Acts 2:17

And it shall be in the last days, saith God,. will pour forth 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:

'AND IT SHALL BE'-Quotation from Joel 2:28.

'IN THE LAST DAYS'-(Isaiah 2:2; Micah 4:1)

Point to Note:

Peter, an inspired speaker, defines the "last days" for us. The Bible is it's own best interpreter. The period of time, known as the last days began on the day of Pentecost. This expression doesn't refer to. period of time right before the end, rather it applies to the entire Christian age (Hebrews 1:2; 1 John 2:18 'it is the last hour').

Far from thinking that God had postponed the arrival of the Kingdom of God, the apostles affirm that everything is right on track (Acts 3:24). 'Peter's use of his prophecy announces that these days the days of fulfillment--have arrived. In another place Peter himself tells how the prophets who foretold the coming manifestation of the grace of God "searched and inquired about this salvation; they inquired what person or time was indicated by the Spirit of Christ within them when predicting the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glory" (1 Peter 1:10 f). But now that Christ has been "manifested at the end of the times" (1 Peter 1:20), His apostles have no further need to search and inquire (as the prophets did) what person or time the prophetic Spirit pointed forward to; they KNOW that the person is Jesus of Nazareth and that the time that upon which they themselves have entered.' (Bruce p. 68)

Isaiah 2:2 and Micah 4:1 had also mentioned the establishment of God's House (the Church- 1 Timothy 3:15), in the last days. We will find that Church in existence, the Church that Jesus Himself promised to build (Matthew 16:18), in Acts 2:47.

'I WILL POUR FORTH'-'to illustrate the generosity of God's gift of the Spirit' (Stott p. 74) God didn't "drizzle" the Spirit upon the apostles.

'MY SPIRIT'-The Holy Spirit. Which is. distinct person within the Godhead (Ephesians 4:30); and is. Divine Being Himself (Acts 5:3).

'UPON ALL FLESH'-

Point to Note:

At this point various groups try to argue that "all flesh" means that God promises the outpouring of the Spirit (along with the miraculous gifts which follow) to every Christian. But every Christian in the N.T. didn't have. spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:29). The phrase "all flesh" must be limited, because without any limitations, "all flesh" would mean everyone-Christian and non-Christian. The expression refers to Jews and Gentiles. At Pentecost the Spirit was poured out on Jews (the apostles), at the household of Cornelius, the Spirit is poured out on Gentiles (Acts 10:1).

'YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY'-(Acts 21:9)

'YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS'-The prophecy itself defines "all flesh" for us. 'Sons, daughters, young men, old men, servants, handmaids'; all these expressions inform us that the Spirit would be given-regardless of one's social status, gender, or rank.

Point to Note:

Some groups argue that the above passage teaches us that women should hold any and all positions of leadership in the Church that men hold. That is, women can be elders, preachers, etc.. Because some say that the above passage teaches us that no "role" or "gender" distinctions will be found in the Kingdom of God. But such an argument proves too much. For the text also mentions "young men and daughters". Can teenagers be elders? (1 Timothy 3:1 ff; Titus 1:6 ff).