Spirit-Driven Miracles

Dr. Couch, do the Spirit-driven miracles that are mentioned in Joel 2:26-32, and repeated in Acts 2:17-21, take place at that time in Acts, or do they only come about as Israel enters the Kingdom, when the Spirit is poured forth upon the Jewish people at that time? ANSWER:  You are speaking about the fact that God's Spirit will come "upon all mankind" (Acts 2:17) and about the Jewish sons and daughters giving prophecies, seeing visions, and dreaming dreams (vv. 17-18). Though dreams and visions are not mentioned as coming to pass in Acts, except here in this passage, this does not mean that they did not take place in the early church. I believe that these prophetic happenings took place in the early church because the Spirit is poured out with the initiation of the New covenant—the proof of which is the fact that the Spirit has come upon the believers.    I argue that Christ ratified the New covenant by His death (Luke 22:20), it was launched here in Acts 2, the church presently benefits by it, but the New covenant will not be fulfilled until it comes upon the Jewish people in the Kingdom. The two proofs of the New covenant having been launched is: (1) permanent forgiveness of sins (Jer. 31:31-34), and (2) the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as mentioned in Ezekiel 36-37, and referred to in Joel 2.    We find the Holy Spirit working in church believers with prophecy in 1 Corinthians 12-14. But again, we are not fulfilling the New covenant but only benefiting by it. It is mainly for the Jewish people, when they turn to their Messiah in the Kingdom!    A very important point is made in Acts 2:17: "I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind." Peter is quoting Joel 2:28. Some try to argue that "mankind" is about the nation of Israel but this is not the case. In the Hebrew of Joel 2:28 "mankind" is the Hebrew words "Al Cal Basar." Or, "Upon all flesh." This is never used only of the Jews but of the Gentiles too. The Greek of Acts 2:28 is "pasan sarka." Again, "all flesh."    This was what was happening in Acts 2 when the Spirit was poured forth. He came upon Jews but also Gentiles. Remember the people there at Pentecost were both Jews and Gentile proselytes who were believing in the God of the OT (v. 10).    Acts 2:16 is most important. In the Greek text it reads: "But this is that which was spoken through (by means of) the prophet Joel ..." The "To be" verb "estin" is in the verse. And the "To be" verb is equal grammatically on both sides. "This is exactly that which was spoken ..." In almost all languages the Nominative case is on both sides of the "to be" verb. Or, "This is the same thing as that ..." "That which was spoken" is the Perfect Passive Participle, Nominative, Neuter. Thus, "That which was spoken of in the past, with the action coming up to the present ..." Or, "What was said back in Joel 2 is now coming up to the present ..."    Conclusion: "What Joel said is now coming about. And we're all seeing it here at Pentecost!"    I hope this helps. Thanks for asking. If you would like more on the importance of the New covenant, you may want my book that deals with that covenant but also with the coming Messianic Kingdom of Christ: "The New Covenant."    Dr. Mal Couch (6-10)

Israel Fulfills the New Covenant

Dr. Couch, you have made me a believer in regard to the fact that the church benefits from the New covenant today, but we do not "fulfill" it as Israel will in the kingdom. Why do people resist this idea? I'm specifically referring to the quoting of Joel 2 in Acts 2, and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. ANSWER:  Mainly because they do not read their Bible; they do not have good interpretive skills! This is why I wrote one of the few books available today on hermeneutics: Classical Evangelical Hermeneutics (Kregel).    I will only have space here to summarize:    (1) For Israel, the New covenant is prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-on. (2) It will be activated by the work of the Spirit, as prophesied in Joel 2:28-29. (3) Christ said that His sacrifice would ratify the New covenant. (Luke 22:20): "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood." (4) The New covenant is then "launched" at Pentecost (Acts 2:16-21), but it is not fulfilled by the church, though the church will benefit and represent the New covenant during the church dispensation.    There are three places in Paul's letters that show the church has a connection with the New covenant presently but the verses never say we fulfill it now. It will be fulfilled when applied to Israel during the dispensation of the Kingdom.    Paul speaks to the Jews in Romans 2:17-29 and argues that, for them, to be a believing Jew today, their circumcision is spiritual and their Jewish-ness is inward. Then he adds, "by the Spirit, not by the letter [of the Mosaic law]; the Jews' praise is not from men, but from God." Here Paul compares the New covenant with the Law and points out that it has replaced the "letter of the Law" as prophesied in Jeremiah 31. There Jeremiah said that the New covenant will replace the Mosaic covenant. "The New covenant will not be like "My covenant which I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke ..."    Paul speaks of the New covenant again in Romans 7:6: "We serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter [of the law]." The Holy Spirit mentioned in both 2:29 and 7:6 is the Activator of the New covenant today in the church age. Paul mentions the New covenant again in 2 Corinthians 3:3 where he says the church saints are a letter of Christ "written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts ..." Here, Paul is again comparing the work of the Spirit, who is the Activator of the New covenant, with the Mosaic law. He adds that we are now "servants of a New covenant, not of the letter [of the law] but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (v. 6).    It is important to look carefully at what Peter says about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:16. He (1) does not say the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost fulfills Joel 2 [as the amillennialists would say], nor (2) does he say that it is simply an "illustration" of the work of the Spirit, as mentioned in Joel 2 [as some dispensational buddies of mine would say]. But instead, in quoting Joel 2:28-29, he says "But this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel."    One must know Greek in order to fully understand what is going on here. Peter writes: "This IS 'that which has been written'". The IS is the common "TO BE" verb (estin). And "which has been written" is a Perfect Passive Participle, Neuter, Nominative. In Greek (and in English) on both sides of the TO BE verb you have the Nominative case. Thus, this which [is now going on—the outpouring of the Holy Spirit] has been written (ereo) is simply the same thing as mentioned in Joel 2!    Peter had ways to say that Joel 2 was an illustrative of the outpouring of the Spirit; and he had ways of saying that Joel 2 was being fulfilled here in Acts 2, but Peter did not say either one of these things!    The only sound conclusion is that the church presently is benefiting from the outpouring of the Spirit, and of the New covenant, but the church is not fulfilling the New covenant! That will happen with Israel when the Kingdom arrives and the Jews are back in the Land! At that time, for them, the New covenant will be fulfilled!    This is complicated to write, so I hope it makes sense. Many of my friends are now seeing the issue this way, and I think this is correct.    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (Oct., 09)