Joel: Prophet of Pentecost by Brother Curtis Hansen

         Today we are going to look at the small book of Joel. We are going to start at chapter 2 and the 15th verse. Before we begin, I want to give a thought for you to focus upon. God confirmed His word with many signs and wonders by the outpouring of His spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

        15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

        16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

        17 Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

        18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

        Joel is what bible scholars call a minor prophet. The dates as to when he lived and when his book was written have been debated. There are some commentators who believe Joel lived in the 9th century BC, whereas others assign him to 5th or 4th century. Given the content of his writings, some scholars place the writing after the building of the second temple. Let us go down to verse 21.

        21 Fear not O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.

        22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree bears her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

        23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

        Now let us go down to verse 27;

        27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

          28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

          29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

          30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

          31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.

          32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

        Now let us go to the book of Acts the 2nd chapter. A famous chapter in the Bible because it is the account of the upper room and the Day of Pentecost. We will begin reading at verse 15 to 18. This is our focus verse today.

        15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

        16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

        17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out my Spirit unto all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

        18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my spirit; and they shall prophesy:

        In the book of Joel, it is all about perspective. The book is not structured as a linear story. The time frame is shifting all through the book. As you can see in the book of Acts, Peter quotes directly from the prophesy of Joel which at best estimates 500 years before the day of pentecost! When Joel wrote this book the occasion was a locust plague which had descended on Judah. It was so bad that sacrificial offerings were discontinued at the temple, and the economy was ruined. If you look up in verse 12 of chapter 2 Joel believed that this was a judgement on Judah because they were unrepentant but it was one that was a warning of a greater judgement in the Day of the LORD. In the book Joel reminds readers that they cannot take the present peace or prosperity for granted, that there is a day of judgement coming for the whole world which all will have to make an account before God. The church should look at Joel's book as an important source of comfort on one hand, and a word of warning on the other. 

        The portion of verses 21-23 is the blueprint for the day of Pentecost. In verse 31 of chapter 2 Joel may had prophecied the crucifixion of Christ. Testimony is a form of worship, because you aren't focusing just on yourself, but you focus on God and the blessing in your life. Image lends to perspective. It's like Jesus says on his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 7 verses 16-20. You will be known by your fruits to others. 

        Joel hit on the wakening of your spirit. Good times in your life whether they be monetary or physically often pull you slowly from the path. This is why study in ALL the scriptures and not just merely the Bible stories you heard as a child is so important. There are examples on which how we should live and what we should avoid.