Okay, please, everyone, turn to Joel chapter 2. We are going today to try to deal with the last verses of Joel 2, which are also quoted in the New Testament, some of them. I'll read just those five verses of Joel 2, verse 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32. Let me read them, first of all, so we have them before us. And if need be, we're going to go into chapter 3. And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your old men shall dream dreams. Your young men shall see visions. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids.

In those days, I will pour out my spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth. Blood and fire. Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness. The moon into blood. Before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be delivered. As the Lord has said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. Verses 28 to 32 of chapter 2 of chapter 2 in the English Bible are actually verses 1 to 5 of chapter 3 of the Hebrew Tanakh.

If you would have had with you today, like some of us have the Tanakh, if you would open it, when you and I began to read in verse 28 of chapter 2, actually in the Hebrew scriptures, in the Tanakh, it is really chapter 3 verses 1 to 5. Verses 28 to 32 of chapter 2 of chapter 2 of chapter 2 in the English is verses 1 to 5 of chapter 3 in the Hebrew Tanakh. That's the way the Divisions in the Tanakh in the Old Testament is found. Now let me refresh your mind where we are at. After this point we have discovered from chapter 1 verse 1 to chapter 2 verse 27 that really the prophet Joel is dealing with three invasions.

The first one was in Joel time about 800-900 years prior to the coming of the Messiah. Invasion number 1 was a locust invasion. The locusts invaded the land, destroyed the crops. The people of Israel were judged by God and they had to repent in order that God will bring back all what he had allowed to be devoured by the locusts. Israel at that time was asked to repent and they had to come and mourn and repent before the Lord for God to stop this judgment. Then Joel taking the people of Israel from that time and he take them further to 11 days which is called in this particular chapter the day of the Lord and he take them beyond the time that they were there.

900 years to the time of the Messiah of course we are looking back even 2000 years up to the time that we today and even further we do not know when the Lord will come and when the tribulation period will come. He take them to this time and he said at that time there will be a second invasion. The second invasion is going to be an invasion of demons who are going to invade the land. We read Revelation chapter 9 connected it with the second chapter of Joel and we saw how clearly they fit together. As we read Revelation we find out that there is judgment of the judgment that are coming upon the people of Israel and the people of the world.

Then we read in verse 20 of Joel chapter 2 and we discover a third invasion. This time is not locus it's not demons demonic but this time is human invasion. And that invasion found in verse 20 and later on in chapter 3 which we are going to read it next time in the will of the Lord. This is human invasion and we discover that it deals with the war of Har Megiddo Armageddon. We read in Zechariah we read in chapter 12. We read of course in chapter 16 of the book of Revelation which we have looked at that there is coming a day when the nations of the world will be gathered against the nation of Israel.

And eventually outside of this time at the end of this time the Messiah will restore the nation of Israel. But now beloved listen when we arrive to verse 28 to 32 of chapter 2 again remember that the subject is Israel. The subject is the nation of Israel. The subject is the Jewish people and the desire of the restoration of the nation of Israel. And so in verses 28 to 32 we give an additional information how all these things are going to come about. We just read in verse 26 and verse 27 which says this: "And ye shall eat in the plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you, and my people shall never be ashamed." We read in verse 27 of chapter 2 of Joel: "And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else, and my people shall never be ashamed." So in a sense Joel took us all the way to the end of the tribulation period.

Israel is already seen in verse 26 and 27 a restored nation. God is in the midst of Israel. But now in verse 28 to 32 it takes us over the same ground with an additional information. How is Israel going to be restored to the Lord? How God is going to be in the midst of the nation of Israel? How is it going to happen? When God is going to be in the midst of His people, He can never be in the midst of an unredeemed nation. It's not possible. If God is going to be in the midst of the nation of Israel, Israel as a nation has to be a redeemed nation.

So we get an additional information in verse 28 to 32 which is so precious if we only understood it. Now the way the verses are read, if you read them, verse 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, you kind of get a little bit mixed up in the order of the verses. I tell you why. For example, in verse 28 it said, "And it shall come to pass afterwards." Then in verse 31 it says, "And the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come." You get a little bit kind of confused because it says afterwards and before the day of the Lord. So it is important to kind of understand the structure of these verses or the events that happen here in those two verses.

