THERE SHALL BE
“…WONDERS IN
HEAVEN ABOVE,
AND
SIGNS IN THE EARTH BENEATH…”
A Comparison of Scripture
With Scripture
Joel 2:28-32
Acts 2:16-21
16 But this is that which was spoken by
the prophet Joel;
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, 17 And it shall come to pass in the last
that I will pour out My Spirit upon all days, saith
God, I will pour out of My
flesh; and your sons and your daughters Spirit
upon all flesh: and your sons and
shall prophesy, your old men shall your daughters shall prophesy, and your
dream dreams, your young men shall young
men shall see visions, and your old
see visions: shall dream dreams.
29 And also upon the servants and 18 And on My servants and on My hand-
upon the handmaids in those days will I maidens
I will pour out in those days of
pour out My Spirit. My Spirit; and they shall prophesy.
30 And I will show wonders in the 19 And I will show wonders in heaven
heavens and in the earth, blood, and above,
and signs in the earth beneath;
fire, and pillars of smoke. blood, and fire, and
vapor of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
darkness, and the moon into blood, and the moon into blood, before that great
before the great and terrible day of the and
notable day of the Lord come.
Lord
come.
32 And it shall come to pass, that
21 And it shall come
to pass that
whosoever shall call on the name of the whosoever
shall call on the name of the
Lord shall
be delivered: for in mount
Lord shall be saved.
Zion
and in Jerusalem shall be
deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and
in the remnant whom the Lord shall
call.
These Two
Texts Are Not Speaking of the Same Time Period
As proof of this statement, let’s carefully compare the two texts verse by verse and word by word. This will be very enlightening.
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Acts
2:16
In Acts 2:16 Peter, speaking by Divine Inspiration, clearly stated, “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” Peter did not say that the events occurring were a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, but he easily could have done so. All through the four gospels the words fulfill, fulfilled, and fulfilling are used repeatedly. If the events that occurred in Acts 2 were a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, then it would have been easy for the Lord to have led Peter to say so. But He didn’t! Why? Because the events that occurred that day were not a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy.
Peter was pointing out in Acts 2 that the events occurring
were similar to but not the same as the
events prophesied by Joel. Now I want to
demonstrate and prove [1 Thessalonians 5:21]
this truth for our readers by comparing Joel’s prophecy with Peter’s
prophecy. Let’s begin
with…..
Joel
2:28 & Acts 2:17
The time when these two prophecies are to be fulfilled is not the same period of time. Joel introduced his prophecy by using the word, “afterward,” but Peter in Acts 2 specifically spoke of “the last days.”
What does the word “afterward” refer to, as used in Joel 2:28? If our readers will carefully study the context of Joel 2, verse 17 specifically mentions “the heathen” [Gentiles] ruling over the Jewish people. Then verses 18-27 are what is commonly referred to as “parenthetical.” In other words, verses 18-27 reveal the future blessings that will come upon the Jews when they finally repent and turn to the Lord with their whole heart. Then verse 28 resumes the line of thought right where verse 17 left off. In verse 17 the Jews were facing being ruled over by the Gentiles during the time of the Jewish Dispersion. It should then be obvious to all serious Bible students that at least 2,000 years of time intervene between verses 17 and 28. During this time the Jews are scattered among the nations and God’s GRACE is poured out upon the Gentiles. Verse 28 then says, “And it shall come to pass afterward…,” that is, after the Dispensation of Grace and the dispersion of the Jews has ended. It is at that future time that the events prophesied in Joel 2:28-32 are to be fulfilled. This means that the events predicted in Joel’s prophecy are to occur during the future Tribulation Period. Proof of this statement will be repeatedly demonstrated as we continue this study.
But notice Peter’s statement in Acts 2:17, “And it shall come to pass in the last days…” This exact expression occurs only five times in the New Testament, and in every case it always refers to the “last days” of the Dispensation of Grace that precedes the Tribulation Period. See Acts 2:17, 2 Timothy 3:1, Hebrews 1:2, James 5:3, and 2 Peter 3:3, and check it out for yourself. Therefore it is obvious that Joel and Peter were not speaking of the same period of time in their respective prophecies. Peter’s prophecy in Acts 2:16-21 has been, and continues to be, fulfilled during this present dispensation, but Joel’s prophecy is yet to be fulfilled during the coming Tribulation Period.
