13 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. (9am) 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17-18 ‘And in the last days it shall be', God declares, 'that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.'

19-20 'And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” Acts 2:13-21 English Standard Version.

There was a huge buzz in Jerusalem on that Pentecost feast day which this Chapter tells us about. There had been a sound of a mighty rushing wind, tongues of fire had appeared over the heads of the followers of Jesus who’d been praying in an upper room of a building in the city, and then people from different parts of the world heard what the disciples were saying in their own language. The crowd was astounded. It was Peter who then took the lead in explaining to them what these events signified. (vs 16)

Peter went on to quote words written by a Jewish prophet, Joel, who lived around 830 BC. Though the book of Joel is only 3 chapters long, it has some very powerful pictures of a coming 'Day of the Lord'. Joel preached following a time when a huge plague of locusts had devastated the country. But he says that such a plague was nothing compared to the devastation that foreign armies would bring if the people did not repent of the sinful ways they were embracing. And, near the end of his prophecy, Joel spoke the words which Peter now quoted to the people. What is the link Peter makes from Joel's words to what the crowd had witnessed on that Feast day of Pentecost? (vs 17-18)

Peter saw the day of Pentecost as a fulfilment of what Joel had prophesied. God was pouring out His Holy Spirit in abundance. Not just on a prophet here or there, but in a widespread way upon common people. And not just on men, upon women as well. But note the important words Peter quotes, which Joel's prophecy started with in vs 17.

Joel said that this wonderful outpouring of God's Spirit would be 'in the last days'. That's a phrase which appears at least five times in the New Testament. For example, the Book of Hebrews begins with the words: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe.” We are living in the last days of this current world's history.

In verses 19-20 Joel also spoke of a day which he called 'the Day of the Lord', and which will be a “great and magnificent day!” (Some translations call it 'an awesome’ day!) While it could be that Joel was speaking of when Messiah would first appear, it could also mean that the last days will culminate in that most magnificent day of the Lord – I.e. when Jesus returns. Meanwhile, in the period between the start of the last days and their culmination, there will be various upheavals which Joel sets out in the symbolic language of these two verses. Whichever view one takes, what is the wonderful promise that the last days bring? (vs 20)

While the last days will climax in God's righteous judgment on mankind, they are also days of salvation for all who turn from sin and call on God for forgiveness. In Joel 2:12-13 God said: “Return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” And Joel said: “Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and He relents over disaster.” No wonder the apostle Paul wrote later to people in Corinth: “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)