Let me just suggest to you today, beloved brothers and sisters, that verse 28 and 29 comes after verse 30, 31 and 32. In fact, the order of events are really in these five verses is first verse 30 and 31 together. Then verse 32 on its own and then you go back to verse 28 and 29. That's the way the events are going to happen. So, please, let's read first of all, verse 30 and 31. Talk a little bit about this. And then we're going to talk about verse 32. And then we're going to go back to verse 28 and 29. So we begin with verse 30 and 31. Look about some of the tokens or some of the proof that the day of judgment or the seven year tribulation are coming.

Some of the events that will precede the day of the Lord, the tribulation period or some of the evidence of the proof that it's coming going to be in verse 30 and 31. Look what he says. I will show wondrous in the heavens and in the earth blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun should be turned into darkness and the moon into blood. And now underline this. Everything that we read up to now is going to happen before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. What God is saying through Joel to the nation of Israel. That before, and I want you to understand, it's very clearly in the Hebrew, before the great and terrible of the Lord is coming, something is going to happen.

Something's in the heavens and something's on earth. It says here in verse 30, I will show wonders in the heavens and also in the earth. What's going to happen? What's going to happen? Well, it says in verse 30, blood, fire and pillars of smoke. Verse 31, the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon will be turned into blood. You see, what God is saying, it is like a warning to the nation of Israel here and really to the nations of the world. That even before the day of the Lord, this terrible day of the Lord is coming, the sign or some events that will prepare the nation for the coming of the judgment, the day of the Lord, the tribulation period, some things will happen.

Such as blood, fire, pillar of smoke on earth. And the sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood. Now you and I might say, we scratch our head and say, Brother Gideon, how is it possible that something like this will happen? We have never experienced things like that in our lives. When you look at biblical history, you will find out that certain events that have happened in the history, in Bible history, what the Bible gives us record, that are things that God have allowed to happen into this universe that he created for mankind, for man's pleasure, for man's blessing. Sin came into this world, man's blessing, sin came into this world, man has gone his own way, and God, who is the creator, can do as he pleases in order to allow things such as this to happen.

Well, he says blood and fire and pillar of smoke. You know, we just studied in our Thursday night Bible class here at the Holy Scriptures evening classes, we have just studied in chapter 19 of the book of Genesis. And chapter 19 of the book of Genesis, these two angels went into Sodom, and they found the condition that existed in Sodom. And you know what happened? God sent from heaven. He thundered from heaven. He sent fire and brimstone and he judged, entirely judged the city of Sodom, Gomorrah, and other cities around. God judged those cities. And he sent from heaven fire and brimstone to judge those nations. Look at the history in the Bible, how God allowed, even before the time of the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah, how God allowed the whole world to be covered with water in the flood.

And Peter gave warning to the people in a future day who are going to say, where is the promise of his coming? God is not going to come. For since the many years, the promise of the coming of the Lord had been, and he didn't come. And Peter reminded them, you remember the history that God judged this world with the flood. When the flood came down and destroyed everything and no man, no animal remained alive except the eight who have entered into the ark. You just look at the history, all kinds of events have happened in this world throughout history. What about the tower of Babel in chapter 11 of the book of Genesis?

Where they built this tower and they thought they're going to make a name for themselves. And God judged that tower and destroyed the people and scattered them abroad. History tells us that things like that will happen. What's going to happen prior to the beginning of the tribulation? That's why I underlined in verse 31 that the sun shall turn into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and terrible death of the Lord. Apparently in the tribulation period from the beginning to the end there will be certain period of blackouts that are going to happen on this earth. You read Revelation 7, Revelation 8, Revelation 9. You read the whole book of Revelation and you will see judgment upon judgment.

God is going to allow things to happen both in the heavens and also in the earth. This expression of blood and fire and smoke speak about judgment that is going to fall upon this earth in the beginning of the tribulation. And that's why he is using here this expression before the great and terrible day of the Lord. Now if you will just go to chapter 3 for a moment. And I know I'm jumping now. Here's another time in the tribulation period there will be darkness. Notice what it says in verse 15. This is also in the tribulation. The one in verse 30 and 31 of chapter 2 is before the tribulation began.

