This verse, “Blood, Fire and Pillars of Smoke” has always intrigued me. It’s a verse taken from the Book of Joel and also the Book of Acts about an event before the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.
“ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ “ Acts 2:17-21
The trouble is we often take this verse in a negative sense and see it as one of ‘doom and gloom.’ Lots of bloodshed, fire, and bombs. It’s obvious that these things are happening around us today, in an ever increasing measure, but the longer I live and the more I study scripture, I’m convinced that the deeper meaning of this verse is one of blessing and not of cursing.
When the Prophet Joel first wrote this verse it was before the cross of Calvary and the blood of Jesus Christ had not yet been shed for the sins of the world. It was before the coming of the Holy Spirit and Fire. It was before the way had been opened up for the awesome Presence of God (Smoke) to be made available on the earth.
We are now in the Last Days and the curtain has been rent and the way opened up for us to go into His Presence and for Him to come out to us. We are now in those days when His Spirit, His Presence, His cloud has been poured out on all flesh. Remember the Spirit first appeared on the heads of the disciples as tongues of fire. Paul said that we have now been baptised into the cloud. This was the cloud that dwelt over the Tabernacle and led them in the wilderness. 1 Corinthians 10:2 These things have been fulfilled.
I want to explore this thought; more in relation to the wonderful fellowship we can now have with Jesus in these Last Days before the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord. Particularly looking at what the Pillars of Smoke could mean.
If you were walking through the wilderness in bible times trying to find Moses and the Tribes of Israel, the first thing you would see in the distance would be a huge pillar of smoke on the horizon and as you got closer you’d also notice another smaller column.
Before anything else you’d see these 2 pillars of smoke. As you got closer there would also be the awesome sight of 1000s of tents all encamped neatly around a Tabernacle. Over this Tabernacle would be the bigger Pillar of smoke and over an altar there would be the smaller one.
The big Pillar of Smoke was the Presence of God. This was a supernatural occurrence, not man made. The smaller Pillar of Smoke was made by man and created from the animal sacrifices burnt continually on an altar before God. If the Priests weren’t making these offerings then the Presence of God wouldn’t come.
Israel’s whole existence revolved around and depended upon a religious system of sacrifices. They were taught that mankind had fallen into sin and needed the continual sacrifice of animals to atone for sin - a life for a life. If this wasn’t done, then the bigger of the two pillars of cloud would depart from them. God’s Presence would lift.
Thousands upon thousands of animals were slain to maintain their religious ceremonies over the years. Did you ever stop and consider how many goats had to be slain to make the tents of 3 million Israelite’s, for all their tents were made from goat skins? More than one skin per tent. The mind boggles.
The large altar in their midst had smoke rising from it morning, noon and night, for there was a continual burnt offering taking place every day. The blood shed had to be sprinkled on the altar and the offering burnt with fire. Every day at 9am there was a burnt offering and again at 3pm in the afternoon. This explained the smaller pillar of smoke that could be seen from afar. The smoke for most of the time would go straight up for there was very little wind in the wilderness, not like here in New Zealand. The Bible says that this sacrifice was a sweet smelling odour, or savour rising up to God. As I said, if this smoke didn’t go up, then the Presence of God wouldn’t come down.
The biggest and most important sacrifice of all for the Jewish people was the ‘Day of Atonement’ when the sacrificial lamb was slain for the whole nation, and that happened once a year. The lamb chosen had to be lamb without blemish or spot.
This was a picture of Jesus the spotless Lamb of God who would be slain for the sins of the whole world. Not only did this sacrifice speak about the coming of Jesus the Lamb of God, but everything else in the Tabernacle pointed to Him. From all its colours, to the wood and metal used in its structure and even the layout, all spoke about the coming of Jesus. We can see it now but back then they had no idea what this all meant. This religious ritual was going on day after day, year after year until the big event 1500 years later when Jesus the Lamb of God was slain on the cross for the sins of the world.
John the Baptist introduced Jesus by saying;
“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29 In Latin ‘Agnus Dei,’ means the Lamb of God.
Today 2000 odd years later we remember what Jesus did for us at Easter and whenever we have communion. We remember how His blood was shed for us and also how the fire of God’s wrath fell on Him for us. It’s amazing how He was crucified at 9am and was dead by 3pm and from noon till 3pm the sun went black as God turned His face away from His Son, as Jesus took our sin upon Himself.
When He died there was a great earthquake and the curtain in the Temple was split from top to bottom which signified that this sacrifice was accepted by God and now the Presence or cloud of God could go out into all the world and that we could now also enter in.
Jesus had paid the price for of us to experience the love of God. There is now no need for any more animal sacrifices as Jesus gave himself once for all. What an opportunity to praise God.
