No More Passing Through

 Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.
15 The sun and the moon are darkened,
    and the stars withdraw their shining.
16 The Lord roars from Zion,
    and utters his voice from Jerusalem,
    and the heavens and the earth quake.
But the Lord is a refuge to his people,
    a stronghold to the people of Israel.

17 “So you shall know that I am the Lord your God,

    who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.

And Jerusalem shall be holy,

    and strangers shall never again pass through it.

God's message through Joel began with a call to the courtroom, to receive the evidence from God that the Day of the Lord was coming.  As He wraps up this prophecy, there is an assembling of all peoples before God for the final judgment. God speaks and His voice shakes the hearts of all peoples.  But this day of judgment is not dreaded by His own people.  They realize that beyond the judgement is the restoration.  Throughout history the great empires of the world always "passed through" Israel: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Rome.  But now that would stop. God would be there and the nations would only come to bow before Him and accept His ruling as Judge.