But look what it says in verse 15 of chapter 3. And the sun and the moon shall be darkened. And the stars shall withdraw their shining. And the Lord shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem. And the heavens and the earth shall shake. But the Lord be the hope of his people. You see God is having to judge this world and he is going to do so beloved brothers and sisters. But some unusual proofs of God's judgment will be evident here on earth. And also in heaven. And you know what? When you think about the sun and the moon, you know that the sun and the moon and the stars have been given for our pleasure to divide special feasts, to give us day and night, to give us light, to give us heat.

For these, what God has created, the stars, the moon, the sun, have been created for our pleasure and our blessing. But you see, I don't have to tell you, right now they are talking about the solar system and all what's happening. You know, that's why when we have to wear sunglasses because of the sun penetrating the earth, men had polluted this world that God had handed unto him. The water polluted, everything had been polluted because of the way we treat what God had given to us. And so God is going to say, in the tribulation period, there will be more than one blackout. But here, he's specifically dealing, that's why I'm going to put the verses in order.

Here, before Israel as a nation are going to be redeemed and turned back to God, he gives us this information. What will bring them back to God? What will turn their hearts to God? Well, number one, there will be the judgment of God. Sometimes we need some spanking in order to turn our hearts to the Lord. Because God speaks once, he speaks twice, and then hardening his heart. Well, God says, you know, Israel, I love you too much to allow you to go your way. I'm going to allow some things, some events to happen in order to drive you back to myself. And surely, before, notice it says, before the great and terrible day of the Lord is going to come.

Even before it starts, some of the evidence, some of the token of the coming judgment is right here. Blood, fire, pillar of smoke, sun turning to darkness, the moon into blood. Then the judgment of the tribulation will begin. Now you try to live one day without the sun, one day without the moon, one day without the stars, and you will see how life will be like. And God is going to turn it off. If men love darkness, if men prefer to have God set aside, God is going to come in judgment. And so that's what we see here in verse 30 and 31. So now what's going to happen, you remember, we are talking about what we have already heard in the previous verses.

That God is in the midst of the people of Israel. Joe will give us an additional information. And he tells us, first of all, before the tribulation even began, there will be the judgment of God. There will be those signs, those evidence of the coming judgment. Now, in verse 32, is the next point. In verse 32, we see what's going to happen with the people of Israel. Again, the subject is Israel here. I want you to understand it. In verse 32, it says this, and I love this verse because this verse 32 is a verse that shows us the grace of God. Verse 32 says, and it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered.

For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be delivered, as the Lord has said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. Now, pause with me for a moment about this verse, because in this verse, beloved, we learn two things. In this verse, we learn, number one, we learn the responsibility of men, on the one hand, and the sovereignty of God, on the other hand. You notice, by the way, that two times the word call is mentioned here. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. And at the end of the verse, it says, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

Now, I know that there is a lot of people who have a problem with this truth of the election. You know, you often time hear the preachers speak about election. Often time you hear people speak about election. You know, election is not something that we teach to unbelievers. We don't go to the world today and we tell them, you must be first elected before you come to Jesus. No. Election is a teaching that you teach only believers that have already come to the Lord Jesus Christ. We see here in verse 32, it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call man's responsibility. And then at the end we said, and the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

This is God's sovereignty. Do you know that until you and I came to know the Lord Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we never understood that in eternity past, before the mountain came forth, before creation of men, before creation of angels, even in eternity past, the Godhead, the Father, the Son, the Spirit of God, in the knowledge of the future, God has chosen us in Messiah before the foundation of the world. What a lesson to get a hold of, what a truth to get a hold of. You and I become worshipers when we realize that God has chosen us. God has elected us, He has picked us up of the fire, He brought us to Himself.

That's the truth of election and I'm going to show you this in a moment. But also, Israel as a nation is an elected nation. The Israel, our people are not better than America, Canada, Europe or any country in the world. Our people are not better than the Arabic nation, who are the enemies of the nation of Israel. By nature, Israel is not better than any other nation. But Israel is an elected nation. Israel has been chosen by God. In the purposes of God and the desire of God, God has elected, have called the nation of Israel to be a nation that is a nation that is to be set for Him, set aside to be a nation for Himself.

