Acts (Written)

Thursday, 11 November 2021

And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.’ Acts 2:21

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Peter continues to cite Joel 2 as a proof that the things that have occurred were prophesied in advance. As they are now fulfilled in the pouring out of the Spirit, then what has occurred is of God. Now, with his final citing of the passage from Joel, he conveys what is the expectation of those who see and take to heart those things.

In his citing of Joel, he cuts short the verse from which the words are spoken, giving only the part that is pertinent to the present time –

“And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.” Joel 2:32

Peter, under the influence of the Spirit, acknowledges now the first half of Joel’s words of prophecy from Joel 2:32. But he leaves off the second half of the verse. This is no different than what Jesus did when citing Isaiah. Notice the difference between Isaiah’s prophecy and of Jesus’ quoting of Isaiah’s words –

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
² To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn.” Isaiah 61:1, 2

“So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. ¹⁷ And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
¹⁸ ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
¹⁹ To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’” Luke 4:16-19

Jesus stopped in the middle of the verse from Isaiah. The same Lord who came in His first advent to accomplish and set forth certain blessings for His people will come again in the vengeance of God. That these things are thousands of years apart was unknown when Isaiah prophesied. His words essentially portray a mountain range in one panorama view, but as the ideas are considered individually, it is as if one is focusing on either the closer or the more distant mountains at any given time.

This is what Peter is doing. His prophecy included details of the future (such as verses 2:19, 20), but the part about there being “deliverance” in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem is irrelevant to what is happening “right now” at Peter’s time. Those events will not happen for millennia. Therefore, the Spirit did not inspire him to speak them out. The deliverance Joel refers to, but which Peter left out is noted elsewhere in the Old Testament, such as in Zechariah. These are end times verses that have nothing to do with the time Acts 2 was occurring –

“The Lord will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of Judah. ⁸ In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the Lord before them. ⁹ It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” Zechariah 12:7-9

With this broader picture understood, the words of Peter that are applicable to the present time of his speaking are, “And it shall come to pass.” These words are a reference to Joel’s prophecy. As such, they are not to be taken as merely future to Peter’s time. Rather, Peter is saying that what Joel prophesied is relevant to his “right now.” The pouring out of the Spirit demonstrates that this is so. And so, the expectation and effects of that prophecy are next spoken by Peter, beginning with, “That whoever calls on the name of the Lord.”

This is a Hebraism where calling on a name means to call on the person who bears the name. Hence, to “call on the name of the Lord” is to call on the Lord. As Joel was referring to Yehovah, Israel’s God, and as Peter equates this passage to Christ Jesus now, it clearly indicates that Jesus is the Incarnate Lord (Yehovah). To call on the name of Jesus as Lord is the expectation. The effect of doing so is that such a person will find divine favor. As Peter says, he “Shall be saved.”

From this point, Peter will explain how Jesus is the One to fulfill the prophecy and what Israel needed to do about applying His work to their lives. Of Peter’s coming words, Ruckman incorrectly and ignorantly says on his comments of Acts 2:23 –

“Although Peter preaches about Christ’s death (here), His burial (vs. 27), and of His resurrection (vs. 31), he never applies those things as a blood atonement for sin (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4).”

In other words, Ruckman is arguing that Peter’s words to the Jews now are a “different” gospel than what is preached by Paul. The utterly ridiculous nature of this is almost beyond comprehension. The thinking is a major flaw of the heresy known as hyperdispensationalism.

First, there is a reason why there are 1189 chapters in the Bible. It is because there is a lot for God to convey to us. If God wanted everything about the work of Christ explained in one speech, there would be one long chapter spoken by Him with every detail necessary to explain what He was going to do. Instead, He slowly and progressively has revealed His workings within the stream of time.

Secondly, it is – at this time – unnecessary to speak of blood atonement. Peter is making a point about what occurred within the past two months in Jerusalem and how what Christ did is the fulfillment of the typology the Jews had lived under for 1500 years. In verse 2:38, Peter will refer to the remission of sins based on Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. But the Bible clearly explains that “…according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22).

