"In the Last Days..."
Friday, June 4, 2004
In the Last Days Bible Study Calendar
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, Thank You for another week to know and serve You. As I start this Friday (or conclude it), I give You praise for another week of life and living as Your child and servant! I pray that You will fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit that I may live boldly and confidently for You in all that takes place this day. Glorify Yourself in my life by using me to share the Good News in words and actions, and by keeping even my thoughts focused on You. This I pray in the strong name of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord, who lived and died, and lives again to Your glory and praise! Amen.
God's Word For Me Today
Acts 2:16-21
16No, what you see this morning was predicted centuries ago by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days, God said,
I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
18In those days I will pour out my Spirit
upon all my servants, men and women alike,
and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below—
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned into darkness,
and the moon will turn bloodred,
before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21And anyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.’
Reflecting on God’s Word
What is the strangest physical phenomenon that you have ever seen?
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
What specific physical changes to the earth and heavens will be evident before the return of Jesus, according to this Scripture reading? (2:19-20)
Understanding God’s Purpose
What purpose could God have in the physical signs that are to accompany Jesus’ return?
Applying God’s Word to Our Lives
What is God’s intention for us as we await the last day?
Thoughts...Wonders and Signs in Heaven and on Earth...
One of the more difficult aspects of Joel’s prophecy for us to understand as “modern” people, is the physical signs and wonders involving the heavens and the earth—the sun and the moon—that will take place before the great and glorious day of the Lord, the day of Jesus’ return. Many have undertaken to determine exactly what will cause the sun to be turned to darkness (an asteroid shower, a burn out, etc…) and the moon to “blood” or “blood red” depending on the translation. Did Joel mean these words literally or figuratively? We can’t answer these questions definitively, but what we can say is that when Jesus returns the event will be the culmination of all of history, and God will undoubtedly accompany such an event with signs and wonders! We are told in other places by Jesus, Himself, that when He returns there will be lightning stretching across the sky, and that EVERYONE will be able to see Him when He returns so that there will be no doubt.
How God is going to work out all the logistics of these amazing events is literally beyond our comprehension, but what Peter made clear, by quoting Joel’s prophecy is that the beginning of this great and glorious ending had begun on the day of Pentecost nearly 2,000 years ago. Peter wanted everyone to understand, and not to underestimate what was taking place. The Holy Spirit being poured out on ALL people, was the beginning of the timing of Jesus’ return. The Holy Spirit has come to each and every believer to give us the equipping we need, the transformation that Jesus promised, so we can share the Good News of Jesus with everyone. The time of the last days is not a time for idling away the time—we are called to actively share the new life of Jesus Christ with the world. We do that most often one person at a time. While some would prefer to spend all of their time trying to figure out what is going to turn the moon to blood, the signs and wonders are mentioned to move us to action—to sharing the Good News—NOW, not later, because we may not have later.
Let us call on God to keep pouring out His Holy Spirit in our lives that we may be empowered daily to share His saving grace with any and all who will receive it! This is our calling, and no one can fulfill it but us!