Acts 2:19-21 19And I will cause wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. 21And it will be that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.’
The second point of Joel’s prophecy, quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost, focuses on wonders and signs. Verse 19 uses apocalyptic language to the “last days” of verse 17. The challenge is to consider when those days are. Did they begin with Jesus’ death and resurrection? If so, then the wonders and signs have not happened in any literal way. Could these verses refer to Jesus’ second coming, the great “day of the Lord” that Christians look forward to.
The point Peter may have found relevant is the idea of proofs that God was doing something new, and that the day of the Lord has arrived. The age of the Messiah had begun and would continue until he comes again. These verses can be read in the shadow of the angels’ promise in 1:11. The messianic age is evident by God’s power at work through miraculous signs. Verses 19-20 describe signs in the heavens, referring to the sky, with the sun and moon being hidden by fire and smoke from the earth. Smoke from forest fires and ash from volcanic eruptions can hide the sun and moon. The day of the Lord will be obvious.
For those who believe in the messiah, it will be a great and glorious day. Verse 21 may have been in Peter’s mind as he thought about a passage of Scripture to explain what was happening. As his “sermon” continues after the quotation, he was deeply concerned about the eternal destiny of his fellow Jews and the gathered proselytes. The meaning is clear. Everyone (pan) shows that the invitation is open to all. No one is beyond God’s grace. The offer of salvation is given to any who will listen. Call shows the response to the invitation of grace extended through the proclamation of the good news. The name of the Lord is the name above all names, Jesus (Philippians 2:9-10). Jesus is the special name God gave his Son born of a virgin (Matthew 1:21). To call on Jesus means to ask him for salvation. He is the Way, the Open Door, the only one who has revealed the Almighty God’s purposes and plan for humanity. To call on him requires faith.
The outcome of calling on the Savior is salvation. Saved (sō thēsetai) is a future passive verb with God as the implied source of the salvation. Peter will explain more in the following verses of how his listeners could receive this salvation.
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