Sovereign Grace Chapel, located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. Welcome to today's broadcast. I want you to listen to my passage for today's message. It's several verses, a little lengthy, but not overly lengthy. It's to be found in the prophet Joel, and it's Joel chapter 2, verses 21 through 32, where Joel records these words.

Fear not, O land. Be glad and rejoice, for the Lord will do great things. Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, and the tree beareth her fruit, and the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he hath 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.

And the floors shall be full of wheat, The fat shall overflow with wine and oil, and I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer worm, and my great army which I sent among you. And you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God. that hath dealt wondrously with you, and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye 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.

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, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. and I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. 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.

Prophecy nuts and that's what I just said prophecy nuts and what I mean by that is these so-called Preachers who their their messages are always about prophecy. It's always about in time events They rarely ever ever talk about the glorious person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ and what he accomplished at Calvary and why these prophecy nuts rant and rage and They excite the flesh about future events while all the while they're guessing and supposing and speculating from the scripture and they give their opinions as Bible facts. Yet, there are men who are preaching the subject, the one subject of scripture, pertinent to all scripture, that is the Christ of God. That's what they're preaching. And that's the person you best be listening to, is that man out there that's preaching the Christ of God. If he's talking about prophecy, if he's talking about church doctrine, if he's talking about ancient Israel history, if he's preaching the Christ of God, you listen to that man. But if all they're talking about is everything else but Jesus Christ, you might as well just brush them to the side. Just brush them to the side.

Now, here's my title for the day. And it shall come to pass. Now, this is holy scripture. This is Joel being moved by the spirit of God to write, thus saith the Lord. Now this passage, this passage I just read to you, speaks of God, God's spirit after, after Christ's ascension. And this is clearly what it says. In verse 28, it says these words, and it shall come to pass afterward. Do you see that? And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. That means just preach, not just talk about future events, but preach. They'll prophesy. Your old men shall dream dreams. Your young men shall see visions. and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days, in those days, those days what? And it shall come to pass afterward. After the things spoken of in 21 through 27, it shall come to pass afterward, okay? And it shall come to pass upon my servants and handmaids in those days while I pour out my spirit. and I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke.

The sun shall be turned into darkness, the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered. For in Mount Zion and Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord has said and in the remnant whom the Lord our God shall call. Now if you go back now, and you read what Luke, the Dr. Luke, wrote in Acts chapter 2, we will see Peter quoting this very same passage.

And listen to how Peter puts it. And this is God's word. This is not my take on it. This is not some prophecy nuts take on it. This is thus saith the Lord through Peter on the day of Pentecost when God had just poured out his spirit upon the disciples. And here is what Peter said. Acts chapter two verse 16. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. He said this is it. That's what it says. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel, and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God.

I will pour out 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. Peter's evidently probably quoting this from memory and it's pretty much verbatim. It's word for word what Joel was saying. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days my spirit and they shall prophesy. and I will show wonders in heaven above and in signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, the moon into blood.

That's what we just read from Joel chapter two, verses 21 through 32, you see it? Before the great and notable day of the Lord come, and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. So Peter is clear in saying, This is that what Joel's talking about. You see, Joel clearly prophesies of a great time to come, and that's, listen to the language that Joel gives.

Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice. Now here's why, here's what we need to get. Rather than trying to always think of some future thing, some future thing, listen to what God said would come to pass, and what Peter says was that which had come to pass. Look, for the Lord will do great things. The prophecy of Joel, and Peter's saying this prophecy is now beginning to be fulfilled, okay? Yes, beginning to be fulfilled, but beginning for sure. Okay, is that the Lord will do great things. This is not about what God's people will do for him. This is not about what some nation will do for him. This is about what God will do. It's about God's work.

And that's clear of what, Joel. Joel prophesies of a great time to come. It is a time when great blessings shall come and establish what was lacking. He goes on in verse 22, be not afraid, ye beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, and the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

What's he talking about? Things that were pertinent to these Jews back then. Things that mattered to their actual life and sustenance. And he's using these things to illustrate what would take place when these things, when that day came, and it shall come to pass. Be glad then, ye 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, and the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil, and I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten. Now, yes, these were realities in these Jews' day, and it was a reality for many, on down through time, but these things are illustrations of something that come along, a plague that came along and took everything away.

But God's saying, what? I'll restore something. He's not simply talking about restoring grapevines and wheat fields. He's talking about something deeper, something greater, something spiritual, something that men and women need done down in here. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer worm, my great army, which I sit among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you, and my people shall never be ashamed. and ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else, and my people again, he says. My people shall never be ashamed, and it shall come to pass afterward. After I've done this establishing, he said, this restoration, what? I will pour out my spirit. Do you see it?

