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In Christ, Mark
In Christ, Mark
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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
“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. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out
my Spirit in those days.”
“I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.”
Joel 2:28-32
This ends today’s
reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
In yesterday’s devotion, we found the people of God being
implored to remember the goodness of God as expressed through all the awesome
things He had done, was doing, and was yet to do for the Israelites of Joel’s
time. They were encouraged to not be afraid because the Lord had shown over and
over again that He would use His power to take care of His people.
As Joel 2 concludes, we find the Lord talking about a day
still yet to come for the Old Testament Israelites, a time that would come
following God’s establishment of a new covenant with His people through His Son
Jesus. It would be a time when He would connect to His people in a special way,
a way that was, is, and will always be distinctly personal.
It would be a time when He would pour out His Spirit on His
people. Look again at these words from God concerning what was yet to come for
the Israelites:
“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. Even on my
servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
“I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.” Joel 2:28-32
God promised a time still yet to come for the Israelites
when he would pour out His Spirit on not just a select few but rather all His
people, all men and all women. This prophecy was again pronounced after God
sent His Son Jesus to earth to save His people. You may remember these words
spoken by the Savior:
“I
will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be
with you forever—the Spirit of truth.” John 14:16
“The
Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you
all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26
This was the Spirit God was speaking of when He spoke to His
people in the time of Joel, the Holy Spirit He would send on them at His appointed
time, a Spirit who would teach them all things and remind them of Jesus’
teachings forever, something critical to Christians, those who were striving to
live as Jesus did.
And indeed, this outpouring of the Holy Spirit came in a big
way and God has been sending His same Spirit to be with His people ever since.
Look at this account of when God’s prophecy came true:
When the day of
Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the
blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where
they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated
and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4
The gathered crowds at that first Pentecost after Jesus
ascended had no idea what was coming but as we know, it was the appointed day
when God poured out His Spirit on His people not just for the moment but
forever. That Holy Spirit has enlightened countless believers since its onset
and it will continue to enlighten until the other event mentioned by God in our
scripture passage in Joel, the future judgment day, the Day of the Lord. God
mentions that day of judgment as being great and dreadful but that will only be
for those who have chosen to not receive Jesus as Savior. For those who
believed and trusted in Jesus as Savior, it will be the day when they are taken
into eternal life with God and Jesus, free from any and all afflictions they
might suffer from in the present world.
It will be God’s final act in the long running play of the great
things He has done when the promised salvation of His people through His Son
takes place, an act that will see Satan and sin vanquished forever along with
all who decided to not follow Christ. Make sure you are counted among the
saved, choosing Jesus today and, in doing so, receiving the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit. It’s a decision you’ll never regret.
Amen,
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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