But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
At Pentecost Peter declared that what was seen in the Spirit-filled disciples was the fulfillment of what Joel had foretold about the outpouring of the Spirit. He stood with the eleven to answer those who mocked them as full of new wine, showing it was not drunkenness for it was only the third hour of the day, but the power of the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of prophecy. The promise was that in the last days God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, so that sons and daughters and servants would prophesy with visions and dreams, with wonders in heaven above and signs on earth and salvation to everyone who calls on the name of the Lord. That fulfillment was only begun and partly accomplished at Pentecost, for then only tongues were seen without dreams and visions or the sun darkened and moon turned to blood, the Spirit then given being the early rain while its full accomplishment belongs to the closing work of the gospel in the latter rain. The Pentecost experience stands as the pattern for God's people now, and the same outpouring that gave power for witness with thousands converted in a day is needed today and calls all to seek God.
Pentecost Setting Clarified
This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel, belonging to the Pentecost account when the disciples received the promised outpouring of the Spirit. It identifies the events of that day as the fulfillment of Joel, including the outpouring of the Holy Spirit with signs and prophetic gifts and Spirit-given speech. It marks a period in which heaven gives revelations to God's people through warnings, reproofs, and explanations of Scripture, so they can recognize that the prophesied time has come and remain watchful.
Peter stood up with the eleven to answer those who mocked and said the Spirit-filled disciples were full of new wine. He declared the speaking with other tongues was not drunkenness, for it was only the third hour of the day, but was the power of the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of Joel's prophecy. The miraculous manifestation came upon them to equip them for a special work they were to do, and their ability to speak different languages was a sign that the prophesied gift had come. The mockers mistook them for drunken men because they did not recognize the Holy Spirit's work, for God works in His own way by the Spirit, often in unexpected ways not recognized by those who do not come under its influence.
The outpouring came when the disciples were with one accord in one place, filled with the Holy Ghost and speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. It took place at a great religious festival in Jerusalem, heard by devout Jews out of every nation under heaven, each in his own tongue wherein he was born declaring the wonderful works of God, to whom God used the disciples to give the message of the risen Saviour. It came after they had obeyed Jesus' command not to depart from Jerusalem until they received the promise of the Father, and had spent several days together confessing sins and praying for the Holy Spirit. It was the promised power to be witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and unto the uttermost parts of the earth, publicly testifying to Christ and answering false reports about Him and carrying repentance and forgiveness to people from many nations.
Peter's preaching unfolded Jesus and glorified Him before eyes that before saw no beauty in Him that they should desire Him, explaining the mystery of Christ's cross and other truths about the Messiah. Preached with tremendous effect in the demonstration of the Spirit and with power because Jesus was then lifted up, exalted by God to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins, it is the Spirit that quickens so Christ must be beheld as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He concluded that God had made the crucified Jesus both Lord and Christ, and when hearers were pricked in heart he called them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, a promise to them and their children and all afar off whom God shall call, exhorting them to save themselves from the untoward generation. So about three thousand gladly received his word and were baptized in one day, a few weeks after the crucifixion, and continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers, continuing daily with one accord in the temple and from house to house with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God while the Lord added daily such as should be saved. After the descent they went forth to proclaim a risen Saviour with one desire for salvation of souls, rejoicing in communion, tender, thoughtful, self-denying and willing to sacrifice, revealing in words and deeds the love Christ commanded, cherishing apostolic love and going forward in willing obedience to love one another as Christ loved them, closely united to Christ to fulfill His requirements and magnify a Saviour who justifies by His righteousness.
The Pentecostal outpouring was heaven's communication that Christ had been received with accompanying angels in the heavenly courts and that His coronation and inauguration were complete. Jerusalem is thus presented as a key place for the apostles to bear the gospel message, and the account of the Spirit's work there supports the duty to represent the truth in influential places such as the nation's capital.
Joel Prophecy Fulfilled
This is what was spoken by Joel: in the last days God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh and upon all kinds of people, so that sons and daughters would prophesy, young men would see visions, old men would dream dreams, and His servants both men and women would prophesy. That outpouring was not given as display alone but as power equipping God's people for a special work they were to do. It prepared them to prophesy, to see visions, and to dream dreams in service of that work.
The same fulfilled prophecy includes wonders in heaven above and signs on earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke, with the sun turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and notable day of the Lord comes. It ends with salvation to whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord. Joel's afterward is rendered by Peter as in the last days. The term last days can cover the whole Christian age but must embrace the very last day, because the great events of the prophecy are connected with and are signs of the great day of the Lord.
What happened in the apostles' days was only begun and only partly fulfilled. At Pentecost only the gift of tongues was exercised, with no account of dreams or visions, and the sun was not turned to darkness nor the moon to blood. That beginning fulfillment will be more clearly manifested among God's people as the Spirit is poured out and they become a light in the world's moral darkness. It will be fully accomplished through a manifestation of divine grace accompanying the gospel's closing work in connection with the events of the great day of God. The Spirit then given was the early rain, while the burden of the prophecy is reserved for the close of the dispensation in the latter rain, the full pouring out of the Spirit.
