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Friday, November 5, 2021

#1136 Joel 2 Part 3 Pouring Out To Harvest

 



 “And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
29 Even on the male and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls. Joel 2: 28-32

Joel 2: 28-32 Pouring Out of God's Spirit

…27A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28Joshua son of Nun, the attendant to Moses since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” 29But Moses replied, “Are you jealous on my account? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would place His Spirit on them!”… Numbers 11: 27-29

…16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17‘ In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.… Acts 2: 16-18

And it shall come to pass afterward - So what have we dealt with so far? This is after a locust plague discussed in chapter 1, after discussion of the Day of the Lord, an army that devastates, there is a call to repentance, the pity of God upon a broken people, those mournful over their sin. When Peter quotes this in Acts 2: 17, he says, "in the last days," instead of afterward. What is the Day of the Lord? The day of Christ return to judge and rule.

1This is the message that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem: 2In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. 3And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.… Isaiah 2: 1-3

The Jewish last days began 2,000 years ago. Did you know that? That’s right. The Jewish last days began 2,000 years ago with the arrival of Messiah. They will be completed when the setting of the kingdom takes place. It just so happens that the last days has stretched at least into 2,000 years. You say, “Why so?” Because God graciously is calling people from the gentiles and secondly because God in chastisement is punishing Israel for unbelief. And when God gets through calling together the fullness of the gentiles and gets through gathering and regathering Israel to the land, then the last days will be consummated.

Now, Paul writing to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:1 and 2 Timothy 3:1, talks about the last days there but he’s talking about the last days of the church. The interval of 2,000 years that we’ve been living in, I believe we’re living in the last days of that. Do you believe that? Do you believe Jesus is coming soon? Do you believe the rapture is soon? Then we’re not only in the last days of Israel and have been for 2,000 years, but we’re in the last days of the church.

But you see this is a Jewish context, and so he says it shall come to pass in the last days. And the last days were Messianic times and the Messiah had come so it was the last days. The last days began with the arrival of Jesus. Let me prove that to you by showing you several verses. First Peter 1:20 says this, it’s talking about Christ, the Lamb without blemish and without spot, and verse 20 days, “Who verily truly was foreordained before the foundation of the world.” Jesus was, wasn’t He?

Then he says this, “But was manifest in these last times for you.” Do you know that the last times began when Jesus was manifest? Hebrews 1:2, 1:1, “God at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers hath in these” - what? - “last days spoken unto us” - what? - “by His Son.” Jesus came in the last days. Listen to this, 1 John 2:18, “Little children, it is the last time.” You see, that’s an eschatological term for Messianic time. And you have the same thing clearly indicated in Hebrews 9:26. And that statement shows that they really believed that the last time began with Messiah. The writer of Hebrews says this, “But now once in the end of the ages hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” When they saw Messiah come and die, they said, “Gang, it’s the end of the ages.” - J Mac

Comment: Note that the first phrase "‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS" is not from the book of Joel. This exact Greek phrase is found in the Septuagint version of Isaiah 2:2-commentary which is also a prophecy that deals with the "last days." It is interesting that Isaiah's passage is describing the beginning of the Messiah's earthly kingdom. Below are the actual Greek text from the Septuagint and from the New Testament to show that they are exactly the same words:
ἔσται ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις (Isaiah 2:2 Septuagint)
ἔσται ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις, (Act 2:17 New Testament) - Precept Austin

I will pour out My spirit on all flesh - Peter refers back to this in Acts 2 during the feast of Pentecost, when Jews and Jewish proselytes from all over the Roman empire were assembled at Jerusalem for the harvest feast, Pentecost is 50 days after the feast of first fruits. When we look at this from the perspective of the Apostles, they had been in Jerusalem for the Passover feast, where Jesus became the Passover lamb, as was always God's intention. 

…4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me. 6In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.… Hebrews 10: 4-6

Jesus rose again on the third day, which makes Him the firstborn of all that believe and are saved through Him. We celebrate this as Easter Sunday, and instead of meeting on the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, Saturday, it became a custom of the early church to meet on Sunday, the day which Christ rose from the dead. 

…22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him. 1 Corinthians 15: 22-23

Jesus had been telling His disciples that He was going to return to the Father, but that this was not a bad thing because where He was going they would one day be also. He also promised to send them a comforter, which was the Holy Spirit, and Peter relates back to this section of Joel when the comforter comes at the day of Pentecost described in Acts 2. This was the birth of the early church, a glimpse of what it will be like when Christ returns to set up His Millennial kingdom.

…22“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge? 23If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you. 24Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,… Proverbs 1: 22-24

…14For the palace will be forsaken, the busy city abandoned. The hill and the watchtower will become caves forever—the delight of wild donkeys and a pasture for flocks— 15until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high. Then the desert will be an orchard, and the orchard will seem like a forest. 16Then justice will inhabit the wilderness, and righteousness will dwell in the fertile field.… Isaiah 32: 14-16

…2This is the word of the LORD, your Maker, who formed you from the womb and who will help you: “Do not be afraid, O Jacob My servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. 3For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and currents on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring. 4They will sprout among the grass like willows by flowing streams.… Isaiah 44: 2-4

…38Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’ ” 39 He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified. 40On hearing these words, some of the people said, “This is truly the Prophet.”… John 7: 38-40

John Calvin - There is no doubt that the prophet promises something greater here than the fathers had experienced under the law. We know that the grace of the Holy Spirit flourished even among the ancient people; but the prophet promises here not what the faithful had formerly experienced, but something greater. And this may be gathered from the verb 'to pour' which he employs. For ‏שׁפךְ‎ does not mean merely to give in drops, but to pour out in great abundance. But God did not pour out the Holy Spirit so abundantly or copiously under the law, as He has since the manifestation of Christ." (Ed: And will do so in the greatest abundance in the New Age to come, the Messiah's Kingdom on earth!) - Precept Austin