The author of Hebrews states this based on the already known sacrificial system set forth by Moses, and of which he is referring to in his epistle. To speak of the death of Christ IS to speak of blood atonement. Ruckman, in his zeal to put forth heresy, attempts to separate the death of Christ from the blood atonement of Christ. The two are one and the same thing; they are inseparable. That will be further explained as the epistles (including Peter’s epistles) are put forth. What Israel needs at the time of Acts 2, is instruction on what they had done, how it had made them guilty before God, and to repent (change their minds) concerning those things.

Hence, they are to “call on the name of the Lord.” This is the exact same thing that Paul will say in His epistles, which are directed to the Gentiles –

“For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³ For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” Romans 10:11-13

“To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:2, 3

Life application: The Bible is a big book, and yet its message is one united stream of God’s workings in the world for all people. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of what God is doing, and the work of Christ is exactly the same for all people – Jew and Gentile, males and females, masters and slaves, rich and poor, and so on. There is one gospel, there is one New Covenant upon which that gospel is based, and there is no other path to reconciliation with God apart from it.

In remembering this simple truth, you will avoid innumerable heresies that have been put forth over the years.  From there, you can work on proper doctrine based on that simple message. In this, your walk with God will be one of happiness and soundness.

Unfortunately, the only way to address such heresies is to highlight those who espouse them, citing what they have said. Without doing this, there can be no resolution to their improper or heretical doctrines. Today, we use terms like Pelagianism and Arianism to define the heretical doctrines of Pelagius and Arius. This is because they espoused heresy. With the advent of new heresies, the names of the heretics who espouse them are to be identified with the heresies themselves and they are to be called out for their teachings. Open rebuke of such things is fully established in Galatians 2 where Paul directly and publicly called out Peter for tolerating the heresy of the Judaizers.

The essential truth that there is one gospel must be defended and those who espouse otherwise are to be called out.

Lord God, Your word is rich and pure and beautiful. Help us to carefully evaluate it and to rightly consider it. When something is presented that is not in accord with Your intent, please lead us away from it and to what is right and proper. It is our desire to please You through right doctrine and a close and personal walk with You. Amen.

Wednesday, 10 November 2021

The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. Acts 2:20

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The words of Peter citing Joel, concerning the pouring out of the Spirit, continue now. This verse exactingly corresponds to the OT Greek translation of Joel 2:31. The NKJV translates the Hebrew exactly the same as this verse in Acts –

“The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.”

The words now are also similar in content to various other Old Testament prophecies. A few examples are –

“For the stars of heaven and their constellations
Will not give their light;
The sun will be darkened in its going forth,
And the moon will not cause its light to shine.” Isaiah 13:10

“When I put out your light,
I will cover the heavens, and make its stars dark;
I will cover the sun with a cloud,
And the moon shall not give her light.” Ezekiel 32:7

“‘And it shall come to pass in that day,’ says the Lord God,
‘That I will make the sun go down at noon,
And I will darken the earth in broad daylight.’” Amos 8:9

Such words indicate phenomena that occur frequently, meaning the eclipse of the sun and the moon or other atmospheric events that obscure them, such as dust storms. This doesn’t negate the supernatural, however, because the events are prophesied in advance. Further, what is probably the case is that these events will be specifically over the land of Israel. With these thoughts in mind, Peter’s words of this verse begin with, “The sun shall be turned into darkness.”

Here, Luke introduces a word, metastrephó, that signifies to turn about, or corrupt. It is the changing of one thing into another. In Galatians 1:7, Paul uses this word concerning those who “pervert” the gospel. Peter’s words indicate that what is normal in the sky will be unusually changed into a state of darkness.

As noted, this is the obscuring of the sun, probably during an eclipse. As solar eclipses can be precisely predicted as to when they will occur, it is as an advanced warning to those who are living in the tribulation period that the fulfillment of the prophecy is at hand. These words, however, could also be fulfilled in the covering of the sky with smoke. Such was the case during the Gulf War when Saddam Hussein set fire to the oil fields of Kuwait. The sun was turned to darkness.

