“Then after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike. And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth—blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and terrible day of the Lord arrives. But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. For some on mount Zion in Jerusalem will escape, just as the Lord has said. These will be among the survivors whom the Lord has called.” Joel 2: 28-32
These prophetic words were not only fulfilled at Pentecost, but they also speak of a final fulfillment that will come in the Messiah’s reign over the earth. Let me take you back in time to Pentecost, when God’s Spirit came to live in all believers—to men, women, slaves, Jews, Gentiles. Just as Jesus said… a Comforter will come… and Hallelujah, God’s Spirit is available today to anyone who calls on the Lord for Salvation!
Now for a minute, let me just focus on the words “anyone who calls on the Lord.” I think the meaning of this is very similar to the meaning of “anyone who believes in Him” (John 3: 16). The word “believes” doesn’t just mean to intellectually know about Jesus, but in the Hebrew/Greek translation, “believe” means—“to place confidence in, or to trust.” I believe “calls” means the same thing. Let’s also look at what the book of Ezekiel has to say about the outpouring of God’s Spirit…
“When I bring them home from the lands of their enemies, I will display my holiness among them for all the nations to see. Then my people will know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them away to exile and brought them home again. I will leave none of my people behind. And I will never again turn my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit upon the people of Israel. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” Ezekiel 39: 27-29
Not everything mentioned in those verses above from Joel happened yet. “The last days” include all of the days between Christ’s first and second return. As I read the last chapter of Joel, I see something really interesting…
“Thousands upon thousands are waiting in the valley of decision. There the day of the Lord will soon arrive.” Joel 3: 14
This is what my Bible commentary says: Joel described multitudes waiting in the “valley of decision.” Billions of people have lived here on earth and every one of them—dead, living, and yet to be born—will face judgment. Look around you. See your friends—those with whom you work and live. Have they received God’s forgiveness? Have they been warned about sin’s consequences? If we understand the severity of God’s final judgment, we will want to take God’s offer of hope to those we know.
So we’re getting ready for this move (our move day is April 9th), and we’re trying to de-clutter our lives and organize. I was packing away my CD’s I haven’t looked at in a while (Who really uses CD’s anymore?), and rediscovered great music-great gospel music! Anyway, this song called “This is that” by Shirley Murdock is the P-E-R-F-E-C-T song for this post. I could not find a video anywhere for this song, so my husband did a really great thing and made one—thank you, Mikey! Please listen to the words. Great song!