And it's very similar for the church, for the believers today, this present day. You and I have been elected, have been chosen before the foundation of the world to be part of a company that belong to the Lord Jesus and God the Father. And I just want you to see that from the Scripture. Please, for a moment, turn to Ephesians. We're going to just look a quick couple of verses. In Ephesians chapter 1, we read this. Now again, I'm saying this is not a lesson for those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. This is a lesson for believers. This is something for us who have already come to faith in the Messiah.

And it says there in verse 3 of Ephesians chapter 1. Paul is writing to the brothers and sisters at Ephesus and he says to them, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, in Mashiach, according, look at this beloved, according as He has chosen us in Him. When He has chosen us in Him? Before the foundation of the world. Ha! Yeah, but God, I was not created then. Yes, I know that. Yeah, but God, Adam was not made. The God of Eden was not in creation. Yes, God says, I know that.

But I am God. And I am a creator. And I have chosen every believer that is a believer in this present day. Every one of us have been chosen in the Messiah before the foundation of the world. God has chosen us. You can just like sit down sometime when you are discouraged. When you have problems in your life and you are kind of desperate. And you feel kind of, nobody loves me. Nobody cares for me. Sometimes just sit down and have your Bible open. And your heart is open to the Lord. And just sit down and just realize that you and I, we have been chosen in the Messiah even before the foundation of the world.

God has set His love upon us before the foundation of the world. For that is election. And He chosen us that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Having predestined us. In verse 5. He predestined, He ordained us beforehand unto the adoption of children by Jesus the Messiah to Himself. And it is according to His good pleasure of His will. God has a will of His own. And He has a pleasure. What brought Him pleasure is to pick up out of the whole human race who is heading into eternal separation from Him. He has chosen us and He brought us to Himself according to His good pleasure.

The pleasure of God. And you see, we look at this at the nation of Israel in Joel chapter 2, in the last verse there, verse 32. He had called the remnant of Israel. He had called them, He had chosen them, and He had brought them unto Himself. That is the truth of election. Now, it's not the end, because if you turn to 2 Thessalonians for a moment, just turn to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, and you'll see, Paul is not only saying this to the Ephesians, in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, Paul is writing to the Thessalonians in verse 13 and 14. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, look what he is saying there, verse 13, 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13. But we are found to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth.

"Whereunto He called you by our gospel to the obedience of the glory of the Lord Jesus the Messiah." You know, it is amazing. God uses the gospel as a message to be heard by mankind. But long before the gospel was even heard and proclaimed, God have already have chosen us and elected us and called us. He called us by the gospel. "He from the beginning hath chosen you unto salvation." Sometimes people say, "I am the one that produced my relationship with the Lord because I have kind of kept, you know, I have been pretty good. I have been pretty obedient and I have done something on my own in order to earn this salvation." God will tell us, you and I will tell no.

He says, "I'm sorry. It is the grace that I have poured upon you that have brought you to this relationship with me. It has nothing to do with what you have done. It is totally, I have elected you and I have brought you unto myself." I am not going to read a lot of verses, but there is a verses in 1 Peter chapter 1 and also in 2 Timothy that can be applied here and read here concerning election. That's the one side. And on the other side, we saw in Joel chapter 2 that he said, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered." Here is the other side.

On the one side, he said, "Whom the Lord shall call." On the other side, he said, "Whosoever shall call." Well, here we see man's responsibility, and that goes hand in hand. We have to learn both of these truths that the Bible does teach us. Because of the call of the Lord and God called and chosen us in the Messiah long before, chosen Israel as a nation long before. Because of this, God produced in our hearts, produced in our lives, in a certain point in time, a response to the message of the Gospel. And that's why it says here, "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." What is to call on the name of the Lord?

By the way, this is one of the only verses in the book of Joel that is quoted in the book of Romans, Romans chapter 10. The Apostle Paul used this verse, and he says, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Well, to call on the name of the Lord is to accept what the Lord has offered. To call, "Lord, I need you. I need you. I need the Messiah. I need to come to you. I need your forgiveness." And there is a certain time in our life in which we respond to the message of the Gospel. So what do we learn?

