Exegesis+of+Joel+2+28-32

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=**// It will come about after this //**=

The first part of verse 28 does not refer to “the day of the Lord”, rather it is the “latter day.” It is a striking expression for Joel to place the second part of his book in a later age. [1] The statement is often used to introduce new predictions in the prophetic books. [2] **After this** points back to the previous event which is the shift from material blessings to spiritual and national blessings. [3] **After this** does not have to be eschatological timeframe, but **in those days** and **before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes** does refers to the end times. [4] Finley writes that **after this** refers to a time “afterwards” when Israel will “return and seek Yahweh their God and David their king,” and the parallel phrase in the same verse mentions in those days. [5] Joel is alluding this back to Obadiah 1:15a, “For the day of the LORD draws near on all the nations.” Allen writes, “For Obadiah [as a whole] the day had already come upon God’s people; for Joel [at a point] it had come in the terrible experience of the locust plague, which put the very existence of the community in jeopardy.” [6]

=**// I will pour My Spirit //**=

When the **Spirit** comes, there is no difference between gender, age, or status. Rather prophesies, dreams, and visions will be given to all. Garrett writes, “In an era in which men (not women), the old (not the young), and the landowners (not slaves) ruled society, Joel explicitly rejected all such distinctions as criteria for receiving the Holy Spirit.” [7] Deborah and Huldah were the first two known prophetess in the Old Testament (Judg. 5; cf. Miriam, Exo. 15:20-21; 2 Kings 22:11-20) and as of the New Testament, Anna the daughter of Phanuel (Luke 2:36). [8] In several places, the Bible describes the Holy Spirit like water or something that can be pour out; it is done so to enable the people to obey God from the heart and to create a new community and a new people of God. [9] Joel is creative in that he points out “a parallel between the gift of rain and the pouring out of the Spirit. Amos similarly linked the image of a famine to a lack of the word of God (Amos 8:11).” [10] Often times, the prophets associated the Spirit with the eschatological era, but not as timely as Joel did. This would be a great supernatural outpouring; it is in “contrast to the scarcity or rain and lack of food, there would be a pouring out of the Spirit in great abundance.” [11] The Spirit here is linked to prophetic or visionary experiences, where a person acted ecstatically or even behaved unnaturally. [12] =// Views on **all fresh** // [13] = 1. 1) This pertains to all of the people on earth. 2. 2) All fresh can mean all animal and people on earth—everybody. [14] 3. 3) The community of Judah is what **all flesh** is referring to. [15]  4. 4) It includes only all Israelites.

In context, it appears that the phrase **all flesh** is only referring to the Jews. Busenitz writes that the reference to “your sons and daughters” is only the reference made to the Jews descendants, not the Gentiles. Secondly, the Gentiles are depicts as receiving God’ wrath not blessing. Thirdly, the prophesy belongs to God’s land and people. Fourthly, Ezekiel 39:29 is referring to the same Second Advent time period. Fifthly, even Peter was shocked when the Spirit was poured out on the Gentiles (Acts 10). Numbers 11:29 and Exodus 19:6 will be fulfilled when the Spirit is poured out, “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them.” [16] **Flesh** is used here to distinguish man, who is fragile, creaturely, and fallible, from God who is almighty and perfect. [17] According to this verse, Joel is dwelling “on one result of God’s new presence among His people.” [18] In regard to the coming of the Spirit, Isaiah views a new era of justice, righteousness, and peace (Isa. 32:15-16). Ezekiel focuses on the obedience of those who have been cleansed and given a “new heart” (Eze. 36:25-27). Zechariah gives a strong sense of sorrow over the time when the people rejected God’s personal representative among them (Zech. 12:10). [19]

