So what was it that they were to “give heed” too? Before we go there let’s first notice what time of day it was.  It was the third hour of the day.  According to the reckoning of time in that day, the third hour would be 9:00 a.m. in the morning. The time of the morning offerings.  Remember the offerings were how one drew near to YHVH (Leviticus 1).  It’s an appointed time of the day as is the afternoon offering at 3:00 p.m.  The reason prayer is connected to these times of day is because the priests would bless and honor YHVH in prayer while making the offerings.  This appointed time remains to this day when we stop what we’re doing and give honor to our Creator.

Let’s now read the prophecy Peter shares from Joel 2 and ask the Spirit of Counsel to open our hearts to “hear and heed” what the counsel is. For those who are new to studying Scripture, when the Apostolic Scriptures are in all caps it’s quoting a verse or verses from the Hebrew Scriptures commonly known as the “Old Testament”.

Acts 2:17-21;

   “17 ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ Elohim says,

            ‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; [With this outpouring of the Spirit it entails the Seven Spirits of YHVH…Isaiah 11]

            AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY,

            AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS,

            AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;

       18 EVEN ON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN,

            I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT

            And they shall prophesy.

       19 ‘AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE

            AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW,

            BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE.

       20 ‘THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS

            AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD,

            BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF YHVH SHALL COME.

       21 ‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF YHVH WILL BE SAVED.’”

Peter goes onto say in verse 22, “Men of Israel, listen to these words [Heed the counsel of these words…it’s important that we pay close attention to what Peter is about to say.]: Yeshua the Nazarene, a man attested to you by Elohim with miracles and wonders and signs which Elohim performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know…” And Peter continues for the rest of chapter 2 laying out the plan of salvation through Yeshua.  He shares with them what happened, what they did to Yeshua and called them to repentance, as well as water baptism in Yeshua’s name and to receive the Holy Spirit.  Those who heeded the counsel of Peter that day were three thousand souls (Acts 2:41).  An interesting side note: The Torah, the teachings and instructions of our Creator, was given in the third month, the season of Shavuot/Feast of Pentecost.  When Moses was coming down the mountain from receiving the Word of Elohim the people were playing the harlot with the golden calf incident.  Exodus 32:28 records that three thousand men fell to their death that day.  Fast forward fifteen hundred years and we’re at the same season, Shavuot/Feast of Pentecost and three thousand are added back. This is no coincident, but a Yah-incident!! Redemption at its finest.

May we heed the counsel of these words and be filled to the measure with His Spirit!!

Have a blessed and shalom filled day!!

Tammy

Courtesy of
River of Life Tabernacle
Tammy McLendon
Great peace have they who love Your law. Psalm 119:165a