Those two truths are being taught in the Bible. And I give you just here some verses connecting with the responsibility of men. The verses will be, for example, in Matthew chapter 11 verse 28. "Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Here is the call of the Lord. "Come to me." There is a responsibility to come. This is man's responsibility. Romans 10 verses 9 and 10. "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, Yeshua as Lord, and believe in your heart that God had raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved." There is a responsibility that man has.

No doubt. But the sovereignty of God is essential to understand. Because, beloved, had God not chosen us in the Messiah before the foundation of the world, none of us will call on the name of the Lord. None of us will respond to the call of God. None of us. It is the grace of God that draws us to Himself. Now, I want to read with you one more verse in connection with this that Jesus the Messiah had said in John chapter 6. If you just turn there for a moment, and you will see that verse 32 of Joel 2 goes parallel with John chapter 6 and verse 37. We have election in verse 37a and free will or main responsibility in verse 37b.

Here, the Messiah is speaking. He is speaking to His disciples and He said to them, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me." That's the sovereignty of God. Election. Election. Then the second half of this verse said, "And Him that come to me, I will in no wise cast him out." This is free will. This is man's responsibility. Let me read it again. Let me read it again. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me." Election. The sovereignty of God. Verse 37b. "Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." Free will. Man's responsibility. You notice that? Do you know that you and I are a gift from the Father to the Son?

Again, less Thursday night we had this subject before us. God the Father took you and I and gave us as a gift to God the Son. That's what happened. Do you think God is going to say to His Son, "Oh, maybe this gift is not good enough because this gift was not performing good stuff enough. He didn't live godly enough. Oh, I'm going to take this gift back." Praise God, He doesn't do so. Maybe you and I might take the gift back. But not God. He took us! Even the way He knew the way we were and He set His love upon us and He gave us as a gift to His Son.

All that the Father giveth unto me, notice, shall come unto me. Every gift that God had given, the Father gave to the Son, will go to the Son and shall come. Indeed, this is election. This is the sovereignty of God. But then He turned around and He says, "He that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast him out." That's the responsibility and the free will of mankind. So, John 6:37 is going parallel with Joel 2:32 while Joel 2 speaks about Israel. John 6 speaks about the believers in this present day. Every one of us, it takes us from the time of the coming of the Messiah, of course, up to the time of the end of the church age.

And, of course, it can go beyond because it's speaking of the gifts that the Father had given to the Son. And so now, beloved, back to chapter 2 of Joel. And look here what we read. Number one, before the great and terrible day of the Lord will come, there will be all kind of events that are going to happen on the earth and in heaven. The blood, the fire, the smoke on the earth, the sun, the moon turn into darkness, turn into blood in heaven. Those events will happen. That will produce the beginning of the tribulation period. And from then on, we have now seven years of tribulation according to Daniel chapter 9.

Judgment after judgment after judgment will come until Israel as a nation will finally come to the Lord. And Israel as a nation in chapter 2 and verse 32, it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered, shall be saved. Delivered from the judgment of the tribulation and God will accept them. They will confess, they will repent, and they will come back to God. And in Zion, in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance in that day. And it says here at the end that the remnant whom the Lord shall call. By the way, the word remnant here, remnant has to do with the left over, that which will remain at the end of the tribulation.

Well, you just read the prophets and you will find out the suffering, the tribulation and the loss of lives that are going to occur in the tribulation. And there will be only a remnant. Now it's going to be a large remnant, but it's going to be only a remnant that will remain at the end of the tribulation. And God is the one that by divine design have called them and they have responded to his call. And God is going to redeem that nation of Israel. Romans says in chapter 11, and all Israel shall be saved. All Israel, but all Israel at the end of the tribulation period.

You know, in Israel, they've had many, many holocausts. Our people have experienced sorrows and trials and suffering throughout the history of the nation of Israel. If it is not many years ago in Germany, what happened with the Crusaders much earlier? What happened with the Babylonian, with the Assyrian, with the Spanish Inquisition? Just look at the history of the people of Israel. And God never allowed the totality of the destruction of the nation of Israel. God only allowed a certain measure of suffering to the nation of Israel. Here now, the tribulation will be over. And at the end of the tribulation, God had delivered this remnant whom he shall call.