As further proof of this statement, let’s compare, as predicted in both prophecies, …..
The Pouring Out of God’s
Spirit
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In Joel 2:28 it is stated, “I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh…” This clearly predicts that God’s Spirit will be poured out upon all humanity during the future Tribulation Period. This is a point that most prophecy students appear to have either missed or ignored. Obviously the Holy Spirit is poured out “upon all flesh” during the coming Tribulation for the purpose of convincing [convicting…John 16:8-11] every human being on earth at that time that there really is a God, and that He is exactly who He claims to be in His Word, and that they must make a choice as to who they will follow…..Him and His Son…..or, Satan and the Antichrist.
But in Acts 2:17 Peter’s statement is, “I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh…” Folks, the exact wording of this statement [in both the Greek text and the English translation] is important. In Peter’s prophecy the Lord said, “I will pour out of My Spirit…” This clearly indicates that during this present dispensation the pouring out of God’s Spirit is limited. God pours “out of” His Spirit upon “all flesh” during this present dispensation, but His Spirit is only effective in those who believe God’s Word, repent of their sin, and receive Christ as their Savior. All others simply dismiss the conviction of the Spirit and go on in their unbelief. It is plainly stated in John 14:17 that “the world cannot receive” the Holy Spirit. On the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was not poured out upon “all flesh.” On that day God poured “out of” His Spirit upon the disciples [believers], enabling them to minister God’s Word to the nations, and so it has been throughout this present dispensation. During this dispensation, the pouring “out of” the Holy Spirit is limited to those who willingly receive the truth and believe on the Savior. The rest of humanity doesn’t have the Holy Spirit and cannot have Him because of their unbelief. This ought to be clear enough for our readers. Now let’s look at…..
Joel
2:29 & Acts 2:18
Joel 2:29 says, “And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My Spirit. The Lord has already stated in verse 28 that He will pour out His Spirit “upon all flesh.” In this verse He is making it clear that His “servants….and handmaids” will be included in the pouring out of His Spirit at that time. Joel’s prophecy, in contrast to Peter’s prophecy, makes it clear that during the coming Tribulation the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon “all flesh” without limitation, and will cause both the saved and the unsaved to know that God is real, His Word is true, and His judgment upon wickedness and the wicked is certain. Those who then choose to follow the Antichrist will do so with full knowledge that they are in willful defiance of Almighty God and His Son. How very sad!
But in Acts 2:18
Peter stated, “And on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit…” This statement sets forth the
time period involved in Peter’s prophecy; “those
days of My Spirit.” Folks,
it is this present Dispensation of Grace
that is specifically under the administration of the Holy Spirit. Compare John 14:16-17, 14:25-26,
16:7-15, and 1 Corinthians
12:3-11.
A Progressive Revelation
Many Bible students today
have missed the fact that there has been a progressive
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revelation of Almighty God taking place throughout human history. Let’s examine this truth…..
God The
Father
During the first 2,513 years of human history, Almighty God was not known by His Name, but only by His title. “Elohim” is the title acknowledging and revealing the existence of a Supreme Being; that He is, and that He is the Designer, Creator, and Force that gives being and life to all creation. In the first 2,513 years of human history when anyone spoke to God, they addressed Him as El, Elohim, or El Shaddai [a shortened form of Elohim Shaddai]. The Lord Himself verified this fact in Exodus 6:2-3 when He told Moses that He had not previously been known, not even to Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob, by any name other than “God Almighty” [Elohim Shaddai].
When Moses wrote the Book of Genesis, he sometimes referred to God by His Name, “Jehovah.” But remember that Moses was writing after the fact. Moses was not even born until 2,433 years after the creation of Adam. The Lord gave Moses the first five books of the Bible by Divine Inspiration. By the time Moses wrote, God had already revealed His Name to Moses. Therefore, Moses sometimes used God’s Name when writing about the first 2,513 years of human history, but that doesn’t change the fact that those who preceded Moses only addressed God as El, Elohim, or El Shaddai. Check this out for yourself.
