Book of Joel Chapter 2 Vs. 30

 The Lord Will Pour Out His Spirit

And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. Joel 2:30

And I will... Each revelation of God prepares the way for another, until that last revelation of His love and of His wrath in the Great Day.

shew wonders in... In delivering His people from Egypt, the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt (Deut. 6:22). Here, in allusion to it, He says, in the same words, of the new revelation, I will show, or give, wonders, or wondrous signs, as the word includes both. Wonders beyond the course and order of nature, and portending other dispensations of God, of joy to His faithful, and terror to His enemies.

And I will shew...

נָתַן

nâthan

naw-than'

A primitive root; to give, used with great latitude of application (put, make, etc.): - add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, X avenge, X be ([healed]), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit consider, count, + cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute do, X doubtless, X without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up). + sing, + slander, strike, [sub-] mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, + weep, X willingly, + withdraw, + would (to) God, yield.

wonders...

מֹפֵת מוֹפֵת

môphêth môphêth

mo-faith', mo-faith'

From H3302 in the sense of conspicuousness; a miracle; by implication a token or omen: - miracle, sign, wonder (-ed at).

the heavens and... These wonders in heaven and earth began in the First Coming and Passion of Christ, grew in the destruction of Jerusalem, but shall be perfectly fulfilled toward the end of the world, before the final Judgment, and the destruction of the Universe.

שָׁמֶה שָׁמַיִם

shâmayim shâmeh

shaw-mah'-yim, shaw-meh'

The second form being dual of an unused singular; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve): - air, X astrologer, heaven (-s).

and in the earth...

אֶרֶץ

'erets

eh'-rets

From an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land): - X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X nations, way, + wilderness, world.

blood...

דָּם

dâm

dawm

From H1826 (compare H119); blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed (that is, drops of blood): - blood (-y, -guiltiness, [-thirsty]), + innocent.

And fire...

אֵשׁ

'êsh

aysh

A primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively): - burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.

pillars of smoke... As when Israel came out of Egypt, the pillar of the cloud was a cloud and darkness to the camp of the Egyptians but gave light by night to the camp of Israel (Exo. 14:19-20). So, all God's workings are light and darkness at once, according as people are, who see them or to whom they come.

and pillars...

תִּמָרָה תִּימָרָה

tı̂ymârâh timârâh

tee-maw-raw', tee-maw-raw'

From the same as H8558, a column, that is, cloud: - pillar.

of smoke...

עָשָׁן

‛âshân

aw-shawn'

From H6225; smoke, literally or figuratively (vapor, dust, anger): - smoke (-ing).

At the birth of Christ, there was the star which appeared unto the wise men, and the multitude of the heavenly host, whom the shepherds saw. At His Atoning Death, the sun was darkened, there was the three hours' darkness over the whole land.

On earth the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent, and the graves were opened (Luke 23:44-45, Mat. 27:45; 27:51-52).

And the Blood and water issued from the Savior’s side. After His Resurrection, there was the vision of Angels, terrible to the soldiers who watched the sepulcher, comforting to the women who sought to honor Jesus.

His Resurrection was a sign on earth, His Ascension in earth and heaven. But our Lord speaks of signs both in earth and heaven, as well before the destruction of Jerusalem, as before His Second Coming.

Mat. 24:7 "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places."

Mat. 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:"

The great and dreadful day of the Lord will be preceded by ominous signs wonders of impending judgment (cf. Joel 2:10; see also Eze. 32:6-8 for literary parallels. Blood and fire and billows of smoke suggest the effects of warfare. The turning of the moon to blood refers in a poetic way to its being darkened (cf. the parallel line, The sun will be turned to darkness, and Joel 2:10; 3:15). Though such phenomena will signal doom for God’s enemies, His people Israel should interpret them as the precursors of their deliverance (cf. Mat. 24:29-31; Mark 13:24-27; Luke 21:25-28).

The great and dreadful day of the Lord will be preceded by ominous signs (wonders) of impending judgment (cf. Joel 2:10; see also Eze. 32:6-8 for literary parallels). Blood and fire and billows of smoke suggest the effects of warfare.

Book of 1 John Chapter 3 Vs. 11

 Love One Another

Verses 11-24: John elaborates on the love life of genuine believers. For those who are truly born again, love is an indispensable characteristic. The new nature of seed, verse 9, that God imparts not only exhibits holiness but also love as a habitual characteristic (John 13:35; Romans 5:5; 1 Thes. 4:9). Those who practice love give proof of the new birth and those who do not, have never been born again.

