Introduction

One of the things I find surprising about Joel is he doesn't really talk about the first coming of Christ. What he does talk about is the second coming. He focuses on end times. Some of these things, some of the metaphors and some of the pictures, especially in Revelation, these can be difficult to understand. But the Bible says in Daniel 12 "The wise will understand." We know that true wisdom comes from God.

(Read Joel 2:28; Joel 3:8)

This passage may be familiar to some of you because it gets quoted in Acts 2. It's what Peter used when he stood up and people thought when they were speaking in tongues that they were probably drunk. He says, "Guys, we're not drunk. It's only this time of the morning." I find that passage a bit strange because it was like if it was the afternoon then completely you could understand that we might be drunk. But as it's the morning we definitely aren't. It's the Holy Spirit. I promise you.

Jesus said, "Wait in Jerusalem." Okay? When Jesus had risen from the dead he said to his disciples, "Wait." "Wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit is poured out." He says, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you." You see, the Holy Spirit ushered in the church age. Jesus said, "Unless I go the Counselor will not come." But the Holy Spirit has come. So part of these verses we're reading in Joel 2 have seen fulfillment on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out and people of many different nations heard the gospel in their own language. Not because the people understood the languages they were speaking or the languages that were being heard but because the Holy Spirit came upon either their words or what was heard in their ears, so that people heard the gospel. The Holy Spirit came so that the gospel could be proclaimed to many, many nations.

The point here is that the Holy Spirit was going to be poured out on all people. It wasn't just going to be on the priests. It wasn't just going to be on kings. It wasn't just going to be on prophets. It was going to be on all people, so that we could all bring prophetic words, so that we could all communicate with God. Think of the exploits in the Old Testament. You think of what happened when the Spirit of God came upon Samson and what he accomplished. When he came upon Gideon. When he moved David. I think of Elijah and Elisha. Go back and look at these guys and see what happened when the Holy Spirit came out upon them. Yet today, in the age of the church, the Holy Spirit has been poured out upon us to enable us to function in the heavenly realms, in the Spirit, to actually accomplish things much, much higher and greater than we in the flesh can do.

The Holy Spirit moves

But the focus that Joel has is on communication. It says, "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." You can't have a relationship if there's no communication. Can you imagine if I couldn't see my wife and if I couldn't speak to her and she couldn't speak to me. What sort of relationship would that be? It would be absolutely nonexistent. But when the Holy Spirit is poured out we're able to see God and his Word.

The Bible says in Ephesians 2, "For through him … " This is one of those espresso verses in the Bible where it really gets boiled down to a few words to explain everything. "For through him … " That is Jesus. " … we both [Jews and Gentiles] have access to the Father by one Spirit." By one Spirit. The Holy Spirit is important so that we can have access. He helps us to pray, it says in Romans 8. He helps us to communicate, and the Holy Spirit being poured out means we can hear. We hear prophetic words, to be shared. We see visions. We dream dreams. God is restoring the relationship. We're able to communicate with him.

He also enables us to live right. The Holy Spirit convicts me and leads me into all truth. He leads me in righteousness. He reveals the Father and the Son through the Word of God. He's restoring the relationship. He's allowing me to communicate with God and allowing me to live right. It's not a bunch of laws and rules that I have to try and abide by and strive to obey. The Holy Spirit has been poured out to enable me to serve God and to live righteously.

As I've already hinted, the Holy Spirit being poured out means that we have spiritual gifts. You talk about gifts of wisdom, gifts of healing, all those things. 1 Corinthians 12 reveals that spiritual gifts have been given so that we can function, so that we can bless other people. It says they're given for the common good, so that we can build up the church, so that we can bless each other and help each other out. That's why the Spirit is poured out.

You also see that there is a little sign that may be Joel 2 wasn't properly fully fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. It talks about signs in the heavens, and Peter did quote this verse. "The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD." There were some signs in the heavens but I don't think these things actually happened on the Day of Pentecost. I think what Peter wanted to get to was to verse 32. "And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." But we get this hint that what Joel is really talking about is something that was fulfilled at Pentecost, but also this will ultimately be fulfilled in the future.