And these remnant are the remaining. There will be many of them, but there will be the remaining of the suffering of the tribulation period. The deliverance is not talking about Toronto here. He is not talking about New York. He is not talking about Paris now. He is dealing with Jerusalem and he is dealing with Zion. The name here is clearly for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance. So, beloved, that's what Joel is speaking about. He is dealing now with the nation. So, verses 30 and 31, things that will happen prior as a sign of the beginning of the tribulation. Verse 32, the tribulation has passed and there will be a remnant at the end of the tribulation who will remain after the soul and the suffering that will occur upon the face of this earth from among the people of Israel.

And now, in verse 28 and 29, he is speaking about the consequences of all this. After the judgment have come. After the sufferings and the soul have happened. Finally, Israel as a nation will be redeemed and gathered and God is going to pour out his spirit upon the nation of Israel as a nation. And notice what he says. And I am reading Joel chapter 2 and verse 28 and 29. And it shall come to pass. Afterward, remember beloved, I said to you in verse 31 it says before. In verse 28 it says after. Before what and after what? Well, before the tribulation began in verse 31. 31. But after Israel confession and repentance, then the spirit of God will be poured upon the whole nation of Israel.

Notice it said. And it shall come to pass. Afterwards. That I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. And I want to remind you once again, beloved brothers and sisters, this all flesh has to do with Jewish flesh. He does not speak about the church here because the church is not the subject here. The church was not in existence. He's speaking about the nation of Israel. And it will come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. And notice how he's pointing. And your sons. This is Israel's sons. And your daughters. This is Zion's daughters. Shall prophesy. Your old men.

Israel's old men. Shall dream dream. And your young men. The people of Israel's young men shall see vision. And also upon the servants, upon the handmaids in those days. That is at the end of the tribulation. After Israel confessed and repented. And repented after. Then God will pour out his spirit upon all flesh. This is important to understand. Now beloved. Every time in the Bible. When we talk about the spirit of God. We have to realize that redemption and salvation. Often time is associated with the work of the spirit of God. The spirit of God is the agent whereby God is using for the regeneration of the people of mankind.

Every time the work of the Lord happened in a soul. It was a divine work by the spirit of God. The Holy Spirit of God. God the Holy Spirit doesn't work in the soul. Well this is a national work. This is a work that God is going to do for the nation of Israel. Finally. When the beginning of the millennial age we start. There is no starting of the millennial age before Israel as a nation is redeemed. And the spirit of God is being poured upon the nation. Not trinkled. But poured. The nation. And by the way I want you to understand here. The subject here.

Is that there will be all kind of things such as. Nevuot in Hebrew. Halomot chesyonot. There will be all kind of experiences that they will experience. And all kind of things as he's using his expression. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Now they're not going to speak about the future day. Prophecy. Nevuah. Nevuah. Now it's not always see talking about the future. The what's going to happen someday. When he's speaking about prophecy in scripture. There's a time when a prophet spoke about events for the future. But there's a time that the prophet simply preached and presented the word of God. And they are going to speak forth the word of God.

It says here in the same verses. It says your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your old men shall dream dreams. Your young men shall see vision. There will be dreams and vision. There will be all kind of occurrences that will happen. That will be unique to a regenerate nation. As a nation of Israel will finally be redeemed. And you notice there is no limitation anymore. There is no classes. There is not one class that is spiritual class. And one class that is not a spiritual. He says sons and daughters. Young men, old men. Verse 29. Maiden servants and women servants. It will be a national restoration.

When the nation of Israel as a nation. Is going to be restored. When the Spirit of God will be poured upon the nation of Israel. Now I want you to see that. That how it's important to understand the work of the Holy Spirit of God. When Israel is going to be redeemed and saved. The Spirit of God will do a work in the heart of the nation. Turn back to the prophet Ezekiel for a moment. And I want to read there a couple of verses in chapter 39. Ezekiel chapter 39. Verse 28 and 29. The last two verses of this chapter. Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God.