=**// And even //**=


 * And Even ** focuses special attention on the **male and female servants** and designates something extraordinary and unexpected. They will not be excluded from the religious life and worship of YHWH. There is no account in the Old Testament where a servant receives such gifts, but this will change for they will receive the Spirit. [20] Finley quoting Kaiser writes, “Even the Gentiles slaves in the Jewish households would benefit in this outpouring. [21]

=// Prophesy, dreams & visions //=

It is not certain what exactly will be the contents of the prophecies, dreams or visions, other than that they will occur. The emphasis is “on the evidence or proof that such a manifestation would provide for Israel herself, not on what it would do for others…Prophets were to speak God’s revealed message, not harbor it. But the context suggests that the primary purpose is to visibly demonstrate that Yahweh was dwelling in their midst and to depict Israel’s new relationship toward Him.” [22]

=**// Display wonders //**=

God **will display wonders** is usually associate with the “The term denotes phenomena that are extraordinary and out of the character of normal activity. It frequently depicts deliverance/ judgment plagues of Egypt.” [23] Fire and smoke are descriptions of Theophanies and divine intervention. [24] Finley writes, “The ‘**blood, fire, and columns of smoke**’ evidently refer to the killing, pillaging, and burning that will accompany a great outbreak of war that will also engulf Israel…Here the signs will cause dread and fear as they anticipate the exact moment of the Lord’s arrival on earth to carry out His judgment. There signs are similar to those of Rev. 6:12-17 wherein people say to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand?’” [25] Scholars are not sure how **the sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood**. [26] Some believe that the day of the Lord has taken place at Jesus’ death and the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. However, Finley proposes, “The sun could be darkened by eclipse, but heavy smoke in the atmosphere may be what turns the moon to blood-red. Perhaps the smoke will derive from volcanic and tectonic activity on the earth as well as through war.” [27] Busenitz adds, “But something more than an eclipse is intimated.” [28] In other words, God’s wrathful and violent judgment will be display in a similar manner as the plaques against the Egyptians.

=**// Before //**=

Busenitz notes that many scholars have emphasis the preposition **before** to say that the day of the Lord will not happen until the **wonders** takes place; thus, t**he day of the Lord** of verses 30-32 has not happens yet. [29] On the contrary to that, Busenitz writes, “However, caution should be taken to not read too much into the preposition. Literally translated ‘to/ at the face of, in the presence of,’ the term is most commonly used to designate ‘before’ in the sense of presence or priority status rather than connoting the idea of time priority…the preposition is incapable of bearing the time/sequence burden with which some have laden it.” [30] The description of this verse is found verbatim in Malachi 4:5. [31]

=**// Whoever calls //**=

In regard to the first part of verse 32, **whoever calls on the name of the Lord**, Baker writes that means invoking him, praying for help, and even expressing allegiance and belonging to him. Those who do this realize that they are in themselves powerless against [a] natural disaster, only the Lord of nature has the necessary power to deliver. [32] It is worth noting that the **delivered** **//calls on//** the Lord while the Lord **//calls//** **the survivors**, “The verse reinforces the opening remarks about the gift of the Spirit. God’s grace made it possible for Israel not only to obtain deliverance, but also to repent.” [33] Finley further writes, “But Joel speaks of a God who is so gracious that He sends His Spirit to prepare His chosen people to turn back to Him and experience blessing rather than judgment.” [34] = = =// Mount Zion //=

Joel borrowed “**For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape**” from Oba. 1:17a or possibly Isa. 37:31-32. [35] This means that there will be those who will and those who will not escape from the wrath of God. In order to escape from the wrath of God one must call on the name of the Lord for in calling on the name of the Lord one will be delivered. Despite God’s election, men are responsible to call on His name.