I John 3:11 "For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another."

is the message... Greek: angelia, proclamation; commandment; order (1Jhn. 3:11; 1:5).

that (ἵνα)

The purport and aim of the message. Some of the more subtle phases of John's thought cannot be apprehended without a careful study of this often-recurring conjunction. It is still claimed by some grammarians that it is used to mark, not only design and end, but also result. But it may fairly be claimed that its predominant sense is intent, purpose, purport, or object. Hence that, as representing ἵνα, is to be taken in the sense of to the end or intent that; in order that. Here the use of the word is very subtle and suggestive, as well as beautiful. No man hath greater love than this love, which, in its original conception, was intended and designed to reach to the extent of sacrificing life for a friend. Christ, therefore, here gives us more than a mere abstract comparison and more than a merely human gauge of love. He measures love according to its divine, original, far-reaching intent. from the beginning... Compare 1Jhn. 1:1; 2:7, 2:13-14, 2:24; 3:8; 2Jhn. 1:5-6. Since the beginning of gospel proclamation, love has been a central theme of Christianity. John emphasizes what they heard from the beginning to emphasize that the false teachers were preventing that which God, through the apostles, proclaimed.

from the beginning (ἀπ' ἀρχῆς)

The phrase occurs twice in the Gospel (John 8:44; 15:27); nine times in the First Epistle, and twice in the Second. It is used both absolutely (John 3:8; 2:13, 2:14), and relatively (John 15:27; 1Jhn. 2:24). It is here contrasted with in the beginning (John 1:1). The difference is that by the words in the beginning, the writer places himself at the initial point of creation, and, looking back into eternity, describes that which was already in existence when creation began. The Word was in the beginning. In the words from the beginning, the writer looks back to the initial point of time and describes what has been in existence from that point onward. Thus, in the beginning characterizes the absolute divine Word as He was before the foundation of the world and at the foundation of the world. From the beginning characterizes His development in time. Note the absence of the article both here and in John 1:1. Not the beginning as a definite, concrete fact, but as apprehended by man; that to which we look as beginning.

love one another... Mat. 22:39; John 13:34-35; 15:12. This phrase highlights the habit of love displayed by those possessing the new nature.

Love is not merely an optional duty for someone claiming to be a Christian, but proof positive that one truly has been born again (John 15:12; 1Pet. 1:22-23).

It is one of the 2 things Jesus said covered all the law and prophets, to love others. Love of God and love of neighbors covers it all. We may not like what they are doing, but we must love them.

John here made it plain that his admonitions were directed to Christians. This is the message you Christians have heard from the beginning: We Christians should love one another.

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, tentmakers, and even the Roman tax-gatherers.

And also...

גַּם

gam

gam

By contraction from an unused root meaning to gather; properly assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correlation both... and: - again, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so) . . . and, but, either . . . or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay . . . neither, one, then (-refore), though, what, with, yea.

upon...

עַל

‛al

al

Properly the same as H5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural, often with prefix, or as conjugation with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications: - above, according to (-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through (-out), to, touching, X with.

the servants...

עֶבֶד

‛ebed

eh'-bed

From H5647; a servant: - X bondage, bondman, [bond-] servant, (man-) servant.

the handmaids...

שִׁפְחָה

shiphchâh

shif-khaw'

Feminine from an unused root meaning to spread out (as a family; see H4940); a female slave (as a member of the household): - (bond-, hand-) maid (-en, -servant), wench, bondwoman, woman-servant.

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.

those...

הֵמָּה הֵם

hêm hêmmâh

haym, haym'-maw

Masculine plural from H1931; they (only used when emphatic): - it, like, X (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, X so, X such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.

days...

יוֹם

yôm

yome

From an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literally (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figuratively (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverbially): - age, + always, + chronicles, continually (-ance), daily, ([birth-], each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, + (for) ever (-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as (. . . live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually, presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space, then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole (+ age), (full) year (-ly), + younger.

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.

I will pour out...

שָׁפַךְ

shâphak

shaw-fak'

A primitive root; to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal; or even a solid, that is, to mound up); also (figuratively) to expend (life, soul, complaint, money, etc.); intensively to sprawl out: - cast (up), gush out, pour (out), shed (-der, out), slip.

my spirit...

רוּחַ

rûach

roo'-akh

From H7306; wind; by resemblance breath, that is, a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions): - air, anger, blast, breath, X cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit ([-ual]), tempest, X vain, ([whirl-]) wind (-y).