Next, Peter says, “And the moon into blood.” Lunar eclipses will produce a sort of copper-colored effect. In this, it almost appears as blood. The term “blood moon” is thus appropriate. This effect can be realized by other such events, such as the smoke of fires as well. If the world is in a global conflict, which will surely be the case in the tribulation period, much of the planet could have smoky skies. Either way, these events will come, as Peter says, “Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.”

Here is a word found only this once in Scripture, epiphanés. It signifies that which is manifest, illustrious, or glorious. The corresponding noun, epiphaneia, is used to refer to the second coming of Christ in 2 Thessalonians 2:8 as well as verses in both 1 and 2 Timothy and also Titus.

What Joel prophesied is referred to by Jesus in the synoptic gospels, and it is repeated here by Peter. These great events will precede the day of the Lord. The words of Jesus confirm the prophecy –

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:29-31

There is a time coming when the Lord alone will be manifested in a unique and terrifying way. The world will already be in a state of complete turmoil and confusion, but it will find that nothing they could have imagined would prepare them for what will happen when He returns.

Life application: The Spirit was poured out on believers in Acts 2. The same Spirit is found in believers to this day as a seal and a guarantee for the day of redemption of the Lord’s purchased possession (Ephesians 1:13, 14). However, Israel as a nation rejected the Lord Jesus. As such, the nation went into an extended time period of punishment according to that set forth in the Law of Moses.

Seven more years under this law are set forth for Israel (see Daniel 9:24-27). That is the tribulation period, and it is coming at some point. Israel the people are back in the land of Israel. They have been prepared for the coming of this event, and they will eventually call out to God through Christ. What began in Acts, will find its final fulfillment. But before this occurs, the church will be taken home to glory.

Although it is not for us to speculate on the timing of these events, it is proper for us to be aware of the state of the world in which we live, and the state of Israel who is key to all of these prophecies. With the coming of modern technology, plandemics, a falling away of the church from sound doctrine, and the reestablishment of Israel, the days are closing in on the time when such events are likely to occur.

Let us be faithful to continue to share the gospel, and to tell others about the goodness of the Lord before it is too late. We should let others know about the great and awesome Lord who came once to save and who will come again to judge. Let us tell the world about JESUS!

Lord God, how exciting it is to see the world heading towards the fulfillment of prophecies made thousands of years ago. Time has marched on, and as it has, the world has slowly molded itself into matching what was written beforehand. It is exciting to live in such times. Give us wisdom, courage, and strength in our conduct through them. Amen.

Tuesday, 9 November 2021

I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. Acts 2:19

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Luke continues with Peter’s citation of Joel 2 now. This is from Joel 2:30 –

“And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.”

As can be seen, Peter’s words are not an exact quote. As the Greek translation of the OT reflects the Hebrew, Peter’s words are more of a paraphrase. He begins with, “I will show wonders in heaven above.”

The Greek literally means, “I will give.” The idea of a wonder is something that is miraculous and awesome. Further, it is the thing itself. In other words, if the Lord opens up the Red Sea, it is a wonder. If the Lord stills the storm-tossed sea, it is a wonder. Peter continues with, “And signs in the earth beneath.”

A sign is something that represents something else. In Genesis 1, it says –

“Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; ¹⁵ and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth’; and it was so.” Genesis 1:14, 15

The lights in the heavens are given for light and for dividing the day and the night. That is a purpose that they serve. They are also given for markers of the seasons. People know when to plant and when to reap because of them, and so on. However, it also says that they are for “signs.”

Throughout the Bible, this is then confirmed as the Lord uses them to represent other things, or of the coming of certain events. The sun or the moon turning to blood, such as during an eclipse (Revelation 6:12), is shown to portend catastrophe at times. Stars are seen at times to indicate special events, such as the coming of Messiah (Matthew 2:2). The constellations are set in the sky as markers (see Job 9:9 and Job 38:32). With this understood, Peter continues with, “Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.”

