ANOTHER LOOK AT JOEL 2:28-32
Because doctrinal error begins with neglect of ALL Scripture regarding any subject, Paul exhorts Timothy to both diligently study the Word of God and correctly interpret (rightly divide) the Word of Truth (2 Tim.2:15). At the same time he tells Timothy to shun profane and vain babblings (v.16 cf. 1 Tim. 6:20) or kenophonia which is empty discussion, discussion of vain and useless matters.
The confusion and conflict over tongues, which are an integral part of the Charismatic/Pentecostal Movement is primarily because all do not follow Pauls admonition. Instead they build doctrine primarily on misinterpreting Scripture. One of the bones of contention is that tongues [more accurately supernatural foreign linguisitic ability] has absolutely nothing to do with prophecy, but is simply prayer and praise or prayer language. Before we go any further, it is extremely important to remember that prayer is man speaking to God, while prophecy is God speaking supernaturally to man. We will misunderstand everything in 1 Corinthians 14 unless we can see this clearly. We also need to understand how tongues, prophecy and supernatural knowledge were temporary (1 Cor. 13:8-12) until the completion of the revealed and written Word of God, sealed at the end of the book of Revelation (Rev.22:18-19).
JOELS PROPHECY UNTIL THE SECOND COMING
Before we can understand tongues (which is simply a translation for human language, since the tongue is the organ of speech) we have to understand that Joels prophecy DOES NOT MENTION TONGUES AT ALL, and yet Peter specifically quotes Joels prophecy on the day of Pentecost. We need to pause and meditate Selah on just this one thing.
Joel Chapter 2 and Acts 2:16-21
a) The Holy Spirit will be for all mankind
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh;
b) prophecy, prophetic dreams, and prophetic visions for Israel [notice your]
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. [Joels prophecy partially fulfilled at Pentecost].
c) Sixth seal judgements to come later [Church age hiatus exists, just as in Daniel)
30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, (Mt. 24.29 , Mk. 13.24, 25 , Lk. 21.25 , Rev. 6.12, 13) before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
d) Offer of salvation before and after seven seal judgements is the same
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: Acts 2.17-21 Rom. 10.13
e) Then establishment of the Millenial Kingdom
for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
JOELS PROPHECY FOR PENTECOST
Peter on the day of Pentecost quotes Joel almost exactly, and makes no mention of tongues per se.
What he says with reference to this supernatural speaking of FOREIGN LANGUAGES [at least 15 listed from Acts 2:5-13) is this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel (v.16).
When we expand the key verses below with the meanings of specific words, here is what we see:
Joe 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my Spirit (ruwach {roo'-akh} Spirit of God, the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, co-eternal with the Father and the Son) upon all flesh [basar {baw-sawr'} mankind]; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy [naba' {naw-baw'} to prophesy under influence of Divine spirit] , your old men shall dream dreams chalowm {khal-ome'} dream with prophetic meaning), your young men shall see visions [chizzayown {khiz-zaw-yone'} vision, oracle, prophecy in Divine communication)
Act 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy [propheteuo {prof-ate-yoo'-o} to prophesy, to be a prophet, speak forth by divine inspirations, to predict with the idea of foretelling future events pertaining esp. to the kingdom of God, to utter forth, declare, a thing which can only be known by divine revelation, to break forth under sudden impulse in lofty discourse or praise of the divine counsels], and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
WHAT MESSAGE DID PENTECOSTAL TONGUES COMMUNICATE?
we do hear them speak THE WONDERFUL WORKS OF GOD (Acts. 2:11).