If some of our readers wonder why I am emphasizing this point, I am trying to make it clear that the first 2,513 years of human history was under the administration of God the Father; Almighty God, the ultimate source of all creation.
God The
Son
When the Lord called Moses, He gave further progressive revelation of Himself to Moses, and through the writing of Moses to all mankind. At the burning bush God revealed Himself to Moses as “Jehovah,” the Son of God.
In Exodus 3:13-15 the Lord spoke to Moses out of the burning bush, revealing Himself as the great “I AM THAT I AM.” Then in Exodus 6:2-3 the Lord further revealed Himself as “Jehovah,” clearly stating to Moses that “Jehovah” is His Name.
That both of these names refer to the Lord Jesus Christ is indisputable. In John 8:58 Christ identified Himself as being the great “I AM.” He did so a second time in John 18:5-8. There are also many other New Testament passages that identify Christ as the great “I AM,” but sadly, most of the passages are concealed by the English translation. This should be an incentive to all who are serious about studying God’s Word to purchase a Greek New Testament and a good Concordance or Lexicon in order to study the Greek text for yourself. I am speaking to those true believers who are serious about studying God’s Word.
The word “Jehovah” literally means, “Savior.” In Isaiah 43:11 the Scripture states,
“I, even I, am Jehovah, and beside Me there is no Savior.” Compare this with John 14:6 where Christ said, “I AM the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” Very simply, the “Jehovah” of the Old Testament is the Lord Jesus
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Christ of the New
Testament; the only “Savior”
of mankind.
These passages of Scripture, and others that I could present, make it obvious that the entire Dispensation of Law, from the birth or call of Moses through the personal ministry of Christ, was under the administration of God the Son.
God The
Holy Spirit
Then in John 17:11-12 the careful Bible student can see that further progressive revelation is about to occur. Christ Himself had “kept” those who had believed on Him. But in anticipation of His return to Heaven, in this passage He is asking His Father to “keep” His disciples. Now how would the Father “keep” them?
In John 14:16-17 the Lord had already told His disciples that He would pray to the Father, and that the Father would send “another Comforter…even the Spirit of Truth,” that would dwell with God’s people, and that would dwell in them. Glory!
It is clearly stated in 2 Corinthians 1:22, Ephesians 1:13-14, and 4:30 that every true believer is “sealed” with the Holy Spirit. This is proof positive that true believers are being “kept” by the Holy Spirit during this present Dispensation of Grace. Therefore it is this present Dispensation of Grace that is under the administration of God the Holy Spirit. A careful study of 1 Corinthians 12 will further verify this truth.
A Review
What we have found in regards to the progressive revelation of Almighty God is that:
The period of time from the creation of Adam to the birth (or call) of Moses was under the administration of God the Father.
The period of time from the birth (or call) of Moses until the ascension of Christ back to Heaven was under the administration of God the Son.
This present period of time from the ascension of Christ to the rapture of God’s people is under the administration of God the Holy Spirit.
This truth is not hard to understand when it is put in proper perspective. We can then conclude that it is this present Dispensation of Grace that is in particular, “those days of My Spirit,” Acts 2:18. This being the case, then it is during this present dispensation that God’s Spirit is limited to “…My servants and…My handmaidens.” In other words, the Holy Spirit today is only effective in those who believe and repent and receive Christ as their Savior. See Galatians 2:8, Ephesians 3:7, 4:11-16, and 1 Thessalonians 2:13 as examples of how the Holy Spirit works effectively only in God’s people during this present dispensation.
On the other hand, unbelievers, when convicted by the Holy Spirit, refuse to believe, and reject the conviction of the Holy Spirit as just some “emotional religious experience”
that they really didn’t like and want no more to do with. Therefore the Holy Spirit can never do any effective work in their life, and whatever conviction they might have once had is ignored and soon forgotten. They continue on in the blindness of their sin and unbelief, lost and headed for eternal damnation.