The prophecy marks a period in which heaven gives revelations to God's people through warnings, reproofs, and explanations of Scripture, so they can recognize that the prophesied time has come and remain watchful. The Holy Spirit's work on hearts bringing conversion with the light then given is needed now as well.
Present Call Urgent
The experience of the early church at Pentecost stands as the pattern for God's people in the present day. The same outpouring that empowered the preaching of the Word everywhere with thousands of sinners converted in a day is needed now, and the promise of the Spirit poured out on all kinds of people, with sons and daughters prophesying and salvation to all who call on the Lord, is a call for men and women in the last days to seek God. The light then given through the Spirit's work on hearts bringing conversion is needed now as well.
Readiness for the wonders to be shown requires taking the position marked by pointing to Joel's prophecy under the moving power of the Holy Spirit, when listeners heard in their own tongue. That position is denying self as Christ denied Himself, studying the Scriptures with all one's might lest there be failure to carry them out, and putting away self, because as long as self prevails among church members there will be a backward movement instead of a forward one. There must be a waking from stupor and indifference, because there is a world to save and a message to give, with no sleeping in the judgment hour.
Believers have a part in that converting work through the self-denying life of Christ, taking the Bible from house to house and reading to people, which brings many souls to the knowledge of the truth. The prophecy partly fulfilled in the apostles' days will be more clearly manifested among God's people as the Spirit is poured out and they become a light in the world's moral darkness. After the descent of the Spirit the disciples went forth to proclaim a risen Saviour with one desire for the salvation of souls, rejoicing in communion with saints, tender, thoughtful, self-denying and willing to make any sacrifice for the truth, revealing in word and deed the love Christ commanded in order to awaken that love in others. That same apostolic love is to be cherished, going forward in willing obedience to the new commandment to love one another as Christ loved, united so closely to Christ as to fulfill His requirements and magnify the power of a Saviour who justifies by His righteousness, as those pricked in heart repented and were baptized for remission of sins to receive the promised gift of the Holy Ghost, about three thousand gladly receiving the word in one day and continuing steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers, daily with one accord in the temple and from house to house with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God while the Lord added daily such as should be saved.
God works in His own way by the Holy Spirit, often in unexpected ways that are not recognized and are mocked by those who do not come under its influence. The same mocking seen at Pentecost, when mockers said the Spirit-filled disciples speaking with other tongues were full of new wine and were answered that it was only the third hour of the day, would occur if such a manifestation came upon those upon whom the ends of the world are come. The promise that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved gives those gathered an opportunity to seek God together in prayer, especially in trouble and perplexity, and to receive His glory.
At Pentecost Peter declared that what was seen in the Spirit-filled disciples was the fulfillment of what Joel had foretold about the outpouring of the Spirit. He stood with the eleven to answer those who mocked them as full of new wine, showing it was not drunkenness for it was only the third hour of the day, but the power of the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of prophecy. The promise was that in the last days God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, so that sons and daughters and servants would prophesy with visions and dreams, with wonders in heaven above and signs on earth and salvation to everyone who calls on the name of the Lord. That fulfillment was only begun and partly accomplished at Pentecost, for then only tongues were seen without dreams and visions or the sun darkened and moon turned to blood, the Spirit then given being the early rain while its full accomplishment belongs to the closing work of the gospel in the latter rain. The Pentecost experience stands as the pattern for God's people now, and the same outpouring that gave power for witness with thousands converted in a day is needed today and calls all to seek God.
Pentecost Setting Clarified
This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel, belonging to the Pentecost account when the disciples received the promised outpouring of the Spirit. It identifies the events of that day as the fulfillment of Joel, including the outpouring of the Holy Spirit with signs and prophetic gifts and Spirit-given speech. It marks a period in which heaven gives revelations to God's people through warnings, reproofs, and explanations of Scripture, so they can recognize that the prophesied time has come and remain watchful.
Peter stood up with the eleven to answer those who mocked and said the Spirit-filled disciples were full of new wine. He declared the speaking with other tongues was not drunkenness, for it was only the third hour of the day, but was the power of the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of Joel's prophecy. The miraculous manifestation came upon them to equip them for a special work they were to do, and their ability to speak different languages was a sign that the prophesied gift had come. The mockers mistook them for drunken men because they did not recognize the Holy Spirit's work, for God works in His own way by the Spirit, often in unexpected ways not recognized by those who do not come under its influence.
The outpouring came when the disciples were with one accord in one place, filled with the Holy Ghost and speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. It took place at a great religious festival in Jerusalem, heard by devout Jews out of every nation under heaven, each in his own tongue wherein he was born declaring the wonderful works of God, to whom God used the disciples to give the message of the risen Saviour. It came after they had obeyed Jesus' command not to depart from Jerusalem until they received the promise of the Father, and had spent several days together confessing sins and praying for the Holy Spirit. It was the promised power to be witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and unto the uttermost parts of the earth, publicly testifying to Christ and answering false reports about Him and carrying repentance and forgiveness to people from many nations.
