Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

29 - For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

30 - Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

31 - Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Paul gives the warning in verse twenty-nine that after his death, which occurred in the first century, that grievous wolves would enter the church, not sparing the flock. This has been befalling the church ever sine. Recall reading in the twelfth chapter of Revelation that Satan, the great dragon, stood before the woman to devour her child (Christ) as soon as He was born. This attempt at silencing Christ and the Gospel has continued down through the centuries by Satan sending spiritual wolves into the congregations. However, it is when - and only when - these wolves overtake the church as a whole that we will witness what Christ labeled the abomination of desolation. In assessing today’s worldwide church, it should be quite clear that we are witnessing the Abomination of Desolation. We must conclude by asking the question…where is God’s Law among them? Most congregations today have changed God’s laws to a certain degree in one area or another, as to compromise and accommodate the desires of an ever changing world. They have decided to keep pace with this world’s never ending crooked and perverse degradations. We are told of this very thing in Daniel chapter seven, in that Satan will seek to change God’s laws, precisely as today’s harlot church has done.

As Satan attacks the truth worldwide, God portrays this attack by using many different descriptive metaphors. We are presently looking at the attack as coming from locusts that appear as horses prepared unto battle. As the prophet Jeremiah was sent of God to warn Jerusalem of its impending destruction from the “northern” kingdom of Babylon, God has embedded much parallelism correlating directly to, and specifically for, the events in the latter times of the Church Age. Old Testament history was used of God as shadows and prefigures pointing to their spiritual fulfillments in the New Testament Era that we may learn from them. Jeremiah spends much time warning Jerusalem of their impending doom. The name Jerusalem carries a very spiritual meaning, one of peaceful habitation. The literal city of Jerusalem has seen, to the contrary, very little peace in its history. What is the character of the spiritual peaceful habitation? It encompasses all true believers in Christ, as He is our rest and our peace. Christ assures us that His peace is unlike any that the world can offer: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you…,” (John 14:27). Believers in Christ are a part of the spiritual Israel…the Israel of God, (Galatians 6:16). Believers are also called the circumcision; not physically as the Old Testament Jews were called, but spiritually, as the New Testament Jews. “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,” (Philippians 3:3). Again in Romans 2:29 we read just who God’s true Jew really is: “But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” A true disciple of Christ is one whose heart has been spiritually circumcised, thus causing him to dwell in God’s peaceful habitation…i.e. the eternal Jerusalem.

Going back to our study, we see Jeremiah the prophet warning Old Testament Jerusalem (an Old Testament portrait of today’s corporate church) to repent or suffer God’s judgment on them at the hands of the Babylonians. And so it was that Jerusalem was destroyed from this great northern army, as we read from Jeremiah chapter five. Northern is spiritually representative in Scripture as Satan’s origin or domain, see Isaiah 14:13. God gives us plenty of pictures and warnings throughout the Old Testament in foretelling of a greater story to come. For example, let us consider Jeremiah 6:22-23 -

22 - Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.

23 - They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.

Notice the similarities in verse twenty-three alone, as compared with our current chapter of this study, Revelation 9:7. The enemy comes against Old Testament Jerusalem on literal horses set in battle array. The false teachers (locusts) come against the spiritual New Testament Jerusalem like “horses prepared unto battle,” Revelation 9:7. Jeremiah 6:23 also underscores and emphasizes the voice of the enemy as especially loud…“their voice roareth like the sea.” Today’s harlot churches declare damnable heresies without shame from their very rooftops! Their voices dominate congregations on a massive and global scale.

Compare Joel Chapter Two:

1 - ¶Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

2 - A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

3 - A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.

4 - The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.

