Question Corner by M. C. Wilcox

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Oct 19, 1915

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 41.

Question Corner

By M. C. Wilcox

Conducted by M. C. Wilcox

178 — SEEING GOD

Will you please explain Ex. 24:10, 11? I cannot reconcile this statement with 1 John 4:12. E. A. C.

The expression in Exodus 24 simply has reference to the glory of God with a part of His being, as in Ex. 33:18-23. Moses pleaded that God would show him His glory—that is, so he could look upon Him. God tells him, “Thou canst not see My face; for man shall not see Me and live.” Verse 20.

1 John 4:12 has reference to looking upon God in the way we would look upon others. “No man hath beheld God at any time.” The unapproachable light and the ineffable glory of God is so great that men could not live in that presence. It is only in a very modified way that men have looked upon God. There will come a time, however, when man has been changed into God’s image, and the weakness of his mortality changed to immortality, that the blessed assurance of Christ will be fulfilled, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God,” or as stated in Rev. 22:4, “And they shall see His face; and His name shall be on their foreheads.”

179 — THE SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN

What is the sign of the Son of man? E. A. C.

The expression is used in Matt. 24:30: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven.” It would seem, from parallel scriptures, that this is the first appearance of Jesus, the Son of man, in the clouds of heaven. Rev. 1:7: “Behold, He cometh with clouds.” See also Acts 1:9-11. Luke 21:27: “Then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud.” This would seem to put the appearance of the cloud some time before the outlines of the person of Jesus and the angels are fully discerned.

180 — THE DAYS OF MATT. 12:40

Do the three days and three nights of Matt. 12:40 refer to just seventy-two hours? QUERY.

Not necessarily nor probably. The Jewish manner of reckoning time counted a part of a day as a whole day. Here is the following from the Chosen People, a magazine that is working for the salvation of the Jews:

“In religious matters, the Jewish law always counts parts of the first and last days of a religious observance as whole days. For instance, the law is, to sit on the ground and mourn over the dead for seven days. The first and the seventh day of the mourning are counted as whole days, if only part of them, even an hour, has been spent in mourning. The Jewish reckoning of days always includes the preceding night. Christ lay in the grave part of Friday, which counted a whole day, the preceding night included; Friday night and Saturday, making the second day; Saturday night and part of Sunday, making the third day.”

If we would remember these customs among the Jews, and the method of reckoning time, it would save us from other errors based on a wrong conception of the same text.

181 — BAPTIZED IN HIS NAME

Please explain Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38; Acts 8:16. Are these statements in perfect harmony? Is it essential that the name “Lord Jesus Christ” only should be used for one to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit? M. M.

Matt. 28:19 expresses the great thought and scope of baptism. The text does not say that this is the formula which should be followed. It is not presented for that purpose. It is proper enough to use, and it is often, if not generally, used in the rite of baptism, for it expresses the meaning of baptism more than any other scripture. See the tract on “Bible Baptism,” B. S. L. No. 204.

Baptism into the name of the Father is baptism into His character, His righteousness; into the name of the Son, into His character, or the emptying of self, the yielding up of self for service. Baptism into the Holy Spirit is baptism for service.

All these things are included in the name of the Lord Jesus, because He was the representative of all these. Therefore baptism in the name of Jesus Christ may be regarded as sufficient. Through Him the Father did the work. Consequently the righteousness of God came through Jesus Christ. The humiliation and meekness of the Saviour came in the same way, and He it is who gives the Spirit. It is therefore not essential that the name “the Lord Jesus Christ” only should be used, in order for one to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In fact, the name may be used, or any name or formula may be used, and yet the one immersed may not receive the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, it is true that some have received the Holy Spirit who were not baptized. See Acts 10:44-48. They were baptized after they received the Holy Spirit. God does not have to work by formulas. It is the submissive heart, the heart that is wholly yielded to Him, that brings His blessing.

182 — THE SCOPE OF THE RESURRECTION

Please let me know if the people who died before the Flood will be raised at the second coming of Christ. O. H. S.

Yes, His own people will—those who have part in the first resurrection. See 1 Thess. 4:14-16; Rev. 1:7; and other scriptures. The promise is that “the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:28, 29. See also Acts 24:15. There will be a resurrection both of the just and of the unjust; and when God’s children are raised, there will be no difference between those who have lived in one age and those who have lived in another. All will come forth, as stated in the passage in 1 Thessalonians.