This section depicts the restoration of the Jews and final victory of true believers.  None have ever hardened their hearts against God or His church and prospered long!  The separation of the faithful of God and His enemies will take place during this phenomenal time.  The Lord’s Millennial reign on earth will be ushered in.  The nations that have exhibited the greatest hostility toward Israel will suffer the most.  No matter how large in number,  they will be annihilated while the inhabitants of Jerusalem will experience no harm. 

Joel 3:1 – “For” connects vs. 1 with 2:32 and explains the deliverance of the Jews alone.  All other nations (Gentiles) will be destroyed.  “In those days and at that time” pertains to a future time of deliverance (Jer. 33:15; Jer. 50:4,20).   See: Ezek. 39:25 and Zeph. 3:20 regarding gathering and restoring.  A calling back of the Israelites to their land by God.

Joel 3:2 – God will also gather all nations (Gentiles) and bring them to the “Valley of Jehoshaphat” which literally means: The Lord’s Judgement.  The Lord will judge and also be their accuser.  They have two counts against them:  1) They scattered His people;  2) They divided up His land among themselves.  Where is this valley now and in the future?  The Second Advent shows a valley created by the earthquake when the Lord’s feet stand on the Mount of Olives (see. Zech. 14:4-6).  Jesus will judge the unbelieving nations.  Joel uses the terms “my people” and the “inheritance” to refer to the “true Israel” and the “regenerate Israel.”  Heavy persecution of the Jews in the Tribulation times, see Rev. 12:1-10. 

Joel 3:3 – These conquerors “cast lots” or gambled for the distribution of the Jewish prisoners of war.  God’s people became the absolute property of the enemies, their masters.  They bartered and bargained with the youth of the Jews and used them as a means of satisfying their own lustful desires (Obadiah 11 and Nahum 3:10).  These nations were a completely sensual people without morals.

Joel 3:4 – Joel now sites some specific areas and relates God’s swift and righteous judgement against them.  Tyre and Sidon – part of Philistia who had a history of being especially hostile toward Israel.  They were a war-like people who felt it demeaning to farm.  They would storm and plunder to obtain food from Jerusalem, etc.  God does not allow evil to be inflicted on His own with retribution.

Joel 3:5-6 – These nations plundered Jerusalem or God’s gold and silver and His people – “His finest treasures.”  They would sell the people into slavery for food.   Plundering always follows a raid. 

The Jews were sold to foreign nations – against their will and into an area they considered unclean.  This scattering of God’s people from their promised land is part of the Phoenician slave traffic.   God will gather His people back to their land.  They were sent to an unclean land which was against everything they believed and everything God had commanded them to do.

Joel 3:7-8 – God will call his people out of wherever they are.  They will return and be used to deliver retribution to those nations who oppressed them.  Then the offending nations will be sold into slavery and the Jews will be vindicated.   Later in history,  Sidon was defeated by Artaxerxes III in 343 BC and Tyre and Gaza were taken by Alexander the Great in 332 BC.  Alexander the Great favored the Jews and took the Phoenician slaves and turned them over to the Jews who sold them into slavery to the Sabeans (an distant Arab nation known for buying slaves).