In a recent posting called “A Time Jump Prophecy and More,” I noticed that the title said “Part 1” and that presupposes a Part 2, but I had not intended there to be a Part 2. It was my mistake, so I have to make that good and have produced a Part 2. This is that posting.
I have always been fascinated with the book of Joel. This small often hidden away book is really only known among a number of churches because of the New Testament reference to a few of its verses:
Acts 2:15-21 “These men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day, but this is what was spoken of THROUGH THE PROPHET JOEL: ‘And it shall be IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
“Even upon My bondslaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour forth of My Spirit and they shall prophesy, and I will grant wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke. THE SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS, and THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME, and it shall be, that EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.’”
The Joel verses are most interesting, for the book of Joel contains the time jumps we spoke about in that previous article. We will be examining them, but first, I want to speak about Peter using these verses.
[A]. PETER’S PRECISENESS IN HIS QUOTE:
This is most important, for Peter DID NOT SAY these verses were being fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. He stated it this way: “But this is what was spoken of THROUGH THE PROPHET JOEL.” In other words, Joel alluded to it; he raised some of these issues. There are some who disregard any future reference connection of Joel with coming prophecy but say that all was fulfilled in the past and at Pentecost. Peter quoted what was nearest to match some of what was happening on the momentous Pentecost day.
*** [A]. However, look just at the verses Peter quoted. Of prime importance is the catchphrase of prophetic content – “IN THE LAST DAYS.” Wherever these words are used, and that phrase is used many times in the Old Testament prophetic books, the words always refer to the time that is still future, and nearly always related to Israel.
Let me give just three examples among so many:
(a). Speaking about the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom set in Israel but for the whole world – Isaiah 2:2 “Now it will come about that IN THE LAST DAYS, the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains and will be raised above the hills, and all the nations will stream to it.”
(b). Speaking of Israel’s conversion and restoration at the Second Coming – Hosea 3:5 “Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king, and they will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness IN THE LAST DAYS.”
(c). The prophecy that Gog/Magog will happen – Ezekiel 38:16 “and you will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It will come about IN THE LAST DAYS that I shall bring you against My land, in order that the nations may know Me when I shall be sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog.”
Two alternative phrases meaning the same thing are “AT THAT TIME” and “IN THAT DAY.” I will give two examples:
(a). The promise of the Second Coming – Zechariah 14:4 “And IN THAT DAY His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.”
(b). Jeremiah 3:17 “AT THAT TIME they shall call Jerusalem ‘The Throne of the LORD,’ and all the nations will be gathered to it, to Jerusalem, for the name of the LORD. Nor shall they walk anymore after the stubbornness of their evil heart.”
*** [B]. The second aspect of Joel’s quotation is this wording – “THE SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS, and THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.” That definitely was not fulfilled on the day of Pentecost but waits for the future. That will be a large time jump from the day of Pentecost.
[B]. A MORE CONCENTRATED LOOK INTO JOEL’S PROPHECY
In that passage just quoted, there is a time jump in what Joel is writing, and to appreciate that properly we are going to Joel to look at what is written down at the inspiration of the LORD.
Joel is the oldest of the Minor Prophets, being written around 800 B.C., though the dating is contested by a range of biblical students; the problem being there are no historic references such as, “In the reign of .” If that date is correct, then it becomes the oldest of any Old Testament prophetic book.
I do not intend covering the message of the book in detail but will confine comments to what we are thinking of – the time jumps.
The book begins with 4 types of locusts that had invaded the land, and these are symbolic of the invasion of the enemy. Israel was not overcome when it walked with God, but it was invaded and defeated when the nation turned to apostasy. Chapter 1 is dealing with that matter. Joel 1:6 “For a nation has invaded my land, mighty and without number. Its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and it has the fangs of a lioness.”
There was much hardship – Joel 1:10 “The field is ruined. The land mourns for the grain is ruined. The new wine dries up. Fresh oil fails.” Sin always brings hardship, and no nation has known the extent of that more than the Jews. Almost throughout its history, Israel faced enemy intrusion and abuse and extreme hardship. The Jewish people continue to suffer today, as any observant person knows who looks at history and follows the News.
A horrible thing has happened in my nation (July 2026). For the past 5 or 6 years now, there has been a great increase in Australia in anti-Semitic attacks and hatred. Thousands of Islamic supporters and imports from the Middle East gather in hateful, demonic groups chanting, “Gas the Jews. Kill the Jews,” and other degrading hatred, including burning and killing. The Government and police do nothing; YET, in July, the Federal Government set aside 60 million dollars (money from taxpayers) “to fight Islamophobia” that does not exist anyway, but leaves the Jewish hatred unaddressed.
It is an assault on speaking out against Islamic beliefs and practices. This can only come from satanic influence. The Government tacitly supports Hamas against Israel. Great judgment is coming to this nation.
This verse from Chapter 1 is very interesting. à Joel 1:15 “Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, and it will come as destruction from the Almighty.” The Day of the LORD is an extremely significant term in the Old Testament, and it means the time when God will step into human history in terror and judgment. I have written on this already. Study of The “Day of The Lord” In the Scriptures, Part 1 :: By Ron Ferguson.
The Day of the LORD in almost all the many references in the Old Testament has its fulfilment in the Tribulation and the Second Coming, and occasionally after that also. Joel 1:15 looks through future history to the time of the end, but also has an application later to Joel’s time.
