Jewish Biblical Prophesy According to Chat GPT

As I reflected on today's events and the sudden spike in antisemitism worldwide, including in places where such blatant bigotry and cruelty would normally never go unpunished—like America, Israel's closest ally in the West—I became angry, heartbroken, and fearful. Then, as often happens given my investigative nature, I became curious.

It seems almost as if a force outside of us all is influencing the minds and actions of people globally. It's hard to explain beyond that, just that it was enough to both scare and intrigue me.

Like everything else in my life, when something bothers or even scares me, I have to know why and the root causes.

I was recently reminded of my days in bible and ministry college and the Book of Joel.

Specifically, Chapter 3 and the very vivid end times imagery set against a backdrop of a time when HaShem's chosen are beset upon by the nations of the world, who all seem bent on Israel's destruction—wiped off the face of the map, if you will.

It was a time when Israel would appear abandoned by God, and the nations would answer to an otherworldly call to battle against this one nation and its people. It also describes HaShem daring them to try AND giving them a fair warning that answering that call will lead to no victory but to His Judgment seat.

The chapter serves as a warning to Israel's enemies, near and far, that what seems like a call to a new world order will actually be such, but not one where there will be a place for them.

It also serves as a reminder to His people that He has not forgotten them nor His promises to them. He assures them that He remains their God and Protector and will see that promise fulfilled in a way where Israel and the world will know once and for all that He is real and has always been sovereign over all the nations.

I learned it is best not to try to put dates and times to the words of the prophets, yet at the same time, to see them as signposts and guides, lest we fail to see His footprints and lose our way as we follow His lead.

I then got curious what would happen if I put a seemingly objective (for the most part) AI to the task of making those signs clearer in the eyes of one living today.

I went through the verses and asked it to help me replace euphemisms, tools, places, and technology mentioned in the chapter with the most likely modern equivalent.

At my direction, it was quite selective in the replacements and even discussed parts that were so poetic it would likely skew the intended meaning if replaced with anything.

What it came out with was rather fascinating.

Below, I give a quick background on Joel, the book, chapter, and how most scholars would describe the general meanings and contexts of the Oracles (formal messages or pronouncements inspired by God, delivered by prophets) contained within.

Before we go further, know that this was more of an academic and personal curiosity and have zero desire to offer any explicit declarations as to what the ultimate meaning or fulfillment of the prophecies in this chapter will look like but did find many parallels with today's events rather fascinating. Not to mention the part where HaShem asks Tyre, Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia (modern-day Palestine and Lebanon) why they are currently attacking His city and His people just before He challenges the other nations of the world to go ahead and foolishly join the fray.

With that, enjoy and do engage. Would love to know people's thoughts as well. :)

Who was Joel?

Joel is a somewhat mysterious figure, with little personal detail beyond his role as a prophet and his father's name, Pethuel. The Book of Joel, part of the Twelve Minor Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, doesn't specify the exact period of Joel's ministry, leading to varied scholarly interpretations of his era, anywhere from the 9th to the 5th century BCE.

Joel's prophetic mission was directed at the people of Judah, sparked by a devastating locust plague and severe drought, which he saw as signs of divine judgment for their sins and a warning of the impending "Day of the Lord." This concept is central to his message, indicating a time of judgment and divine action in the world.

What Were the Oracles in Chapter 3 About?

Joel's purpose was threefold:

1. Call for Repentance: He urged the people to sincerely turn back to God to avoid further calamities, highlighting the collective responsibility in seeking God's mercy.
2. Warn of Judgment: He presented the locust invasion as a precursor to the more fearsome "Day of the Lord," emphasizing the need for preparedness through repentance.
3. Promise Restoration and Hope: Joel assured that repentance would lead to divine restoration, including material abundance and a new era of spiritual blessing, marked by God's Spirit being poured out on all people.

Through his message, Joel aimed to convey the seriousness of divine judgment while also offering a vision of hope and restoration for those who turn back to God.

1. Divine Summons and Judgment (Joel 3:1-2): The chapter opens with God announcing His intention to gather all nations and bring them to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, a symbolic location representing God's judicial presence. Here, He will hold them accountable for their treatment of Israel, specifically addressing their actions of scattering God's people and dividing His land.
2. The Call to Arms and Irony of Divine Judgment (Joel 3:9-10): These verses serve as a dramatic call to the nations, urging them to prepare for battle against Israel by transforming their agricultural tools into weapons. This imagery, which inverts the concept of peace and prosperity into one of conflict, sets a foreboding tone. However, the underlying irony is that this mobilization for war is what leads to their own judgment by God, highlighting their misguided aggression against Israel and God's sovereignty over the outcomes of such conflicts.
3. God as Protector and Judge (Joel 3:11-16): In this section, God is depicted as a formidable force, ready to defend Israel from the assembled nations. While the nations gather for battle, God calls to His own people, promising to be their stronghold. The imagery of God roaring from Zion and being a refuge for His people while striking terror into the hearts of their enemies emphasizes His role as both a protector of Israel and a judge of the nations. This dual aspect showcases the comprehensive nature of divine justice and protection, where God actively intervenes to safeguard His people and execute judgment on their adversaries.
4. Specific Threats and Divine Intervention: While the call to arms in verses 9-10 initially suggests a looming threat against Israel by the international community, the narrative quickly reassures us of God's overarching control. The divine gathering of nations is not for Israel's defeat but for showcasing God's judgment against those who oppose His will and mistreat His people.