The blood is stated explicitly to be the life in Deuteronomy 12:23. Therefore, when blood is brought forth, it signifies the shedding of life, such as a slaughter in battle or in the unsanctioned killing of others. For the shedding of blood in battle, Ezekiel 38:22 gives the proper sense –

“And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.”

As can be seen, this same verse mentions “fire,” as does Peter. It is reflective of war and the calamity that comes with it. There is destruction with fire and by fire –

“Now in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. ¹³ He burned the house of the Lord and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire.” Jeremiah 52:12, 13

The “vapors of smoke” that Peter refers to comes from the effects of the fire and from other catastrophes, such as during the destruction of Sodom. Thus, the vapors (or in the Hebrew “pillars”) are columns of smoke rising up like a palm tree into the sky.

What is surely the case is that Peter has gone from the immediate events of Joel’s prophecy to events in the distant future, maybe without realizing it. The Spirit was poured out on the believers, and he described that in verses 17 & 18. Verses 19 & 20 then refer again to events that will come upon Israel during the tribulation period.

Joel’s prophesy seems to say that these things will come upon Israel “after” the great battles of the tribulation period (Joel 2:28 says, “And it shall come to pass afterward”). However, Joel is looking into the future and describing events as they come before him. As such, there is nothing to negate that the giving of the Spirit to the believers is not intimately connected with the future pouring out upon the whole nation. As such, the events bracket the time between Christ’s advents. This is seen in Jesus’ words concerning the tribulation period –

“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. ²² And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
²³ “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. ²⁴ For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you beforehand.” Matthew 24:21-25

The New Covenant was established with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. They are now (at the time of Acts 2) being given opportunity to accept it and come into all that the covenant promises to them. However, as Acts continues on, it will be seen that this will not occur. Israel (the nation collectively) will reject Christ, and the banner of leadership will go from the tent of Shem to the tent of Japheth (Genesis 9:27). It will go from Jew to Gentile.

This does not, however, mean that the Jews (Israel) are rejected. It means that God, in His advanced knowledge of what would occur, has had His gospel go out to the nations while Israel lives under the Mosaic Covenant curses for rejecting Him. The fact that they are under those curses means that they are still God’s people. If they were not, there would be no covenant to punish them with. But the Lord is faithful to His unfaithful people.

And so, while Israel awaits being brought into the New Covenant, the gospel has gone forth to the Gentiles. It is the same covenant and the same gospel to both. But Israel, as a nation, must accept their Messiah before they – as a people – find restoration.

Life application: Peter’s words, which cite Joel, show that Israel still has a purpose in God’s redemptive narrative. Joel’s words were spoken to Israel. The words pertain to Israel, and the events have (and will) come upon Israel. For now, the redemptive narrative continues through the tent of Japheth, and the spiritual banner is held by the Gentile people. This will end at some point, and the spiritual banner will be picked up again by the tent of Shem. Until that happens, we can know that none of this was out of God’s plans –

“Indeed He says,
‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,
That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Isaiah 49:6

There is one Messiah, there is one New Covenant, there is one gospel, and there is one plan of redemption that began at the fall and that will continue until all things are accomplished. Let each of us be a part of that plan by going forth and sharing this good news of salvation!

Heavenly Father, how good it is to know that all we need to do is to simply receive what You have already done. As humans, we always want to do things our own way, and we want to work for what You have already offered freely. Help us to understand that nothing will satisfy You except trusting in the completed work of Christ. He has done the work. May the eyes of all people see this and place their trust in Him. Amen.

Monday, 8 November 2021

And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy. Acts 2:18

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Peter, still citing Joel, continues with the words, “And on My menservants and on My maidservants.” The Spirit will come upon the Lord’s people regardless of sex. Any who believe in Christ Jesus will receive the Promise. In the Hebrew of Joel that Peter is citing, it says, “And also upon the menservants and upon the maidservants.” Instead of “My,” it simply says, “the.”

In the Hebrew, the words of Joel are qualifying the previous verse of Joel. It had said, “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh.” And so, to say, “And also upon the menservants and upon the maidservants,” it would be understood that they were included in the term “all flesh.” The Lord was obviously speaking to the people of Israel, and so “My” would be understood.

