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JOEL 2:28-32
Lesson #04
THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- Memory verse: Joe 2:32a
- This section of the book of Joel is very important especially in light of the fact that frequently it is misinterpreted to apply only to the church in the age of grace in which we live today.
- First, to interpret this passage from Joel correctly, we must maintain it in the appropriate context of the book of Joel.
- What is the context?
- This passage is a part of the discussion of the Day of the Lord. Therefore we must maintain the interpretation in the context of the Day of the Lord.
- Remember that the Day of the Lord is a period of time that follows the model of the Jewish day. It begins with the sunset, continues in darkness until the light of the dawn, and the complete light of day.
- We have already seen in our study that the sunset represents the beginning of the tribulation period of seven years that will occur in the future. The deep darkness of night represents the spiritual darkness of the tribulation period that ends in the battle of Armageddon. The light of dawn represents the second coming of Jesus Christ, and the complete light of day represents the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ on this earth for 1000 years. (These are the prophetic events that fulfill the Day of the Lord.)
- Therefore, the content of Joel 2 is this:
- Verses 1-11 speak about the event of the battle of Armageddon and the event of the second coming of Christ.
- Verses 12-17 refer to the repentance of the Jews that will occur at the second coming of Jesus Christ during the battle of Armageddon. (Zec 12:9-14 Zec 13:1)
- Verses 18-22 speak about the mercy of God over His people, the Jews (the children of Zion en verse 23) and He promises abundance in the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
- Verses 23-27 are the promise of the rains that speak of the abundant blessings of God that are fulfilled in two periods of time. Like all prophecies in the Bible, they have a double fulfillment. There are two comings of the rain in Israel, in the autumn and in the spring. In the same way, there are two comings of Jesus Christ to this earth.
- This passage is a part of the discussion of the Day of the Lord. Therefore we must maintain the interpretation in the context of the Day of the Lord.
- What is the context?
- Read Joe 2:27-32
- “ I am in the midst of Israel ”
- The context of the passage from verses 18-32 is established by this phrase in verse 27. Therefore we must seek the interpretation of the passage in a time when the presence of Jesus Christ is in the midst of Israel.
- (27)
- “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh ”
- Notice the word “afterward”.
- The significance is that after Jesus Christ is in the midst of His people, He will pour out the Holy Spirit.
- In the first coming of Jesus Christ to this earth, there was a series of events that include what we call “the first coming of Jesus Christ”. They are the events of the life of Jesus in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and Acts 1-2.
- When in Matthew 1 to Acts 2 did Jesus Christ pour out the Holy Spirit over His people?
- Read Act 2:1-4 and 16-19
- The Holy Spirit inspired Peter to apply the prophecy in Joel 1 to the event of the day of Pentecost in the book of Acts as the fulfillment of that prophecy.
- However, all aspects of the prophecy from Joel were not fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. In fact Peter does not say that the day of Pentecost fulfilled the prophecy.
- Which aspects of Joels prophecy were fulfilled on the day of Pentecost?
- Men and women prophesied and had dreams and visions.
- It was not important from what level of society the people came because the Holy Spirit does not make show favoritism to people.
- Which aspects of Joels prophecy were not fulfilled on the day of Pentecost?
- Notice that Joel said in verse 28, “I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.”
- The Holy Spirit did not come upon “all flesh” on the day of Pentecost because all people did not prophesy, only 120 believers. All people were not Christians.
- Joe 2:30-31 did not have its fulfillment on the day of Pentecost.
- Notice that Joel said in verse 28, “I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.”
- Which aspects of Joels prophecy were fulfilled on the day of Pentecost?
- However, all aspects of the prophecy from Joel were not fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. In fact Peter does not say that the day of Pentecost fulfilled the prophecy.
- The Holy Spirit inspired Peter to apply the prophecy in Joel 1 to the event of the day of Pentecost in the book of Acts as the fulfillment of that prophecy.
- (28)
- “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come. “
- These words describe the events of the second coming of Jesus Christ. (Mat 24:29-30)
- “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said ”
(32)
- On the day of Pentecost, 3,000 people received salvation by means of the preaching of the gospel through the believers filled with the Holy Spirit.
