Joel 2:28, 29 - Faith and Repentance for the Latter Rain.

Joel 2:28, 29: Faith and Repentance for the Latter Rain.

CONTENT; What's in the verse; Translations; Paraphrase; Word 
Study:  

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

Joel 2:28 (NIV)  'And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on 
all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will 
dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 
Joel 2:29 (NIV)  Even on my servants, both men and women, I will 
pour out my Spirit in those days. 

Joel 2:28 (CWR)  After this I will pour out my Spirit on people, 
regardless of their position.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy; your 
old men will dream dreams and your young men will see visions. 
Joel 2:29 (CWR)  I will pour out my Spirit on my servants, both 
men and women. 

CONTEXT; What's around the verse; Overview; Topic:

Overview
A locust swarm that devastated Judah (1:1-12) moved Joel to 
utter a call for national repentance (vv. 13-20). The disaster 
prefigured the "Day of the LORD" (2:1-11), and made return to God urgent 
(vv. 12-17). Yet when that day comes God will save His people, and 
bless them afterward (vv. 18-32). God will judge hostile nations then 
(3:1-16), and Judah will know God's pardon (vv. 17-21). [The 365-Day 
Devotional Commentary] 

2:28-29 The Spirit Poured Out
Joel described spiritual blessings that God promised to bestow 
on his people at a future time (2:28-29). The passage was quoted by 
Peter in Acts 2:17-21 on the day of Pentecost to explain the 
outpouring of the Holy Spirit.... The expression "pour out" (2:28) is a 
metaphor for abundance (cf. Prov. 1:23) and was mentioned twice for 
emphasis. [New Bible Companion] 

SECTION HEADINGS

The Lord Speaks
The Promise of the Spirit
The Sun Turning Black and the Moon Blood-Red  (2:28-32)
The LORD Will Pour His Spirit on All People  (2:28-32)
The day of the Lord  (2:28-3:21)

CROSS REFERENCES; What's in verses elsewhere.

Proverbs 1:23 (KJV)  Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour 
out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.  

Isaiah 49:6 (KJV)  And he said, It is a light thing that thou 
shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore 
the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the 
Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.   
Luke 3:6 (KJV)  And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 

John 7:39 (KJV)  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they 
that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet 
given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)  

Acts 2:2-4 (KJV)  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as 
of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they 
were sitting. [3] And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as 
of fire, and it sat upon each of them. [4] And they were all filled 
with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the 
Spirit gave them utterance.  

Acts 2:16-18 (KJV)  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:  

1 Cor. 12:13 (KJV)  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into 
one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or 
free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.  

Galatians 3:28 (KJV)  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is 
neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all 
one in Christ Jesus.  

Col. 3:11 (KJV)  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, 
circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but 
Christ is all, and in all.  

COMMENTARY / APPLICATION: Moving From The Head To The Heart
What is God teaching here? What does it teach about Jesus?

Quoted by Peter at Pentecost (Ac 2:16-21), 

This prophecy found direct fulfillment at Pentecost (Ac 
2:16-21), yet ultimate fulfillment awaits the end time, as expressed in 
the apocalyptic language of the passage. Some aspects of the 
prophecy are fulfilled as people accept salvation provided through the 
work of Christ and the administration of the Spirit. In regard to end 
times, the prophecy refers to God's final intervention to complete His 
redemptive work. [Disciple SB] 

Peter identified the events on the day of Pentecost as a partial 
fulfillment of Joel's prophecy (Acts 2:16-21). Instead of "afterward" Peter 
used the phrase "in the last days" (v. 17).... This special pouring out 
of the Spirit results in the display of supernatural gifts,...  In 
the early church "the manifestation of the Spirit" was given "to 
every man to profit withal" (1 Cor. 12:7). Various gifts were in 
evidence, such as "the word of wisdom," "the word of knowledge," "faith," 
"healing," "working of miracles," "prophecy," "discerning of spirits," 
"divers kinds of tongues," and "the interpretation of tongues" (vs. 
8-10). The events of Pentecost were but a partial fulfillment of Joel's 
prediction. The prophecy is to "reach its full accomplishment in the 
manifestation of divine grace which will attend the closing work of the 
gospel" [SDA Commentary] 

All People: All will participate without regard to sex, age or 
rank;.. Peter extends the "all" of this verse and the "everyone" of v. 
32 to the Gentiles ("all who are far off," Ac 2:39), who will not 
be excluded from the Spirit's outpouring or deliverance (cf. Ro 
11:11-24). [NIV SB] 

While in the past, God's Spirit seemed available to kings, 
prophets, and judges, Joel envisioned a time when the Spirit would be 
available to every believer. Ezekiel also spoke of an outpouring of the 
Spirit (Ezekiel 39:28-29). God's Spirit is available now to anyone who 
calls on the Lord (Joel 2:32). [Life Application SB] 

Events at Pentecost foreshadowed the ultimate outpouring of the 
Spirit. Today you and I possess, with Jesus, the gift of the Holy 
Spirit. With and in Him we have a rich taste of the ultimate blessing to 
be given all by our loving God. [The 365-Day Devotional 
Commentary] 

"All flesh" means, among other things, the coming of the Spirit 
upon God's people democratically. There is no discrimination. The 
old, the young, the women, the servant class, and all those in that 
culture least expected to receive divine favor will be recipients of 
this blessing. The only condition throughout Joel's prophecies is 
true repentance to the Lord, which involves turning from sin on the 
one hand and trusting by faith (with all one's heart) on the other. 
The O.T. emphasizes repentance (turning) and the N.T. emphasizes 
faith (trusting). They are two sides of the same coin. Repentance and 
faith are not synonymous but they are inseparable. One cannot be 
turning without trusting, nor trusting without turning. That is why 
repentance resulted in turning to the Lord with all one's heart. 
[Believer's SB]