Kidron Valley: Judgment of God

 

Location

 

The Kidron Valley, also called the Valley of Jehoshaphat, lies between the Old City of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives.

 

Historical Background

 

1. It was much deeper in biblical times.

 

2. It is referred to repeatedly in Scripture as a place of judgment.

 

3. It is called the Winepress of God’s wrath.

 

Places of Interest

 

1. Kidron Valley

 

2. Absalom’s Tomb

 

3. Zechariah’s Tomb

 

4. Mount of Olives

 

5. Temple Mount

 

6. City of David

​

Kidron Valley and the Judgments of God in the Bible

 

1. God will gather the nations to the Kidron Valley at the end of the Tribulation and judge them.
Joel 3:1–3: For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, 3 and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it.

 

2. It is the Winepress of God’s wrath. 
Revelation 14:14–20: Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.  17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle [5 feet or 1.75 meters], for 1,600 stadia [200 miles, or 300 kilometers].

 

The flow of the river of blood from the Kidron Valley will run east toward the Dead Sea, then go south toward the Red Sea.

 

3. The judgments of God throughout history.

 

1. God judged Satan and the angels who rebelled against Him. They are now called demons.

2. God judged Adam and Eve for their disobedience.

3. God judged the ancient world by sending a great flood upon the whole earth.

4. God judged Sodom and Gomorrah.

5. God judged the Canaanite nations and commanded Israel to destroy them because of their great wickedness.

6. God gave clear warnings of blessings and curses to the Israelites in Deuteronomy chapters 27 and 28.

7. The nation of Israel disobeyed God repeatedly and was eventually deported from their land. This was a fulfillment of Deuteronomy chapters 27 and 28.

8. Contrary to what many people believe, Christ talked more about hell than heaven.

9. Today there is very little mention of the judgments of God.

 

4. The ultimate judgment awaits those who reject Christ’s offer of salvation.

 

Christ was the leading figure who talked about hell in the Bible. He described hell as:

 

1. A fiery lake of burning sulfur that is unquenchable and never goes out (Matt. 25:46; Mark 9:43–44; Rev. 21:8).

2. Everlasting destruction away from the presence of the Lord (2 Thess. 1:9).

3. Where people gnash their teeth in pain (Matt. 13:50).

4. Where the devil and the demons suffer (Matt. 25:41).

5. A gloomy dungeon (2 Pet. 2:4).

6. Where the worm never dies (Mark 9:48).

7. A fiery furnace (Matt. 13:42).

8. Where people will be salted with fire (Mark 9:49).

9. A place of weeping (Matt. 13:50).

10. A place of utter darkness (Jude 1:13).

11. A place of fiery flames (Luke 16:24).

12. A place of torment (Luke 16:28).

 

According to Christ, hell is a real place and many will choose to go there because of their rejection of Him. They choose materialism, pleasure, and the pride of life over the salvation of their souls and the eternal riches of Christ. 

 

5. The final judgment of God at the Great White Throne.
Revelation 20:11–15: Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence, earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

 

6. Why does God give more time and attention to judgment than blessings?

 

1. In the two foundational passages given to the Israelites regarding blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience to God (Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27 and 28), about 17% of the verses deal with blessings, and 83% deal with curses.

2. Additionally, Christ followed this same pattern and talked more about hell than heaven.

3. This pattern reveals that God has designed the human heart in such a way that it responds better to warnings than blessings.

4. This is so because blessings are optional, but judgment is not. I can choose the blessings if I want, but I can’t choose to escape judgment for disobedience.

 

Faith Lesson from the Kidron Valley

 

1. Do we realize God is a God of love, but He is also a God of justice?

 

2. Do we realize the reality of the judgments of God?

 

3. Do we believe in a literal hell, and do we talk about it like Christ did?

 

4. Do we understand that God has done everything possible to save us, but if we reject Him, then we are choosing separation from Him in hell instead?

 

5. Have I received Christ as my Savior and am I living for Him?

 

6. Am I telling others about Christ’s offer of eternal life?