The apostle Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, opened the scriptures. Many who want to follow the leading of the Spirit want to do so with a closed Bible. Some even suppose that the Holy Spirit will speak to them differently today than He did to God's people ages ago through the holy scriptures. Peter opened the Bible.

Many of those who had heard the disciples speaking in other languages supposed that they were drunk. They were wrong, of course. It was only 9 a.m. Rather, this was something the prophet Joel had spoken about. Joel had said that God would pour out His Spirit upon men and women, boys and girls. He would make prophets out of all His people.

We are prophets. We speak prophetically. Prophets speak about the great things God has done and the great things God is yet going to do. We must speak about these things.

It is important that we speak prophetically because the day of judgment is almost upon us. Peter's quotation from Joel speaks about the day of judgment as well. Joel spoke about the day of Pentecost and the day of judgment almost as if they were the same day. Our Lord's stay in heaven is a very temporary one. The day of Pentecost and the great day of judgment both belong to “the last days.” We, prophets and prophetesses, live in the last days. These last days will end with judgment of the living and the dead.

Judgment is coming. It will begin with the household of God, wrote the same Peter in his first letter, 4:17. Judgment begins with the church, with you and me. If it begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel? “If the righteous man is scarcely saved, where will the impious and sinner appear?” Critical days. Days for prophesying.

Let us speak prophetically to one another. Let us speak about the great things God has done and is yet going to do. In this way, let us prepare ourselves and each other for the day of judgment. For, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:3ff, he who prophesies builds up and encourages others. One who prophesies edifies the church.

We also speak prophetically in the world, so that those who do not yet belong to the household of God may be saved from the coming day of wrath. Sinners dangle above the fires of hell by a disintegrating, unravelling thread. The fire of God's wrath is licking the thread. When the thread breaks, sinners will plunge into the everlasting fire of hell.

However, there is an escape. The day of wrath is coming, said Peter. But whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Call upon the Lord's name, and you shall be saved. Flee from the coming wrath to Jesus Christ. Speak prophetically. Encourage each other to embrace God's free salvation. Speak about judgment and salvation to others who are in danger of plunging into hell.

We live in critical days. These are days for prophesying.