5 - Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

The second chapter of the Book of Joel begins by commanding the blowing of the trumpet and the sounding of the alarm because the day of the Lord is nigh at hand; that is to say the second coming of Christ is near at hand. Verse three declares that the army of the enemy of God has devoured and left the land as a desolate wilderness. They come against the land of the Lord with great noise: “…a strong people set in battle array,” verse five. Joel 2:4 declares that their appearance is as “the appearance of HORSES.” Again and again throughout the Old Testament Israel battles her enemies who come against them with overwhelming odds, and they charge on horses in battle formation. Ezekiel chapter thirty-eight, among many other chapters, speaks of the loosing of Satan and his attack upon the “Israel of God” or the body of believers at the time of the end. Verse eight and sixteen tell us that this attack will be in the latter days. Verse fifteen declares that the origin of this attack will come from the “north,” again telling us that it is Satan himself coming against the church. This same verse confirms again that the enemy’s army is a “mighty army” and “…all of them riding upon horses…” Israel’s attackers during those Old Testament days were literal armies, all riding upon horses. Spiritually, Israel’s attackers today still carry those biblical traits and attributes, in keeping with the Old Testament tradition, although in allegorical and figurative language only. In reality, those ravening wolves that are attacking the spiritual Israel of the latter days are spiritually charging upon horses; they are spiritually garbed in unseen battle array, but literally they are coming in dress suits as honorable and respectable men and women of the churches and seminaries.

One excellent illustration found in the Old Testament that describes not only the whoredoms of physical Israel, but in turn depicts the spiritual whoredoms of the New Testament apostate church as well, is found in the twenty-third chapter of Ezekiel. There we read much concerning the adulteress nature of Aholibah, which is a symbolic name given in Ezekiel 23:4 for Judah and possibly Jerusalem. The name Aholibah means: An Israelite; tent of his father; to shine; covering; dwelling place; home; tabernacle, and tent. Ezekiel 23:22-25 reads as follows:

22 - ¶Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side;

23 - The Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them: all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses.

24 - And they shall come against thee with chariots, wagons, and wheels, and with an assembly of people, which shall set against thee buckler and shield and helmet round about: and I will set judgment before them, and they shall judge thee according to their judgments.

25 - And I will set my jealousy against thee, and they shall deal furiously with thee: they shall take away thy nose and thine ears; and thy remnant shall fall by the sword: they shall take thy sons and thy daughters; and thy residue shall be devoured by the fire.

This is God’s very own judgment against His earthly representation during those Old Testament days. Their enemies looked very appealing to these Israelites, “…all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great lords and renowned…,” (verse 23). Israel was, no doubt, infatuated by these foreigners and their worldliness. This was Israel’s demise, and these verses spiritually parallel the demise of the New Testament church - most assuredly. Keep in mind that Christ’s Words and His eternal Church will never fall to demise. The gates of hell shall not prevail against Christ’s true Church…but its outer shell, the outer temple where the tares worship can and most certainly will fall to judgment.

God’s earthly representation during Old Testament days was of course the nation of Israel before Christ went to the cross. After the crucifixion and the commencement of the Church Age, God’s earthly representation transitioned into the spiritual Israel or the Israel of God (Galatians 6:6), being the New Testament congregations. Notice carefully in these verses that Jerusalem is playing the harlot with the world in general, signified by the Babylonians, the Chaldeans, and the Assyrians…ALL OF THEM RIDING UPON HORSES, verse twenty-three. Today’s apostate church is not the true spiritual Israel, but inwardly she is the false church, the harlot of Revelation chapters seventeen and eighteen (see Section XV of this study entitled “The Mother of Harlots”). These verses in Ezekiel parallel the corporate church and can teach us much concerning the later end of the church age. As Israel of old played the harlot with the world, likewise the New Testament Israel is dong the exact same thing. God used these worldly nations as judgment upon Old Testament Jerusalem and Israel. Similarly, God will use the world to judge the church in these last days, as the church embraces and espouses herself without shame to the sins of this world, represented by, as we saw, the kingdoms of Babylon, Assyria, and the Chaldeans. God tells us in verse twenty-five of Ezekiel chapter twenty-three that He will set His jealousy against Jerusalem and will allow the worldly kingdoms to “deal furiously with thee.”

