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A
I will pour out of My Spirit:
(1)
Upon all flesh
(2)
Sons
(3)
Daughters
The last days.
(4)
Old Men
Seven -fold beginning at Pentecost.
(5)
Young Men
`The powers of the age to come'.
(6)
Servants
(7)
Handmaids.
B
Present interval -- Israel not repentant.
B
Future Day -- Israel repent and look upon Him Whom they
pierced.
A
I will show wonders:
(1)
Heavens
(2)
Earth
(3)
Blood
Seven -fold conclusion.
(4)
Fire
Wonders, as spoken of in the
(5)
Pillars of smoke
Apocalypse, and Isaiah 13:9,10.
(6)
Sun
(7)
Moon.
It is essential also to the theme that we notice the statement of verse 30:
`Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath
to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He
would raise up Christ to sit on his throne ...'.
Although to stay here breaks the statement of the apostle, we pause to
draw attention to the pertinent fact that Pentecost, instead of speaking of
Christ as the Head of the Church, focuses attention upon His right to the
throne of David. What possible meaning, other than a literal one, can be
given to this passage or to the Psalm that is quoted? If Pentecost sets forth
Christ as King in connection with the throne of David, in what way can it be
connected with the Church?
Continuing our quotation at verse 33 we read:
`Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received
of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He hath shed forth this,
which ye now see and hear'.
`He hath shed forth This': `This is that'. Peter is still maintaining
his theme. He is still explaining Pentecost; it is the evidence that Christ
is King and that the kingdom will one day be restored. Further proof is
given by quoting from Psalm 110. David's son is David's Lord (Matt. 22:41 -
46). The Lord is now there at the right hand of God `from henceforth
expecting' (Heb. 10:13). The heaven must receive Him until the restoration
(Acts 3:21). The first thing that Peter commanded his awakened hearers to do
was to `repent'. In this he was continuing the ministry of John the Baptist
(Matt. 3:2) and of the Lord (Matt. 4:17). As shown above, the interval
between the two prophecies of Joel is a consequence of Israel's non-
repentance. (See also Last Days8).