Joel 2:28-3:21
“And it shall come to pass afterward”,—after the fulfillment of the promised judgments and the blessing of Israel in their land as described in verses 1 to 27,— “that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh” (verse 28). “All flesh” takes in the saved Gentiles as well as Jews, for though Israel will, during the Millennium, stand in very close relationship with God, a countless number of Gentiles will then be blessed also (Revelation 7:9, 10).
This passage in Joel was referred to by the apostle Peter in Acts 2:16-21, to convince the incredulous multitude that what had happened that morning was not human excitement, but exactly according to the greatest favor God has promised for the coming kingdom, namely, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He did not say that what they saw and heard was the fulfillment of the prophecy, nor was it, but of the same nature.
The Holy Spirit in Old Testament times came upon “holy men of God” who “spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21.), but He did not indwell believers until the day of Pentecost (Acts 2); in His power they have all been baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles (1 Corinthians 12:13), and are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit (Ephesians 2: 22); beside much more that the Scriptures reveal regarding His present work, He is the earnest of the believer’s inheritance (Ephesians 1:14 These blessings are peculiar to the present dispensation, and the passage in Joel does not promise any of them to the earthly saints who will be in the Millennium.
Verses 30-32: In our times, no signs are given but that of Jonas the prophet (Matthew 12:39-40), but when the present day of grace is over, and God is about to show His power, there will be wonders, warning the world of what is to come (See Revelation 6, and following chapters).
In that day many who have not heard God’s present message of salvation, will be delivered from the coming wrath. 2 Thessalonians 2:11,12 closes the door against the neglectors and rejectors of the gospel now made known.
When the Lord descends to this earth, the mighty Conqueror over all His foes, He will “bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem” (chapter 3, verse 1), and they will be a free people in their own land. There will be a judgment of the Gentiles for their treatment of Israel from the earliest oppression of them, down to the last.
Verses 9-12 bid the nations come to the valley of Jehoshaphat, prepared with all their resources, both of fighting, equipment and of men; God’s mighty ones, the angels, whom the Lord in. His hour of trial would not call to His aid (Matthew 26:53) will be there to meet them.
Two symbols of judgment, found again in the Revelation 14 are used here; —in reaping the harvest there will be made a separation between the objects of mercy and the objects of wrath, but the winepress speaks only of vengeance upon the wicked. The nations here referred to are evidently those headed by the Assyrian of the last days.
The prophecy closes with a glowing description of the land of Israel in the Millennium, when the judgments are executed and peace reigns. Egypt will suffer, and Edom much more, because of past guiltiness concerning Judah.
ML 12/27/1936