"What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this."

Acts 2:16-21

16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy. 19 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 the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. 21 And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' NKJV

18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.

In continuation from our last study about Joel’s prophesy and Peter’s application of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit we pick up in verse 18. We have been learning about the beginnings of the church and the reign of the Holy Spirit on all flesh. In this study we will be digging further into the application of this prophesy and the out pouring of the Holy Spirit on the church.

Our last study covered the phrases, . . . your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. In this study I want to draw the contrast between; . . . your sons and your daughters. . . and . . .on My menservants and on My maidservants. The NKJV translates Joel’s prophesy in a poetic form making the grammar difficult to understand. I don’t believe it is the Holy Spirit’s intent to turn this prophesy into poetic writing. For example “your sons and your daughters” is capitalized in the poetic form, but this changes the interpretation and ruins the understanding. By capitalizing “Your” it makes the reader think it is referenced to God, but this is referenced to the reader when it is in the lower case (your). This gives the proper contrast of the next verse in regards to God’s slaves.

The phrase “your sons and daughters” is speaking of our sons and daughters, as a gift to us, in which we co-own. In other words they belong to us as sons and daughters; but the contrasting verse, “My menservants and on My maidservants”, is speaking of slaves in relationship to strictly the Lord’s ownership. Therefore these male and female slaves belong to God. He claims ownership of them; and therefore, we as His creation have no rights over them; because they belong to Him. I would not want to be in the shoes of the one who stands before God on judgment day who thinks he has ownership over what belongs to God. Therefore we don’t treat them as slaves, but obey God in how He expects His slaves to be treated. For those who argue that the text is not referring to slaves but servants need to do a word study on δοῦλοσ2 (doulos). It always means slave in regards to ownership. I recommend a deep study on it that John MacArthur worked on called SLAVE. You can purchase it here: http://www.gty.org/products/Books/451170

It is important to note here, that this outpouring of the Holy Spirit begins with the Jews at Pentecost in Jerusalem, and later the same effects occur upon the Samaritans, and again upon the Gentiles. Therefore this outpouring comes in three stages. We will briefly look at each of them.

Acts 8:14-17

14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. NKJV

It is important to note here, that this is not a different Spirit being poured out in the church, but a different application or work of the Spirit. John’s baptism was one of repentance in the Name of Jesus Christ, which is the conversion of the soul, but here is the baptism of the church, in which the Spirit is now making the two baptisms one. We need to understand that a transition is taking place and that the church is being formed. John the Baptist was the forerunner preparing the way of Christ, therefore, John’s baptism was a work of the Spirit to testify of the Christ, and once the Christ’s ministry was complete, the Spirit’s ministry needed to be established. He comes in three phases. He starts in Jerusalem, then in Samaria, and then in Caesarea.

Acts 10:44-48

The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

Then Peter answered, 47 "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days. NKJV

Notice here that baptism immediately follows the outpouring of the Spirit and brings both baptisms into one. They are no longer separated, now that, the Spirit has taken reign in the church. Therefore when every individual is converted they are immediately received into the church and baptized. This is contrary to the common teaching today that says, we need a second baptism, a baptism of the Spirit of sorts, what some call the second blessing. This is a false doctrine and should be rejected and put off. Do not receive what is contrary to the foundation that has been laid for us in Christ. This outpouring is the last one recorded in Scripture, but this does not mean that God is not continuing to be pouring out His Spirit today. What is recorded here is sufficient for us to understand how ones enter the kingdom of God, and that is; first, through repentance and faith in the gospel, and second by membership through public baptism in the church. There is no need for a second baptism (Eph. 4:5).

Paedobaptists what us to believe, that baptism is equivalent to the old covenant circumcision of infants, therefore, they baptize infants. But how are the females circumcised in this baptism? We also need to understand the separation of the covenants. The old covenant was a “national” covenant for Israel, and to be a citizen of Israel (the kingdom), all male children were to be circumcised. But now that the Spirit is given to “all flesh”, including females, baptism is the new public ordinance of citizenship into the kingdom. Women can now have access in the kingdom without the mediation of a male; for they now have Christ as a husband and master to bring them in. Ruth is a testimony of how a foriegner needed a redeemer to become a citizen of Israel. Circumcision was for the males as a sign that they would rule under God’s authority, but now baptism is a sign that allows single women to also rule their house under God’s authority.

Acts 16:13-15

13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. 14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." So she persuaded us. NKJV

Lydia was used greatly of the Lord to harbor Paul later in his release from prison. The Scriptures say nothing about Lydia being married, if she was, I believe it would have been recorded. In that culture the males were highly respected and I doubt Paul would have gone into Lydia’s household without first going through her husband. This leads me to believe that she was a single and very successful maker of the home. She was probably very wealthy being a seller of purple linen who also had slaves in her home. It says her household was baptized, indicating others lived in her home. Since she was the master of the home, it is likely that the slaves would follow suit, living under her command. She probably continued in daily worship with her slaves being a slave to them in return. This does not mean we can interject our own opinions, in what the text is saying by “household”, to mean that she had infants that were baptized. The text simply does not teach anything like it. But what we do see is that when faith comes, then comes baptism. Almost like, first comes love, then a baby in the baby carriage. Too many want to push the baby in the kingdom before it is ready. We must put the horse in front of the carriage. The horse being the faith and the cart being the baptism. This does not forbid the children to prophesy the things they do not yet understand; . . . for your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.

Ps 8:2

2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger. NKJV

Matt 21:15-16

15 But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant 16 and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read,

'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?" NKJV

John 13:6-7

6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?" 7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this." NKJV

After the Holy Spirit opens a child's heart, like He did Lydia to hear the Words of God, then He grants faith for the child to inquire of baptism. As the parents teach their children the Word of God, the parents administration of the Word cleanses the children in God's sight, not a false imitation of the Lord's ordinance of baptism. Water is not what washes away the filth of the heart, but the Word of God is the power that changes a child's heart. Your child will know what to do after the Holy Spirit works the understanding of the law of God in his heart. This concludes this study because I understand that my body needs some sleep, so until next time, enjoy the perfected praise of babes. Amen