Outpouring of His Spirit
On “believers only” or “all people” eventually?
Here are the verses for consideration (a prophecy by prophet Joel):
(Joel 2.28-32)
28 “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.
29 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
30 I will show wonders in the heavens
and on the earth,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
32 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved;
for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
there will be deliverance,
as the Lord has said,
even among the survivors
whom the Lord calls.”
Explanation:
On “all” people (eventually, meaning “not” necessarily at the same time).
This prophecy in Joel is beyond a particular time & place perhaps even into the afterlife (beyond Judgment too) as He says on “all” people (not tribes or various races, different word).
The original word in Holy Scripture here is more accurately “flesh”, i.e. “all flesh” (context for “all people”) further strengthening this claim.
P/S:
A Common interpretation fallacy occurs as follows:
They often “err” in claiming that “before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” means that the “all flesh” above must only mean “believers” since we clearly know that not all people are saved in this life itself.
But that’s not what the Bible says. To see this, please consider these verses which you quoted above “carefully”:
“29 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
30 I will show wonders in the heavens
and on the earth,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”
Can you see it?
This “particular” outpouring of His Spirit which occurs “before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” is “not” mentioned for “all flesh/people” but only to His “servants (believers), both men and women” (verse 29).
This means that His pouring of His Spirit to “all flesh/people” must be fulfilled “later”.
Hence, there are “no” contradictions or confusion when we “read the Bible & take it as it is”.
Peace ✌ to you, 🙂
P/S 2:
Note that “your son/daughter will prophesy etc.” not that “all people will prophesy” (the Bible is accurate to the last word).
In fact, the general theme is His Spirit will be poured upon “all flesh/people” (by His Will, eventually no matter how many “ages” it may take, “afterward”) but Scripture expounds thereafter the “highlights” of this outpouring toward “your sons & daughters” or “His servants or maid-servants” referring to “believers” which will happen “before His Great Day”.