What Does This Scripture Say About His Coming Again in Joel 2: 28-32
(By Pastor Mark Fontecchio)
The Day of Pentecost had come. A audio came from heaven and the disciples of Christ were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:ii-3). As the Spirit gave utterance, the disciples began to speak to the Jews gathered in Jerusalem in their own languages and confusion ensued (vv. four-12). The Jewish crowd couldn't understand how the Galilean disciples of Christ could speak in the native languages of the people (vv. vii-viii). Peter addressed the crowd to explain this work of God. In then doing, he quoted a prophecy from Joel 2:28-32 that ignited a theological word about the exact relationship of Pentecost and the outpouring of the Spirit of God in regard to the prophecy of Joel. Peter testified, "This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel" (Acts two:16).[1] Did this issue in Acts fulfill Joel'due south prophecy? Through a conscientious examination of Scripture this question will be answered and the predominant views volition exist presented.
Final Days Partial Fulfillment
A mutual understanding is to focus on the opening words quoted in Acts 2:17-18 from Joel, "And information technology shall come up to pass in the last days, says God, that I volition pour out of My Spirit on all mankind; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall come across visions, your former men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy." The central to this interpretation is seen in the definition of the last days, "Joel's prophecy would see its realization " 'in the last days' "—the period initiated by the arrival of John the Baptist and visitation of Jesus the Messiah (Matt 3; 17:x–13; Mark 1:1–15; 1 Cor 10:11; 1 Tim 4:i–5; ii Tim iii:1–9; Heb 1:1–4; 9:26; Jas 4:8; i Pet 1:twenty; 1 John 4:i–4)."[2] In the Old Testament the Spirit of God came upon a relatively few number of people for a specific ministry or purpose. Now the Spirit of God would indwell all who believe in Christ.
The remaining role of Peter's quote from Joel refers to significant cosmic events. It is worth noting that these events will non be natural. God declares, "I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: Blood and burn and vapor of smoke. The lord's day shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into claret, before the coming of the slap-up and crawly twenty-four hours of the Lord" (Acts 2:xix-xx). Surely this office of the prophecy has not been fulfilled. Rather, it looks forrad, "The celestial signs described here fit well the picture of the last times in the Synoptic Gospels (Matt 24:29; Mark 13:24–27; Luke 21:25–28). Nothing recorded virtually the get-go century corresponds to this. Furthermore the " 'nifty and awesome day of the Lord' " has not yet transpired."[iii] Therefore, this particular view sees the outpouring of the Spirit of God in verses 17-xviii every bit partially fulfilling the prophecy of Joel every bit the offset of the Messianic age. All the same, the cosmic events in the rest of the prophecy remain to be fulfilled in the hereafter.
Complete Fulfillment
Another interpretation is to see the consummate fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel in the first century. Again, the last days play a meaning role in interpretation. Accordingly, nether this point of view, they are divers equally, "the days of the Messiah (Is 2:two)."[4] However, the deviation betwixt this cess from the Fractional Fulfillment view is that even the prophecy from Joel contained in Acts 2:19-21 is said to take already been fulfilled. The powerful signs, smoke, and darkness are said to refer to, "the signs which were to precede the destruction of Jerusalem."[five] Other similar viewpoints look for spiritual fulfillments on the 24-hour interval of Pentecost (or other key events in the offset century) of the cosmic signs spoken of in Joel.
Already Not Notwithstanding
Progressive Dispensationalists believe that the Kingdom of Christ has begun. Specifically, they believe, "Christ has already inaugurated the Davidic reign in sky at the correct paw of the Father, which equals the throne of David, though He does not nonetheless reign every bit Davidic king on earth during the Millennium. Besides, the new covenant has already been inaugurated, though its blessings are not yet fully realized until the Millennium."[six] It is only natural, therefore, that they believe the prophecy quoted past Peter was initially fulfilled on the twenty-four hour period of Pentecost. Notwithstanding, some aspects of Joel's prophecy await the time to come rule of Christ.
