Thursday Devo
Scripture:
Acts 2:16-21
16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days,’ God says,
‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on my servants—men and women alike—
and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below—
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become dark,
and the moon will turn blood red
before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.’
16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days,’ God says,
‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on my servants—men and women alike—
and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below—
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become dark,
and the moon will turn blood red
before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.’
Commentary:
2:17 The last days are not just in the distant future but were inaugurated at Pentecost (cf. 1 Cor. 10:11; 2 Tim. 3:1; Heb. 1:2; James 5:3; 2 Pet. 3:3) and will continue until Christ’s return. They are the “last days” in that the coming of the Messiah, long predicted in the OT, has now occurred. His saving death and resurrection have been accomplished, and now the work of the Holy Spirit in building the church is a key event in the history of salvation that needs to occur before Christ returns. Most rabbis believed that the Spirit had ceased speaking through human prophets with the last of the OT prophets (Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi). Joel’s prophecy of an outpouring of the Spirit on all flesh was understood as referring to a new messianic age. daughters. The women in the upper room participated in the gift of the Spirit at Pentecost, further confirming Joel’s prophecy.
2:19–21 The darkened sun and bloody moon, whether literal or symbolic, indicate the final consummation of the earth. Peter included the full prophecy even though not all of it was yet fulfilled. Peter’s quotation from Joel ended with the key verse (Joel 2:32), which assures that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Although the audience would have thought the God of Israel is meant, for Peter the “name of the Lord” that saves is Jesus (see Acts 2:36; cf. 4:12). Peter’s application of the title “Lord” (Joel 2:32) to Jesus points to his deity.
2:19–21 The darkened sun and bloody moon, whether literal or symbolic, indicate the final consummation of the earth. Peter included the full prophecy even though not all of it was yet fulfilled. Peter’s quotation from Joel ended with the key verse (Joel 2:32), which assures that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Although the audience would have thought the God of Israel is meant, for Peter the “name of the Lord” that saves is Jesus (see Acts 2:36; cf. 4:12). Peter’s application of the title “Lord” (Joel 2:32) to Jesus points to his deity.
Questions:
- In verse 16, Peter quotes from the prophet, Joel, and explains exactly what they are witnessing. This wasn't some new, weird cult. It was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. He's saying, "Don't just believe what you see happening now, believe that it was foretold!" And not only did Joel prophesy about God's Spirit being poured out, he also foretold the last, dark days of tribulation before the Lord returns. This is an event that we all should think of often. We are in the "last days." These last days began when Jesus came and end when Jesus returns. Jesus is coming again to judge the living and the dead. Do you live with this urgency? If you did, how would your decisions and relationships change?
- These were the first words Peter spoke to a crowd in this new church age, and it should still be our message today. As the Spirit moves in us and empowers us, gives us spiritual gifts, it is for THIS purpose: To glorify Jesus and point the world towards HIM. Is this true of your life? Is the HS working through you in a way that makes Jesus known?
FAST 2024 Prayer Topics:
- That God would fill us anew with his Holy Spirit.
- That he would give us the discipline to fast this week.
- That our fast would result in a closer relationship with the Lord and many answers to prayer.
For a full list of prayer topics to pray through during the fast, see the FAST 2024 tab on the app!
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
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