Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Joel 2:23
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, etc.] The people of the Jews, and especially the spiritual and believing part of them; such as were born again, that were born of Zion, and born in Zion, and brought up by her, and in her; the children of that Zion or Jerusalem that is the mother of us all; and who were looking for the Messiah, and to whom it would be good news and glad tidings to hear of his coming, (<380909>Zechariah 9:9); and rejoice in the Lord your God; not in any creature or creature enjoyment, but in the Lord. The Targum is, “in the Word of the Lord your God;” in Christ the essential Word; (see <500303>Philippians 3:3 4:4); though rather Jehovah the Father, the giver and sender of Christ, is here meant, because of what follows; and who is to be rejoiced in by his people, not as an absolute God, but as in Christ, and as their covenant God and Father in him; who has chosen them for himself, and is their portion and inheritance; which are reasons sufficient why they should rejoice in him, and others follow: for he hath given you the former rain moderately; or rather, “for he hath given you the teacher of righteousness” F54; to which agrees the Targum, “for he hath returned to you your teacher in righteousness;” and so Jarchi paraphrases the words, and interprets them of the prophets in general, “your prophets that teach you to return unto me, that I may justify you;” and R. Japhet says that hrwm signifies a prophet that should teach them in the way of righteousness; not Isaiah, as Grotius; but the King Messiah as Abarbinel interprets it; who is the teacher sent from God, and given by him, as his presence with him, and the miracles done by him, sufficiently prove, (<430302>John 3:2); for which he was abundantly qualified, being the omniscient God, and the Son of God that lay in the bosom of his Father; is the Wisdom of God, as Mediator; had the Spirit of wisdom on him, and the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid in him; and who is able to make his teachings effectual, and to qualify others for such work. This office he performed personally on earth, both in a doctrinal way, and by way of example; and now executes it by his Spirit, and by his ministers: and a “teacher of righteousness” he may be truly said to be; since he not only taught the Gospel, the word of righteousness in general; but in particular directed men to seek in the first place the righteousness of God, which is no other than his own; and pronounced those happy that hungered after it: he declared he came to fulfil all righteousness, even the law for righteousness; and taught men to believe in him for it, and to live righteously and godly. Aben Ezra observes, that the phrase is the same with “the sun of righteousness”, (<390402>Malachi 4:2); which is said of Christ the author of righteousness, who is our righteousness made so by imputation, the Lord our righteousness: or, as here, “a teacher unto, or for righteousness” F55, all which is matter of joy and gladness; (see <236110>Isaiah 61:10); and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first [month]; alluding to the two seasons of the year in which rain was given to the Jews; the former rain fell in Marchesvan, which answers to our September and, October, part of each, at their seedtime; and the latter in Nisan, the first month of their ecclesiastical year, and answers to part of March and April, and fell some time before their harvest; and these former and latter ra…
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