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This limitation of the Holy Spirit during this present Dispensation of Grace is again proof that Peter’s prophecy in Acts 2 applies to this dispensation, while Joel’s prophecy in Joel 2 speaks of events that are yet to be fulfilled during the coming Tribulation. More proof of this truth will be seen as we study.
Joel
2:30 & Acts 2:19
In Joel 2:30 we read, “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke.”
The Hebrew word translated as “wonders” in this verse is the word, “mowpheth.” This word literally means, “a sign, wonder, or miracle.” See Gesenius Hebrew Lexicon, page 458, Strong’s No. 4159. In other words, the word refers to events that are totally beyond the scope of human ability. Joel states that such “wonders” [signs] will occur “in the heavens and in the earth,” and the time period in Joel’s prophecy is the coming Tribulation. That such “wonders” [signs] are to occur during the coming Tribulation is confirmed quite clearly in Revelation 1:1, 12:1, 12:3, 13:13, 13:14, 15:1, 16:14, and 19:20. Joel then specifically mentions “blood and fire, and pillars of smoke.” How very enlightening when we study out the meaning of these words.
The Hebrew words translated as “pillars of smoke” are
the words, “timeroth” [which
is translated as “pillars”] and “ashan” [which is
translated as “smoke”]. The literal meanings of these two Hebrew
words are “a column, pillar, or palm tree
of smoke [ash].” See Gesenius
Hebrew Lexicon, pages 863 and 660, Strong’s No’s. 8490 and 6227. In
other words, at the time Joel’s prophecy is fulfilled there will be standing
upright columns of ash [resembling palm trees] all over the earth. Keep in mind that palm trees generally have a
long trunk with an umbrella shaped crown of leaves at
the top. People in the
But Peter’s prophecy in Acts 2 is not worded the
same. Acts
2:19 reads, “And I will show wonders
in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor
of smoke.” Even the
words used by Peter do not have the same meaning as those used by Joel
in his prophecy.
In Peter’s prophecy the word “wonders” is translated
from the Greek word, “teras.” This Greek word is related to our
English word, “terror,” and it
literally means, “a
sign or omen; startling; imposing; amazing; a thing to be watched.” See Thayer’s Greek Lexicon,
page 620, Strong’s No. 5059. This
meaning perfectly harmonizes with what the Lord told the disciples in Luke 21:25-28.
Coincidence? Not hardly!
When these “wonders” [omens]
appear in the heavens, something bad or evil is either occurring on the earth,
or is shortly to occur. Folks, this is
not superstition. This is Biblical
truth set forth right here in God’s Word.
Let me demonstrate…..
In 1973 there began to appear “wonders [omens] in heaven above.” These omens
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have continued to appear from time to time since then, right up to the present. In the event some of our readers don’t remember [or never knew], let me remind you of what happened in 1973…..
[1] Comet Kohoutek appeared in the heavens above the earth, remaining visible for several months.
[2] OPEC came into existence. It was organized by the oil producing nations
of the
[3] The Supreme Court of the
[4] On January 11, 1973, according to the economists, the economy of the United States reached an all time “peak,” and has been in decline ever since.
[5] The Club of Rome, in their annual meeting, under the guise of achieving “world peace,” came up with a plan to replace all presently existing nations by dividing the whole world into “ten kingdoms” [their exact terminology], and they even printed up and distributed a map illustrating their planned division.
[6] The Greater Jerusalem Synagogue was completed as a central place of worship for all the Jews of the world.
[7] The Karakoram Highway across the Himalayan mountains was completed and opened, making it possible to cross the Himalayas in only a few hours by automobile or truck [preparing the way of “the kings of the East…Revelation 9:13-19].
[8] The first dam across the
[9] All ten leaders of the ten nations involved in the NATO Alliance either died, were assassinated, or resigned in disgrace [including our own President Nixon].
[10] The Yom Kippur war was fought in
I have listed ten major events that occurred in 1973, beginning with the appearance of Comet Kohoutek. Were these events all just “coincidence,” or was the appearance of Comet Kohoutek in the heavens one of the “omens” predicted by Peter in Acts 2? You decide!
In the years since 1973 there have been many more appearances of these “omens” in the heavens. Eclipses, “blood” moons, comets, etc., with most of them occurring on days of special significance on the Jewish calendar.