You see, we have this double reference. There is something the prophet was seeing in the immediate future and something he was seeing in the distance, and he didn't necessarily see everything in between but he saw these two things. At Pentecost this passage is fulfilled, but ultimately it doesn't reach its fulfillment until the end times.

It says this in Matthew 24. "Immediately after the distress of those days … " This is Jesus talking about the Great Tribulation and end times. "Immediately after the distress of those days 'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky." That bit in the middle—that was Jesus quoting Isaiah 13. This is not just about one passage. This is many passages that refer to signs in the heavens, and where Jesus places that bit he places it between the Great Tribulation and when Jesus returns.

God's plan for Israel

I think Joel 3 is really talking about a time in the future. A time where it reaches its ultimate fulfillment, because the Holy Spirit hasn't been poured out on Israel yet. God hasn't finished with Israel, and ultimately the Holy Spirit is going to be poured upon them, to lead them to know that Jesus is their true King, and to lead them to true repentance and enable them to serve him as they should have. Their disobedience will finally be ended.

Look at verse seven, "See, I'm going to rouse them … "—that is, Judah, that is Israel—" … out of the places to which you sold them, and I will return on your own heads what you have done." He's talking about judging the nations. But this is what we should focus on "See, I'm going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them."

One of the signs that the end is coming is that Israel is going to be regathered. Ezekiel 36 explains this a bit more clearly.

For I will take you [Israel] out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

In Ezekiel 37 it talks about the valley of dry bones and the fact that the whole house of Israel is going to come alive. That's what the bones are really talking about—the whole house of Israel. Ezekiel mentions two sticks in God's hand. You get the stick of Ephraim, which is Samaria, the Northern Kingdom, and the tribe of Judah. The passage speaks about two sticks in one hand. Israel will only truly be reconciled and become one nation in God's hands, and this is talking about the end times when God is going to do this. But see, Ephraim and Samaria were never properly regathered. Judah came back from Babylon, and that's where we get Nehemiah and Ezra, but the Northern Kingdom, the Assyrians scattered them and they were never properly regathered. One of the key signs that the end is coming, that Jesus is on his way, is that Israel is going to be regathered.

When I was at school I did an in depth study on Nazism. I learned that in 1942 Hitler planned this final solution that was going to try and exterminate the Jews. I wondered what they would have said if you talked to them at that point about these sort of passages. They had a nation, a great empire like the Nazis who were going to try and destroy them completely, wipe them off the face of the earth. Six million Jews died. This is 1942, and I find it absolutely amazing that six years later in 1948 that Israel was back on the map. By 1949, they were admitted to the UN. I mean what other nations has ever had that sort of thing. God is not finished with Israel. Between 1948 and 1958, the population increased from 800,000 to two million.

Recently, I saw an article in the BBC talking about how Jews are leaving Tunisia. It's talking about the Arab spring. I don't know if it was big news here, but a huge tension in the Middle East where rebel groups were rising up and overthrowing governments. Now Jesus told us to watch and pray. Look at these things and interpret them in line with the Bible. Don't get distressed. Don't be discouraged. Let's have a look at them and see what's happening. One of the things is these rebel groups are making places like Tunisia unlivable for Jews, so that they're returning to the land. In 1948, there were a hundred thousand Jews in Tunisia; fifteen hundred remain today. In Morocco, 260,000 before 1948; seventeen thousand now. In Egypt, 75,000; today there are only a handful, In Iraq, 135,000. Now I don't know how they got these stats, but today they reckon only seven remain. I mean did they do a census and only seven ticked the box?

The point is that Israel is being regathered. I don't know how you see the Bible. I don't know whether you see it as some fairytale storybook from years ago that has no relevance today. I don't know whether you see it as just a historical book. I see it as this book that God wrote through people to communicate his character, to show his great plan of salvation but also to speak precisely what he was going to do in the end times when he returns. I want you to know when we talk about end times we say it's this far off thing. But I want you to see today Israel is being regathered. One of the great things we see from looking at Joel is the fact that Israel really is being regathered. Israel really is being roused out of the nations to return to this land. It's one of the key signs that Jesus is coming.