[C]. JOEL CHAPTER 2
The prophet gets very specific here, and the chapter begins this way – Joel 2:1 “Blow a trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on My holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for THE DAY OF THE LORD is coming. Surely it is near.” Chapter divisions often destroy the flow and create artificial divisions.
The descriptions of these horses in Joel 2:3-10 are so like advancing tank warfare in modern army terms. This is the overthrow of a city à Joel 2:9 “They rush on the city. They run on the wall. They climb into the houses. They enter through the windows like a thief.” That is so reminiscent of what will happen right at the end of the Tribulation leading up to Armageddon – Zechariah 14:2 “For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.” It is part of the Day of the LORD.
In Joel 2:11, “The LORD utters His voice before His army. Surely His camp is very great, for strong is he who carries out His word. THE DAY OF THE LORD is indeed great and very awesome, and who can endure it?” we are looking at the future event, which will be horrific. That will have its chief fulfilment in the Tribulation, BUT IMMEDIATELY in the next verse, Joel returns from the future to his present à Joel 2:12 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”
From Joel 2:12-17, the appeal is to the people Joel is ministering to. Then immediately in verse 18, there is another time leap of 2,800 years – Joel 2:18-19 “THEN THE LORD WILL BE ZEALOUS FOR HIS LAND AND WILL HAVE PITY ON HIS PEOPLE, and the LORD will answer and say to His people, ‘Behold, I am going to send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied in full with them, AND I WILL NEVER AGAIN MAKE YOU A REPROACH AMONG THE NATIONS.” Those two verses come into operation after the Second Coming. Please note the words, “NEVER AGAIN make you a reproach among the nations.”
Joel 2:20-27 continue the Millennial blessings for the nation, and it is so important to note these two verses à Joel 2:26-27 “and you shall have plenty to eat and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. Then MY PEOPLE WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME. Thus you will know that I AM IN THE MIDST OF ISRAEL, and that I am the LORD your God and there is no other, and MY PEOPLE WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME.” Those two verses are set in the Millennium. Israel will have horrible troubles on the eve of the Second Coming, but when He does come:
- The Jews will never be put to shame (repeated because of God’s absolute certainty).
- The Messiah will dwell in the midst of Israel. This is covered in Zechariah 14.
Now for the culmination of that time jump from Joel’s own time – Joel 2:28-29 (and) “It will come about AFTER THIS that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind, and your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions, and even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” That is the famous passage Peter quotes, but careful study shows it will happen AFTER verses 26 and 27; that is, Messiah is in the midst, and the Jews will NEVER be put to shame again.
Zechariah 12:10 “AND I WILL POUR OUT on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, THE SPIRIT OF GRACE AND OF SUPPLICATION, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born.”
[D]. NEXT – ALSO VERY IMPORTANT. THE TIME JUMP REMAINS AT THE TIME OF THE SECOND COMING
Chapter 3 begins this way – Joel 3:1-2 “For behold, in those days and at that time when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I WILL GATHER ALL THE NATIONS, and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and THEY HAVE DIVIDED UP MY LAND.”
I have some things to say about this:
(a). It is unfortunate that this is a new chapter division because it is connected with the previous verses like a glove, and chapter divisions destroy the continuity.
(b). ALL nations will be gathered. The valley of Jehoshaphat is mentioned, making this prophecy parallel to Joel 3:12-17; Zechariah 12:3; Zechariah 12:9; Zechariah 14:2-3; Revelation 14:17-20; Revelation 16:13-16.
(c). One reason for this judgment is the way the Gentiles have divided and partitioned the land of Israel (MY land).
The Lord enters into judgment with the world for what it has done, and this is the wrath of God in the great Tribulation, but even more so at the time of Armageddon and the Second Coming. When that wrath is completed, and the LORD returns to His people, then the nation is restored, and the Spirit is poured out. All scripture is consistent.
Remember, when reading and studying the Major and Minor Prophets, that these time jumps are frequent as the writers go back and forth across time. I suppose it could be said they are the time travelers of the Old Testament. You need to take careful note of these jumps so the interpretation is done properly.
[E]. ONE LAST THOUGHT AND SOMETHING TO CONSIDER
Most of what I have spoken on today sits in the basket of future prophecy, and nothing much at all is pertaining to us, to the present in our lives.
There is a danger in all of this, something that all prophetic teachers should consider very closely. It is so easy to become academic and even a bit puffed up with academic prophetic knowledge, especially if people refer to you as a great Bible student or a great end-times teacher. One must be very careful. Anyone can be academic and sprout knowledge, but there is a bottom line here.
This is the pertinent verse to think about: 2 Peter 3:10-11 “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. SINCE ALL THESE THINGS ARE TO BE DESTROYED IN THIS WAY, WHAT SORT OF PEOPLE OUGHT YOU TO BE IN HOLY CONDUCT AND GODLINESS.”
We can be as knowledgeable as Paul or as wise as Solomon, but if our lives are bankrupt, or wave around like withered-up stems, then we are nothing. The Lord is not in it. The study of prophecy must lead to better godliness and better conduct in our lives. Yes, we do fail, but don’t take your eyes off the goal ahead.
The study of prophecy MUST have a great bearing on our lives, or we are wasting our time.