Multitudes in the Valley of Decision — Charles E. Fuller

Christian Heritage Ministry, in cooperation with Fuller Seminary, proudly presents the Old Fashioned Revival Hour, a broadcast of the Gospel with Dr. Charles E. Fuller.

Heavenly sunshine, I thought I'd let them play it through this once.

Perhaps some of you haven't heard that chorus that's gone around the world. My, what a wonderful audience here today in Long Beach. Where in the world did you all come from, anyway? I'll tell you what I'd like to have you do.

Through the first time, such a large percentage of first-timers here, I'd love to have you sing and really show us how it should be done. So everybody here for the first time, you sing through Heavenly Sunshine, and then the second time we'll try to help you out.

But is that clear now? Alright now, all the first-timers sing Heavenly Sunshine. I think you did fine, let's give them a hand. I think that's fine. Alright now, everybody just lift it up and then turn around and shake hands with as many as possible.

All together, a little faster. Heavenly Sunshine. That's it, turn right around, shake hands. Heavenly Sunshine. That's wonderful. Wish you could be with us, friends. It's a wonderful sight here.

The Blessed Hope of Christ’s Return

The book says that our citizenship is in heaven from whence we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

And when he comes, he'll fashion these bodies of our humiliation like unto his glorious body. I'm thankful today for this blessed hope. The day of our redemption is certainly drawing nigh. Just a little bit later on the broadcast, we'll be speaking upon the third chapter of Joel's prophecy, one of the outstanding chapters in the prophetic scriptures.

Things have been taking place even this past week, which clearly points to the nearness of the Lord's return. I'm glad that I can preach in these days with much more assurance than ever before because we have the word of God as the basis of what we're giving.

I'm just rejoicing today in the fact that we have the open Bible. So happy to see so many of you here. And those of you listening in, if you have the privilege of attending or coming to Southern California, be sure to attend the public broadcast of the Old-Fashioned Revival Hour, held each Sunday afternoon in the Municipal Auditorium at Long Beach.

And the meeting begins promptly at 1245. We're having a wonderful time of fellowship, and I know God is going to honor his word in the salvation of many souls. And now for the sweetest voice on radio, Mrs. Fuller with the letters.

Go right ahead, honey.

Greetings, friends. From Glasgow, Scotland, a nurse from the Northern Hospitals writes a lovely letter. I would like to send across the world a note to tell you how we appreciate your broadcast services.

Thursday night comes the hour we eagerly look forward to. Our duties keep us many Sundays from church, but your service is a great uplift to our hearts. This past Thursday, I was so depressed and I felt my Savior so far away.

But whilst listening to a message from Acts 2, with your voice repeating the word Jesus, my heart was touched. I went to my knees and with tears streaming, I came face to face with Jesus, and I renewed my allegiance to him wholly and completely.

We in Scotland thank God for the broadcast, and may it carry on for many years to come. And here is a letter from a person whose great handicap might have caused him to lead an utterly unhappy, defeated life, but God has that life.

It is dedicated to his service, and this man is very happy and carrying blessing wherever he goes. It's from Pennsylvania. Dear radio friends, we listen to you every week and feel that my letter may help someone to know that regardless of conditions, God still loves and watches over his own.

I was born into the world without feet, no right hand, and very sharp fingers on the left hand. I was raised as a normal child, helped only when needed. I learned to walk on my stubs by means of round shoes, and I could do anything that the other children did.

I got my first pair of artificial feet when I was 21 years old. I've driven an automobile since I was 18. I confessed Christ at 11 years of age, but not until later did I come into the deeper things and realize all the way my Savior leads me, as I hold many church offices and meet many people and have a good chance to show the unsaved what God can do with a life such as mine.

That's a good, courageous letter, isn't it? It's so wonderful to me how people in the most difficult circumstances write over and over, God is so good to me. And that's all I shall have time for today, friend.

I have you stand and sing. Number 140, he leadeth me.

Psalm 23 and God’s Shepherding Care

May I read a very familiar passage of scripture, the 23rd Psalm? The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me besides the still water. He restoreth my soul.

He leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff. They comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Let's stand and sing two verses of number 140. He leadeth me. Remain standing for prayer. Our son Dan on the broadcast of the Old-Fashioned Revival Hour will ask you, Dan, to lead us to the throne of grace.

Every head bowed and every Christian praying, please. Our Father, we do thank thee the way thou hast been our shepherd during this past year, for the way thou hast kept us and the way thou hast guided us through many, many days.

And, Father, as we look over this past year, we thank thee not only for its blessings but also for its difficulties. For as we view these difficulties, we can see afresh the truth of Romans 8 .28, that to those who love God all things do work together for good.

