Luke the physician wrote after the Holy Spirit came upon the people in the upper room, a crowd gathered who wondered if they were inebriated. Jesus' disciple “Peter” stood up and said, “this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. And it shall come to pass in the last days, says 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: on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke”, and in chapter two and verse twenty of the book of Acts Luke shared how Peter referred to the words of God through the prophet Joel which declared, “the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood” where we read:
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood,
before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
The verse begins, “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, ...” Luke began with the words, “the sun shall be turned into darkness” which means “the light of the sun in the sky will be transmuted or corrupted with shadiness and obscurity”, “and the moon into blood” or “and the moon in the night sky turned into bloodshed”. Luke shared how “Peter” referred to the prophet Joel's words concerning the signs given in the “sun and the moon” when God “pours out” His “Spirit” upon mankind.
The verse continues, “... before that great and notable day of the Lord come:” Luke added the words, “before that great” or “in advance and prior to that massive, large and spacious” “and notable” which means “and conspicuous, manifest and illustrious” “day of the Lord” or “time period belonging to the One to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, and the title to God the Messiah” “come” which means “arise and appear”. Luke shared how “Peter” declared how “Joel” said all these things would occur “in advance” of the “large and spacious” time period of “the Lord God”.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn about a manifestation of God upon the “sun and moon” “prior to” the “appearing” of the “great and illustrious” time of “the Lord”. God is intentional in His plan to “save” mankind through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus, and when a person submits their life to Him, they will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life. Those who are wise will remember “Joel's” words and be looking for the “wonders and signs” in the “sun and moon” in advance of the “day of the Lord”.
Next time Luke shares how “Peter” says, “whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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