John Wesley

For a nation has invaded My land, powerful and without number; its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and its fangs are the fangs of a lioness.

“Strong - Mighty in power, and undaunted in courage, if you refer it to the Assyrian or Babylonians; if to those vermin, they are, though each weak by itself, yet in those multitudes, strong and irresistible.”

Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland—surely…

“A fire - The Chaldeans, as a fire shall utterly consume all things. Behind them - What is left behind is as burnt with a flame. As Eden - Fruitful and pleasant.”

They storm the city; they run along the wall; they climb into houses, entering through windows like thieves.

“Runs to and fro - This seems not proper to these insects, but it well suits with soldiers, that conquer a city and search all places for plunder. Run upon the wall - To clear the wall of all the besieged.”

Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him—grain and drink offerings for the LORD your God.

“He will return - God doth not move from one place to another; but when he withholds his blessings, he is said to withdraw himself. And so when he gives out his blessing, he is said to return.”

Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication.

“The former rain - The autumn rain which is needful to mellow the earth and fit it to receive the corn. The latter rain - Needful to bring forward and ripen the fruits, accounted the latter rain because these husbandmen and vine-dressers reckoned from seed…”

And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

“Shall prophesy - This was in part fulfilled according to the letter in the first days of the gospel; but the promise means farther, by pouring out of the spirit on your sons and your daughters, they shall have as full a knowledge of the…”

I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.

“Wonders - They who read what historians report of these times, will see this fulfilled in the very letter.”

The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.

“The sun - Having mentioned the prodigies which were to be wrought on earth, he now specifies what shall be done in heaven. The terrible day - The unholy day of the destruction of Jerusalem; typifying the day of judgment.”

And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has promised, among…

“Whosoever shall call - Who hearing the gospel repents and believes in Christ. Delivered - Either from those outward afflictions, or which is infinitely better from eternal miseries, which will swallow up the unbelieving world; "and it will aggravate the ruin of those who perish…”

“Yes, in those days and at that time, when I restore Judah and Jerusalem from captivity,

“In those days - When I shall by Cyrus bring Judah out of Babylon. Of Judah - As the type of the whole remnant that are saved.”

I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.

“All nations - In the type it is all those nations that have oppressed Judah, in the anti-type, all nations that have been enemies to Christ and the church.”

Behold, I will rouse them from the places to which you sold them; I will return your recompense upon your heads.

“I will raise them - This was fulfilled when Alexander, and his successors dismissed all the Jews that were slaves in Greece, and gave them leave to return to their own country.”

Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full; the wine vats overflow because their wickedness is great.

“The press - As the grapes in the press are trod, so the enemies of God's people, are to be trodden in the wine-press of God's displeasure.”

And in that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk.

“This no doubt is a shadow of the purifying blood of Christ, and his sanctifying spirit and word.”

For I will avenge their blood, which I have not yet avenged.” For the LORD dwells in Zion.

“And I will cleanse - Purge away both by the spirit of sanctification and by free pardon in the blood of the redeemer. Their blood - Their sinfulness, which before I had not taken away.”