| Joel's Prophecy of the Last DaysJoel foresaw the | | | | awaited.Particularly, they were to save |
| coming of the Spirit in connection with the last | | | | themselves from that perverse generation, (Acts |
| days. (Joel 2:28-30) It is important to note that | | | | 2:40) i.e. the one upon whom Jesus predicted |
| these were the last days of Israel and of the | | | | would come vengeance for all the righteous blood |
| covenant that God made with them in Sinai. | | | | shed on the earth. (Matt. 23:34-38)The Spirit and |
| (Hebrews 1:1,2; 8:13)The coming of the Spirit | | | | the ParousiaJesus promised the Holy Spirit during |
| signaled that the time of judgment had arrived. In | | | | the interim of his going to the Father. This was |
| the chapter following, Joel adds, "For behold in | | | | the time of longsuffering and encouragement to |
| those days and at that time, when I bring back | | | | the nation to heed the message of repentance. (2 |
| the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also | | | | Peter 3:9)During his absence Jesus would not |
| gather all nations, and bring them down to the | | | | leave the disciples as orphans. In his place, he |
| Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into | | | | would send the Holy Spirit as a helper until his |
| judgment with them there...(3:1,2)Peter Cites Joel's | | | | return. Through the signs, he worked with the |
| Prophecy As A Warning of Impending | | | | apostles until the end of that age, Mark 16:20, |
| JudgmentOn Pentecost following Christ's | | | | Matthew 28:20.This time is however brief as |
| resurrection, Peter described the events occurring | | | | Jesus referred to it as a "little while," (John |
| on that day. There appeared cloven tongues like | | | | 16:16-19). Jesus' coming, then at hand, (James |
| fire, a sound as of a rushing wind and eleven | | | | 5:7,8) came in a very little while, (Hebrews 10:37), |
| Galileans stood miracoulously speaking in dozens | | | | --a period of about 40 years.Jesus' return marked |
| of foreign languages before a curious multitude of | | | | the end of the eschatological Spirit in the last |
| devout Jews.Quoting Joel (2:16-20), Peter warns | | | | days. No longer is he absent, but once again |
| the nation whose hands were still dripping with the | | | | present with the church, not in humiliation, but in |
| blood of the Messiah, namely that judgment upon | | | | his glory, as Lord of lords and King of kings (2 |
| them would arrive in short order. The national | | | | Corinthians 5:8; 1 Timothy 6:14, 15).William Bell is a |
| message of warning urged by the apostles was, | | | | public speaker and author of the Re-Examination, |
| --repent! For those who did, salvation | | | | a study of the Lord's return in the first century. |