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Psalm 96:10
Say among the heathenthat the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.

Isaiah 34:1
Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.

Jeremiah 31:10
Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declareit in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherddoth his flock.

Prepare.

Ezekiel 21:21,22
For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he madehis arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver…

wake.

Isaiah 8:9,10
Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces…

Jeremiah 46:3,4
Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle…

Ezekiel 38:7
Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

Prepare for war;
The call to prepare for war signifies a mobilization for a significant conflict. Historically, this reflects the ancient Near Eastern practice of summoning nations for battle, often seen in the context of divine judgment. This preparation is not just physical but also spiritual, as it aligns with the eschatological battles described inRevelation 16:14-16, where the nations gather for the final confrontation at Armageddon.

Rouse the mighty men;
This phrase calls for the awakening of the warriors, indicating the seriousness of the impending conflict. The "mighty men" refers to seasoned warriors, suggesting that even the strongest and most valiant are needed for this battle. This can be connected to the biblical motif of God using the strength of men to fulfill His purposes, as seen inJudges 7:1-25 with Gideon's army.

Let all the men of war advance and attack!
The command for all men of war to advance and attack underscores the totality of the mobilization. It reflects the urgency and inevitability of the confrontation. This can be seen as a type of the final battle between good and evil, where all forces are gathered for a decisive moment, reminiscent of the battle imagery inEzekiel 38-39, where God’s enemies are ultimately defeated.

God tells Joel to broadcast a message, not just to Israel but to every people group. This universal summons shows that the coming confrontation is global in scope, echoingPsalm 96:10, “Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns.’” InIsaiah 34:1–2 the nations are likewise summoned to hear of approaching judgment. The command underscores that world events are never random; they unfold under the Lord’s direct decree (Acts 17:26–27). By addressing “the nations,” the verse hints at the final gathering foretold by Jesus inMatthew 24:14, where the gospel must be proclaimed worldwide before the end comes.

The next imperative—“Prepare for war”—is literally a call to beat the battle drums and ready weapons. Yet the Lord Himself is the One ordering this preparation, much like He gathers armies at Armageddon inRevelation 16:14–16. He does not fear their strength; He orchestrates it so His righteous judgment can be displayed (Ezekiel 38:7–9).

• The nations think they are mobilizing by their own choice.

• In reality, they march into a divinely appointed courtroom where the Judge awaits (Joel 3:2).

The apparent irony is intentional: what appears to be human aggression is ultimately submission to God’s timetable (Proverbs 21:30–31).

“Rouse the mighty men” speaks to elite warriors, champions confident in their skill. The Lord’s summons is reminiscent ofIsaiah 13:3–4, where He stirs both His consecrated ones and the armies of Babylon for His purposes. Even legendary fighters like the Anakim fell before God’s people when He decreed it (Joshua 11:21–22).

Key takeaways:

• No human prowess intimidates the Lord (Psalm 147:10–11).

• He allows the mighty to gather so His supremacy will be undeniable (1 Samuel 17:45–47).

When God says “rouse,” He exposes the futility of strength that is not surrendered to Him.

The verse climaxes with a full mobilization: “let all the men of war advance and attack!”. Far from encouraging violence, God is summoning His opponents to the very battlefield where He will defeat them (Joel 3:12–14).Revelation 19:19–21 pictures the same scene, armies assembled in open rebellion only to be overwhelmed by the Rider on the white horse.

• The advance looks like impending victory to the rebels.

• It is actually the procession to their own sentencing.

What begins as an aggressive assault ends in the vindication of God’s holiness (Psalm 2:1–6).

Joel 3:9 is a divine summons to the entire world: muster every soldier, sharpen every weapon, marshal every ounce of human strength—then march straight into God’s courtroom. By commanding the nations to wage war, the Lord exposes their rebellion and ensures that His judgment will be public, just, and unmistakable. Human power reaches its limit; God’s sovereignty stands unchallenged.

(1) according to Keil,waken up orarouse the mighty men.

(2) A preferable rendering, according to Wunsche, is, "Wake up, ye mighty men;" while he understands the whole address as directed to the covenant people. It is observable theft one manuscript hasהעיזו, equivalent to "make strong,"i.e. the heroes. In either case, the heroes may be conceived as enjoying peaceful repose when they are rudely roused by the declaration of war; and as the word "war" is indefinite through the absence of the article, it implies, "What a war! how great and terrible!"Let all the men of war drew near; let them come up. The terms here used are technical military terms, summoning the warriors to advance and march onward in haste to the place of conflict.

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