Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 ¹³  But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of sweet wine.” 

 ¹⁵  “For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day;

 ¹⁶  but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:
    ¹⁷  ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says,
         ‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND;
         AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY,
         AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS,
         AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;
    ¹⁸  EVEN ON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN,
         I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT
         And they shall prophesy.
    ¹⁹  ‘AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE
         AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW,
         BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE.
    ²⁰  ‘THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS
         AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD,
         BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.
    ²¹  ‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’ ”  Acts 2:12-21.

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In above-stated verses 17 through 21, Peter quotes most of Joel 2:28-32.  Here is the full verse of Joel 2:32:  “And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD Will be delivered;  For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As the LORD has said, Even among the survivors whom the LORD calls.”  I think that this Joel 2:32 verse is important, as well as the whole book of Joel, which prophesies about these “last days” for several reasons.  The Book of Joel reminds us that salvation is based on election “whom the LORD calls”, and the Book of Joel reminds us that in these last days God is not only exercising His lovingkindness, God is also exercising His justice. 

There is a broad pouring out of the Holy Spirit when we consider that Scripture only mentions a few receiving the Holy Spirit in the beginning of the New Testament (not including the Old Testament) from John the Baptist and Jesus to the twelve disciples to the 120 at Pentecost to the 3,000 and more at this initial pouring evidenced by Acts 2:41 to many more later.  This is certainly an exponential pouring out of the Spirit both in terms of numbers of people and in terms of different types of people (Jews and Gentiles and all nations).  In that sense, the Spirit was poured out on all mankind.

But, I do think that we need to be careful to understand that not everyone receives the Holy Spirit and that God still hates the wicked and intends on fully punishing them to fulfill His justice.  We get that sense when we read the Book of Joel. 

In conclusion, this Scripture for today should not make us careless into thinking that God loves everyone and that it is within our control to call upon the name of the LORD and be saved whenever we want.  We should not neglect the fear of the LORD and repentance.  Rather, we should adopt the following attitude of fear of the LORD and repentance along with this hope of the pouring out of Holy Spirit which is in the same chapter of Joel 2 which Peter quotes in the Scripture for today. 

“¹¹  The LORD utters His voice before His army;
         Surely His camp is very great,
         For strong is he who carries out His word
         The day of the LORD is indeed great and very awesome,
         And who can endure it?
    ¹²  “Yet even now,” declares the LORD,
         “Return to Me with all your heart,
         And with fasting, weeping and mourning;
    ¹³  And rend your heart and not your garments ”
         Now return to the LORD your God,
         For He is gracious and compassionate,
         Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness
         And relenting of evil.”  Joel 2:11-13.