Joel's Prophecy: The Day of the Lord

Donald J. Wolfram

[For Alma Temple, July 20, 2003]

"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: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. (Joel 2:28-29)

Joel was one of the so-called "minor prophets." We do not know just when his ministry began or ended. Some Bible scholars think one thing, and some another about these dates, but they aren't really important. The heart of his message, though, is important to every Christian, and important to everyone who truly repents of his sins, and seeks salvation and forgiveness through the blood of Christ, shed on Calvary's cross.

In a number of the prophets, and in the Psalms, we find many thrilling prophecies of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. Nowhere else, however, do we find the clear prophecy of the coming, at Pentecost, of the Gift of the Holy Spirit..

Let us see what conditions were like during Joel's ministry. Have you ever been anywhere when there was a terrible plague of locusts, grasshoppers, or the like? I remember, years ago, such a plague here in Colorado. Some of you are old enough to remember those days. In Joel's time there were four different kinds of locust, the chewing locust, the swarming locust, the crawling locust, and the consuming locust. Whatever the one kind left, the next kind would eat, until the fields were empty. The vines were laid waste, and the fig trees were bare.

The apple trees, the pomegranate trees, and the palm trees were all withered. The harvest of wheat and barley was near zero. The rivers were dried up. Can you imagine how the people must have felt? The prophet urged the priests to sanctify "a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord . . . and cry unto the Lord.

A little later he had a Word for the people, directly from the Lord: 12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?

Yesterday on our campus there was a wedding. Should the bridegroom and the bride be called on to take part in a time of fasting and prayer? Yes, the prophet specifically mentioned them. They should take part of this time of repentance, and even the small children should pray to the Lord.

What would be the result? The Lord would hear and answer their prayers. Isn't that wonderful? And God hears and answers sincere and believing prayers today. This is what the prophet promised: 18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

19 Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: [They were a reproach even to the wicked heathen.]

Verse 24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. 25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. [You will notice that the Lord had sent these terrible locusts on them. Some people think that the Lord is so kind and merciful that He will never send punishment Not so. Here we have a clear evidence that, when necessary, the Lord will send punishment.] 26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. 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.

Did the people give heed to the words of the Lord, from Joel the prophet? Unfortunately, they did not. But the Lord had more to say to those that would hear, and that includes you and me, if we will give heed. We come back to our text. Here we look forward to the Day of Pentecost, and what the Lord promises you and me.

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: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. (Joel 2:28-29)

Notice what St. Peter has to say about this: and I might add that in the Hebrew, the verses he quotes from Joel are the beginning of a new and separate chapter.

Acts 2, beginning with verse 16, Peter speaking: But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon 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: (Acts 2:16-18)

Some people mistakenly believe that only men should prophesy, which here means to preach the Gospel. On one occasion St. Paul and his companions spent a little time at Caesearea with Philip the Evangelist, who had four daughters who prophesied. We might ask further just what that word, prophesy, means. Fortunately Paul explained this , in I Corinthians 14, verse 3: " But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, [building up someone's faith] and exhortation, [advising, cautioning, and the like] and comfort." That is certainly preaching, is it not?

We come back to Peter, and his preaching on the Day of Pentecost. You will remember that Jesus had instructed His Disciples, and the other believers, just before He ascended into heaven: tarry "in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." (Luke 24:49) There were 120, including the Disciples, the mother of Jesus, and other women and men, who tarried in the Upper Room. What did they do there? "These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication" (Acts 1:14) until the Holy Spirit came upon them in a mighty way, in sanctifying power.

If he has not already done so, Dr. [Robert B.] Dallenbach is likely sometime to tell you how an enthusiastic and skilled Christian worker was used of the Lord. Then the Lord used that worker in an even more greater way when he was sanctified, when the power of the Holy Spirit came upon him in sanctification, the second definite work of grace.

The sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit is not just for some favored few. The prophet Joel made it clear that this experience is for everybody, for you and me, for the old and the young, for male and female. Satan, of course, is not willing for you to have this experience, but God's promise is that if we resist the devil, he will flee from us.

Seek the Lord now, with all your heart, mind and strength. and He will be found of you.

If you sense some lack in your consecration, in your love for God, and your love for others, now is the time to bring your consecration to God up to date, and have the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy in your own heart and life. The Lord is present now, to hear and answer your prayer of faith.