What did Reformed Calvanist Robert Decker mean by this?

[tomana]

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[bsd058]

I'm reading a sharing called Pentecostalism: In the Light of the Word, by Robert Decker, a Reformed Calvanist. In this sharing, he says the following with respect to when the Day of Pentecost had come, God poured out His Spirit on at least the apostles (or was it all of the 120 ?) and then Peter stands up to speak to the masses that had gathered :

What happened, Peter explains, is the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. The Day of the Lord has come; the New Dispensational day which marks the fulfillment of the Old Testament types and shadows. It’s the Day in which God would call His people out of every nation. And, it’s the Day of judgment that shall be signified by signs and wonders; blood, fire, and vapor of smoke in both heaven and earth; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon into blood (compare in this connection Matthew 24 and Revelation 6 where these same signs and wonders are mentioned as marking the Day of the Lord’s return).

what is the connection, regarding the mention of blood, fire, and vapor of smoke in both heaven and earth; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon into blood, in Matthew 24 and Rev 6? What is Mr Decker hinting at?

He's hinting that this verse was fulfilled in the early New Testament church, and that we are in the last days. Blood, fire, and pillars of smoke indicate theophany.

These are often signs of God's judgement. In this case, it was a sign of judgement on unbelieving Israel.

Also, if you refer to Joel 2, it speaks of the day of the Lord coming, and then afterwards this event occurring (in verse 28). The dispensation of the Lord's kingdom has already been inaugurated.

Matthew 24:29 and Revelation 6 have to do with the final coming of the Lord. The Parousia we are waiting for.

This event (the tongues in the book of Acts) marks the beginning of the fulfillment of the prophecies about such a day.

Incidentally, if you look at Joel 2:3-5, do you notice any correlation to Rev 9:1-11?

 

[tomana]

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[bsd058]

Usually if you haven't heard it before, it needs to be examined carefully to make sure it is correct. I'm sure you have heard it before though. (See - Matt 3:2, Luke 17:21)

Yours is a loaded question. Have you ever questioned dispensationalism as a system? You should look into Amillenialism to learn more about what I mean. This is the traditional Reformed view. Perhaps Robert Decker is a dispensationalist, but I don't know enough about him?

Maybe someone else could offer some insight into this article and Decker's view as a whole.

I know what I believe about the subject, and I just assumed that's what he meant since he is reformed.

Perhaps I'm mistaken on his view. If I am, I'm sorry.

I don't hold to dispensationalism, though.

 

[AMR]

BTW, it's "Calvinist". Just sayin'.