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.

The Spirit of God is to be poured on all flesh, says the prophet. By this term, which is sometimes applied to all things that breathe, and sometimes to mankind as a whole, Joel means Israel only: the heathen is to be destroyed, nor did Peter, when he quoted the passage at the Day of Pentecost, mean anything more. He spoke to Jews and proselytes: "for the promise is to you and your children, and to them that are afar off": it was not till afterwards that he discovered that the Holy Ghost was granted to the Gentiles, and then he was unready for the revelation and surprised by it. (Acts 10:45) But within Joel’s Israel the operation of the Spirit was to be at once thorough and universal. All classes would be affected, and affected so that the simplest and rudest would become prophets.

Spiritual renewal and deliverance

The Lord announced that His day (Joel2:31) would be accompanied by an outpouring of His Spirit on all people lit., all flesh. The following context indicates that all people refer more specifically to all inhabitants of Judah (cf. the threefold use of your in Joel 2:28, as well as the parallel passages in Eze. 39:29; Zec. 12:10). 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).

At that time recipients of the divine Spirit will exercise prophetic gifts will prophesy… will dream dreams and will see visions which in the past had been limited to a select few (cf. 1Sam. 10:10-11; 19:20-24). 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).

Book of 1 John Chapter 3 Vs. 10

 Father hath Bestowed

I John 3:10 " In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."

In this (ἐν τούτῳ)

Lit., in this. Characteristic of John. See John 8:35; 15:8; 16:30; 1Jhn. 2:5; 3:24; 4:13; 5:2; 3:16; 3:19; 4:2. The expression points to what follows, if we keep His commandments, yet with a covert reference to that idea as generally implied in the previous words concerning fellowship with God and walking in the light. See on 1Jhn. 2:3.

children of God... Two classes of people (Mat. 13:38):

1. The children of God

2. The children of the devil

This summary verse is the key to verses 4-10. Only two kinds of children exist in the world: children of God and children of Satan.

are manifest, and... Who is a child of God?

hereby we do know that we know him: Twenty-one reasons we do know that we know Him:

1. By personal fellowship (1Jhn. 1:3-7; 2:13)

2. Fullness of joy in the heart (1Jhn. 1:4)

3. Keeping His commandments (1Jhn. 2:3; 3:22)

4. Walking even as He walked (1Jhn. 2:6)

5. Love of the brethren (1Jhn. 2:9-11; 3:10-19, 3:23; 4:7-21; 5:1)

6. Overcoming the world and Satan (1Jhn. 2:13-14; 5:4, 5:18)

7. Hatred of the world (1Jhn. 2:15-17)

8. Being one with Christians (1Jhn. 2:19)

9. Holy Spirit anointing (1Jhn. 2:20-27)

10. Knowing the truth that sets free (1Jhn. 2:21; John 8:32-36)

11. Acknowledging God and Christ (1Jhn. 2:22-25)

12. Doing righteousness (1Jhn. 2:29; 3:7-10; 5:1-4, 5:18)

13. Purifying ourselves (1Jhn. 3:3)

14. Being born again (1Jhn. 2:29; 3:9; 5:1-18)

15. Cleansing from sin (1Jhn. 1:7-9; 3:5-10)

16. Freedom from condemnation (1Jhn. 3:20-24)

17. The indwelling Spirit (1Jhn. 3:24; 4:4, 4:13)

18. Faith (1Jhn. 2:23; 5:1, 5:10)

19. Confessing Christ (1Jhn. 4:14-15)

20. Receiving Christ (1Jhn. 5:10-13; John 1:12)

21. Answered prayer (1Jhn. 3:21-22; 5:14-15)

No one can belong to both families simultaneously. Either one belongs to God’s family and exhibits His righteous character or one belongs to Satan’s family and exhibits his sinful nature.

children of the devil (τέκνα τοῦ διαβόλου)

The only occurrence of the phrase. Compare Acts 13:10 and see John 8:44.

whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God:

