Fear not, O Land

Joel 2:21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things.

What land is the prophet speaking about? It can’t be the land itself. We know it is speaking about the people who live in the land, but we still need to know what land? It is the land of milk and honey, a spiritual land where indwells a spiritual people. Everyone who comes into a spiritual relationship with the Lord to walk with Him will find their journey at times will pass through a wilderness. It is then that they will need to hear, Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things!

Joel 2:22 Be not afraid, you beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree bears her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

In verse 21 we are called the land and told to fear not. In verse 22 we are called beasts (cattle) of the field and are told to not be afraid. Hence, the fig tree and vine also represent God’s people in some way. God is telling us to not be afraid for we will be fruitful in Him.

Joel 2:23 Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for He has given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

In verse 21 we are the “land,” God’s land. In verse 22 we are the “cattle of the field,” His cattle. And in verse 23 we are the “children of Zion,” His children. Then He promises to give us the former and later rain. The former rain was the early rains at planting time. It was called the “teacher rain” because it taught the little seeds to grow. Spiritually, this spoke of the rain of the Spirit upon those who are coming into Christ. The latter rain comes at the end of the growing season to bring the crops to harvest, which speaks of the rain of the Spirit upon us to bring us into spiritual maturity. So, the former rain comes upon those who are coming into Christ and the latter rain upon those who are becoming mature in the Lord. But what does it mean when the Scriptures speak of the former and latter rains coming together at the same time in the first month? That is impossible when relating the rain in the natural. The crops are not planted and come to harvest at the same time. This has a spiritual interpretation. There will be those who are coming into Christ at the same time that some are coming into maturity.

Joel 2:24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.

This must be spiritually interpreted, too. The wheat makes bread, and the bread of life is the living Word. There will be no lack of the living Word. The wine is rejoicing, and the oil is the anointing.

Joel 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, My great army which I sent among you.

Have you ever faced these worms that seem to eat of your life, that keep you from advancing in the Lord? God sent those worms. They are His army! Why does He do that? He wants us to be overcomers and we can’t be overcomers until we have something to overcome, so the Lord helps with that. We become strong in the Lord by wrestling with principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places – God’s worm army (Ephesians 6:10-12).

Joel 2:26-27 And you shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that has dealt wondrously with you: and My people shall never be ashamed.
27 And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and My people shall never be ashamed.

When He speaks of eating in plenty, He is not speaking of natural foods. O taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8). We shall feast on the Lord and become as He is. Whoso eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up in the last day. John 6:54. He deals wondrously with us by coming forth within our lives. This is what it means to be His people! And His people will never be ashamed!

Joel 2:28-29 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My Spirit.

God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. Since the day of Pentecost many people have received His Spirit, but all flesh still waits for fulfillment. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy - all that you produce by your ministry will say He is the Lord.

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

Blood speaks of Passover, fire of Pentecost, and pillars of smoke the Feast of Tabernacles. Thus, the wonders of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles will take place among His people.

Joel 2:31-32 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

Verse 31 took place when Jesus was crucified. That was the beginning of the terrible day of the Lord. Since that time, all who call on the name of the Lord are delivered.

Now let’s go to Acts chapter two where some of this is fulfilled beginning with verse one.

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

They were all in one accord because they had spent ten days in the upper room praying and worshiping God.

Acts 2:2-4 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The 120 disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. There were literally thousands of Jews in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost but only the disciples of the Lord received of His Spirit. Joel had prophesied that God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:28), but only these disciples received His Spirit at this time.

Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lift up his voice, and said unto them, You men of Judea, and all you that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my word…

Peter “lifted up his voice.” Peter had just received the Spirit of the Lord, so it was not just Peter alone that was speaking but the Spirit of the Lord in him, so the word “His” should be capitalized. Then he said ‘hearken to my word” because it was the Word of the Lord.

Acts 2:15-16 For these are not drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel...

The crowd gathered for the feast of Pentecost supposed the disciples were drunk on new wine, but Peter said that could not be for it was only nine o’clock in the morning. Then he reminds them of Joel’s prophecy: This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. Then he repeats the prophecy.

Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days...

This begins the last days. Many seem to think that the last days are at the end of time – not so. The last days are the days of fulfillment and fulfillment began with the resurrection of Christ. And, as we shall see, the pouring out of the Spirit continues. The fact that some churches do not believe in it or receive it does not change the prophecy or the fulfillment. Those who do receive the Spirit as Joel prophesied did so because they moved into an upper-room experience with the Lord.

Acts 2:17-21 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: (Prophecy, visions and dreams are the norm for those who receive the Holy Spirit.)
18 And on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy: (Those days continue to now and beyond. We are still in the last days and The Lord is still pouring out His Spirit upon those who will receive.)
19 And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

There it is. We are in the last days when whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Fear not, O land; we are in the days of fulfillment. Take advantage of it! For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God. II Corinthians 1:20.