God has much to say concerning the final assault upon the church in the New Testament Era. As we come to the very end of time, we find in Scripture that this assault becomes much more deceptive and more intense; gradually silencing the pure truth of the Gospel in the congregations of the organized church. Consider Daniel 11:40, an astonishing verse with regard to God’s Old Testament types and allegories in prophesying of this final assault upon God’s people:

Verse 40 - And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

As we have stated before, the kingdom of Satan can be shown from Scripture to be represented as coming from the north. Christ’s kingdom is of course in direct opposition to Satan’s, therefore it is no great mystery to conclude that Christ’s kingdom is symbolized in many instances as that of the south. We may conclude that Satan comes against the church, but does not harm or spiritually destroy the true believers. Satan comes against the churches and congregations of the world as a whirlwind, depicted allegorically as coming with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships, typified by the literal assaults against Old Testament national Israel. At the time of the end Satan’s assault becomes spiritual in nature, although his target nevertheless is still God’s earthly representation, the spiritual Israel of God; the congregations of the world. Daniel 11:40 tells us that he shall enter into countries, and shall overflow and pass over. Verse forty-one says that he will enter into the glorious land. There is only one glorious land in Scripture and that is Israel, both Old Testament and New Testament spiritual Israel. Since the context of these verses deal with the time of the end, the glorious land that seems to be in view is the Israel of God or the New Testament church. (See Section XIII “God’s Spiritual Israel” in this study.) Note: It is certainly within reason and within biblical context that this Glorious Land could also be the recipient of a secondary or second level of interpretation; a literal interpretation that might well parallel the transpiring of the spiritual fulfillments. Example: As Satan’s kingdom inters into and surrounds God’s kingdom on earth, i.e. the church, a parallel might be played out in the physical realm such as national Israel being surrounded by her enemies (as spiritual Israel, the true church, is surrounded by her enemies) and finally silenced both spiritually and once more physically.

Satan will, at the time of the end, enter into the spiritual glorious land of the Israel of God. We see this to be yet another picture of the abomination of desolation that takes place at the end of time when Satan enters directly into the church itself. The last verse of Daniel eleven is verse forty-five which states that this king of the north will plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious HOLY MOUNTAIN; yet he will come to his end there, and none shall help him. The “holy mountain” is of course Jerusalem, the spiritual city of God and His bride, the Church.

Isaiah 66:20 - And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.

Jeremiah 31:23 - Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.

It is imperative for the true believer to realize and understand from Scripture the spirituality of belonging to God’s one true Church, the Bride of Christ. In being a part of this Church of Christ, we are looked upon in God’s eyes as all dwelling within the cities of Judah and Israel. No, we aren’t required to move to the land of Israel in order to receive these blessings; we have already been blessed immensely by being pardoned for our sins. We have been blessed immeasurably by being pulled out of our once eternal destiny of death and hell; now having been given the eternal promise of life everlasting in the presence of God and in His kingdom. As God states in the above verse, He has satisfied the weary soul, and has replenished every sorrowful soul. He has accomplished this by redeeming the lost soul through the shed blood of Christ. All of God’s remnant of believers are now truly dwelling in the carefree spiritual land of Judah and/or Israel. We dwell peacefully together in these cities; we dwell in safety in this spiritual land of unwalled villages, having neither bars nor gates (Ezekiel 38:11), since Christ is our safety forevermore.

It is Satan who plants his house, the tabernacles of his palace, between the two seas in the glorious HOLY MONTAIN, the dwelling place for all born-again believes. It is portrayed physically by lying between the Dead Sea and the great Mediterranean Sea. This is again speaking of the Abomination of Desolation, which spells the final end and doom for Satan, once he enters into the Church of the living God. Once more, these passages may also have a literal fulfillment with regard to the nation of Israel.

In our next study of Joel 2:5 we shall examine how these locusts can be likened to the noise of chariots and on the tops of mountains shall they leap. In addition we will discover they resemble in sound the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, and as a strong people set in battle array.

End of Study