Which calls them to be led into captivity among the heathen. But I have gathered them unto their own land. And have left none of them anymore there. Now notice verse 29. Neither will I hide my face anymore from them. For I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel. Saith the Lord. Israel's regeneration comes after Israel's regathering. And the discipline of the tribulation. Then God will pour out his spirit upon the house of Israel. Then I will take you from among the heathen. And I will gather you out of all countries. And I will bring you into your own land. That's the physical restoration.

Then he says. Then I will sprinkle clean water upon you. And ye shall be clean. From all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. Verse 26. A new heart also will I give you. And a new spirit will I put within you. And I will take away the stony heart of your flesh. And I will give you a heart of flesh. Verse 27. And I will put my spirit within you. And cause you to walk in my statues. And ye shall keep my judgment and do them. Beloved. You know this is a tremendous time in the history of mankind. When Israel as a nation.

Will be finally redeemed. And it is always a work of the Holy Spirit of God. Among the people of Israel. You know like today. A person that accepts the Lord Jesus. The Messiah today. On the streets. You go and you preach the gospel. And you share the message of the gospel. With any person on the street today. This person is never going to be redeemed. Unless the Spirit of God walk in his heart. This person will never be a child of God. Unless the Holy Spirit of God take residence. In his own heart. In his own conscience. Well that is exactly what's going to happen to the nation of Israel.

The Spirit of God will be poured upon not some flesh. But upon all flesh. And all the sons. And the daughters. And the old men. And the young men. And the servant. The maidens. And a maiden servant. All of them. There will be national regeneration. By the way. In Zechariah 12:10. He said. And I will pour out a spirit of grace and mercy upon this nation. And you know. This is something that Joel is speaking about already. About eight. Nine hundred years prior to the coming of the Messiah. He is speaking about this future day. Now quickly. Before we're going to close. I want you to turn to Acts chapter 2.

Because you remember. After all. The reason that we went to Joel. Is was because of the subject in Acts chapter 2. When the birth of the church. In Acts chapter 2. Quickly. We're going to read there. Just those verses. Verse 16 to 21. Acts chapter 2. Verses 16 to 21. We're just going to be in closing. Here we have. What Peter proclaiming. And he mentioned the very verses that we just read. In verse 28 and 29. Acts chapter 2. Verse 16. I read verse 14. Peter standing up with the eleven. He lifted up his voice. And he said unto them. Ye men of Judah. And all ye that dwell in Jerusalem. Be this known unto you. And hearken to my word.

For these are not drunken. As you suppose. Seeing it. But the third hour of the day. But this is that. Which was spoken by the prophet Yoel. And it shall come to pass in that. In the last days. Says God. That I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. And your young men shall see visions. And your old men shall see dreams. And all my servants and all my handmaids. I will pour out in those days of my spirit. And they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in heaven above. And signs in the earth. Beneath blood.

And fire. And vapor. And smoke. The sun shall be turned into blood. Before that great and notable day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Now notice beloved. Let us not make the mistake here. Let us understand that obviously what Peter is speaking. He doesn't say that it was fulfilled. Even though he used this is that. This is that. But what he meant simply there is simply this. That that event that is happening right now in Acts chapter 2. The Spirit of God came and took residence among believers. Is that which will happen in a future day.

Not all what have happened here in Acts chapter 2. Is what mentioned in Joel chapter 2. What's happening is something similar. To what is going to happen in a future day. And remember. He did not speak there. To non-Jewish people. Because all the people in Acts chapter 2. In totality. Were Jewish people. Or proselyte who became Hebrews. Or became Jewish people. Became believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And some of this special event that happened. Something similar. That what's going to happen in the future day. In the time at the end of the tribulation period. So I would like you beloved brothers and sisters. See it in its proper context.

Because text without context is pretext. We would have always a problem to understand the word of God. Unless we take it from the text itself. And so verses 28 to verse 32. It's an additional information. About what I've already covered in verse 2. Israel's regathering. After the judgment that is going to be poured upon them in the tribulation. They will repent and confess. And then the spirit of God. Will be poured upon the nation. And all the nation as a nation. Going to be regenerated. And living a life for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And with this we conclude. Can we say amen to that? Amen.