So the things Joel uses to illustrate okay, are indicative of a inner spiritual turmoil and problem and an enemy that had come in and ravished the people inside. Yes, Joel clearly prophesies of a great time to come. It is a time when great blessings shall come and establish what was lacking, what had been taken away. The natural events described by Joel in Joel 2, 23 through 27, are indicative of the rampant idolatry and the degradation of the worship of God which had taken place amongst the Jews when Christ returned to this earth, when Christ came to this earth.

Christ would restore the true worship of God by his substitutionary sacrifice on the cross for sinners. The physical degradation depicted by Joel illustrates the spiritual restoration Christ wrought at Calvary, and this is why we read it in verse 27, and ye 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, and it shall come to pass afterward." After these very things, these illustrative things when they fulfilled in the reality, when Christ showed the true worship of God. the true worship of God, when he came and revealed that he was God manifest in the flesh, and that God himself was to be worshiped, not the rites and the ceremonies and all of those things. Christ established true worship by his sufferings on the cross.

And listen to how the Apostle Paul puts it. He put it this way in his letter to the church at Rome, and he wrote these words in Romans chapter 15. Now listen to what he says. We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself, but as it is written, the reproaches of them that reproach thee fell on me for whatsoever.

Now here's what I'm getting toward. for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning. Do you see it? For our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. These things, even what Joel wrote, wasn't just so that we can still today be looking into the future for what's going to be fulfilled. What about concentrating on what Christ has already accomplished at Calvary now?

Then all of those things in the future will have some real meaning. Look, now the God of patience and consolation grants you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus, that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Now this, I say, that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. And this ain't all about Jewish stuff. these prophecy people that go to Joel, chat specifically, and especially Joel 2 and verses 21 through 32 and say, well, yeah, a little bit of it was fulfilled in Christ's day and just after Christ's day and on the day of Pentecost, but the most of it's still for Israel in the future. Listen to what he says. It wasn't just for Israel, these things that were written in the Old Testament. Now this I say, Jesus Christ was the minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fathers and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy as it is written for this cause, I will confess thee among the Gentiles and sing unto thy name.

Paul is saying even the Old Testament declared of this day. This is the, and after this, it will come to pass. This is it. And again, he saith, rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and loud him, all ye people. And again, Isaiah saith, there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, and him shall the Gentiles trust. Yes.

Joel was prophesying of a great time to come. It was a time when great blessings shall come and establish what was lacking. The natural events, as I said, described by Joel, were depicting the degradation of the Jewish state that was in that day. But Jesus Christ came and suffered for sinners on the tree. He established, in fact, in truth, the true worship of God as it was always purposed and ordained. Jesus Christ came and he died for the guilty. He died as a substitute for sinners. These physical things Joel speaks of, this physical degradation, as I said, depicted by Joel, illustrates the spiritual restoration wrought by Christ at Calvary. So what I want to give you now is Joel's clear on four thoughts, four thoughts from Joel.

Remember, don't try to bounce around and say, well, this happened then, and this is still yet to happen. Peter said, this is the day it starts, right here. That's what he said. I'm paraphrasing, of course. He said, this is that which was spoken of by Joel the prophet. He's saying it starts today, and the starting of today is included, and it shall come to pass. Afterward, I will pour out my spirit. So the events of 21 through 27 have already occurred. Okay? And 28 now begins with what happened on the day of Pentecost. Here's these four things.

Now this is clear from Joel. We can sit around and argue all day long about future events and about prophecy of things yet to come, but this is clear from the book of Joel and in the text in which I read to you today. The work of salvation, the work of restoration, the work of blessing, It's a God work. Isn't that what Joel said? Joel made it clear. Again, I emphasize. Fear not, O land. Be glad and rejoice. Look, for the Lord will do great things. And of course, Hebrews chapter one lets us know that the Lord did do a really great thing.

When Jesus Christ came, He purged sin by the sacrifice of Himself. He did it by Himself. He did it when He died on that tree. He dealt with sin. He dealt with uncleanness. He dealt with ungodliness. He suffered in the place of sinners. He died in their room instead. He paid the price. He restored everything there legally.

There are no more obstacles. Somebody says your believing is an obstacle. Not with God it is not. Not with God. God is able. Our Lord Jesus Christ told some folks that if these one folks kept quiet, that even the stones would cry out. Even the rocks would glorify God. Well, because God will have his glory. Again, Joel is clear on this.

This is what I'm trying to point out. This is my message. The work of salvation. The work of restoration. The work of blessing. It's a God work, okay? It's a God work. Here's number two. The work of salvation, the work of restoration, the work of blessing is for sinners. And we see that in the first part of verse 22. Be not afraid.

