Women, Called and Serving in Leadership

Joel’s “Shall Come” Prophesy

January 1, 2009 on 6:16 pm | In Women in Ministry | 3 Comments

Joel 2:28 “It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions.

We know that both men and women were already prophesying as prophets and prophetesses when Joel spoke this prophetic word concerning what shall come to pass in the future.

The prophesy being spoken of by Joel and received in Acts 2 must then mean something more – something that was unseen and unknown in the Old Testament. It would be an out pouring of God in a fresh and new way upon all mankind.

Joel spoke of a fresh new thing – an unseen and unknown thing – coming in the earth, thus we must not limit Joel’s spoken of prophesy to the context of the Old Testament. We must not limit Joel’s spoken of prophesy to what was already seen and known. Instead, we must search the New Testament to find the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophecy.

Acts 2:17-18 ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says, ‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS; 18 EVEN ON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT And they shall prophesy.

“Upon all mankind” and not a very select few is the first example of God’s fresh new out pouring we find prophesied of in Joel and manifested in Acts 2. God’s Holy Spirit is poured out upon all mankind.

Joel prophesied that this outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all mankind would RESULT in the sons and daughters of those to whom Joel prophesied to prophesy – to speak under the diving inspiration of the Holy Spirit. All mankind empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak under His divine inspiration is the second example of God’s fresh new out pouring manifested in Acts 2.

We find the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophecy in Acts 4:23-31.

After Peter and John had been released from questioning by the high priest and his court they went to the companions and reported what had taken place. They all in one accord lifted their voices in prayer (verses 23-24).

In verse 29 they prayed: “and grant Thy bond-servants may speak Thy word will all confidence.”

Acts 2:18 defines the bond-servants of God who speak His word (prophesy) as being both men and women.

In verse 31 they were ALL filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

We find the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophecy in the New Testament to be both men and women speaking His word in all confidence and boldness by the empowering of the Holy Spirit.

We find the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophecy in Acts 8:4.

Acts 8:4 Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.

Because of great persecution against the church both men and women were scattered, these men and women went about preaching the word.

We find the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophecy in Acts 13:31-32.

Acts 13:31-32 and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people. 32 “And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers,

We find in Matt.27:55-56, Mark 15:40-41, and Luke 23:8 & 53 that MANY women had followed Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem. These women were His witnesses and preached (spoke under divine influence) the good news of the gospel.

We find the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophecy in 1 Peter 1:12.

1 Peter 1:12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven–things into which angels long to look.

We find in1 Peter 1:12 a neutral “those” and not one certain gender announcing and preaching the good news of the gospel.

We find the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophecy in the New Testament to be both men and women announcing (making known) and preaching (declaring) the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This day of both men and women announcing the good news of the gospel was also prophesied of in Psalms 68:11.

Psalms 68:11 The Lord gives the command; The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host:

The great host of women who are this day proclaiming the good news of the gospel are fulfilling Joel’s “shall come” prophecy.

We find the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophecy in 1 Peter 1:13, 1Peter 1:17 and 1 Cor.15:58

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

We find in 1 Peter 1:13 the neutral “your” and not one certain gender who is to prepare their minds for action.

All – both men and women – are told by Peter to be prepared for action. The action he had just spoken of in verse 12 was announcing and preaching the gospel. Thus the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophecy is both men and women prepared to go forth announcing and preaching to gospel of Christ.

1 Peter 1:17 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

Again we find a neutral in 1 Peter 1:17 — God impartially judges according to each “ones” work. We find not one certain gender in 1 Cor. 15:58 who is to abound in the work of the Lord but all the brethren (the whole church).

All – both men and women – are called to work. No gender is excluded; instead, both are instructed to be about the work of God’s kingdom.

We find the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophecy in Col 3:16.

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

We again find a neutral “you” and not one certain gender who is to let the word of Christ richly dwell within them. Instead, we find all are to let the word of God richly dwell within them so that they may with all wisdom teach and admonish one another.

We find the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophecy to be men and women filled with all wisdom and able to teach and admonish one another. No limitations or restrictions are given because of gender. No limitations or restrictions are given of who can teach who or who could not be taught. It plainly commands all able to teach and admonish one another.

- We find the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophesy to be both men and women announcing and preaching the gospel.

- We find the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophesy to be both men and women called to action.

- We find the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophesy to be both men and women called to the work of God’s Kingdom.

- We find the context of Joel’s “shall come” prophecy to be men and women filled with all wisdom and able to teach and admonish one another