The Spirit's outpouring of Joel 2:28 happened at Pentecost, but the signs that immediately follow in Joel 2:30-31 did not, and Les Feldick says they have not yet occurred.
Les teaches that everything in verse 28—sons and daughters prophesying, dreams, visions, and the Spirit on servants and handmaids—took place on the Day of Pentecost. But the wonders in heaven and earth—blood, fire, pillars of smoke, a dark sun, and a blood moon—are tribulation events. Because Israel rejected the prophetic program, Les puts a break in the prophecy between verse 28 and verse 30.
Joel 2:28 — This is the portion of Joel's prophecy that Les says was fulfilled at Pentecost—the outpouring of the Spirit on all flesh.
Joel 2:30-31 — These are the signs that immediately follow in the prophecy but did not happen at Pentecost; Les identifies them as tribulation events still future.
Acts 2:16-17 — Peter's quotation of Joel at Pentecost shows he was identifying the outpouring as 'this is that which was spoken by Joel.'
In Joel 2:28, God promises that 'afterward' He will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, with sons and daughters prophesying, old men dreaming dreams, and young men seeing visions. Verse 29 extends this to servants and handmaids. Then, without a narrated pause, Joel 2:30-31 says God will show wonders in heaven and in earth—blood, fire, and pillars of smoke—and that the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord. In Acts 2:16-17, Peter declares at Pentecost, 'this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel,' and he quotes the outpouring portion. The book of Acts does not record the cosmic signs of Joel 2:30-31 occurring that day; it records the sound of a rushing mighty wind, tongues of fire, and Spirit-filled speech. Scripture itself presents the outpouring and the signs as a continuous sequence without revealing an interval between them. The Bible therefore shows what was fulfilled at Pentecost—the Spirit's outpouring—and what remains connected to 'the great and terrible day of the Lord'—the wonders in heaven and earth.
Les teaches that when Peter stood up on the Day of Pentecost, he was saying 'this is that which was spoken of Joel.' The outpouring described in Joel 2:28—sons and daughters prophesying, young men seeing visions, old men dreaming dreams, and the Spirit on servants and handmaids—was fulfilled right then, in proximity to Christ's first coming (Clip 1, Clip 2, Clip 4, Clip 6). But Les says Peter then continued quoting the prophecy into Joel 2:30, where God promises wonders in heaven and earth, blood, fire, pillars of smoke, a dark sun, and a blood moon. That part 'hasn't happened yet'; it belongs to the tribulation. Therefore Les says, 'So we put a break in there' between verse 28 and verse 30 (Clip 1, Clip 4). Les explains that the prophetic program was interrupted. Peter knew the next thing on the agenda would have been the tribulation and the return of Israel's king in the kingdom, after which Israel could have evangelized the Gentiles. But Israel rejected it, so the rest of Joel's prophecy was postponed (Clip 5). Unlike Jesus, who knew where to stop in Luke 4, Peter went on through the whole program because he did not know about the intervening church age (Clip 5). Les also reminds us that all prophecy is directed primarily to Israel, so Joel's prophecy should be read in that light (Clip 7).
Peter told the crowd at Pentecost that what they had seen and heard was 'this is that which was spoken of Joel the prophet.' He quoted Joel word for word: sons and daughters prophesying, young men seeing visions, old men dreaming dreams, and the Spirit poured out on servants and handmaids. Les says these things did happen on the Day of Pentecost; it was all in proximity to Christ's first coming. All of Joel's prophecy is directed to Israel, so Peter applied it to the Jewish crowd in Jerusalem.
After quoting the outpouring, Peter continued into the part where God says He will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath—blood, fire, vapor of smoke, the sun turned to darkness, and the moon turned to blood. Les asks, 'Did that happen? Has it happened yet?' and answers no. He identifies these as tribulation events, not Pentecost events.
Les says Peter continued the prophecy of the whole program rather than stopping after verse 28. Peter knew the next thing on the agenda would have to be the tribulation and then the return of Israel's king and the kingdom, after which Israel could bring the Gentiles to a knowledge of God. But Israel rejected it. In contrast, Jesus knew where to stop in Luke 4; Peter did not know the difference, so he quoted all the way through.
Les says after verse 28's fulfillment at Pentecost, verse 30's wonders are tribulation events, so 'we put a break in there.' The tribulation was postponed at Christ's first coming. The entire program that follows—tribulation, the return of Israel's king, the kingdom, and Israel's worldwide witness—was interrupted by Israel's rejection, leaving the rest of Joel's prophecy yet to be fulfilled.
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The Break Between Pentecost and Tribulation
Les shows that Joel 2:28 was fulfilled at Pentecost, but Joel 2:30's wonders are tribulation events that still have not happened, so he puts a break in the prophecy.
Pentecost Fulfills Joel's Outpouring
Peter points back to Joel and quotes it word for word, and Les confirms that the outpouring on sons, daughters, old men, young men, servants, and handmaids happened on the Day of Pentecost.
Tribulation Postponed
Les connects the postponement of the tribulation to the fact that the covenant with many for one week did not take place at Christ's first coming.
Peter Continues Through the Whole Prophecy
Peter continues quoting Joel beyond the outpouring into the signs, and Les asks whether those things happened yet, showing they have not.
The Interrupted Prophetic Agenda
Peter knew the next events would have been the tribulation and the kingdom, but Israel rejected it, and unlike Jesus in Luke 4, Peter did not know where to stop.
Peter's 'This Is That' at Pentecost
The crowd thought the disciples were drunk, but Peter declared that what they were seeing was exactly what Joel prophesied for these last days.
Joel's Prophecy Directed to Israel
Les stresses that all prophecy, including Joel 2, is directed primarily to the nation of Israel, and the Spirit's empowering role at Pentecost was something totally new.
Joel 2:28: 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:
This is the verse Peter quotes at Pentecost and the portion Les says was fulfilled then.
Joel 2:29: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
This extends the outpouring to servants and handmaids, which Les says also happened at Pentecost.
Joel 2:30: And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
These are the signs that immediately follow in the prophecy but did not occur at Pentecost.
Joel 2:31: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.
This shows the cosmic signs are tied to the day of the Lord, not to Pentecost.
Acts 2:17: 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:
Peter's quotation of Joel shows he applied the outpouring to what was happening at Pentecost.
Acts 2:19-20: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
Peter continued quoting the signs from Joel, even though Luke records no such cosmic events occurring that day.
Yes. Les Feldick says everything in Joel 2:28—sons and daughters prophesying, old men dreaming, young men seeing visions, and the Spirit on servants and handmaids—happened at Pentecost. Peter said 'this is that which was spoken by Joel.'
No. Les says that portion, Joel 2:30-31, belongs to the tribulation and has not happened yet. He puts a break between verse 28 and verse 30 in the prophecy.
Because the prophetic flow was interrupted. Israel rejected the kingdom offer, so instead of tribulation immediately following Pentecost, the church age intervened—something the Old Testament prophets did not reveal in their prophecies.
According to Les, Peter did not stop after verse 28; he continued quoting the whole program. He knew the next thing on the agenda would have been the tribulation and the kingdom, but Israel's rejection postponed it.
Les says all Old Testament prophecy, including Joel, is directed primarily to the nation of Israel. The outpouring at Pentecost was a partial fulfillment, but the full prophetic program remains for Israel's future.
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