How lovely God is Pt 1: I will pour out my Spirit
Joel 2:28-32 28“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. 30I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 31The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. 32And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, even among the survivors whom the LORD calls.
When the prophet Joel delivered his message to Israel, he did so during a time of devastation and hope. The land had been ravaged by locusts (Joel 1:4), which Joel described as a sign of judgment and a foreshadowing of the “great and dreadful day of the LORD” (Joel 2:31). But Joel was not only a prophet of warning—he was also a prophet of promise. His message was that God would not leave His people in ruin but would restore, renew, and pour out His Spirit in ways that had never before been seen.
Joel 2:28–32 connects God’s future work with His Spirit to the final days of history. It is a prophecy that was partially fulfilled at Pentecost, as the Holy Spirit had just fallen on the Apostles and the crowd thought they were all drunk, but it also points forward to the end of the age when the Spirit will play a decisive role in the salvation and judgment of the world.
The words of Joel speak to us today because they remind us that the Spirit is not only for comfort, teaching, and sanctification but also for preparation. As the end of days approaches, the Spirit equips God’s people to stand firm, to witness boldly, and to hope faithfully.
Prophecy, dreams, and visions
This verse signals a dramatic shift in the way God relates to His people. In the Old Testament, the Spirit was often poured out selectively—on prophets, kings, or leaders for specific tasks (e.g., Numbers 11:25; 1 Samuel 16:13). But Joel’s prophecy announces a future day when the Spirit would be poured out “on all people.” That phrase is revolutionary. No longer would the Spirit’s empowering be limited to a few chosen individuals; instead, the Spirit would be available to men and women, young and old, rich and poor, Jew and Gentile alike.
At Pentecost, Peter quoted this passage to explain what was happening as tongues of fire appeared and believers began to speak in other languages (Acts 2:16–18). He declared that Joel’s prophecy was being fulfilled in their hearing. Yet, while Pentecost inaugurated this reality, the fullness of Joel’s prophecy points forward to the end of days when the Spirit will be poured out in unprecedented measure.
The imagery of prophecy, dreams, and visions emphasizes revelation. God promises that in the last days His people will not be left in the dark. He will speak directly, clearly, and personally through His Spirit. This is not simply about mystical experiences but about the Spirit equipping the church to understand God’s will and proclaim His truth in a world that is increasingly hostile to Him.
Prophecy has always been central to God’s plan of salvation. In 1 Corinthians 14:3, Paul explains that prophecy strengthens, encourages, and comforts believers. In the end of days, when deception and fear run rampant, the Spirit’s gift of prophecy will be crucial for sustaining the faith of the church. Likewise, dreams and visions remind us of how God has guided His people in the past—think of Joseph’s dreams (Genesis 37), Daniel’s visions (Daniel 7), or Peter’s rooftop vision in Joppa (Acts 10:9–16). These were not abstract fantasies but Spirit-given insights into God’s unfolding plan.
As the end draws near, we should expect the Spirit to give believers clarity, discernment, and boldness. This does not mean every dream or vision is from God—1 John 4:1 reminds us to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God”—but it does mean the Spirit is actively preparing God’s people for what lies ahead.
Wonders in the heavens
Next Joel shifts from revelation to cosmic upheaval. The Spirit’s work is not confined to the hearts of individuals but extends to the entire created order. The phrase “wonders in the heavens” evokes dramatic celestial events that mark divine intervention in history. Throughout Scripture, heavenly signs often accompany God’s decisive actions. At the Exodus, the plagues were not only earthly but cosmic in scope—darkness covered Egypt for three days (Exodus 10:22). At Jesus’ crucifixion, the sun grew dark at midday (Luke 23:44–45). In Revelation, John describes stars falling from the sky, the heavens receding like a scroll, and the sun becoming black as sackcloth (Revelation 6:12–14). Joel’s prophecy fits into this pattern: before the “great and dreadful day of the LORD,” the heavens will testify to God’s coming judgment.
It is important to see how the Spirit and these wonders connect. The Spirit’s outpouring equips the church to interpret and endure these signs. Without the Spirit, such events would only produce terror; with the Spirit, they become markers of God’s unfolding plan. Jesus Himself warned His disciples to watch for signs in the heavens—“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars” (Luke 21:25)—but He also told them to stand firm because redemption was drawing near (Luke 21:28).