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy - This has been bent and twisted in all sorts of ways, and I have heard people take this verse from it's context, without understanding of prophesy or prophesying, and insist that it validates their present claims of being a prophet or knowing someone else who is. I think the safest understanding of this is within the framework of the time to which the major and minor prophets are pointing, the last days, which as discussed above, started with Christ first advent. When the Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost this marked the birth of the new church, and many Jews from all over, who spoke different languages, all heard the gospel in their own language. One who prophesies says what God said, preaching is a form of prophesying, reading the word of God, correctly applied, as Paul instructed Timothy, to rightly divide the word of truth. Today, there is a sect of "Christianity" that holds up as prophets those who act more like fortune tellers, and not even good ones by Biblical standards. Pentecost and the Apostolic era were foundational to the building of the church, the Apostles were the pillars of the church, Christ the foundation, so do not be fooled by those today who call themselves Apostles, nor those who offer up another Christ. As those who were to spread the gospel, write it down, tell of the things to come at the end of the age, and record the doctrine to which the body of Christ shall adhere, the Apostles and many of the early church were accompanied by great signs and wonders, all of which supported their claims to speak on behalf of God to the church, to be the writers and sealers of canonical scripture. Pentecost was a precursor to the end of the age, empowering the disciples to preach, which Peter did preach that first sermon, drawing upon the old testament, presenting Jesus Christ as the fulfillment, and some 3,000 heard and believed that day. 



And I will show wonders in the heavens and on earth...before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes - The Day of the Lord is at the end of the age, marked by the time of the Great Tribulation, the time of Jacob's Trouble, the opening of the seals and the pouring out of God's wrath. Some say this prophecy of Joel's was completely fulfilled at Pentecost, yet we did not see the heavenly signs associated with Joel's prophecy. 

For example, I read about blood in chapter 6, verse 7, Revelation. Verse - we’re skipping 7, says in verse 8, “Power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, with the beasts of the earth.” There’s going to be blood unbelievably streaming about the earth in that great terrible fourth seal, which is death. And then in moving through Revelation chapter 8, we find it again in 7, 8:7, “The first angel sounded, there followed hail and fire mixed with blood.” Verse 8, “Fire was cast into the sea and a third part of the sea became blood.” And on and on it goes. In chapter 9:15, it says, “And the four angels were loosed who were prepared for an hour and a day and a month and a year to slay the third part of men.” Bloodshed as one-third of the population of the world dies.

And then further on in chapter 14, that most remarkable verse 20, “And the wine press was trodden outside the city and blood came out of the wine press even to the horses’ bridles by the space of a thousand six hundred furlongs.” Blood five feet deep covering 200 miles, and on and on it goes. Chapter 16, verse 3, there it is again, blood like the dead man, the sea turns to blood. And then we find in the book of Revelation also fire indicated at the time when Jesus comes back. Chapter 8, verse 5, talks about the censer filled with fire and cast to the earth. Verse 7 of the same chapter talks about fire again. Verse 8 talks about fire again, cast into the sea.

Verse 10, burning fire cast into the area of the rivers and the fountains of waters. And then as we read chapter 9, we read about the smoke as the demons ascend out of the pit. All of these things are pictures of the coming judgment of Christ when He returns. Then in verse 20, it tells us something more. It says the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood. And before that great notable day of the Lord come.

Now isn’t it amazing that although they hadn’t seen all of these things, they had in fact seen wonders in heaven, hadn’t they? They heard the sound. And they had not only seen that, but they had seen wonders in the earth. The miracles of the languages. Not only that, what happened all over the place at the death of Jesus Christ? Darkness covered the earth. Verse 20, “The sun shall be turned to darkness.” So you see, in that same kind of preliminary way, they had begun to experience what the fullness of the great and terrible day of the Lord was going to be like.

Sun shall be turned to darkness, the moon to blood. We read in Matthew chapter 24 an indication of that in the direct words of Jesus in talking about the time of His coming to set up His kingdom. Matthew 24:29, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be dark and the moon shall not give its light. The stars shall fall from heaven, the powers of the heaven shall be shaken, and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” You see there, Jesus’ coming is again tied with the wonders in heaven. As we saw in Revelation, the wonders in earth as well. And so before that great and terrible day of the Lord, these wonders shall occur.  - J Mac

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved - We live in the mystery age of the church, something that the OT prophets and even the disciples did not understand. They thought more in the lines of a chronology that had Messiah coming and going directly into His reign. They found it difficult to accept His teachings of the cross, even in light of Isaiah's clear teaching that Messiah must suffer. Every sacrifice foreshadowed His ultimate sacrifice. Many were saved at Pentecost, many have come to Christ during the church age, but the ultimate pouring out of His spirit, the greatest revival/reformation of all time will be at the end of the age. 

…26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances. 28Then you will live in the land that I gave your forefathers; you will be My people, and I will be your God.… Ezekiel 36: 26-28


…2“Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it, the LORD is His name: 3Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Jeremiah 33: 2-3

…14Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High. 15Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.” 16To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips?… Psalm 50: 14-16

25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob. 27And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.”… Romans 11: 25-27

Among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls - This is the remnant, for not all who are of the outer circumcision are Israel, but those who are circumcised of heart. No one comes to Christ unless the Father calls them.

…43“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus replied. 44“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me—… John 6: 43-45

…29For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. 31What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?… Romans 8: 29-31







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