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You Must be Born Again (Endnotes)

1. For documentation on this point, see Appendix C. Close

2. The idea that they are the same comes from Peter’s statement in Acts 2:16 (KJV), “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” In the Companion Bible, E. W. Bullinger has an entire appendix on this subject, and the phrase “This is that,” used by Peter. He begins: “There is nothing in the words to tell us what is ‘this’ and what is ‘that.’ The word ‘this’ is emphatic, and the word ‘But’ with which Peter’s argument begins, sets what follows in contrast. This shows that the quotation was used to rebut the charge of drunkenness (v. 13). So far from these signs and wonders being a proof that “these men” were drunken, ‘this,’ said the apostle, is ‘that’ (same kind of thing) which Joel prophesied would take place ‘in the last days.” Peter does not say these were the last days, but that this (that follows) is what Joel says of those days. He does not say ‘then was fulfilled,’ nor ‘as it is written,’ but merely calls attention to what the prophet said of similar scenes yet future.” Bullinger’s assessment of the giving of holy spirit in Acts is correct: it is similar to, but not the same as, the giving of the spirit that will occur in the Millennial Kingdom. Bullinger, op. cit., Companion Bible, Appendix 183. Close

3. Exactly when the Old Testament prophecies said that holy spirit would be poured out is very important, and helps to differentiate between the giving of the spirit to the Church and the giving of the spirit to Israel. The Old Testament prophets with one voice said that the spirit would be poured out after the Tribulation and during the Kingdom. Isaiah 32:15; 44:3; 59:21; Ezek. 39:29, and Joel 2:28 all refer to after the Tribulation, in the Kingdom of God. Close

4. The NIV and NASB do an exceptionally good job of translating the difficult word, napal, which has a basic meaning of “to fall” and in this context refers to “dropping” children, i.e., giving birth. Brown, Driver, Briggs, op. cit., The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon p. 658. Isaiah 26:19 is referring to the First Resurrection. Delitzsch writes: “The dew from the glory of God falls like a heavenly seed into the bosom of the earth; and in consequence of this, the earth gives out from itself the shades which have hitherto been held fast beneath the ground, so that they appear alive again on the surface of the earth. …When compared with the New Testament Apocalypse, it is “the first resurrection” which is here predicted by Isaiah.” F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament in Ten Volumes, Vol. VII, Isaiah (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, reprinted 1975), pp. 451, 452. Close

5. Unfortunately, this point is veiled in many English versions. The Hebrew word for “spirit” is ruach, which generally refers to an invisible force and is usually translated “spirit,” “wind,” or “breath.” Many versions translate ruach as “breath” in Ezekiel 37, but because of the scope of Scripture and the other prophecies relating to this subject, the chapter makes more sense if ruach is translated “spirit.” The uses of ruach, spirit, in Ezekiel 37 that must be clearly understood include, “I will make ruach, [spirit], enter you” (vs. 5); “I will put ruach, [spirit], in you” (vs. 6); “there was no ruach, [spirit], in them” (vs. 8); “prophesy to the ruach, [spirit]” (vs. 9); “O ruach, [spirit]” (vs. 9); and “and ruach [spirit], entered them” (vs. 10). Interestingly, after translating ruach as “breath” through most of the chapter, in the final verse of this section, verse 14, the translators of the NIV do use the word “spirit” instead of “breath”: “I will put my Spirit [spirit] in you and you will live.” Close

6. See Appendix C. Close