“I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh” (Joel 2:28).

After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, on Pentecost the Apostle Peter quoted Joel 2:28-32 to open up the Gospel Age for the church. However, in Acts 2:17 he reverses the sequence of two clauses, implying the sequence is not important. (Perhaps to draw more attention to clauses that introduce the new state of affairs.) The following is suggested concerning phrases pertaining to the Jewish, Gospel, and Millennial Ages:

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh [Gospel and Millennial Ages together]; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy [Gospel Age], your old men shall dream dreams [prior to the Gospel Age], your young men shall see visions [understand visions, and probably proclaim them in the Gospel Age]: (29) and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit [to include Gentiles in the Gospel Age].

“(30) And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke [Gospel Age]. (31) The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrifying day of Jehovah cometh [end of “the last day” of the Gospel Age]. (32) And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered [Gospel and Millennial Ages]; for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those that escape [resurrection of the faithful church, and deliverance of fleshly Israel, at Armageddon], as Jehovah hath said, and among¹ the remnant those whom Jehovah doth call [great multitude?]” (Joel 2:28-32 RVIC).

— Br. James Parkinson

(1) Or, in the remnant whom Jehovah doth call.

Download PDF