"Spirit of the Holy Gods"

Dr. Couch, is Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:8-9 speaking of the Holy Spirit or of the "spirit of the holy gods" when he refers to the ability of Daniel to give to him the interpretation of his dream?

ANSWER: The Aramaic is virtually the same as the Hebrew wording. The phrase reads: "Ruach Elahin Kede'Shen." I have always held what the Jewish Rabbis and Dr. Merrill F. Unger have stated about this phrase that is used several times in Daniel. The Rabbis say that Nebuchadnezzar was speaking a polytheistic expression that would be natural for one coming out of paganism as he was so doing. The idea that God was Spirit was known to the pagan world, though distorted by their sinfulness. The American Indians believed in the Great White Spirit! This would tell us that all religions, with distortion, go back to early Genesis. The Spirit of God is mentioned in the first few verses of the story of Creation.

Unger writes: "The difficulty of the passage lies in the fact that Nebuchadnezzar spoke like a pagan who had acquired some notions of the one true God, but whose spiritual history was still in the formative stages. So he employed the epithet 'holy,' which belongs solely to God."

Isaiah uttered his great words: "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of the armies (Hosts), the whole earth is full of His glory" (Isa. 6:3).

Thanks for asking.
—Dr. Mal Couch (2/11)

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)