Joel 2:31Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Although the holy Evangelists do not elaborate on this, the prophetic testimony suffices. At the command of the Creator, the signs extended beyond the sun; it was as if all of nature underwent a calamitous transformation, which is evident from what God speaks through Isaiah: “I will clothe the heavens with darkness, and I will put as a garment upon them” (Isaiah 50:3). When He refers to “the heavens,” He indicates that all within heaven is covered in darkness like a shroud, mourning and grieving, as though expressing anguish through its very appearance. Such are the signs in heaven. As for the earth, “blood, fire, and billowing smoke” signify, I believe, the sorrows of the Jewish people, inflicted by fierce warfare at the hands of the Romans: their land was drenched in blood; the renowned temple, along with the cities, was destined for flames; the ruined houses were enveloped in smoke. This foreshadows that before the great and glorious day, when divine judgment will be executed upon all, and when Christ shall render to each according to their deeds, the same fate awaits the Jews, as indicated by the phrase, “before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.” Furthermore, it is pivotal to observe that when the holy apostles inquired of the Lord regarding the end of the age and the destruction of Jerusalem, He intertwined the signs, implying that it remains uncertain when each will be fulfilled (Matthew 24).

The Blessed Apostle Peter indicated that this prophecy was fulfilled during the suffering of the Lord, as on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the believers, and they began speaking in various tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Those present were amazed, asking, "Are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear them in our own languages, each of us born speaking Parthian, Medes, Elamites, and others?" Some were bewildered, asking, "What does this mean?" Others mocked, saying, "They are filled with new wine." But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed the men of Judea and all dwelling in Jerusalem, urging them to listen carefully to his words. He explained, “These men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, and they shall prophesy.’”

Peter affirmed that Joel's prophecy was indeed fulfilled during the time of the Lord's suffering, prompting us to consider how the preceding and following texts connect within the continuity of scripture, ensuring a coherent interpretation rather than presenting conflicting understandings. Initially, it states, "Great is the day of the Lord, and very terrible; who can endure it?" This is followed by an exhortation to repentance: "Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning." As the passage progresses, the Lord's jealousy for His land and His compassion for His people are emphasized, leading to the promise of future blessings contingent on repentance.

The promise emphasizes, “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy.” I believe this captures the intended continuity of the message. Connecting what follows becomes difficult, as some argue that the general promises concerning the last days have partially commenced. The apostles, recognizing the future blessings at the Lord's initial coming, acknowledged the beginnings of those fulfilled promises, allowing us a glimpse of what is to come. Another perspective suggests that the apostles often referenced past events to validate what they taught, not to deceive their audiences, but rather to provide timely and encouraging messages.

Continuing the prophetic tradition, they viewed what the Jews anticipated literally in the end times as being fulfilled spiritually in Christ’s first coming, with the distinction lying in the fulfillment timing—while some remain expectant, we recognize that those promises have already been realized. The “all flesh” upon which the Lord promises to pour out His Spirit aligns with Isaiah's message, "And all flesh shall see the salvation of God." Thus, the manifestation of God’s salvation is contingent upon the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and a professed belief in Christ should inherently include faith in the Holy Spirit as well.

Hence, those baptized into John’s baptism in anticipation of Christ were later rebaptized upon learning of the Holy Spirit’s absence, leading them to receive the true baptism that incorporates the essential mystery of the Trinity. The reception of the Holy Spirit doesn’t guarantee immediate spiritual gifts; rather, through the Holy Spirit’s outpouring, diverse gifts are given—some will prophesy, others will have visions, and yet others will dream dreams. The servants, though susceptible to the spirit of fear rather than love, will obtain faith and salvation, lacking the prophetic gifts.

Signs will manifest in the heavens and on the earth. The sun’s darkening and the moon’s transformation signify the events surrounding Christ's crucifixion. The references to blood and pillars of smoke evoke imagery from the Psalms and Isaiah regarding the Savior's atoning sacrifice when the Roman soldier pierced Jesus' side, releasing blood and water. The fire, representative of the Holy Spirit, descended from heaven and filled the apostles, enabling them to speak in tongues, a foreshadowing of the fire Jesus intended to ignite within His disciples prior to His suffering.

This fire serves a dual purpose, providing illumination to believers and affliction to unbelievers, evidenced in the pillars of smoke which represent the blindness experienced by the Jews throughout scripture. The darkness of the sun symbolized its refusal to witness the Lord’s suffering, while the moon's appearance as blood can be understood as a testimony against those who rejected Christ, condemning themselves with their own words. The events noted transpired before the great and dreadful day of the Lord, which may signify either the resurrection or the eventual day of judgment to come, certainly a day filled with awe.

However, with the promise that “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” being articulated in the context of Christ’s suffering, this strongly suggests its reference to the resurrection. The Apostle Paul underscores this, asserting that there is no distinction between Jew and Greek—God is generous to all who call upon Him. As it is emphasized, “How shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him if they have not heard?”

The declaration that “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” carries profound implications. While it is affirmed that one can only speak of the Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit, it is the condition of the heart that is paramount. Those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy and to invoke the name of the Lord, reflect this divine call that aligns with the faithful throughout scriptures. The mention of the remnant points to those Jews who embraced faith; as noted by Isaiah, had not the Lord preserved a remnant, they would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah.

These elements coalesce during the great and dreadful day of the Lord, with salvation extending to all who call upon His name from Mount Zion and Jerusalem, from whence the law originated and the salvation of God is revealed. The salvation witnessed at the time of Christ and culminated in Jerusalem solidified the foundation upon which all must stand—through prophetic acknowledgment and fulfillment, recognizing the significance of this salvific moment intricately woven with prophetic history through the ages, pointing toward ultimate hope.

Such signs, both terrestrial and celestial, will serve as omens of the impending judgment, as stated by Christ the Savior (Matt. 24:29, Luke 21:25). The day of the Lord, when this solemn judgment will unfold, is referred to by the prophet as a great day due to the profound significance it holds for humanity, and it is described as enlightening—radiant—because the Lord the Judge will reveal Himself in His glory (Matthew 25:31).

This prompts the question: how should we interpret the Apostle Peter’s reference to the prophetic announcements of signs that will precede this awe-inspiring judgment in relation to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit? Is there a connection between this event and the aforementioned signs? One must consider that the Apostle recognizes the descent of the Holy Spirit as a precursor to the signs that will foretell the universal judgment. These signs may be fearsome, yet they will be enacted by the same omnipotent Power that brought forth the miracle of tongues of fire resting on the Apostles and the accompanying storm that marked this event.