LET THE WEAK SAY I AM STRONG 

Joel 3:10(KJV)

Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.

What is the significance of this statement?

First thing to note is that the relationship between plowshares and swords and between pruninghooks and spears was described in two other references. From the pattern, we have an idea of the situation.

Isaiah 2:4(KJV)

And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Plowshares and pruninghooks are agricultural equipment.

Micah 4:3-4(KJV)

[3]And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

[4]But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.

Swords and spears are weapons of war.

So Micah's prophecy, which corresponds with Isaiah's, is a promise of peace so great that the inhabitants of the nations would convert their weapons of war into agricultural equipment. Instead of fear of war, they would be in a state where they would be planting and harvesting in peace.

“...nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more…”

However, Joel's prophecy many years later appears to be the exact opposite of that of these two early writing prophets.

Joel 3:10(KJV)

Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.

This is apparently the reverse; hence, it talks about war. In fact, this is a war challenge.

What exactly is going on here?

The children of Israel (northern kingdom) and the inhabitants of Judah had been in captivity for several years. So this is a prophecy against the heathen nations that were involved in their captivity by persecuting them and defiling the holy temple.

Joel 3:1-8(KJV)

[1]For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,

[2]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.

[3]And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.

[4]Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;

[5]Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:

[6]The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.

[7]Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:

[8]And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken it.

While declaring judgment on these nations, the Lord challenges them to war, mocking them to fight Him if they are able.

Joel 3:9-10(KJV)

[9]Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:

[10]Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.

Then He concludes that these enemies of righteousness would be destroyed in His judgment as He rises up to preserve his people.

Joel 3:11-12,19-20(KJV)

[11]Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.

[12]Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: FOR THERE WILL I SIT TO JUDGE ALL THE HEATHEN ROUND ABOUT.

[19]Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.

[20]But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

Back to our theme verse,

Joel 3:9-10(KJV)

[9]Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:

[10]Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.

So, this is a battle cry intended to taunt the enemies. “Let the weak say, ‘I am strong” means that even the ones that may want to claim to be weak amongst them should brace up and get battle ready too. They would all be destroyed alike.

So, is it wrong for a weak Christian to confess positively that he is strong? Not at all. But it should never be on account of this text; it refers to something entirely different.

We find a similar expression in the book of 2 Chronicles when King Amaziah of Judah hired soldiers from Israel to join him in battle against his enemy. A man of God came around and instructed him not to mingle with corrupt Israel.

See this

2 Chronicles 25:6-8(KJV)

[6]He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.

[7]But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.

[8]But if thou wilt go, do it, BE STRONG for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.

Verse 8 means, if you insist on going with them, be strong for battle and go, but you will be defeated.

Can you see that?

So the expression, “be strong” was rather sarcastic.

Both references (in Joel 3 and 2 Chronicles 25) carry a tone of mockery and not positive confessions.

Blessings.

Victor Ibosiola © 2022