Joel 2:32

Context

The book of Joel takes a locust plague as the occasion to warn of "the day of the LORD," the day on which God executes judgment. It then calls for repentance that rends the heart (Joel 2:12–14) and promises the restoration of the land (Joel 2:23–27). There follow the promise that God will pour out His Spirit "upon all flesh" (2:28–29) and the signs in heaven and on earth (2:30–31). Verse 32 concludes this section. It declares that even when the great and terrible day comes, those who call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered, and that in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be "deliverance" (that is, survivors who escape). Because the Hebrew Masoretic Text numbers 2:28–32 as chapter 3, this verse is 3:5 in the Hebrew. Some scholars hold that the phrase "as the LORD hath said" refers to Obadiah 1:17, "But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance."

Interpretation

• Contextual reading: In its original setting, the verse is read primarily as a promise that God will preserve a "remnant" of Israel even in the midst of judgment. In the Old Testament, "calling on the name" of the LORD denotes worshiping Him, trusting in Him, and seeking His help.
• New Testament reading: In his Pentecost sermon, Peter quoted this passage and presented the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as its fulfillment (Acts 2:16–21). Paul quoted the first part of the verse in a passage stressing that there is no difference between Jew and Greek (Romans 10:13–14). Both quotations follow the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint), which renders the divine name YHWH as "Lord" (kyrios), and in these contexts "Lord" refers to Jesus. For this reason many church traditions regard these quotations as evidence of the deity of Jesus.
• The two directions of "calling": In the Hebrew, the same verb (qara) is used both for people "calling on" the LORD and for the LORD "calling" people. The Calvinist tradition tends to focus on "the remnant whom the LORD shall call" at the end of the verse and to connect salvation with God's prior calling. The Arminian and Wesleyan traditions tend to place the emphasis on "whosoever" and to read the verse as an invitation open to all people. Some interpreters also hear an echo of the latter half of this verse in Peter's words at the close of his sermon, "even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:39–41).
• Pentecostal reading: Pentecostal churches regard all of 2:28–32 as a promise that the Spirit will be poured out in the last days. They understand this promise as extending beyond the events of Pentecost to present-day movements of the Spirit.
• Dispensationalist reading: Dispensationalism often regards Pentecost as a partial fulfillment and reads the deliverance of the remnant in Zion and Jerusalem as something still to be accomplished for Israel in the future.

Questions of Application

Quoting this verse out of context to mean that one is saved "simply by calling on the name" has drawn criticism. Immediately after his quotation, Paul adds, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?" (Romans 10:14–15), making clear that calling on the Lord springs from faith. The book of Joel likewise places repentance before this promise. For these reasons many denominations explain the "calling" in this verse not as a single spoken act but as the whole posture of relying on the Lord in faith.

In the Korean Church

The verse is often preached together with Acts 2 around Pentecost. In evangelistic preaching, it is frequently quoted in the form of Romans 10:13 to proclaim that salvation is open to everyone.

Related Passages

• Acts 2:21
• Romans 10:13
• Obadiah 1:17
• Acts 2:39
• Philippians 2:9–11