Poetry & Prophecy

[Covenanter]

From another thread:

I'm being facetious to make a point. Not all of Joel was fulfilled at that time. The sun and moon literally didn't change and the earth didn't shake at the presence of the Lord (Haggai 2:6,7). If someone was to claim that it did happen then he would have to spiritualize the whole passage and say Peter was just being poetic about the celetial bodies. And if it did happen literally at that time then someone (sacred or secular) forget to write done about the greatest natural phenomenon taking place since the creation of heaven and earth.

Much of Scripture, including prophecy & the prophetic Psalms, is given in the form of poetry. Should we expect a literal fulfilment? Does the poetry of Joel 2, quoted by Peter at Pentecost, require literal fulfilment to be fulfilled by the events of Pentecost?

[anime4christ]

I think it should be interpreted literally in the sense that it was in visible form, but not in a literal fashion as many are thinking. For example, the moon turning to blood does not mean the moon turned into red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, etc. It was a poetic (and technical) term for a lunar eclipse.

[Wilchbla]

I think it should be interpreted literally in the sense that it was in visible form, but not in a literal fashion as many are thinking. For example, the moon turning to blood does not mean the moon turned into red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, etc. It was a poetic (and technical) term for a lunar eclipse.

The event is literal but expressions, types, figures of speech, eetc. can be used. The sun will literally be turned into darkness and the moon into blood (i.e. the color of blood). God does have the power to change the moon's surface to literal blood if he wanted.

[Wilchbla]

From another thread:


Much of Scripture, including prophecy & the prophetic Psalms, is given in the form of poetry. Should we expect a literal fulfilment? Does the poetry of Joel 2, quoted by Peter at Pentecost, require literal fulfilment to be fulfilled by the events of Pentecost?

Yes, expect a literal fulfilment. If the Spirit was literally poured out and they literally spokes in tongues then by following the rules of grammar the rest of the passage would have to be literally fulfilled too.

[Covenanter]

Wilchbla, on 27 May 2011 - 12:26 AM, said:
Peter was just being poetic. Either that or everybody just forget to mention the greatest natural phenomenon in history taking place.
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Yes, expect a literal fulfilment. If the Spirit was literally poured out and they literally spokes in tongues then by following the rules of grammar the rest of the passage would have to be literally fulfilled too.

I presume you are saying that because "the Spirit was literally poured out and they literally spokes in tongues" then the rest of the passage was fulfilled at Pentecost.

The greatest event is history - the incarnation & crucifixion of the Son of God - was accompanied by great "natural phenomena" as recorded in the Gospels.

[anime4christ]

The event is literal but expressions, types, figures of speech, eetc. can be used. The sun will literally be turned into darkness and the moon into blood (i.e. the color of blood). God does have the power to change the moon's surface to literal blood if he wanted.

I agree, and that's what I am saying. A blood moon is a lunar eclipse though. During a lunar eclipse, it appears to be red, like blood. And God also had no problem turning the sun into darkness at the crucifixion.

[Covenanter]

We seem to be in general agreement that the poetic & figurative language is prophetic truth. Imposing literalism on a passage is not necessarily called for in understanding Scripture.

Regarding Joel & Pentecost, that approach allows the Pentecost events to be a complete fulfilment of Joel's prophecy as quoted by Peter. Note that he further quotes the closing verse:

Joe 2:32 And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered:....
for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.