How awesome is that? He really is returning. Stuff is happening right now. We have never been in a time like this. Stuff is happening in the world right now that was predicted by the Bible. Jesus is coming.

(Read Joel 3:9-16)

Judgement day is coming

You'll find some people who think this is talking about the Great White Throne judgment, but I don't think it is. One of the things is that this is talking about judgment on the nations on earth, specific nations. But when you get to the Great White Throne judgment it's talking about the earth fleeing and the sky fleeing from his presence. It's the judgment that happens outside of earth.

Joel also talks about signs in the heavens, and we've already looked at this. He links it to Jesus, what Jesus talks about, and places in between the tribulation and the millennium when Jesus returns. Also, this interpretation enables us to look at Revelation very literally. We don't have to do too much to it to work out, to talk about what it's talking about. So when we talk about Joel 3, and we read about swinging the sickle, that specifically referred to in Revelation 14, the battle that is pre-millennial. Then we get to Revelation 16 and it says "then they gather the kings together to a place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon." And finally, Revelation 19, where Jesus appears. "He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty." This is a passage that's referred to in Joel 3.

So what is this judgment? Well, remember this is a time of great tribulation that God talked about specifically. Remember the locust plague. It was designed to lead the people to repentance. And it's a sign. It's a picture of what God was going to do in the future. A time of great tribulation that was absolutely unprecedented, much like the locusts in Joel 1, unprecedented. Why? To lead the people to repentance, because God is patient and he's upping the heat saying, "Come out of the world and know me. Know life." It's God appealing time and time again. And it's allowing people to experience in that time the logical consequence of their sin and their rebellion against God, so that they turn to him.

One of the passages that talks about this is Psalm 2. The nations gather together, and they gather together against God. We can look at it and think, Man, this is going to be crazy. What are we going to do in this day? I want you to see how God views it. Remember, if we know Jesus we're in Christ. He's not coming to judge us. The wrath isn't going to be poured out on us. But think about this. How does God react to all these nations gathering? "The One enthroned in heaven laughs." He laughs. You think of all the nations and all their big plans coming against God, and this is God's reaction. He laughs. How great is God? He laughs at them. Then "He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath."

The coming King

We see this in Joel as well. "I've installed my king on Zion, my holy hill." The King is seated this morning. When Isaiah sees into heaven he sees the King enthroned. All the stuff that God is doing—sustaining all things by his powerful word, hearing all our prayers—God is carrying through to the end times. He's not tearing around. He's seated. He's enthroned in heaven.

You see, when Jesus returns he's not coming as a weak baby like he did before. He's coming as the commander of the army of the Lord. He's coming at the head of the host of heaven. When he came last time, he came with a visit of angels that came to one or two or three people—to Mary and Joseph, to the shepherds out on the hillside. When he comes again he's going to come with a trumpet call. He's going to come with a call of the archangel. When he came before a star showed the way. A single star in the heavens showed the way to where the Baby was. When he comes again, the sun is going to be darkened and the moon turns to blood. There will be signs in the whole heavens, not a single star, but every single one of them. The whole of the sky is going to react to his coming. He slipped in quietly at night, but he is going to come and all the earth will see him. When Jesus came first and they heard about Herod trying to kill all the babies around Bethlehem they hid in Egypt away from one king. But when he comes again he is going to gather all kings, and he is going to defeat them. This is the coming King.

I think of Ephesians 1. It talks about Jesus as "far above all rule and authority, power, and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come." You see, he is far above this morning. He is far above. It's not being compared to one king or one nation and saying he's far above that one and he's far above that one and he's far above that one. No. When you bring all the power set against him, when you bring all nations together, when you bring everything that anyone could ever muster against him, he is far above. This is the coming King.

You know there was a message that changed the whole of Britain in the 17th - 18th century. A preacher named George Whitfield proclaimed a clear and consistent message: "You must be born again." You see, the Bible says "The LORD will be a refuge for his people." This is going to be a dreadful day that is coming, and the Lord will be a refuge for his people.