At this season of the year, when we are perhaps more conscious of the passing of time, we pray that we may realize as never before that now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed, that the night is far spent, that the day is at hand.

May we then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, and may we be ever looking toward that blessed hope, the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in glory. O Father, we do not know thee, the tales of the future, but we thank thee that we know thee and that we can trust and rest upon thee.

And today especially we would pray for our beloved country, America, as she seems to be standing almost alone against the rising tides of evil and the lawlessness of nations. We pray especially today for our leaders, that they may be prompted to formulate our policies not according to the shifting sands of circumstances, but according to eternal truths of right and wrong which come from thee.

We pray that thou wilt bless our fighting men in Korea, enable them to stem the Communist advance, and bless their families who stay at home. For we ask it in Christ's name and for his sake, amen.

Mr. Green is leader of the Chorus Choir, Rudy Atwood at the piano, and George Broadbent at the organ, and then the quartet. The quartet have been with us a long time, and we believe that we have the finest religious music on the air.

I don't care who says otherwise, I won't believe them. Do you believe that way with me? All right, give them a good hand. And now be much in prayer, and the quartet will sing, Let the Lower Lights Be Burning, and then pray as I bring a message out of the third chapter of Joel.

Joel’s Valley of Decision and the End-Time

Fourteenth verse of the third chapter of Joel. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. This third chapter of Joel's prophecy is one of the most outstanding chapters in the entire prophetic scriptures.

This chapter, 21 verses in length, is a summary of the end-day events, events which will come to pass just prior to the day of the Lord, the second coming of Christ. And such chapters as Matthew 24 and 25 and Luke 21, and many chapters in the revelation of Jesus Christ, the last book of the New Testament, are simply an enlargement upon the themes stated in Joel 3.

Upon close examination of this chapter, we find eight different phases of the end-day events set forth as follows. First, the future deliverance of Israel, or Israel's return to Palestine. Second, the judgment of all the nations that oppress Israel.

Third, the ascension of the Messiah upon the throne of Jerusalem. Fourth, the Messiah's vindication of his beloved ancient people, Israel. Fifth, the destruction of the armies of Antichrist at Armageddon.

Sixth, the moral glory of Jerusalem. And seventh, Jerusalem, the center of blessing to all the earth. And last of all, the future amazing fertility of the land of Palestine. Thus you see the importance of Joel 3.

You should read and reread this amazing chapter many times to become more familiar with the events which are now taking place and which will yet take place before the day of the Lord. First, may we touch briefly upon Israel's deliverance, or Israel's return to Palestine, verses 1 to 3 of Joel, the third chapter.

For behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations and parted my land.

Notice the word my, for they have cast lots for my people. God has not cast away Israel forever. The olive branch has been broken off and the wild olive branch, contrary to nature, has been grafted in.

But the times of the Gentiles are about fulfilled and the wild olive branch, which has been grafted in contrary to nature, is about ready to be broken off and Israel regrafted. For some two thousand years or more, Israel has been scattered among the nations of earth because of our disobedience to the laws of God, as outlined in Deuteronomy, the twenty-eighth chapter, and because of the worship of idols, Israel has been scattered for over two thousand years among the nations of earth.

No rest for the soul of her feet. But as you well know, Israel is now returning, and according to the eleventh verse of Isaiah eleven, and it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, that is, Upper Egypt, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

Israel, the Fig Tree, and the Last Days

Israel's recognition as a nation by the United Nations is spoken of in Matthew twenty-four as the budding of the fig tree. Take your Bibles and turn to Matthew twenty-four, thirty-two, and let me read.

Now learn the parable of the fig tree, of speaking to his disciples, and in answer to the three questions which they propounded, tell us when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the age?

And he gives them a sign. Now learn the parable of the fig tree. When his branch is yet tender and put as forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh. So likewise he, when he shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door.

Verily I say unto you, this generation of Israel shall not pass till all things be fulfilled. And the miracle of the ages is that God has preserved Israel in spite of all the persecution and the killing.

And so this present day returning in Israel's recognition is the budding of the fig tree. And I repeat, this budding of the fig tree marks the beginning of that period designated in the Scriptures as the last days.

And that last days period marked by the budding of the fig tree will end at the second coming of Christ, the day of the Lord. And during these last days, now follow me carefully, the Scripture set forth that these days, these last days, will be days of perilous times leading up into the great tribulation such as the world has never seen.

World-shaking events will come to pass with great rapidity. Nature, with its winds and waves, will be unnatural in their outlets, in their action. There will be great times of drought and earthquakes in diverse places.