Surely most of our readers remember the Shoemaker-Levy Comet of 1994. This comet was first spotted by two Jews, Shoemaker and Levy. The comet broke into 21 major pieces, corresponding with the 21 days from the 17th of Tammuz to the 9th of Av on the Jewish calendar, and also to the 21 judgments that are to occur during the future Tribulation as listed in The Book of Revelation. The whole world watched via television as the Shoemaker-Levy Comet began crashing into Jupiter on July 16, 1994. That particular day “just happened” to be the anniversary date of the first explosion of the Atomic Bomb in 1945. It was also the same date that men first landed on the moon in 1969. But it was also the 9th day of Av [“Destruction Day”] on the Jewish calendar. Was
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this all just
“coincidence?”
Or…..was it one of the “omens” that Peter predicted would
appear in “the heavens” in “the last days”? Think about it! If any reader should decide that all of these
things were just “coincidence,” please contact me. I have a great “deal” for you on
some seacoast property in
Now notice the word “signs” in Peter’s prophecy. This word is translated from the Greek word, “semaino.” This word literally means, “to indicate; to signify; to make known.” See Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, page 573, Strong’s No. 4591. In other words, Peter is stating that these things that are presently occurring “in the earth beneath” in these “last days” [verse 17] are communicating a Divine message to the last generation of people in this dispensation; in particular to those who have “seeing eyes and hearing ears,” Matthew 13:16. Does that include you?
What is happening “in
the earth beneath” that is so prophetically
significant? Do you recall the
Before we leave this verse let’s also notice the word, “vapor.” This word is translated from the Greek word, “atmis.” This word is related to our English word, “atmosphere.” This Greek word literally means, “mist or vapor.” See Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, page 83, Strong’s No. 822. The word is not at all the same as the word used in Joel’s prophecy, nor does it have the same meaning. The use of this word in Peter’s prophecy tells us that mist or vapor will be seeping or rising from “the earth beneath” at the time this prophecy is fulfilled. Now isn’t this interesting?
Folks, what Peter
prophesied in this verse has been occurring all over the earth for the
past 25 years. But the pace of it vastly
increased after the
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It is obvious from comparing Joel 2:30 and Acts 2:19 that the two passages are not describing the same events or the same time for the events to be fulfilled. Joel is speaking of Tribulation Period events, while Peter is speaking of pre-tribulation events. Now let’s look at the next two verses in our texts.
Joel
2:31 & Acts 2:20
Both of these passages state, word for word, that “the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood.” Since this is emphatically stated twice in the Scriptures, then “the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass,” Genesis 41:32. We can count on this prophesied event happening.
However, I have pointed out throughout this study that the two passages do not refer to the same time period. Therefore this prophesied event is going to occur twice, once before the Tribulation, and then again during the Tribulation.
Joel plainly stated that this prophesied
event will occur “before the great and terrible day of
the Lord come.” Most
students of Bible prophecy believe this statement refers to the last half
of the Tribulation; the time when the “wrath of God”
is poured out upon the incorrigible wicked, Revelation
14:6-11. If this is
correct, then this prophesied event will occur “before”
that time, apparently during the first half of the
Tribulation. Is there such an event
prophesied elsewhere in God’s Word to occur in the first half of
the Tribulation? There sure is! See Revelation 6:12.
On the other hand, Peter states that his prophecy will occur “before that great and notable day of the Lord come.” Folks, the word “notable” as used by Peter, and the word “terrible” as used by Joel are not the same words and do not have the same meaning.
The word that is translated as “notable” in Acts 2 is the Greek word, “epiphanes.” This Greek word literally means, “conspicuous; manifest; memorable; illustrious; notable.” See Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, page 246, Strong’s No. 2016. In other words, it will be a day to take note of even as it approaches, for it will mark the beginning of the Tribulation. Can God’s people living today, “see that day approaching” [Hebrews 10:25]? We sure can! Peter’s prophecy is to be fulfilled “before” that time; that is, “before” the Tribulation begins. This isn’t hard to see and understand with a little serious Bible study.
This event is then one of the