hecy, considered in itself, is so expressed, that no one, except
the first author of the prophecy, will be able convincingly to define
the exact event to which it really refers." We shall afterwards see
that the testimony of the New Testament to which _Dresde_ here alludes,
does not by any means demand such a limitation. We have seen that Joel
points to a fourfold oppression of Israel by the world's power. The
_main_ fulfilment we must then expect at the time of the fourth; but
this can scarcely be the first fulfilment; for we cannot imagine that
the former calamities should have passed over the people altogether
without effect; and the divine gift of the Spirit goes always hand in
hand with the susceptibility of the people. By proving that fourfold
oppression, we have also furnished the proof that the prophecy of the
outpouring of the Spirit has a comprehensive character.--From the
already established reference of the [Hebrew: aHri-kN] to the [Hebrew:
brawvN] in chap. ii. 23, it is obvious that it is not so much a
determination of the succession of time, as of a succession in point of
importance, which is thereby given. Among the two effects of the
mission of the Teacher of righteousness, first, the lower, and
then, the higher, presents itself to the view of the prophet. The
determination of time is not the essential point; that serves only to
illustrate the internal relation of these two events, the gradation of
these divine blessings; although we are able to demonstrate that, even
as regards time, the prophecy was fulfilled in this order. For after
the destruction by the [Pg 335] Chaldeans, the temporal blessings were
restored to the people, before the main fulfilment of the promise of
the outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place; compare Ps. cvii. 33-42
with Joel ii. 25-27.--The words, "I shall pour out," refer to the rain
in ver. 23. The idea of copiousness, opposed to the former scantiness,
is indeed implied in it. Yet it must not be exclusively considered; the
qualities of the rain alluded to in ver. 24 ff.--viz., the quickening
of what was previously dead, the fructifying power--must not be
overlooked.--The words, "Upon all flesh," are, by most of the Jewish
interpreters (_e.g._, _Kimchi_, _Abenezra_; compare _Lightfoot_ and
_Schoettgen_ on Acts ii. 16, 17), referred to the members of the
Covenant-people only; but by the Christian interpreters, whom even
Abarbanel joins, to all men. So, still, does _Steudel_ in th