Peter's preaching unfolded Jesus and glorified Him before eyes that before saw no beauty in Him that they should desire Him, explaining the mystery of Christ's cross and other truths about the Messiah. Preached with tremendous effect in the demonstration of the Spirit and with power because Jesus was then lifted up, exalted by God to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins, it is the Spirit that quickens so Christ must be beheld as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He concluded that God had made the crucified Jesus both Lord and Christ, and when hearers were pricked in heart he called them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, a promise to them and their children and all afar off whom God shall call, exhorting them to save themselves from the untoward generation. So about three thousand gladly received his word and were baptized in one day, a few weeks after the crucifixion, and continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers, continuing daily with one accord in the temple and from house to house with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God while the Lord added daily such as should be saved. After the descent they went forth to proclaim a risen Saviour with one desire for salvation of souls, rejoicing in communion, tender, thoughtful, self-denying and willing to sacrifice, revealing in words and deeds the love Christ commanded, cherishing apostolic love and going forward in willing obedience to love one another as Christ loved them, closely united to Christ to fulfill His requirements and magnify a Saviour who justifies by His righteousness.
The Pentecostal outpouring was heaven's communication that Christ had been received with accompanying angels in the heavenly courts and that His coronation and inauguration were complete. Jerusalem is thus presented as a key place for the apostles to bear the gospel message, and the account of the Spirit's work there supports the duty to represent the truth in influential places such as the nation's capital.
Joel Prophecy Fulfilled
This is what was spoken by Joel: in the last days God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh and upon all kinds of people, so that sons and daughters would prophesy, young men would see visions, old men would dream dreams, and His servants both men and women would prophesy. That outpouring was not given as display alone but as power equipping God's people for a special work they were to do. It prepared them to prophesy, to see visions, and to dream dreams in service of that work.
The same fulfilled prophecy includes wonders in heaven above and signs on earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke, with the sun turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and notable day of the Lord comes. It ends with salvation to whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord. Joel's afterward is rendered by Peter as in the last days. The term last days can cover the whole Christian age but must embrace the very last day, because the great events of the prophecy are connected with and are signs of the great day of the Lord.
What happened in the apostles' days was only begun and only partly fulfilled. At Pentecost only the gift of tongues was exercised, with no account of dreams or visions, and the sun was not turned to darkness nor the moon to blood. That beginning fulfillment will be more clearly manifested among God's people as the Spirit is poured out and they become a light in the world's moral darkness. It will be fully accomplished through a manifestation of divine grace accompanying the gospel's closing work in connection with the events of the great day of God. The Spirit then given was the early rain, while the burden of the prophecy is reserved for the close of the dispensation in the latter rain, the full pouring out of the Spirit.
The prophecy marks a period in which heaven gives revelations to God's people through warnings, reproofs, and explanations of Scripture, so they can recognize that the prophesied time has come and remain watchful. The Holy Spirit's work on hearts bringing conversion with the light then given is needed now as well.
Present Call Urgent
The experience of the early church at Pentecost stands as the pattern for God's people in the present day. The same outpouring that empowered the preaching of the Word everywhere with thousands of sinners converted in a day is needed now, and the promise of the Spirit poured out on all kinds of people, with sons and daughters prophesying and salvation to all who call on the Lord, is a call for men and women in the last days to seek God. The light then given through the Spirit's work on hearts bringing conversion is needed now as well.
Readiness for the wonders to be shown requires taking the position marked by pointing to Joel's prophecy under the moving power of the Holy Spirit, when listeners heard in their own tongue. That position is denying self as Christ denied Himself, studying the Scriptures with all one's might lest there be failure to carry them out, and putting away self, because as long as self prevails among church members there will be a backward movement instead of a forward one. There must be a waking from stupor and indifference, because there is a world to save and a message to give, with no sleeping in the judgment hour.
Believers have a part in that converting work through the self-denying life of Christ, taking the Bible from house to house and reading to people, which brings many souls to the knowledge of the truth. The prophecy partly fulfilled in the apostles' days will be more clearly manifested among God's people as the Spirit is poured out and they become a light in the world's moral darkness. After the descent of the Spirit the disciples went forth to proclaim a risen Saviour with one desire for the salvation of souls, rejoicing in communion with saints, tender, thoughtful, self-denying and willing to make any sacrifice for the truth, revealing in word and deed the love Christ commanded in order to awaken that love in others. That same apostolic love is to be cherished, going forward in willing obedience to the new commandment to love one another as Christ loved, united so closely to Christ as to fulfill His requirements and magnify the power of a Saviour who justifies by His righteousness, as those pricked in heart repented and were baptized for remission of sins to receive the promised gift of the Holy Ghost, about three thousand gladly receiving the word in one day and continuing steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers, daily with one accord in the temple and from house to house with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God while the Lord added daily such as should be saved.
God works in His own way by the Holy Spirit, often in unexpected ways that are not recognized and are mocked by those who do not come under its influence. The same mocking seen at Pentecost, when mockers said the Spirit-filled disciples speaking with other tongues were full of new wine and were answered that it was only the third hour of the day, would occur if such a manifestation came upon those upon whom the ends of the world are come. The promise that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved gives those gathered an opportunity to seek God together in prayer, especially in trouble and perplexity, and to receive His glory.