Book of Joel Chapter 2 Vs. 29

The Lord Will Pour Out His Spirit

 

And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. Joel 2:29

And also upon... And this God has done, and is still doing. He left the line of Aaron, and took his apostles indiscriminately from any tribe. He passed by the regular order of the priesthood, and the public schools of the most celebrated doctors, and took his evangelists from among fishermen, tent-makers, and even the Roman tax-gatherers.

In those days... And he lastly, passed by the Jewish tribes, and took the Gentile converts and made them preachers of righteousness to the inhabitants of the whole earth. The same practice he continues to the present day; yet he did not then pass by a man brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, no more than he would now a man brought up in a celebrated seminary of learning.

He is ever free to use his own gifts, in his own way; and when learning is sanctified, by being devoted to the service of God. And the possessor is humble and pious, and has those natural gifts necessary for a public teacher, perhaps we might safely say.

God would in many cases prefer such: but he will have others, as intimated in the prophecy, that we may see the conversion of men is not by human might, nor power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts. The learned man can do nothing without his Spirit.

The unlearned must have his gifts and graces, without which both their labors would be unprofitable; and thus, the excellency of the power is of God, and no flesh can glory in his presence.

Will I pour... Notice the word "pour". This is speaking of an abundance, not just a few drops. It is a gift from God to His followers.

This will be true regardless of age, gender, or social class (Joel 2:29 is better trans. “and even on the male and female servants”; cf. NASB).

This is probably an allusion to Num. 11:29, where Moses, responding to Joshua’s misguided zeal after an outpouring of the divine Spirit on the 72 elders (cf. Num. 11:24-28), declared, “I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit on them!” This extensive outpouring of the Spirit will signal the advent of divine blessing (contrast 1Sam. 3:1, where the absence of prophetic visions characterized a period of sin and judgment).