Devotions based on Week 2 of The Prophets: Joel (WATCH HERE)
Joel 2:28-32 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Joel’s prophecy came during a time of devastation. A locust plague had ravaged Israel’s land, and the people were living through famine, loss, and despair. It was a time of hardship that God desired to use to wake his people from spiritual apathy and bring them back to him. Into that hardship, God spoke a word of hope: He would not only restore the land but would also pour out His Spirit on His people.
This promise wasn’t about crops, but about hearts. God was pointing forward to something greater. A day would come when His Spirit would not just come upon prophets or kings but on all people: sons and daughters, young and old, rich and poor, men and women.
It is interesting that during and after hardships is often when the Gospel is needed most and hearts are open to it. When our earthly realities crumble around us, we seek something that is more enduring, stable and hopeful. In these verses, Joel reminds us: God is not absent in disaster. He is preparing a future filled with His presence.
Centuries later, the Apostle Peter stood up in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost and quoted Joel 2:28–32 (Acts 2:16–21). The Holy Spirit had just been poured out, tongues of fire rested on the believers, and the Good News of Jesus was proclaimed in many languages.
What Joel foresaw in the middle of famine and fear came true in the middle of a different kind of turmoil. Rome occupied Israel. Jesus had been crucified. His disciples were fearful and uncertain. Yet, at that very moment, God poured out His Spirit to ignite a global movement of the Gospel.
The Spirit led 3000 to “call on the name of the Lord and be saved.” From that event on, the power of the Gospel continues to transcend evil, hardship, disaster, or opposition. The truth that all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved continues to give people hope and an eternal focus. The Day of Christ’s return is coming, but it will be great, not dreadful for all who by faith call on the name of the Lord.
Hardship became the stage for triumph. Weak disciples became bold witnesses. A fearful gathering became a Spirit-filled church. And in just a generation, the Gospel began spreading across the known world.
Joel’s prophecy isn’t only history fulfilled — it’s also a reality for us today. We live in a world scarred by violence, senseless killing, war, division, tragedy, and uncertainty. Yet the promise Joel spoke still holds: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
In every believer, the Holy Spirit has been poured out, and equips God’s people to be witnesses of hope in hardship. When tragedy strikes, the Spirit gives comfort and courage. When evil seems loudest, the Spirit empowers us to live with boldness and peace. When the world feels like it’s unraveling, the Spirit reminds us of God’s unshakable kingdom.
Just as locusts of Joel’s day and Roman oppression of the apostles’ era couldn’t stop God’s plan, neither can today’s challenges stop the spread of the Gospel. The Gospel will continue to march forward with its message of grace, forgiveness and peace. The victory belongs to Jesus!
Apply: Call on the Lord: In your struggles, turn first to Jesus. Joel reminds us salvation is for everyone who calls on His name.
Be a Witness of Hope: In a world darkened by tragedy, live as a person of light. Speak words of grace. Offer acts of kindness. Share the Gospel of Christ who saves.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the promise of Joel and its fulfillment at Pentecost. Thank You for pouring out Your Spirit on all who believe, equipping us to live with hope and courage. When hardship comes, remind us that Your Gospel still triumphs. Use us as Your witnesses, that others may call on Your name and be saved. In Jesus’ name, Amen.