No Fulfillment
Was Joel ii fulfilled at all? This is the question some ask when looking at the words of Peter recorded in Acts. Their argument would be that the prophecy of Joel awaits a complete future fulfillment. The late Dr. Ryrie summarized and adhered to this point of view:
To evidence that the Spirit tin can produce such things, Peter quoted from Joel 2:28–32. This is a prophecy which will be fulfilled during the millennium when Israel is reestablished in her own land. Peter was non saying that the prophecy was fulfilled at Pentecost or even that it was partially fulfilled; knowing from Joel what the Spirit could do, he was just reminding the Jews that they should have recognized what they were then seeing equally a piece of work of the Spirit also. He continued to quote from Joel at length only in order to exist able to include the conservancy invitation recorded in poesy 21.[seven]
With this understanding, the entire prophecy of Joel awaits its fulfillment in the Millennium. Therefore, Peter was just attributing the outpouring of the Spirit to the piece of work of God. The Spirit of God will exist poured out on the nation of Israel perfectly fulfilling the prophecy of Joel during the Millennium. The events of Acts 2 are said to exist like to only non identical to this coming future fulfillment.
A Preferred Interpretation
In that location are a number of reasons to believe that this concluding interpretation is correct, that Joel 2 was non fulfilled at all on the twenty-four hours of Pentecost. Information technology can be rightly noted that Peter did not specifically state that Joel had been fulfilled. Instead, he stated, "But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel" (Acts 2:16). It appears that Peter was claiming the outpouring of the Spirit of God on Pentecost was something similar to what would happen when the prophecy of Joel two is fulfilled.
At that place are some exegetical clues that help united states of america to recognize that this should be the preferred interpretation.
Peter fabricated a meaning change in Joel'southward prophecy as he quoted it from the Septuagint, and this change supports the view that he was not challenge fulfillment. Beginning, he changed "after this" (Joel 2:28) to "in the concluding days" (Acts 2:17). In the context of Joel'due south prophecy the time in view is the day of the Lord: the Tribulation (Joel 2:xxx–31) and the Millennium (Joel 2:28–29).[eight]
Joel's prophecy looks forward to the time of Tribulation and the Millennium. Therefore, information technology corresponds that this pregnant (even though it was quoted by Peter in Acts) cannot change. Peter was justified in quoting Joel to refer to the similar work of the Spirit of God. Even so, similarity does non equate with identity.
In the future, simply believers will enter into the Kingdom of God after the Tribulation. Thus, information technology corresponds that at that fourth dimension God volition pour out His Spirit, "on all mankind" (Acts ii:17). That can hardly be said about the 24-hour interval of Pentecost. The Spirit of God was poured out to the disciples, but that is a far weep from being poured out on all flesh (Joel 2:28).
It is interesting to note that in the broader context of the New Testament we encounter a like quote from Paul. In Romans 10:13 Paul quoted Joel 2:32 when he said, "For 'whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'" Paul's application was that salvation is bachelor to both Jew and Gentile. This is a point similar to Peter's application in poetry 21 that salvation is available to all. All the same, Paul did not claim the fulfillment of Joel two:32. Rather, he used it to brand a larger indicate about the Gospel. This consequent usage demonstrates that a future fulfillment of Joel is in understanding with the broader context of Scripture.
Conclusion
It is doubtful that Peter could have e'er imagined that quoting the prophecy of Joel could have led to such a variety of interpretations: fractional fulfillment, complete fulfillment, already not yet, and no fulfillment. During the fourth dimension of the fulfillment of Joel, "This pouring out of the Spirit is continued to the 24-hour interval of Yahweh (two:31), a time when Yahweh will roar in judgment. Astronomical signs will occur. The sunday volition abound night (as in the plague of Exodus x:21–29) and the moon volition turn blood red. "Everyone who calls on the proper name of Yahweh," nevertheless, "volition exist saved" from this judgment (Joel ii:32), a text quoted past Paul in Romans ten:thirteen."[ix] Pentecost did not fulfill Joel 2:28-32. Even though the prophecy of Joel 2 awaits a hereafter fulfillment, we can exist thankful that the Church has received a similar outpouring of the Spirit of God in this nowadays age of grace.
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Endnotes
[1] Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is taken from The Holy Bible: The New King James Version. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982).
[2] Alberto S. Valdés, "The Acts of the Apostles," in The Grace New Testament Commentary, ed. Robert N. Wilkin (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Gild, 2010), 489.
[3] Ibid., 490.
[4] Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 175.
[5] Ibid.
[six] Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Dispensationalism, Rev. and expanded. (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 193.
[7] Charles C. Ryrie, Acts of the Apostles, Everyman's Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1961), 20–21.
[8] Tom Lawman, Tom Constable'southward Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Ac 2:16.
[9] J. Daniel Hays, Message of the Prophets: A Survey of the Prophetic and Apocalyptic Books of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 282.
Source: https://www.returntotheword.com/I-Will-Pour-Out-My-Spirit-Joel-228-32
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