In our own day, discussions about astronomical phenomena often lead to speculation. Blood moons, eclipses, or meteor showers sometimes spark apocalyptic fear. Joel reminds us that heavenly wonders are not random—they are tied to God’s purposes and should be read through the lens of the Spirit’s revelation. They are not meant to paralyze believers with fear but to awaken us to readiness.
And on the earth
Joel does not stop with the heavens. He declares that God will also show wonders “on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke” (Joel 2:30). These are images of devastation, likely describing war, judgment, and upheaval on a global scale.
Throughout biblical prophecy, earthly signs—whether in nature or in human society—accompany the end of days. J esus described wars, famines, earthquakes, and persecution as “the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:6–8). Revelation is filled with images of fire, smoke, and blood as judgments fall upon the earth (Revelation 8:7–11). Joel’s words place these signs alongside the Spirit’s outpouring, showing that the end of days is a time of both great empowerment for God’s people and great turmoil for the world.
This dual reality reminds us that the Spirit does not remove believers from earthly trials but equips them to endure and witness in the midst of them. In fact, Jesus promised His followers that when they are brought before rulers and authorities, the Holy Spirit will give them the words to say (Mark 13:11). Thus, the Spirit’s presence is not a shield from suffering but a source of courage within it. This passage is one of the arguments against the belief that believers will be removed before the Great Tribulation (called the Rapture).
We should also notice the connection between earthly upheaval and spiritual awakening. Historically, times of crisis often become moments of revival. The Spirit moves powerfully when human resources fail and people cry out for divine help. Joel’s imagery of blood, fire, and smoke may point to the destruction that precedes renewal. Just as fields must be cleared before new crops can grow, so the old world order must be shaken before God’s kingdom is fully revealed.
And all who call on the LORD will be saved
At the end Joel ties the Spirit’s outpouring and the cosmic upheavals together with God’s ultimate plan of salvation. The Spirit is poured out, the heavens and earth shake, but in the midst of it all, there is an open door: everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. The universality of this invitation is staggering. In the Old Testament, God’s covenant was focused on Israel, but Joel extends the promise to “everyone.” Paul quotes this verse in Romans 10:13 to emphasize that salvation is available to Jew and Gentile alike through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the Spirit’s ultimate purpose at the end of days—not simply to display power but to draw people into salvation.
Notice that Joel says, “everyone who calls.” Salvation is not automatic; it requires a response. The Spirit stirs hearts, convicts of sin (John 16:8), and points to Christ, but each person must choose to call upon Him. The good news is that in the darkest of days, salvation remains possible for all who turn to the Lord.
Joel also speaks of deliverance “on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem.” I n his day, this pointed to God’s covenant presence in the temple. In the New Testament, this imagery expands to include the heavenly Zion—the dwelling place of God with His people (Hebrews 12:22–24). Ultimately, salvation is not about geography but about God’s presence, which is mediated through His Spirit and made available through Christ.
As the end of days unfold, the Spirit’s role is to make this salvation known and accessible. Every prophecy, every sign in the heavens, every upheaval on the earth serves this central purpose: To point people to call upon the Lord. The Spirit at the end of days is not only about judgment but about mercy—holding open the door of salvation until the final moment.
What about me?
Joel 2:28–32 is one of the most sweeping and hope-filled prophecies in Scripture. It ties together the Spirit’s work with the great and dreadful day of the LORD, showing that the end of days is both a time of upheaval and of opportunity.
· Through prophecy, dreams, and visions, the Spirit reveals God’s truth and equips the church.
· Through wonders in the heavens, God signals His intervention in history, with the Spirit helping believers interpret and endure.
· Through signs on the earth, the Spirit sustains God’s people amid turmoil and uses crisis to awaken hearts.
· And finally, through the universal invitation that all who call on the LORD will be saved, the Spirit accomplishes His ultimate mission: drawing people to Christ.
In these days, we are reminded that the Spirit is not silent, absent, or passive. He is actively preparing God’s people for the final chapter of history and holding out the promise of salvation for all who turn to Him. For believers, this passage is not only a warning but a call to hope. The end of days is not something to fear but to face with Spirit-empowered faith, knowing that the God who shakes the heavens and the earth is the same God who saves all who call on His name.
Believers today tend to look at the references to signs and wonders, and neglect to prepare their hearts for the war against evil. This war is not just God’s job, but ours also, as we stand up for the glory, holiness, and righteousness of Jesus. As we go through our day, let’s look internally, as well as externally, rooting out unrighteous thoughts and motivations.