THE LORD SPOKE (December 13)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Joel 1-2

“This is that.” So said Peter on the Day of Pentecost when he quoted Joel’s prophecy. “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel” (Acts 2:16).

And yet, several parts of Joel’s prophecy did not take place on the Day of Pentecost. Though there were many signs and wonders on that day, the sun did not turn to darkness nor the moon to blood. Did Peter get it wrong?

No, Joel prophesied the things that would happen “before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Joel 2:31). That day would be introduced by a great out-pouring of the Spirit of God (Joel 2:28,29) but it was to be an extended event. Notice, for example, that he says, “I will pour out my Spirit in those days” (Joel 2:29).

Like any Hebrew day, the counting of time begins with the evening and moves to the morning. Since Genesis 1 and 2, “the evening and the morning” constituted a day; each day began at sunset, not sunrise as we commonly count a day. Just so, “the Day of the Lord” as portrayed in Scripture will begin with darkness and doom. Only after the divine wrath and judgment is spent will the sunrise of divine blessing begin. If you read carefully all the passages that deal with the Day of the Lord you’ll see both aspects but the ordering of the events is not always clear because each individual passage has its own emphasis.

But, back to Peter and Pentecost.... He quite naturally thought of Joel’s prophecy when he saw the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit that was taking place on that day. It was a first step in what we understand to be a telescoping prophecy and fits quite well with the “already...not yet” emphasis of the New Testament.

Of greater import, at least to Gentile believers ever since the Day of Pentecost, is the way Peter applies the “all people” and “everyone” of Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28,32). He relates this to “all who are far off” (Acts 2:39). This is a clear reference to non-Jews who have been brought into the New Covenant (see Jeremiah 31 and Hebrews 8). Paul also does this in Romans 11:11-24 and Ephesians 2:14-18.

The words of this blog would not be written and you would have no interest in reading them if it were not for Joel’s prophecy: “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:32). The fulfillment of that began on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and continues to the present moment. We still await the further unrolling of the Day of the Lord, but it too will surely come.


Proverbs 13

“Spare the rod and spoil the child.” (Samuel Butler)

It might surprise you to find out that this phrase doesn’t come from the Bible. Actually, the scriptural statement is stronger yet. Solomon says that if you spare the rod you hate your child (Prov. 13:24). Few people would admit to such a thing but the truth of the matter is born out in that child’s life later. Why is it that Scripture equates this with hating your child? Here are four possible explanations:

1) You don’t love the child enough to do something serious about his character formation. Character is not just the good you do, it is also the bad that you don’t do. It is something that must be taught.

2) You don’t love the child enough to help him break bad habits that will eventually grow into worse things in the future. Little things grow with time. A spanking today may save a jail term later.

3) You don’t love the child enough to help him learn how to function in society. Self-absorbed, self-indulgent, and self-seeking behavior must be brought under control early on or it becomes unmanageable. There’s not much that is uglier than an adult who acts with childish selfishness.

4) You don’t love the child enough to teach him how to submit to authority. A lack of respect or obedience to authority will only get worse if unchecked. Ultimately this will result in serious resistance to God’s authority in other areas of his life for God is the highest authority.

Take careful note of the rest of what Proverbs has to say about this matter:

• Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him. (Prov. 22:15)
• Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death. (Prov. 23:13-14)
• The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother. (Prov. 29:15)