Joel 2:28-32
28 “It will come about after this
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will have dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
29 “And even on the male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
30 “I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth,
Blood, fire, and columns of smoke.
31 “The sun will be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
32 “And it will come about that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
Will be saved;
For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
There will be those who escape,
Just as the Lord has said,
Even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.
The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
What shall come afterward
Joel 2:28-32 is an extremely important prophetic passage. In the English Bibles, this passage is included in chapter 2, but in the Hebrew Bible it alone forms chapter 3. This shows how important the passage is. Incidentally, what is chapter 3 becomes chapter 4 in the Hebrew Bible. The central theme of this passage is the future outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the national salvation of Israel. (1) The phrase “after this” means after God’s judgment (the Great Tribulation) and after the repentance of the people of Israel. (2) God says, “I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind.” When interpreted strictly, “all mankind” refers to all Israelites living during the Great Tribulation. Since it says, “your sons and your daughters,” this refers to the people of Israel. (3) At that time, regardless of gender (sons and daughters), age (old men and young men), or social status (male and female servants), the Holy Spirit will be poured out on all the people of Israel. (4) Those who receive the Holy Spirit will prophesy and will see dreams and visions.
Prerequisite of the outpouring
That the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon the people of Israel is also prophesied by other prophets (ref. Ezek. 39:29, Zech. 12:10, etc.). In Hosea chapters 5 and 6, it is foretold that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will occur during the three days preceding the Second Coming. The words “all Israel will be saved” in Romans 11:26 likewise prophesy the same event. Then what are the prerequisites for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit? (1) Before “the day of the Lord” (the Great Tribulation) comes, cosmic disturbances will occur (v 30). Furthermore, darkness will dominate the earth (v 31). These events are foretold in detail in the Book of Revelation. (2) During the Great Tribulation, the people of Israel will be led to repentance. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” has that meaning. (3) Those who experience spiritual rebirth through repentance are “the remnant of Israel.” This is also prophesied in Obadiah 1:17, Isaiah 4:2, and Isaiah 37:31-32. Learning from history and having a perspective on the future are extremely important for Christians. The age is moving toward the rapture of the church, the coming of the Great Tribulation, the national repentance of Israel, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the return of the Messiah. Let us look to the future from God’s perspective and live today with hope. Are you prepared for the rapture and the Second Coming?
Today's prayer
God of Israel, please encourage me so that I may look toward the future from Your perspective and live with hope. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.