Dear Doves,

          The Scripture readings at my church follow a pre-established Methodist lectionary schedule.  On October 27, 2013, the Old Testament reading was from Joel 2:23-32.  This is the familiar passage about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit before the Day of the Lord.

          My church uses a version of the Bible that I do not regularly use – the New Revised Standard Version.  So, when I listened to the passage, I noticed a dichotomy in Joel 2:32 not obvious in the versions that I am used to using.  It sounded like two groups of people were being addressed by this verse – those who escape and those who survive. 

          “The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.  And it shall come to pass that all who call upon the name of the LORD shall be delivered; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.”  Joel 2:31-32 (NRSV).

*(Here is the KJV for comparison: "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.")

          When I got home after church, I looked up the verse on the Blue Letter Bible site to check the accuracy of the NRSV translation.  I think that there is enough leeway in the Hebrew to justify the translation.  And I think that there is enough support elsewhere in the Bible to confirm that one group will escape the great and terrible day of the Lord, and that another group will survive through it.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Joe&c=2&t=KJV#s=t_conc_878032

If so, Joel 2:32 is a confirmation of a Pre-tribulation Rapture.

 

Identifying the 2 Groups

          It should be noted from the outset that the verse puts the two groups into two separate locations – Mount Zion and Jerusalem.  These locations help us to identify each group.  Lucky for us, the Bible expressly tells us that Mount Zion is in heaven and that the Church of the Firstborn and the spirits of righteous men dwell there.

          “But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God.  You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven.  You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.  See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks.  If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven.”  Hebrews 12:22-25.

          Furthermore, we know that the prophecy in Joel 2:23-32 concerns the Church because the Apostle Peter applied it to the Church during his sermon on Pentecost.  (See Acts 2:14-21.) 

          So, we can safely assume that the Church is one of the groups addressed in Joel 2:32.

          Since the passage in Joel mentions the Day of the Lord, we should see if the Bible connects another group to Jerusalem during that time period.  We get guidance from the book of Zechariah, where God makes Jerusalem a cup of trembling during the end times.  (See Zechariah 12:2.)  The nations will gather against Jerusalem at the time of the Day of the Lord, and the Messiah will return to protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to destroy their enemies.

          “On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.  And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication.  They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.  On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.”  Zechariah 12:9-11.

          Thus, this second group of people – the House of David (i.e. the Jews) – will find deliverance in Jerusalem on the Day of the Lord.  They will be a remnant that survives the time of judgment.

          “‘In the whole land,’ declares the Lord, ‘two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it.  This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”  Zechariah 13:8-9 (NIV).

          So, the Church and the House of David are the two groups who will find deliverance in either Mount Zion or Jerusalem.

 

Escape or Survive?

          According to Joel 2:32, deliverance can either be by escape or survival.  Two words in the verse can be translated “escape” or “deliver.”  Throughout the Old Testament, these words are used to show absolute escape from judgment or survival through judgment.

          Significantly, the word “malat” is used in connection with the escape of Lot and his daughters from Sodom.  (See Genesis 19:17-22.)  This was an instance of absolute escape from judgment.  In fact, judgment could not be poured out upon Sodom until Lot was safely out of the city: “Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither.”  Genesis 19:22 (KJV).

          This sets an important precedent for us because the end times will be like the days of Lot.  We can expect a future occurrence of escape before the judgment of God. 

          “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.  Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed …. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken and the other shall be left.  Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken and the other left.”  Luke 17:28-36 (KJV).

          Since Scripture tells us that the Jews will go through the period of judgment, the Church is the only candidate for this absolute escape from judgment.

          Significantly, the other word used in Joel 2:32 – “peleytah” – is also used in two verses that confirm the existence of the two groups.  2 Kings 19:31 and Isaiah 37:32 read exactly the same because they quote the same prophecy of Isaiah:

          "For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this (KJV)."

          Note that this prophecy confirms that a remnant (i.e. survivors) will come out of Jerusalem and that "they that escape" will come out of Mount Zion.  In order for people to come out of Mount Zion, they must first go into it.  I believe that the escape of the "church of the firstborn" to Mount Zion is the Rapture.

 

Before the Day of the Lord

          We should not overlook the timing of the prophecy in Joel 2 because it occurs before the coming of the great and terrible Day of the Lord.  It gives us a clue as to the timing of the Rapture.  When Peter quoted from Joel 2 on Pentecost, he ended the quote as follows:

          "The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.  And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  Acts 2:20-21 (NIV).

          The complete prophecy, however, is as follows: "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 had said, among the survivors whom the Lord calls." Joel 2:31-32 (NIV).

          Apparently, Peter left out the last part of the prophecy because it was not going to be fulfilled on that first Pentecost of the Church.  It was still a future event.  Since Peter specifically applied Joel 2 to the Church, however, escape to Mount Zion will be the next prophetic event for the Church. 

          But why only the Church?  Because – while everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved – escape depends upon when a person calls upon the Lord.  Those of us who have made the decision for Christ are already part of the Church of the Firstborn.  ("He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." Colossians 1:18.)  Our home is in Mount Zion.

          But the Jews, as a people, have not accepted Jesus as their Messiah.  And Jesus tells them that He will not return until they expressly call for Him.

          "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.  Look, your house is left to you desolate.  For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"  Matthew 23:37-39.

          Since Jesus will return to earth someday, we can assume that the House of David will call upon the Lord at that time.  He will deliver them – but not before that happens.

 

Final Thoughts

          The time for our escape is coming soon.  And there is no reason to miss it.  Joel 2:32 tells us: "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

          Maranatha.  Next stop – Mount Zion! 

                                  – Lisa Taylor