“This is That”

Recently, our congregation has been reading through the Minor Prophets. It is understandable why these books have been neglected as they are extremely challenging and convicting. We read through large portions weekly to gain deeper insight into God and His ways. This past week we read through Joel.

As we noticed after our reading, there are some familiar lines from this prophet to those who are well-acquainted with the New Testament. In two places, at least, Joel is quoted in the New Testament. First, in Acts during Peter’s first sermon. The crowds that heard the Christians respond in speaking foreign languages when filled with the Holy Spirit made assertions of their being drunk. As Peter noted, it was early morning, and these are not drunk as ye suppose. Then Peter said, “This is that” and quoted directly from Joel (Acts 2:16). One can trace the argument carefully in Acts 2:1-36.

Not only is Joel’s prophecy quoted by Peter, but in the most theological of all Paul’s letters, there is a reference that makes quite a claim. In Romans 10, Paul discusses matters of salvation, and in a sweeping declaration says, “For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.” This may not catch one’s imagination, at first, until it is noted, that this is a direct quote from Joel (2:32). In Joel’s book, it is the LORD or Yahweh that is to be called upon. Hence, Paul’s text focuses on Jesus as the Christ with a direct allusion that He is Yahweh ([Ιησους, cf. 10:9-10]; The Lord or LORD that Saves). This is a very important conclusion about Christ as Yahweh and being the object of faith in the saving encounter.

Reading through entire books of Scripture will enable such connections that may otherwise be missed. Of course, helps and study-Bibles are all the rage, but little compares to making such discoveries by reading the books for oneself.

Indeed, in God’s overarching plan, “This is That!”