- At the second coming of Christ, a great multitude of Jews will receive salvation from Jesus Christ and he will pour out the Holy Spirit on them.
- “ and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.”
(32)
- The remnant:
- Through all the Bible God has preserved a remnant of Jews that believe in Jehovah. Why?
- God is faithful to the promises that he made at the beginning of the Bible. The promises were made to a specific people, the Jews that are called in the Old Testament, the Israelites.
- To fulfill His original promises, God must preserve the people that received the promises. Because of that we see the remnant through the entire Bible.
- Of course, the enemy, Satan, wants to prove that God lied. Therefore, his plan is to destroy the blood line that ends in Jesus Christ and to destroy the survival of the remnant of Jews. We can see this plan at various points in history:
- =1= The death of Abel in Genesis.
- =2= The plan of destruction by Pharaoh of all the Jews that came out of Egypt with Moses in the book of Exodus.
- =3= The plan of annihilation of all the Jews in the book of Esther.
- =4= The plan of the Pharisees to destroy Jesus Christ on the cross in the four gospels of the Bible.
- =5= The plan of Hitler to destroy all the Jews.
- =6= The plan of the Antichrist to destroy all the Jews in the tribulation period.
- In each case, God intervened to protect His people and to preserve the remnant that eventually will receive the fulfillment of the promises.
- Of course, the enemy, Satan, wants to prove that God lied. Therefore, his plan is to destroy the blood line that ends in Jesus Christ and to destroy the survival of the remnant of Jews. We can see this plan at various points in history:
- Through all the Bible God has preserved a remnant of Jews that believe in Jehovah. Why?
- Review:
- When Jesus Christ is in the midst of Israel, God will pour out the Holy Spirit.
- We can say that the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32 has two fulfillments and both fulfillments refer to the promises of God to Israel (to the Jews). (Isa 32:15)
- Therefore, the prophecy and the promise of Joel 2 refers to the day of Pentecost that is the birth of the New Testament church that we see in Acts 2.
- However, the prophecy and the promise do not refer to the church as some people apply this scripture to mean that the church will reign on the earth during this age of grace.
- During this age of grace, yes, the church has authority in Jesus Christ but it does not reign with a king on the earth. Yes, Jesus Christ is the King of kings but in this age of grace, Jesus does not reign as a king on the earth. Instead, now He is the High Priest in heaven that intercedes for us. He will not reign until after the second coming when He will establish His kingdom on this earth.
- In the Bible, the New Covenant of forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ is made with Israel (Jer 31:31 and Heb 8:8-12). The gentile believers are added by the grace of God. (Rom 11:17)
- In this way, the pouring out of the Holy Spirit is a prophecy and a promise given to Israel (the Jews) in the book of Joel. The church shares in the promise of the Spirit in the same way that the church shares in the New Covenant through the blood of Jesus Christ.
- However, the prophecy and the promise do not refer to the church as some people apply this scripture to mean that the church will reign on the earth during this age of grace.
- The first fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel happened on the day of Pentecost when the believers on the day of Pentecost were Jews.
- The second fulfillment will occur at the second coming of Jesus Christ when He will establish His kingdom on the earth for 1000 years to fulfill His promises to the Jews.
- Therefore, the prophecy and the promise of Joel 2 refers to the day of Pentecost that is the birth of the New Testament church that we see in Acts 2.
- When the Millennium begins, all the living people will be Christians, and all the people will receive the Holy Spirit. It will be an age of double anointing of the Spirit for the Jews, and for the gentiles, inserted by the grace of God.
- We can say that the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32 has two fulfillments and both fulfillments refer to the promises of God to Israel (to the Jews). (Isa 32:15)
- We can see all these concepts in the book of Ezekiel.
- Read Eze 36:27-28
- Read Eze 37:14
- Read Eze 39:29
HOMEWORK
JOEL 3
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.
- Application of Joe 2:28-32
- God fulfills His promises to Gentile believers in the same way that he fulfills His promises to the Jews .faithfully.
- Which promises in your life do you trust God to fulfill?
- Preparation for Joe 3
- Read Joe 3:1-21
- To what big event during the Day of the Lord does this chapter refer?
- Read Joe 3:1-21
Memory Verse: Joe 3:20