First of all, was this prayer and praise, or was it prophetic communication of Gods truth? What were these wonderful works of God communicated supernaturally to Jewish visitors to Jeruslaem from all over the Mediterranean region and beyond, on the day of Pentecost? They could have included any and all of the following:
a) Creative works in creation -- Job 37:14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
b) Judgemental works in justice -- Psa 66:5 Come and see the works of God: [he is] terrible [in his] doing toward the children of men.
c) Redemptive works for Israel -- Psa 78:7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
e) Creative works in childbirth -- Ecc 11:5 As thou knowest not what [is] the way of the spirit, [nor] how the bones [do grow] in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
d) Miraculous works of Yahshua HaMashiyach [Jesus the Christ] -- Jn 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Since these visitors (being visitors from afar) may have had little or no knowledge of the mighty miracles of the Saviour that established His deity, the works of God as done by Christ are "the wonderful works of God" proclaimed to all foreign Jews. Why this and not something else? The apostle John tells us first, and then the apostle Peter confirms it on the day of Penetecost: And many other SIGNS did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book: BUT THESE ARE WRITTEN, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of god; and that believing, ye might have life through His Name (Jn. 20:30-31) Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, A MAN APPROVED OF GOD among you by MIRACLES, and WONDERS and SIGNS, which God did my Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know (Acts 2:22). The miracles of Christ were to generate faith in Him as the promised Prophet whom Moses had spoken about (Deut.18:18-19) as well as the anointed Mashiyach whom David had spoken about (Ps.45:6-7) who is both LORD [YHWH] and Christ [Mashiyach] (Acts 2:24-36, see verse 36). Also, in the home of Cornelius, the Jews heard the Gentile believers "speak with tongues, and magnify [glorify] God" (Acts10:46) which corresponds to Acts 2. Further corroboration that tongues and prophesy were closely linked is found in Act 19:6, when Paul came to Ephesus and baptized the disciples in the name of "the Lord Jesus": "And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; AND THEY SPAKE WITH TONGUES AND PROPHESIED".
Once we accept this, all talk about a "prayer language" becomes an imposed interpretation for the sake of Charismatism. Further, if there is such a thing as a supernatural prayer language, should not all believers have it, since the Holy Spirit dwells within each and everyone? After all, everyone of us is commanded to "pray in the Spirit" (Eph. 6:18).
Because doctrinal error begins with neglect of ALL Scripture regarding any subject, Paul exhorts Timothy to both diligently study the Word of God and correctly interpret (rightly divide) the Word of Truth (2 Tim.2:15). At the same time he tells Timothy to shun profane and vain babblings (v.16 cf. 1 Tim. 6:20) or kenophonia which is empty discussion, discussion of vain and useless matters.
The confusion and conflict over tongues, which are an integral part of the Charismatic/Pentecostal Movement is primarily because all do not follow Pauls admonition. Instead they build doctrine primarily on misinterpreting Scripture. One of the bones of contention is that tongues [more accurately supernatural foreign linguisitic ability] has absolutely nothing to do with prophecy, but is simply prayer and praise or prayer language. Before we go any further, it is extremely important to remember that prayer is man speaking to God, while prophecy is God speaking supernaturally to man. We will misunderstand everything in 1 Corinthians 14 unless we can see this clearly. We also need to understand how tongues, prophecy and supernatural knowledge were temporary (1 Cor. 13:8-12) until the completion of the revealed and written Word of God, sealed at the end of the book of Revelation (Rev.22:18-19).
JOELS PROPHECY UNTIL THE SECOND COMING
Before we can understand tongues (which is simply a translation for human language, since the tongue is the organ of speech) we have to understand that Joels prophecy DOES NOT MENTION TONGUES AT ALL, and yet Peter specifically quotes Joels prophecy on the day of Pentecost. We need to pause and meditate Selah on just this one thing.
Joel Chapter 2 and Acts 2:16-21
a) The Holy Spirit will be for all mankind
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh;
b) prophecy, prophetic dreams, and prophetic visions for Israel [notice your]
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. [Joels prophecy partially fulfilled at Pentecost].
c) Sixth seal judgements to come later [Church age hiatus exists, just as in Daniel)
30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, (Mt. 24.29 , Mk. 13.24, 25 , Lk. 21.25 , Rev. 6.12, 13) before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
d) Offer of salvation before and after seven seal judgements is the same
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: Acts 2.17-21 Rom. 10.13
e) Then establishment of the Millenial Kingdom
for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
JOELS PROPHECY FOR PENTECOST
Peter on the day of Pentecost quotes Joel almost exactly, and makes no mention of tongues per se.
