“Seeing Signs”

Friday, April 29, 2016

I have a quick question; I am having problems understanding this verse in the Bible; please help me understand.  Thanks for your help!

Acts 2:17 In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.

Sincerely,
Visions Of Answers

Dear Visions Of Answers,

This particular set of verses gives quite a few people problems because these verses seem like a prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled.  The key to this prophecy is to understand that it was fulfilled a long time ago.  Peter says that particular prophecy (from the book of Joel – Joel 2:28-29) was referring to what happened to Israel during the time of Christ (Acts 2:14-16).

For 400 years, the Jews had received no word from God – no prophets, no visions, no dreams, nothing. Then, after all that silence came:

• Zacharias and the angel (Lk 1:13)
• Elizabeth’s prophecy (Lk 1:41)
• Simeon’s prophecy (Lk 2:26)
• Anna’s prophecy (Lk 2:36)
• The shepherds’ vision (Lk 2:8-9)
• John the Baptist’s preaching (Matt 3:1)
• Jesus’ miracles (Jhn 2:11)
• The miracles of Jesus’ seventy disciples (Lk 10:17)

There was a veritable explosion of supernatural events. Peter is explaining how this influx of miracles, visions, and prophecy were a fulfillment of what Joel said would happen in the last days of Israel.  ‘In the last days’ doesn’t mean the end of the world in this circumstance; it means the end (or last days) of the Old Covenant.  Peter is using these verses from the book of Joel to illustrate that Jesus really is the Messiah that the Jews had been waiting for.  Jesus fulfilled Joel’s prophecy, and today we reap the benefits of it.

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