Now look at it, ye beasts of the field. Now you think God's talking just to animals here? Do you think God's just talking about animals? Do you think God is by his spirit moving Joel just to talk about some donkeys and some cattle and some wild deer? He's talking about people. He's talking about people and he calls these people, he calls you, he calls me beasts of the field. Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field.

This work of salvation is for sinners. And our Lord Jesus Christ was clear. He made it point blank clear. I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Some people may wonder, listen to myself or Joe or Paul on these TV messages and say, but you're always talking about salvation. You're always talking about men being sinners. You're always talking about Jesus Christ and Him crucified. You don't deal with all these other things.

We deal with a lot of other things, but it all must be under the precedent and under the canopy of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He came into this world to save sinners. That's his purpose. His purpose is not about something future, though there is much future to still take place, but it's about what he accomplished when he came the first time, when he came and died on that tree of Calvary.

Again, the work of salvation, according to Joel. The work of salvation. The work of restoration, the work of blessing is a God work. I will work a work. Number two, the work of salvation. Restoration, blessing is for sinners. There's the third thought. God's promised effectual results. I said effectual results. Joel did not prophesy from God and say, well, I'll do this, and if you'll do that. No, listen to the way Joel puts it. Let's read what Joel said.

Fear not, O land. Be glad and rejoice, for the Lord will do great things. Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field, for the pastors of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth fruit. The fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God.

Why? Because he's going to do this. It's going to be effectual because God's going to do it. For he hath given you the former rain moderately, and will cause to come down the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fat shall overflow with wine and oil. This is not God's done his part, now it's up to you. This is God will do thee work.

Do you see it? That's what Joel prophesied. And that's what these prophecy nuts never want to talk about. They always want to talk about something great God's going to do in the future. They never talk about what Jesus Christ actually accomplished now.

I will restore to you the years that the locusts, I will. Not I will if you will, but I just will. I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer worm, my great army which I sent among you.

Even there God's in charge, do you see that? Even the judgments that God brings upon men, to then when he lifts those judgments and brings in restoration and blessings, even those judgments were from the Lord, to show his power and his might. and ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, not your free will, not your choice, not your decision, not your walking down the aisle, you'll praise who? The Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you, and my people shall never be ashamed. Do you see that?

Ashamed, what's the context? Ashamed of what God has done. How often are we ashamed of what we do? but we're not ashamed of what God has done. Let's go on. And ye 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, you see. So again, let me just, let me keep hammering on this.

Number one, the work of salvation. Restoration and blessing, it's a God work. It is indeed God's work. Number two, the work of salvation, restoration, and blessing is for sinners. And this work of salvation, restoration, and blessing is God's promised effectual result. It's efficacious.

This is exactly what our Lord said, what he preached in John chapter six. Listen to these words. In John chapter six, listen to verse 37. All that the Father giveth me, do you see it? All that the Father giveth me shall come to me. And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that of everyone which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. They said, is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it that he saith, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Mervyn, not among yourselves, listen, no man can come to me except the Father which has sent me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall all be taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and learned of the Father cometh unto me.

What am I saying? It's effectual. Christ said it would be effectual. This is exactly what Joel's prophesied concerning the coming of the Spirit of God to actually convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. So again, I say this work, this salvation, this restoration, it's a God work. This work of salvation, restoration, and blessing is for sinners. God promised it effectually. Even Joel prophesied that.

But here's number four. Here's number four, God through Christ restored his people from all that they had lost. And we read that, that whatever the canker worm, the locust, the caterpillar, those are illustrations of things these people could relate to that day. Everything they, I'll restore it. I'll restore it, God'll do the work. God through Christ restored his people.

And in Romans chapter 10, he makes it clear he did that in the person of his Lord Jesus Christ. And even Paul comes out and says, for whosoever shall call, and that's what, and it shall come to pass. What Joel says, and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be what? Delivered. Paul said that's true now. That's not just true in the future, that's true now.

You see, any preacher, who teaches Joel's prophecy, as yet some future blessing, yet to be discovered in some way, flat denies Christ's glorious work on the accursed tree at Calvary. They flat out deny the truth of the gospel. Their message is not the gospel, but it is nothing more than a perversion of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

There, therein did Jesus Christ restore and join all things unto God for whom he died. And this is clearly what Paul says in Ephesians chapter two. And he puts it this way, he puts it this way. that Jesus Christ came and what preached peace to you that are far off and to them that were nigh, for through him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father. It's exactly what Joel's talking about, the spirit of the living God. Now therefore you know more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and the household of God and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.

You see, all of this book, though there are many different subjects, subject of the past, subject of the present, and yes, there are still subject of the future, but if Jesus Christ is not the sum and substance of a man's preaching, he's not preaching the truth of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is all and in all, amen.