Joel 2

Joel 2

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!) God poured out both His wrath (Ps. 69:24; Isa. 42:25; Jer. 6:11; Hos. 5:10); and His Spirit and grace on people... Joel 2:28-29-note (THIS OUTPOURING WILL BE FULFILLED IN THE MILLENNIUM) “It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. 29 “Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. Zech 12:10-note (THIS OUTPOURING WILL BE FULFILLED JUST BEFORE THE MILLENNIUM) “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. Charles Feinberg states "The prophet is speaking of the latter days for Israel, a period which covers both the Tribulation period and the reign of the Messiah which follows it. At that time God will pour out His Spirit, the blessed Holy Spirit, upon all flesh."...Several truths are implied here: (1) the figure employed is taken from the analogy of the rain (see Joel 2:23); (2) the pouring out reveals the Spirit is from above; and (3) the Spirit is given in abundance. The outpouring of the Spirit is to be upon all flesh. It will be universal in character and scope. But does this mean universal for all Israel or for all mankind generally? Expositors of the passage are divided, some holding to one position and others holding to the other position just as positively. No one, however, will deny, from the context and the prophetic teaching of other portions of the Old Testament, that all Israel surely is included. Differences of age (young and old), sex (sons and daughters), or position (servants and handmaids) will constitute no barrier nor hindrance to this gift of the Spirit. (The Minor Prophets) If we compare the words of Isaiah and Peter, we note that the last days are the time when Mount Zion will be the chief mountain in the Millennial reign of the Messiah. It is at that time that the prophecy of Joel which Peter quotes will be fulfilled. Isaiah 2:2-note Now it will come about that In the last days The mountain of the house of the LORD Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. Acts 2:17 ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says, ‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS; The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Israel is predicted in several OT prophecies... Isaiah 32:15 Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fertile field, And the fertile field is considered as a forest. Isaiah 44:3 ‘For I will pour out water on the thirsty land And streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring And My blessing on your descendants; 4 And they will spring up among the grass Like poplars by streams of water.’ Ezekiel 36:27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 28 “You (ISRAEL) will live in the land (ISRAEL) that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. Ezekiel 37:14 “I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it,” declares the LORD.’” Ezekiel 39:29 “I will not hide My face from them any longer, for I will have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,” declares the Lord GOD. Zechariah 12:10 “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions - J