Dear Hope family,
Thought for the Week
Message of Joel – God’s Spirit for all
Joel 2v28 “And afterwards, I will pour out my Spirit on all people”
Though we cannot be certain, many consider that Joel prophesied in the 9th century BC. That puts him in the time of Elijah and Elisha. I think that is significant.
Joel sees a horrendous plague of locusts devouring all that is green, made worse by a devastating drought. He sees in this a reminder that there was coming a day when there would be judgment, repentance and deliverance. This is looking to the work of Christ who bore our judgment on himself and brings us deliverance as we repent. He then continues with the well-known words, “And afterwards I will pour out my Spirit on all people … I will pour out my Spirit in those days … and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
These words become the more poignant if they were written in Elijah’s and Elisha’s time. Both men were recognised as having the Spirit of the Lord on them. It was by God’s Spirit that they proclaimed the truth, healed the sick, prayed to God, stood firm in opposition and were conduits of God’s power. Joel was seeing that in the future there would be many Elijahs and Elishas. Indeed, many, many!
This Sunday is Pentecost: the day the Holy Spirit was poured out on the believers as they gathered to pray. Peter used this Joel prophecy to explain to the Jews what was happening. I encourage you to gather with believers this Sunday, in expectation of the Holy Spirit. Lord, may we know the power of your Holy Spirit today.
With love and blessing,
Roland
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