Minor Prophets XXX: Old Testament Events Shadow The Holy Spirit

“Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her. “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the LORD’s house and will water the valley of acacias. But Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert waste, because of violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood. Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged? No, I will not.” The LORD dwells in Zion!" Joel 3:17-21

In Joel 3:17-21 we as Christians see the "shadow of the Holy Spirit/Christ". We understand that this passage is of a future event, prophesied by a Hebrew prophet. It is important to note that John 4:19-22 and John 7:37-39 should also be cross-referenced here to add New Testament perspective. These Scripture passages in the Gospel of John run parallel to Joel and the spoken parts are from the very mitigator (man) of the events foretold.

“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews." John 4:19-22

"On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified."  John 7:37-39

In the end there will be a blessing to God’s people. Over the centuries since the writing of this passage, Jerusalem has been ravaged by war, droughts, famine, plagues. There is coming a day where that will change and Jerusalem will be an Eden-like setting. A land of plenty that will (drip new wine, flow with milk, all the ravines will run with water). It will be a place that will no longer be subject to takeover and invasions. In contrast Egypt will be desolate and Edom a desert waste, because of violence done to the people of Judah having shed innocent blood. Judah will be inhabited forever and they will be pardon of their bloodguilt-this along with the references to the Gospel of John Chapters 4 & 7 allude to the fact the God will dwell in all believers in the form of the Helper, Paraclete…The Holy Spirit.

This could also be a reference to the fact that the Messiah is coming (back) and Judah/God’s chosen will be inhabited forever. Jesus answers in John 4 that it is not a matter or where but the actual attitude and heart condition of the obedient of God. The other reference on John 7 reinforced my previous statement as Jesus Himself says, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.”