The fulfillment of Joel 2
Notes
Transcript
I am surprised that for many churches Joel isn’t studied much.
Today I want to consider the connection Peter was making and see if all of Joel 2:28-32 was fulfilled on Pentecost.
15 For these people are not drunk, as you assume, since it is only the third hour of the day;
16 but this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour out My Spirit on all Mankind; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, And your old men will Have dreams;
18 and Even on My male and female Servants I will pour out My spirit in those days, And they will prophesy.
19 ‘And I will display wonders in the sky above And signs on the earth below, Blood, fire, and vapor of smoke.
20 ‘The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, Before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 ‘And it shall be that Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
Are you ready for the message God has for us today?
Context of Joel’s Book
Context of Joel’s Book
Joel was written during the Persian Empire
The invasion serves as warning to the people of the threat of God’s Army invading to judge the people’s sin. — Repent!
There is the possibility that God would relent — Joel 2:18-19
18 Then the Lord will be zealous for His land, And will have compassion for His people.
19 The Lord will answer and say to His people, “Behold, I am going to send you grain, new wine, and oil, And you will be satisfied in full with them; And I will never again make you a disgrace among the nations.
God’s still isn’t done as his judgment of the world is coming — Joel 3:1-2
1 “For behold, in those days and at that time, When I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will gather all the nations And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there On behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; And they have divided up My land.
Hope and divine promise that God is sovereign.
His will will be done on earth as in heaven!
Joel and the heart of the Gospel
Joel and the heart of the Gospel
Joel 2:32
32a “And it will come about that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Will be saved;
Peter quoted it in his sermon — Acts 2:21
Paul quoted it — Romans 10:13
The phrase is at the heart of our message to people in the world!
Another key passage Joel 2:12
12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping, and mourning;
God implores the people to return!
“Return” — direct ones interest, attention, or trust toward someone
“Heart” — the locus of a person’s thoughts, volition, emotions, and knowledge of right and wrong all understood as the heart!
Peter’s message of Repentance — Acts 2:38
38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2 and Joel 2
Acts 2 and Joel 2
How do we consider what is fulfilled and what is not fulfilled of Joel 2 in Acts 2?
We know Peter says — Acts 2:15-16
15 For these people are not drunk, as you assume, since it is only the third hour of the day;
16 but this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:
What part though?
Peter stressed in his sermon that the events of that Pentecost were the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy.
Paul even states that the fulfillment of salvation is still on going — Romans 10:13
13 for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
The end times started at Pentecost and God’s final acts of Salvation has begun to take place — Joel 2:32
32 “And it will come about that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Will be saved;
Time of Christs return is next —Joel 2:31-32
31 “The sun will be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
Remember the teaching of Jesus?
11 and there will be massive earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrible sights and great signs from heaven.
25 “There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,
26 people fainting from fear and the expectation of the things that are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Conclusion
Joel’s prophecy is two parts
The out pouring of the Spirt and people calling on the Lord for Salvation.
The coming of the Day of the Lord.
It is the day of the Lord that has yet to be fulfilled.
Until that time anyone who calls on the name of the will be saved! — Emphasis!
Where are you right now? Are you ready and watching? Develop!
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