Peter, when he stood up to explain the meaning of Pentecost to the assembled multitude, lifted up his voice and

`Ye men of Judæa, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem' (Acts 2:14).

`Ye men of Israel ... among you ... in the midst of you' (Acts 2:22).

`Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly' (Acts 2:36).

`The promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God

shall call' (Acts 2:39).

`Men of Judæa', `the Jews who dwelt at Jerusalem' (Acts 2:5), `Israel', and then, together, `the whole house of

Israel', are those to whom Peter addressed his words. Peter's own recorded act and word given in Acts 10:28, and

the attitude of the apostles and brethren that were in Judæa (Acts 11:18), together with the exclusiveness of Acts

11:19, are sufficient to prove that the presence of a Gentile at this feast of Israel would have been intolerable, while

the attitude of the Jews as recorded in Acts 21:26-36 shows what is likely to have happened had Gentiles been

present at this feast of Pentecost. The nations of the earth shall, one day, go up to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of

Tabernacles as Zechariah 14:16-19 reveals, but that event awaits the time when the Lord descends and his feet once

more touch the Mount of Olive. This feast took place after He had ascended from the Mount of Olives, and the

difference is great and far reaching.

We have already observed that when Peter opened his mouth to speak he was actually `uttering' as power from

on high enabled him; the word `said,' of verse 14 being the peculiar word `utterance' of verse 4. Yet, in spite of

this practical inspiration, Peter's first words of instruction are a reference to the Scriptures, showing that, much as

we may feel the absence of `gifts' today, we have equally with Peter the authority of the Scriptures; and we have,

too, what he had not, the complete New Testament containing all necessary instruction as to doctrine and practice

till the day of glory dawn.

There can hardly be found in human language more explicit words than Peter's `This is that'. Such specific

language makes it imperative that we understand, at least in measure, the teaching of the prophecy of Joel, and

found our idea of Pentecost upon his teaching. If, as most will admit, the `church' cannot be imported into Joel, then

that alone should, if we still hold it, shake our faith in the tradition that the church began at Pentecost. We trust the

reader will honour the Holy Spirit at this point, and, leaving the comments of men, turn to the short prophecy of Joel

and read it through. Seven minutes is all the time it will occupy. Upon reading the book through two verses stand

out, namely, Joel 1:4 and 2:25:

`That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the

cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten'.

`I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the

palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you'.

`I will restore' are words that find their echo in the question of the apostles: `Wilt Thou restore?' (Acts 1:6), and

*

in the testimony of Peter as to `the times of restitution' (Acts 3:21). Repentance is premised . `Rend your heart, and

not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God' (Joel 2:13), and the resulting blessing is not only likened to the

restoration of the land from plague and famine, but to the restoring of Israel's access and acceptable worship under

the figure of new wine, and drink offering (Joel 1;13; 2:14; 3:18). Prominent also is the `great and terrible day of

the Lord', a prophetic period of no uncertain value, the object of much Old Testament prophecy, and certainly

having no connection with the `Church'. The following outline may help the reader:

*

Premise = to come before.