Let’s begin with a brief synopsis of my last two blogs. The Feast of Pentecost is the first major event recorded in the Book of Acts following Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Pentecost was always celebrated 50 days after Passover, and on that Day in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago, the Holy Spirit fell upon those who had gathered in the Upper Room, and they began to speak with other tongues. Those who came come from the far reaches of the empire to celebrate the Feast were hearing the Good News proclaimed in their own native tongue, each language spoken by one of Jesus’ disciples who had never taken a course in linguistics! And the amazing thing is that all those who heard and received the Good News returned to their homes and began spreading the message of Christ even before the Apostle Paul carried the Good News around the Roman Empire almost 20 years later!

As we saw last week, Peter told the crowd that had gathered that this was a fulfillment of the prophecy spoken by Joel hundreds of years earlier. Furthermore, Peter told those gathered that the fulfillment of Joe’s prophecy was occurring during “the last days.”

Notice, first of all, that Peter said that “this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel” (Acts 2:16). Plainly stated, this prophecy was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost. Secondly, Joel’s prophecy said that this would be fulfilled “in the last days.” The “last days” of what? We discovered last week that it was “the last days” of the Old Covenant that would disappear some 40 years later when Jerusalem fell to the Romans. Joel was not referring to “the last days of planet earth.” If you missed last week’s blog, I encourage you to check it out.

But there was more to Peter’s message and to Joel’s prophecy as Peter began to confirm Joel’s use of apocalyptic language to describe what was happening on this particular day, that is, the Day of Pentecost. Let’s check out what Joel (and Peter) had to say:

I will display wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below, blood, fire, and vapor of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes (Acts 2:19-20).

The sun turning dark? The moon turning to blood? What’s going on here? It’s simply a literary device known as apocalyptic imagery that was used throughout the Old Testament to graphically describe major literal events in a non-literal, dramatic “over-the top” fashion. In other words, the events prophesied would literally happen, but not with the graphic display used by the prophet. Let’s see how this plays out as the prophets used this language throughout the Old Testament.

DIVINE JUDGMENT USING CELESTIAL IMAGERY: The Prophets spoke of the sun, moon, and stars growing dark; the heavens dissolving and wearing away; and the sky being rolled up like a scroll.

DIVINE JUDGMENT USING EARTHLY IMAGERY: The Prophets spoke of the drying up of rivers, seas, and vegetation, or as mountains quaking and dissolving.

DIVINE BLESSING USING CELESTIAL IMAGERY: The Prophets spoke of the sun, moon, and stars shining brighter; the moon as bright as the sun, and the sun becoming 7X brighter!

DIVING BLESSING USING EARTHLY IMAGERY: The Prophets spoke of the earth gushing forth with water and the land blooming with vegetation.

Furthermore, because it was a common literary device in the Old Testament, you would expect the disciples to be familiar with it and even use it themselves. In fact, Jesus Himself used it when He described the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70:

But immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken (Matthew 24:29).

But this wasn’t the end of Joe’s prophecy, as Peter had one more thing to add from Joel’s prophetic words, and it was a crucial aspect of Peters message that followed:

And it shall be that whosoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:21).

So, just what does it mean to “call on the name of the Lord?” That call is not a dial-up cordial phone call toward heaven, but a desperate cry for HELP. It’s a humble and heart-felt plea for God to intervene and rescue us from the penalty and power of sin. That call must be accompanied by genuine repentance, that is, recognizing that we have sinned and fallen far short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

In case you weren’t aware, Joel’s prophecy and Peter’s plea are just as relevant today as they were 2,000 years ago. If you haven’t cried out to God to save you from the penalty and power of sin, it is never too late to do so. There is no reason to wait. In fact, He is waiting to hear from you.