Who Was Joel Addressing in Chapter 3?

1. The Nations (Joel 3:1-3, 9-17): Joel warns the nations about divine judgment awaiting them in the Valley of Jehoshaphat for their mistreatment of Israel and Judah, such as scattering the people and dividing their land. He calls them to prepare for war, highlighting their eventual defeat and God’s judgment as a consequence of their actions against His chosen people.
2. Judah and Jerusalem (Joel 3:16-21): The focus shifts towards offering hope to God's people. Joel reassures them of God's protection and promises future prosperity and security. This part contrasts the fate of the nations with the blessed future of Judah and Jerusalem, emphasizing restoration, abundance, and divine justice.

Joel Chapter 3

1-3 “In this era, precisely at the moment

when I rejuvenate the fortunes of Judah (the area around modern Jerusalem and Hebron) and Jerusalem,

I'll convene all the secular nations.

I'll guide them down into the Courtroom of Accountability

And hold a comprehensive hearing, evaluating each one

for their actions against my people, Israel.

They dispersed my people globally

and claimed my territory as their own.

They gambled for my people’s fate

and treated them as mere objects for trade.

They exploited a boy, subjecting him to forced labor for their own gain,

and subjected a girl to sexual exploitation, trading her dignity for their pleasure.

*

4-8

“To you, modern Lebanon (ancient Tyre and Sidon) and Palestine (reflecting the broader historical and contemporary context including areas like the Gaza Strip),

why should you concern me?

Are you attempting retaliation

for some perceived slight?

If so, dismiss the thought.

I'll ensure your actions have unintended consequences.

You pilfered my wealth, stripped me of resources,

looted everything of value to embellish your establishments.

You trafficked the descendants of Judah (around Jerusalem and Hebron) and Jerusalem

into modern forms of servitude, far across the seas.

But I plan to overturn your deeds.

I will liberate those you enslaved.

Your own actions will be mirrored back to you:

I’ll exchange your progeny as labor to your adversaries,

And they'll trade them to distant peoples unknown to you.”

The Divine Ruling.

*

9-11

Warn the secular nations:

Gear up for a battle you cannot win!

Forces, stand falsely confident!

Arms at the ready! March into your downfall!

Foolishly transform your tools into weapons,

your agricultural implements into feeble attempts at defense.

Let the so-called undervalued boast of their might,

and delude themselves, saying, “I am formidable, I am a warrior.”

Hasten, nonbelievers! From every corner, assemble in vain!

Organize and prepare for a reckoning.

Expect to be

utterly undone by the Divine!

12

Command the secular nations to advance

towards the Courtroom of Accountability.

There I will preside as judge

and assess all adjacent nations.

13

“Employ the harvester—

the yield is ripe.

Crush the produce—

the processing facility is at capacity.

The storage tanks overflow,

brimming with the harvest of malice.

14

“Complete disarray, widespread panic—

in the Valley of Decision!

The day of Divine Judgment is upon

the Valley of Decision.

15-17

“The heavens blacken,

the sun and moon fade, stars disappear.

The Divine thunders from Zion, echoes from Jerusalem.

The earth and heavens tremble in fear.

Yet, the Divine offers sanctuary,

an impenetrable refuge for the people of Israel.

Then, you will understand without doubt

that I am your God,

Residing permanently in Zion,

my consecrated mountain.

Jerusalem will be sanctified,

declared: ‘access denied.’

Abundance flowing from the mountains

18-21

“What a spectacle!

Wine cascading from the mountains,

Milk flowing from the hills,

water running abundantly in Judah (around Jerusalem and Hebron),

A spring emanating from the Divine Sanctuary,

nourishing all the public spaces and gardens!

But the region now southern Jordan and parts of the southern Negev desert will become desolate,

turned into waste,

Due to their violent acts against the Judeans,

the egregious violations and slayings of innocents.

Meanwhile, Judah (around Jerusalem and Hebron) will thrive with inhabitants,

Jerusalem occupied eternally.

The transgressions I haven’t yet pardoned, I’ll forgive.”

The Divine has established permanence in Zion.