That is, earthquakes of more frequency than ever before in places never dreamed of. What I'm trying to tell you is this, that God's Word sets forth these things prophesied two thousand years ago are now coming to pass, and you need to know that there's only one place of refuge, only one sure unshakable foundation, and that is Christ Jesus.

And if you are outside of Christ, you are without hope, without God, and without Christ for all endless eternity. All right, the last days are here. I stand upon the authority of God's Word. The last days now are now upon us, so lift up your heads, for the day of your redemption draweth nigh.

Creation’s Groaning and the Church’s Hope

And somehow, Paul, I love to read Paul's epistle, for there in Romans, the eighth chapter, beginning at the twenty-second verse, notice what he says,. For we, speaking of the believers, we in the epistles refers to the Church.

We know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain. Deny pain, if you will. It's still here. Together until now, not only they but ourselves also, which have the first fruits, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, children of God through faith in Christ, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body.

And in these last days, from the budding of the fig tree, that is Israel's return to Palestine in the day of the Lord, will be days marked not only by wars and rumors of war, of nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom, but of famines and pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places.

The Nations’ Confederations and the Antichrist

But it will also be marked by nations because of the desperate situation they find themselves in to confederate, to unite for common protection. I've given this before, but it's very apropos at this very hour.

In these last days, the nations of Europe and Asia will be united in four great confederations. First, Russia and her satellites to the north, read the 38th of Ezekiel, and you'll find the nations that will be allied with Russia in the closing days.

God laid it out for your edification. And then the kings of the east, that is east of the river Euphrates, east of Palestine, will confederate. And then the kings of the south, Egypt and her satellites, will confederate.

And now the kings of the west, the United States of Western Europe, the Ten Kingdom Confederation spoken of by Daniel over 2 ,500 years ago. Beloved, before our very eyes we are witnessing the full birth of the Western Confederation of Nations, the Ten Kingdoms of Western Europe.

Watch for other startling events in these last days to come to pass with great rapidity. For out of this Western Confederation, someday soon, because of the urgency of the situation, these ten nations will grant their power under one leader.

And according to Revelation 17, 13, these, that is these ten kings, have one mind and shall give their power and strength unto one leader. So awake, beloved, the night is far spent. Therefore let us not sleep as others, but let us watch and be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for our helmet the hope of salvation.

And according to 2 Peter, seeing that these things are beginning to come to pass, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness, watching and praying on the tiptoe of expectation for the coming of Christ for His own and then later coming back with Him.

Judgment of the Nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat

Now the coming judgment of all nations that have oppressed Israel or persecuted Israel or killed Israel, God's earthly people, is spoken of in Joel, the third chapter, verse two. Listen carefully. Therefore you need your Bible.

For in the second verse he said, now notice the key to it. When Israel has been returned to the land, I will also gather all nations and will bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them, notice, there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations and parted my land.

And God says, vengeance is mine. I will repay. And God have mercy upon any person or nation that puts their hand wrongly upon any of the house of Israel. The coming judgment, the valley of Jehoshaphat between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives.

And the word Jehoshaphat means Jehovah hath judged. And there Jehovah will plead with them, will judge them. And the description of that judgment is given to us in the twenty-fifth of Matthew. I want you to compare Scripture with Scripture.

And know thus saith the Lord, for in Matthew 25, 31, listen, when the Son of Man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. What is he going to do?

And before him shall he gather, be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divided his sheep from the goat. And he shall set the sheep on the right hand, but the goats on the left.

And as you read through down to the forty-sixth verse, you'll find these words that the basis of judgment is this. How have the nations treated Israel? For I was a hungry, he gave me meat. I was thirsty, he gave me a drink.

And I was a stranger, he took me in. And the nations that have persecuted and oppressed and slaughtered Israel, what's going to happen to them? These, according to the forty-sixth verse, shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous unto life eternal.

The Decision to Believe in Christ

And I tell you, it comes to a time of decision. Will you reject or accept what God has done for you? In Christ, listen, I close with this. He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. Friend of mine, come now, don't delay. The day of grace may soon be over, and I plead with you, come while the door of grace is open and accept Christ as your personal Savior and thus be worthy in Him.

Are you ready? Are you in Him? If not, judgment, fiery indignation, and a wrath awaits you. Let bow our heads in prayer. No one stirring plea. Friend of mine in the radio audience outside of Christ, I plead with you today to drop to your knees and say, God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

Save me for Christ's sake. Don't delay. Come now. Oh, I don't know what another day may bring forth, but I know if you're in Him, all things are secure and eternal. Continue in prayer. This is Charles E. Fuller bidding you goodbye and God's richest blessing upon you.