Twenty-one Evidence that One Is a Child of Satan

1. Walking in darkness (1Jhn. 1:5-6; 2:11)

2. Saying that one has no sin (1Jhn. 1:8, 1:10)

3. Failing to please God and keep His commandments (1Jhn. 2:3-4; 3:22-24; 5:14-15)

4. Failing to walk as Christ did (1Jhn. 2:6)

5. Hating anyone (1Jhn. 2:9; 3:10-19; 4:20)

6. Failing to overcome Satan (1Jhn. 2:13-14)

7. Loving the world and the things in it (1Jhn. 2:15-17; 3:1, 3:13; 4:5)

8. Leaving Christian fellowship (1Jhn. 2:19)

9. Ignoring truth (1Jhn. 2:20-27)

10. Denying God and Jesus (1Jhn. 2:22-23)

11. Doing unrighteousness (1Jhn. 2:29; 3:10)

12. Making no effort to purify self (1Jhn. 3:3)

13. Committing sin (1Jhn. 3:8-10; 5:18)

14. Murdering (1Jhn. 3:12, 3:15)

15. Shutting bowels of compassion (1Jhn. 3:17)

16. Lacking faith (1Jhn. 3:20-22; 5:14-15)

17. Being destitute of the indwelling Holy Spirit (1Jhn. 3:24; 4:4, 4:13)

18. Being of the word and having fellowship with it (1Jhn. 4:5)

19. Having no personal acquaintance with God or knowledge of eternal life (1Jhn. 4:7-10; 5:10-13, 5:20-21)

20. Making no confession of Jesus (1Jhn. 4:14-18)

21. Being overcome by the world (1Jhn. 5:4-5)

Righteousness

Here the article is wanting, compare 1Jhn. 3:7. Righteousness is regarded, not in its completeness, but as bearing a particular character. It will be interesting to follow out the same distinction between the following words with and without the article: ἀμαρτία sin; ἀγάπη love; ζωή life; ἀλήθεια truth.

he that loveth... This phrase introduces the readers to the second aspect of the moral test, i.e., the test of love (as in 2:7-11). John develops this thought through verses 11-24. The false teachers not only had an erroneous view of Christ’s nature and displayed disobedience to God’s commands, but they also displayed a distinct lack of love for true believers, who rejected their heretical teaching.

For John a mere profession of faith in Christ was insufficient if not accompanied by the outward marks of divine parentage. Further, he links love for other Christians closely with righteous living (see John 13:35).

The walk we take through life reveals to the world whether we belong to the devil, or to God. God created every one of us, and His desire was that we would all be His. He gave us a free will, however, and some chose to follow the devil, instead of God.

The fruit we bear reveals who we are. People who habitually sin are of the devil. Those who choose not to sin are of God. This does not mean that a Christian might not commit a single sin; it means that is not their way of life.

Literally, the first phrase of this verse is, by this are manifest the children of God and the children of the devil. The words by this probably refer back to the whole previous discussion. By sharply differentiating between sin and righteousness, John made plain the fundamental way in which God’s children are manifest over against the children of the devil. The key to his idea is the word manifest in which the ideas presented in 1Jhn. 2:29 and 1Jhn. 3:1 are touched again. Because a child of God is sinless at the core of his being, he can never be manifest through sin as can a child of the devil. While an unsaved person can display his true nature through sin, a child of God cannot. When a Christian sins, he conceals who he really is rather than making it manifest. If the readers perceive someone doing real righteousness, then - but only then - can they perceive this action as a true product of new birth (1Jhn.2:29) and can thus behold God’s love (1Jhn. 3:1). This consideration is crucial to John’s advancing argument.

Discerning love for the brethren.

John now left behind the subject of new birth which he did not mention again until 1Jhn. 4:7. The function of the section that begins here is to define righteousness primarily in terms of Christian brotherly love and to show how such love properly expresses itself.

What Love Is Not.

Rather than taking 1Jhn. 3:10 as introductory to 1Jhn. 3:10, it is better to regard 1Jhn. 3:10 as the conclusion of the previous paragraph and 1Jhn. 3:10 as the beginning of a new one. The words a child in 1Jhn. 3:10 are not in the Greek. Thus the statement would better read, Anyone who does not do what is right is not… of God. The Greek expression for of God ek tou theou need mean no more than that a person so described does not find the source of his actions in God. He is not… of God in what he does. A failure to perform righteousness and a failure to love one’s brother can never be traced to God. John had already said that all sin can be traced to the devil (1Jhn. 3:8). John also used this phrase ek tou theou of God seven other times (1Jhn. 4:1-4, 4:6-7; 3Jhn. 1:11).

By joining together, the idea of righteousness mentioned in 1Jhn. 2:29-3:7 with love not mentioned in 1Jhn. 3:2-9, John formed a bridge to a new discussion. He now considered love as the appropriate expression of the regenerate life of which he had been speaking. Love is righteousness in action.