Do you know Jesus? Because if you don't, this is a dreadful day that's coming. But if you do, he will be a refuge for you. There was a message that went around Britain and it spread throughout the empire. "You must be born again." People asked George Whitfield, "George, why do you preach this message?" He said, "Oh, because you must be born again." "You always preach this message, why do you go on and on and on about it?" Well, because you must be born again. You must know Jesus. You must be given this new life."

When we give people an opportunity to give their lives to Jesus, we've said, "Come and know Jesus. We want to offer you the opportunity." I want to plead with you. Jesus is coming, and he will only be a refuge for his people. Are you one of his people this morning? Do you know him? Have you given your life to him? For those in this place who know Jesus this morning, do your friends know him? Does your family know him? Do your colleagues know him? He will only be a refuge for his people. As we've seen in this passage, the prophecies say that he is already on his way. I don't know how many years it will be or how many days or whatever. I can't. Nobody can put a time on it, but the point is that the nations and Israel specifically really is a hotspot.

Israel really is being gathered, and when Jesus comes again he will only be a refuge for his people. So let me urge you. Our evangelism needs to reach new heights because the times are not long. If you do not know Jesus, can I plead with you, "Know him." And if you just can't—if you're just not being stirred in your spirit about it, then can I say this. Let this be the prayer of your heart. "God, if you're real, would you reveal yourself to me. Would you reveal yourself to me." Please, can I beg you, know him.

(Read Joel 3:17-21)

What I think this is talking about is the Millennial reign that comes at the end. When Jesus comes, he's going to come. Zechariah talks about the time when he comes and stands on the Mount of Olives. This is talking about physical places. I love history. I love going and standing places where I know great things have happened in the past, great events. But one of the things I love about the Bible is you can go to the Mount of Olives today and know that Jesus is coming back to this mountain. He is coming back to rule in this world. He's going to rule in a way that the first Adam failed or couldn't rule. He's going to rule to the fullest extent of the earth.

This passage at the end of Joel 3 speaks about what that sort of reign is going to be like. It talks about a land of abundance. It's like Eden's being restored. "In that day the mountains will drip with new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; the ravines of Judah will run with water. A foundation will flow out of the LORD's house and will water the valley of acacias." Acacias grow in dry places, and it's saying that the dry place is going to be filled with water. In talking about a physical world I think it's also talking about a spiritual one as well. Jerusalem, the restoration of that land is not only going to be the source of water, physical water for that area, but it's also going to be the source of spiritual water. Remember that at this time "I will pour my Spirit out." That this is going to be a source of spiritual life.

Conclusion

But this is the point—that Jesus is coming and he's going to rule to the fullest extent of the earth. This gives us all a literal view of what it talks about in places like Psalm 72 when it says, "And he will reign from sea to sea and from the River." The river that is the Euphrates. The very center of the enemy's kingdom at that time. He will reign from sea to sea. There's nothing else. That covers everything, doesn't it—sea to sea. Habakkuk 2 says, "The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea." The glory of God is demonstrated to those whose eyes are open in the world now, but at that time "The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God." Everyone's going to know. Everyone's going to see. I find it amazing that in that time not everyone will repent. But many will, because the earth is going to be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God.

It says in Zechariah 14:6 "The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name." He is the victorious coming King, awesome and worthy to be praised.

If you do not know Jesus, I want to urge you to know him this morning. We simply do this by believing in our hearts that Jesus is Lord, that all the things that we've done wrong were paid for by him on the Cross. There will be one Lord and his name the only name. In this generation there are so many people, saying there are so many ways to God. Let me say to you they are wrong. There is only one name. There is only one Lord. There is only one person that ever died for you—the Son of God who was sent in love to pay the price for all the wrong things we've ever done. You are only saved, he will only be a refuge for you if you are in him, if you know him. So we believe in our heart and we confess with our mouths.

Simon Gill serves as Teaching Pastor at The Street City Church in Wellington, New Zealand.