However, Peter now makes a distinction by saying “My” – “My menservants and on My maidservants.” As some people there were speaking in tongues while others were not, it defines who “My” is referring to, meaning believers. Thus, anyone not having the Spirit poured out on them is not included in “My.” It is a subtle way of saying, “This is what God is now doing. We are what Joel prophesied of, and we are now the people of God.” To remedy this for those listening, Peter will later say –

“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38, 39

For now, Peter continues citing Joel, saying, “I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” The idea of the pouring out of the Spirit is more than just coming upon a prophet for the purpose of witnessing to Israel, but of coming upon all people, as noted in the words “all flesh” of the previous verse (in both Joel and Acts). It is an all-inclusive pouring out upon any who belongs to the Lord. Further, these words now tell us that “those days” that Joel was referring to are now “these days.” The promised pouring out of the Spirit had arrived. With this gift, Peter next says, “And they shall prophesy.”

These words are not found in either the Hebrew or the Greek OT. However, Peter stating them now is probably an indication to the people that what he is saying, and what he will continue to say, is to be considered as prophetic utterances of the Lord. Thus, they are to heed Peter’s words just as if they were heeding the prophets of the past. To not do so would be to reject the word of the Lord.

And more, there are times where those who are believers are said to prophesy later in Acts, such as in Acts 11:28, 19:6, and 21:9. Thus, the Spirit is shown in Acts to come upon believers in fulfillment of Peter’s words now.

Another obvious point to be gleaned from Peter’s words is to be seen in what is stated now in Acts. First, who is speaking in Joel 2 when it says, “I will pour out My Spirit?” It is obviously the Lord God (Yehovah). However, Peter – who is quoting those verses from Joel – clearly shows that it is Jesus who is pouring out His Spirit –

“Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.” Acts 2:33

Therefore, Peter is clearly, precisely, and unambiguously stating that Jesus is the Lord God (Yehovah) of their Scriptures. This is an important point that will help establish doctrine later in this chapter, and it will explain why certain things occur as they do (here, toward Israel), but that are not later expected of new believers later in Acts.

Life application: It is necessary for us to remind ourselves that the verses being reviewed in Acts 2 are merely describing what occurred at that time. They do not prescribe anything, and they do not establish any ongoing precedent. In other words, just because something occurs here in Acts, it does not mean that it will occur again.

Fire came down on the sacrifices at the tabernacle and then later at the temple to show the Lord’s approval of those edifices. But that did not occur again. The one demonstration of approval was all that was needed to confirm that He was among His people and had accepted what was built.

Likewise, the Lord demonstrates in the book of Acts His approval of His followers, and of various conversions of people in an outward manner in order to demonstrate that He has accepted their faith. But this does not set a new precedent that will reoccur later. We should not expect to have a “Charismatic style” conversion when we receive Jesus. In fact, it is contrary to the prescriptive words of Paul elsewhere to expect that. Most importantly, we are to have faith in the Lord Jesus without any external display of His approval, and with that, He will be pleased.

Lord God, Your word says that if we believe the gospel, we will be saved. It also says that when we do, we are sealed with Your Spirit as a guarantee of our salvation. Help us to trust this and to not waffle in our minds as to whether this is true or not. When we have demonstrated faith, Your word says You are pleased with that, and we are saved. Thank You for the surety Your word provides. Amen.

Sunday, 7 November 2021

‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams. Acts 2:17

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Peter, having assured those present that what had occurred was not the effects of too much sweet wine. Now, he loosely cites the prophet Joel, showing that what is occurring was prophesied by Joel. As such, he says, “And it shall come to pass.”

Joel states that a time is yet ahead when certain things will occur. Peter says the time for those things to occur has begun with the coming of the Spirit as it rested upon the believers. Next, Peter says, “in the last days.” In Joel it simply says, “after.”

