Is Joel's Prophecy for Post Modern Believers?

28"It will come about after this
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
29"Even on the male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
The Day of the LORD
30"I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth,
Blood, fire and columns of smoke.
31"The sun will be turned into darkness
And the moon into blood
Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.
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.

This same passage is quoted again in the book of Acts:

Acts 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, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams...

There are four parts to this prophecy:

1. It was a prophecy for Joel's day
2. It was a prophecy for Paul's day
3. It is a prophecy for our day
4. It is a prophecy for a future day

I will deal with each point individually to help understand the meaning of the prophecy.

1. It was a prophecy for Joel's day

Israel had suffered much at the hands of her enemies and often through the chastisement of God. Joel's prophecy gave hope of a coming Messiah that would bring salvation to the world through his sacrifice on the cross. It was an encouragement to be looking for their deliverer and to anticipate a great out pouring of the Holy Spirit before the Messiah's return.

2. It was a prophecy for Paul's day

Paul the Apostle literally witnessed the beginning of the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy. The promise came on the day of Pentecost as a rushing mighty wind. The Holy Spirit came upon those believers with flaming tongues of fire and each spoke in a foreign language giving praise to God.

To be continued...