Hello John and Doves,

 

May believe that the day of Shavuot and Pentecost are the same day.

 

It is a Jewish tradition to stay up on the night of Shavuot reading the Torah.  It is believed that the sky will open during this night for a brief instant and God will answer any prayer.  (Good night for the Rapture!)

 

In Acts 2 we are told the story of the giving of the Holy Spirit.  Tongues like flames of fire rested on the many in 'the Upper Room' - "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."  Acts 2:4  So all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit.  And Peter was there too.

 

When the crowds in Jerusalem heard these people talking to them in their own language, some accused them of being drunk.  Peter stepped up and said, no, it was much too early in the day for that - only being 'the third hour of the day."  Acts 2:15. 

 

Then Peter goes on and says, "No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel."  He actually quotes Joel 2:28-32!

 

He tells them how God will pour out his Spirit on all people - sons and daughters will prophesy, young men will have visions and old men will dream dreams.  "I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, 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 glorious Day of the Lord."

 

Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit.  Why would he quote Joel 2 to them?  This was not what was happening on this day in Jerusalem.  People were speaking in other languages about the good things God had done.  There was no blood and fire or smoke, the sun was not darkened and the moon certainly didn't turn to blood.

 

Everyone knew that what Peter said did not apply to them or to that day.  So why did Peter quote Joel 2?  Why did the Holy Spirit move Peter to quote these verses to the people?  What Peter said was recorded by Luke - for people after them to read.  Generations later, people would be reading Acts 2.

 

It was important on THAT day for Peter to quote Joel 2.

 

I've often wondered about this.  My thoughts are that what Peter, being filled with the Holy Spirit, described on this day of Pentecost what will happen on some future Pentecost - that something prophetically BIG will happen on a Pentecost. 

 

IF the Rapture happens on Pentecost, people familiar with the Bible will look at Acts 2 and read what Peter said - they will refer to Joel 2 and see what is in their future.  But something BIG happening on a Pentecost will bring them to Acts 2 and to what Peter said.

 

People will be able to look in the Bible and find passages like Joel 2 that describe dreams and visions, blood and fire and smoke and the sun turning to darkness and the moon to blood.

 

There has to be a very good reason as to why the Holy Spirit had Peter quote Joel 2 on Pentecost.

 

The day of Pentecost and Joel 2 are very much connected.  Will something happening on some future Pentecost explain this connection?

 

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

 

Maranatha!

 

Chance