Joel’s words refer to a time centered around the day of the Lord. It is a time of restoration for Israel when the Spirit would be poured out upon them. Peter changes “after” to “in the last days.” This term signifies an unspecified time that is actually inclusive of the entire church age. Messiah’s work of fulfilling the law and establishing the New Covenant is complete. From that time, the thought of the last days takes center stage. Paul refers to this time frame in 2 Timothy 3:1, and it is inclusive of the entire time of the church age.

Peter then adds in, “says God.” This is a note confirming that the prophecy of Joel is the prophetic word of God. In this time frame, Peter next says, “That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh.” There is a time when the Spirit of God would come upon believers. The term “all flesh” does not mean “every person on the earth.” It means “all believers regardless of age, sex, status, and so on.”

Having said this, care must be taken to understand that this pouring out of the Spirit does not necessarily mean that the event as it happens in Acts is normative for the church age. It is, like other such events, given as a confirmation of the work of Christ having converted those who – by faith – believe. This is what happened in Acts 2. Despite this obviously being so, Ruckman incredibly says, “Nothing in verses 16-21 takes place in Acts 2 at all, not even the pouring out of the Spirit.” It is the epitome of idiocy.

In order to justify the unjustifiable, he denies that the events of Acts 2:1-4 are a demonstration of the pouring out of the Spirit. But this is exactly what occurred, and it is what Peter is explicitly telling the people. The Spirit has come! God is demonstrating His approval of the work of His Son by pouring the Spirit out upon those who believe. This is explicitly stated in verse 2:33 –

“Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.”

If Ruckman only read a few verses ahead and stopped living by presuppositions and biases, he would have seen how faulty his analysis of Scripture actually is.

In the pouring out of the Spirit, Peter continues citing Joel, saying, “Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.” This is explicitly fulfilled in Acts 11:27-30, Acts 19:6, Acts 21:8-11, and etc. Peter continues with, “Your young men shall see visions.”

The idea is that of a waking vision. It is something that can be perceived that would otherwise be imperceptible. This was fulfilled in Acts 9:10-14 (two visions), 10:1-16 (two visions), etc. Peter next says, “Your old men shall dream dreams.”

There is no specific reference to the word “dream” in Acts, nor is there any specific reference to it later in the New Testament. The only time the Greek word for dreams is mentioned again is in Jude 1:8 when speaking in a negative sense about those who defile the flesh. However, Acts 16:9 refers to a vision appearing to Paul in the night. As such, this could ostensibly be considered a fulfillment of this. Paul also refers to an angel standing by him in the night in Acts 27:23. Again, specifying the night may be a way of saying that this occurred while dreaming.

The words of Joel, as spoken forth by Peter, are clearly indicated by him as being fulfilled in the pouring out of the Spirit upon the believers now in Acts 2. It is incredible that anyone could deny the clear and unambiguous words of Peter in an attempt to justify that this is not the case.

Life application: It is true that many of the coming words of Joel have not yet been fulfilled. This is because Israel, as a nation, collectively rejected Christ Jesus. The Spirit was poured out on those who believe at the beginning of the church age as a sign to Israel that God had approved of the work of His Son. It was a visible manifestation that this was so. At the end of the age, when Israel collectively accepts Jesus as their Messiah, it will again be so. This is also explicitly stated in Zechariah 12 –

“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.” Zechariah 12:10

Understanding these things, it must be remembered that the events which occurred in Acts 2 are given to Israel as a sign. They are not normative for the church age. The signs were given, the church is established, and there is no longer a need for the sign –

“For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” 1 Corinthians 1:22-25

&

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

&

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

Paul’s epistles alert us, time and again, to the fact that we are to heed the word and believe by faith. The church was established, and the signs are no longer necessary to convince Israel. They have (collectively) rejected the Lord. When they, as a nation, accept Him, the Spirit will be poured out upon them as a nation. In the meantime, we are to live by faith, we are to convey that truth by the word of God, and those who accept the premise of the word of God will demonstrate faith and be saved. This is what is normative for the time in which we live.

Lord God, thank You for the simplicity of the gospel. We are saved by accepting that Christ has done all that is necessary to reconcile us to You. Help us to not add to that, but to accept it, and revel in it all of our days. Thank You for the full, forever, and finished work of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.