Endnotes

[1] Thomas J Finley, //Joel, Amos, Obadiah// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1990), 71. [2] Ibid, 71. Cf. Isa. 7:21; Jer. 17:24; Ezek. 38:10; Hos. 1:5; Amos 8:9; Mic. 5:10; Zeph. 1:10; Zech. 13:2. [3] Leslie C Allen, //the Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah// (Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 1976), 183. [4] Ibid,183. [5] Thomas J Finley, //Joel, Amos, Obadiah// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1990), 71. [6] Leslie C Allen, //the Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah// (Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 1976), 100. [7] Duane A Garrett, //Hosea, Joel// (Nashville, Tenn: Broadman & Holman, 1997), 369. [8] Thomas J Finley, //Joel, Amos, Obadiah// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1990), 72. [9] Duane A Garrett, //Hosea, Joel// (Nashville, Tenn: Broadman & Holman, 1997), 368. Cf. Isa. 44:3; Ezek. 39:29; Zech. 12:10; Rom. 5:5; Ezek. 36:26-27 and Isa. 32:14-18ff. [10] Ibid, 368. [11] Irvin A Busenitz, //Commentary on Joel and Obadiah// (Genies House, Fearn, Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2003), 184. [12] Duane A Garrett, //Hosea, Joel// (Nashville, Tenn: Broadman & Holman, 1997), 368. [13] Thomas J Finley, //Joel, Amos, Obadiah// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1990), 71; 72. [14] Leslie C Allen, //the Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah// (Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 1976), 98. [15] Ibid, 98. [16] Irvin A Busenitz, //Commentary on Joel and Obadiah// (Genies House, Fearn, Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2003), 185-186. [17] Leslie C Allen, //the Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah// (Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 1976), 98. [18] Thomas J Finley, //Joel, Amos, Obadiah// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1990), 72. [19] Ibid, 72. [20] Irvin A Busenitz, //Commentary on Joel and Obadiah// (Genies House, Fearn, Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2003), 187. [21] Thomas J Finley, //Joel, Amos, Obadiah// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1990), 72; Cf. Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. //The Uses of the Old Testament in the New// (Chicago: Moody, 1985), 97. [22] Irvin A Busenitz, //Commentary on Joel and Obadiah// (Genies House, Fearn, Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2003), 187. [23] Irvin A Busenitz, //Commentary on Joel and Obadiah// (Genies House, Fearn, Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2003), 189; Cf. Exodus 10:17, 20-23. [24] Ibid, 189. Cf. Exo. 3:2; 19:18; 24:7; Deut. 5:4; Ps. 18:8; 144:5; Isa. 4:4-5; Rev. 15:8. [25] Thomas J Finley, //Joel, Amos, Obadiah// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1990), 75. [26] Cf. Joel 2:2 and 31. [27] Thomas J Finley, //Joel, Amos, Obadiah// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1990), 75. [28] Irvin A Busenitz, //Commentary on Joel and Obadiah// (Geanies House, Fearn, Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2003), 190. [29] Mat. 24:6-8, 29; Mark. 13:7, 24; Luke 21:10, 25, 26; Rev. 6:12. [30] Irvin A Busenitz, //Commentary on Joel and Obadiah// (Geanies House, Fearn, Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2003), 191. [31] Leslie C Allen, //the Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah// (Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 1976), 103. [32] David W Baker, //Joel, Obadiah, Malachi: The NIV Application Commentary from Biblical Text--to Contemporary Life// (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 103. Cf. Gen. 12:8; 2 Kings 5:111; Isa. 44:5. [33] Thomas J Finley, //Joel, Amos, Obadiah// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1990), 76. [34] Ibid, 75. 35 Ibid, 75. Bibliography Allen, Leslie C. //The Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah.// New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Erdmans Publishing, 1976. Baker, David W. //Joel, Obadiah, Malachi.// NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 2006. Busenitz, Irvin A. //Commentary on Joel and Obadiah.// Mentor Commentaries. Geanies House, UK: Christian Focus Publication, 2003. Finley, Thomas J. //Joel, Amos, Obadiah.// Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary. Chicago: Moody Press, 1990. Garrett, Duane A. //Hosea, Joel.// New American Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman& Holman, 1997.

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