In the Tabernacle (that was speaking of Jesus and all that He would do for us,) we have an altar where the lamb was slain and His blood shed. The cross was also the altar where the Lamb of God the spotless one was crucified and His blood shed. His life was an acceptable offering that went up to God just like the smaller pillar of smoke in the wilderness. God responded to that offering by pouring out of His Spirit on the Day of Pentecost and this was represented by the larger Pillar of Smoke over the Holiest of Holies. We have here represented the offering made by man, and we also have God’s response with the coming cloud of His glory. We are now living in those days spoken of by Joel when the blood has been shed and the sacrifice has been accepted by the fire of the Holy Spirit and God’s Presence has been made available for ‘whosoever will.’ We can now be baptised in the cloud.
When ever we have communion and gather around the Lord’s Table all these things are present. The bread speaks of the lamb broken for us. The wine speaks of the blood. Both these elements make available the forgiveness of sin and also the healing of our bodies. God the Father responds with the Glory cloud of His grace, forgiveness, healing and fellowship.
The Communion Table
When we gather around the Lord’s Table to celebrate what Jesus did for us we are told to remember and proclaim His death until the next big event, which is the Second Coming of Christ. We can do this at any time we want but at Easter it’s a worldwide event amongst Christians.
The Tabernacle in the wilderness spoke of Jesus and all He did for us. As we approach the Lord’s Table there is also before us an altar. We are reminded of the blood that was shed and the fire/wrath of God that came upon His sinless Son. We are told to remember and proclaim this truth until He comes.
“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-24
As we take this bread and drink this wine/juice there is something more going on in the spirit realm. The Bible says that whatever we bind on earth is bound in heaven and whatever we loose on earth is loosed in heaven.
I don’t believe the ‘heaven’ mentioned here is the 3rd Heaven where God dwells, for there is no devil there to bind. It is the 2nd heaven, the spiritual realm around us.
"Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 18:18
We may be just eating bread and drinking juice at the communion table but the word says we are eating His flesh and drinking His blood and receiving all the blessings that come from His life that was given.
We read of all these benefits in John chapter 6.
“I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” John 6:49-58
John says “Blessed are those who haven’t seen and yet believe.” John 20:29
You may be standing or sitting when you eat but the word says that you are seated in Heavenly Places with Christ - now. You may be an old man or woman as you eat the bread but the word says you are young, a ‘Child’ of God. You may see Jesus alone on the cross but the word says you died there too, with Him. You were there in Him and took the punishment for your sin in Him and then took the credit for something that Jesus did for you.
Just as you might say that its unfair that we should be accountable for Adam’s sin. We weren’t there when he ate the forbidden fruit, but you were in a sense, for all mankind was in and came from Adam. We were all in him and he tainted all of us with sin. But Praise God for those who believe, for it works in reverse to undo all the wrong that was done through Adam. For we were in Christ when He was punished and we receive the fruit of His labour. This only works if you believe it. That is why we can understand what it says in John 17, when it says that the Glory, that the Father gave Jesus has been given to us and we can also receive the same love that He receives from the Father too.
“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:22-23
Just as you received the debt from Adam’s sin so you can receive the credit for Jesus’ righteousness, if you believe.
I have been thinking a lot about the prophecy of Joel concerning the last days, especially the Blood, Fire and Pillars of Smoke before the return of the Lord.
“And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. “ Joel 2:30
I know that this all started after the Day of Pentecost but as the Church really understands what happened back then, it becomes more and more powerful as the decades go by. There is a progressive revelation as we get closer to the return of the Lord.
“The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” Proverbs 4:18
As we gather around the table that speaks of Jesus there are all the elements spoken of in the prophecy of Joel. The Blood, Fire and Pillars of Smoke. We remember and proclaim the blood that was shed and the fire of God - His wrath that fell on Jesus. The Jewish people use a bread that is slightly burnt which symbolises this. The Passover Lamb also had to be burnt with fire. We offer up a sacrifice of praise to God for what has been done and it is well pleasing to Him and then we can expect His Presence to come down. At the cross the sacrifice of God’s Son went up and at Pentecost the Presence of God came down. The Father accepted the sacrifice and His Presence was the response. The Presence of God is described as smoke in the bible. Look at these 3 verses in the Bible.
“When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple.” 1 Kings 8:10-11
“Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. Isa 6:1-4
“Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.” Revelation 15:7-8
It says in Hebrew, the Pillars of Smoke in Joel 2:30 are a ‘Palm Tree’ of Smoke. In Acts 2:19 this verse is mentioned again on the Day of Pentecost as a billow of smoke. “blood and fire and billows of smoke.”
Just as we proclaim His death let’s expect the response of His Presence. Not just a dab or a puff but a cloud or billow rolling into our meetings and lives. Hallelujah. Look at this verse in Isaiah.
“Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over everything the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.” Isaiah 4:5-6
What was the purpose for Christ’s death? It’s more than just having our sins forgiven. That is great but imagine what that would be like if we didn’t have the fellowship of God as well. Without His help, His comfort and His love we’d quickly fall back again into our old ways. We need the Presence, His Cloudy Pillar. Expect it to come as we proclaim His death for it’s prophesied before the return of Jesus and not only when we get to Heaven.
The Pillars of Smoke are the manifestations of His Presence in these Last Days. God’s response to His Son’s sacrifice and our praise.