What he says with reference to this supernatural speaking of FOREIGN LANGUAGES [at least 15 listed from Acts 2:5-13) is this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel (v.16).
When we expand the key verses below with the meanings of specific words, here is what we see:
Joe 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my Spirit (ruwach {roo'-akh} Spirit of God, the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, co-eternal with the Father and the Son) upon all flesh [basar {baw-sawr'} mankind]; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy [naba' {naw-baw'} to prophesy under influence of Divine spirit] , your old men shall dream dreams chalowm {khal-ome'} dream with prophetic meaning), your young men shall see visions [chizzayown {khiz-zaw-yone'} vision, oracle, prophecy in Divine communication)
Act 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy [propheteuo {prof-ate-yoo'-o} to prophesy, to be a prophet, speak forth by divine inspirations, to predict with the idea of foretelling future events pertaining esp. to the kingdom of God, to utter forth, declare, a thing which can only be known by divine revelation, to break forth under sudden impulse in lofty discourse or praise of the divine counsels], and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
WHAT MESSAGE DID PENTECOSTAL TONGUES COMMUNICATE?
we do hear them speak THE WONDERFUL WORKS OF GOD (Acts. 2:11).
First of all, was this prayer and praise, or was it prophetic communication of Gods truth? What were these wonderful works of God communicated supernaturally to Jewish visitors to Jeruslaem from all over the Mediterranean region and beyond, on the day of Pentecost? They could have included any and all of the following:
a) Creative works in creation -- Job 37:14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
b) Judgemental works in justice -- Psa 66:5 Come and see the works of God: [he is] terrible [in his] doing toward the children of men.
c) Redemptive works for Israel -- Psa 78:7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
e) Creative works in childbirth -- Ecc 11:5 As thou knowest not what [is] the way of the spirit, [nor] how the bones [do grow] in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
d) Miraculous works of Yahshua HaMashiyach [Jesus the Christ] -- Jn 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Since these visitors (being visitors from afar) may have had little or no knowledge of the mighty miracles of the Saviour that established His deity, the works of God as done by Christ are "the wonderful works of God" proclaimed to all foreign Jews. Why this and not something else? The apostle John tells us first, and then the apostle Peter confirms it on the day of Penetecost: And many other SIGNS did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book: BUT THESE ARE WRITTEN, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of god; and that believing, ye might have life through His Name (Jn. 20:30-31) Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, A MAN APPROVED OF GOD among you by MIRACLES, and WONDERS and SIGNS, which God did my Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know (Acts 2:22). The miracles of Christ were to generate faith in Him as the promised Prophet whom Moses had spoken about (Deut.18:18-19) as well as the anointed Mashiyach whom David had spoken about (Ps.45:6-7) who is both LORD [YHWH] and Christ [Mashiyach] (Acts 2:24-36, see verse 36). Also, in the home of Cornelius, the Jews heard the Gentile believers "speak with tongues, and magnify [glorify] God" (Acts10:46) which corresponds to Acts 2. Further corroboration that tongues and prophesy were closely linked is found in Act 19:6, when Paul came to Ephesus and baptized the disciples in the name of "the Lord Jesus": "And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; AND THEY SPAKE WITH TONGUES AND PROPHESIED".
Once we accept this, all talk about a "prayer language" becomes an imposed interpretation for the sake of Charismatism. Further, if there is such a thing as a supernatural prayer language, should not all believers have it, since the Holy Spirit dwells within each and everyone? After all, everyone of us is commanded to "pray in the Spirit" (Eph. 6:18).
