Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 31, 1910

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 21.

“IF YE WILL INQUIRE, INQUIRE YE.”

This Inquirers’ Department is conducted for the purpose of helping those who are studying the Bible. The answers are oftentimes only suggestive. They are never to be considered infallible, only as they agree with the infallible Word. The writer who may answer them does not consider that his opinion is infallible. He will simply give the best that he has, and plead with the inquirer to search the Word. Such questions only will be answered as, to the editors, seem to minister to the good of the readers and to the mission of the paper. We can not answer repeatedly in the same volume questions upon the same scripture. The name and address must accompany question, not for publication, but as an evidence of good faith, and that answer may be made by letter if deemed advisable. No letters are answered which do not contain the name of the writer. It is well always to enclose stamp for reply.

3138.— Born under the Law

Will you please explain Gal. 4:4, where it says that Christ was made or born “under the law”? A SUBSCRIBER.

The text reads in the Revised Version as follows: “But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” First, “the fulness of the time” means God’s own appointed time, predicted by the prophets of the coming of His Son. That Son was sent forth on the mission for which He was appointed. He became a brother to man in the flesh, and therefore was born of a woman. This, too, is according to the Scripture recorded in Gen. 3:15, that the Seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head. He was “born under the law;” that is, like all the rest of humanity, because He came to stand in the place of man. We read in Rom. 1:3 that He was “born of the seed of David according to the flesh.” He therefore stood before God just as the seed of David did. Note what His mission was: “God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, that He might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” This is parallel to 2 Cor. 5:21: “Him who knew no sin He made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Jesus took the sins of mankind upon Himself, took the nature of man upon Himself, became “under the law,” that He might take man from under the law and place the law within his heart; He was condemned not for Himself, but condemned in our behalf, and died in our behalf, that we might live. “Under the law” in this text, as in verse 21 and Rom. 6:14, means condemned by the law, and Christ died condemned by the law, not because He had sinned Himself, but because He stood in the place of the sinner.

“Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” There is very much more in the Word to the same effect.

3139.— The Seven Last Plagues

Will you please explain the sixteenth chapter of Revelation? For instance, in the fourth verse must we understand that the rivers and fountains of water became blood? Where abode the righteous people at that time? And so in connection with all the rest of the plagues; will they be sent only upon the wicked people? How will the righteous escape if all are here upon the earth at that time? A. Y.

It is impossible to give anything like an explanation of Revelation 16 in the Question Corner. This may be remarked, however,—that the plagues are poured out upon the wicked. That is shown in all the plagues themselves. That the judgments spoken of are literal we have just as much reason to believe, as we have that the plagues poured out upon Egypt were literal. See Exodus, chapters 7-11. There seems to be no question among Bible believers that the river was turned to blood. It is very clearly said by the angel in Revelation 16, “Blood hast thou given them to drink; they are worthy.”

How much God’s people may incidentally suffer from these things we do not know; but this we may know,—that He who is mighty to bring the plagues, or even by the withdrawal of His Spirit permits the plagues to come, can also care for His own people. We need only to remember the promises which He has Himself given, as for instance Psalm 91: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” God’s child can say then, “I will say of Jehovah, He is my Refuge and my Fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” Then the promise: “He will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover thee with His pinions, and under His wings shalt thou take refuge: His truth is a shield and a buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day; for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the reward of the wicked. For Thou, O Jehovah, art my Refuge! Thou hast made the Most High thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy tent.” And so throughout the entire psalm. As to food and drink, we may read in Isa. 33:16 of God’s child in that time of trouble, “He shall dwell on high; his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks; his bread shall be given him; his water shall be sure.” God is able to care for His children.

3140.— The Great Week of Time

In the SIGNS of April 12, page 5, is a statement that one thousand years constitute each day of the week. If that is true, would not the seventh or Sabbath day be a period of a thousand years also? I have always contended that the creation week was a week of seven days. C. E. W.

And it is. The week of Genesis 1 is a week of seven days, each day governed by the sun. But that week has been held by many Christians to represent or symbolize the time of this earth’s period to the final judgment-day to which the writer in the SIGNS refers. Each day of that Genesis week represents a thousand years in the history of this earth under sin, the Sabbath representing the thousand years in which this earth shall lie desolate. Another type also comes in here, and that is the land of Judea. The Lord told the children of Israel through Jeremiah that the land would lay desolate 70 years until it had enjoyed its Sabbaths, 2 Chron. 36:21. For 490 years the children of Israel had been transgressing God’s law; they had not kept the Sabbath to the land. In consequence of that transgression and others connected with it, that land should be desolate for 70 years. That will be true with this earth. For six thousand long years it has borne the curse of sin, and men generally have walked in rebellion against God; have ignored His creatorship, His ownership, His kingship, and have despised His Sabbaths, the sign of His Godhead. The seventh millennium of this earth’s history in connection with sin will be that time when the earth shall lie desolate. Whether time is literal time, or prophetic time, is usually clearly indicated in the text or context of the scripture under consideration. The historical record of Genesis 1 shows clearly that the day is a twenty-four-hour day. The writer in the SIGNS is simply speaking of the great antitype of the week—the history of our world.

3141.— The One Tree. Isa. 65:4; 66:17

Will you please explain Isa. 65:4; 66:17? What is represented by the one tree? F. A. A.

Isa. 65:4 reads, “Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels.” Isa. 66:17 reads, “They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord.” Read the last scripture as in the margin, “One after another.” These texts simply show the backslidden among those who profess to be children of God. The context clearly indicates this. Instead of giving thought to what God asks, instead of humbling their heart before Him, and trembling at His Word (Isa. 66:2), they are lifted up in their own eyes. They go on regardless of their sins, and their whole thought seems to be their own self-indulgence. Remaining “among the graves” may have reference to old, dead traditions. “Eating swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things,” shows that they have no regard for their body as the temple of God, for these things are condemned of God. That class who live in that way certainly would be among those that would meet the judgments of God when He appeared “with fire and with His chariots.” They have shown themselves unworthy of life; consequently they will die. The true child of God will have regard for the whole man, mentally, physically, and spiritually. He will eat and drink to God’s glory. 1 Cor. 10:31.

3142.— Baptized for the Dead

“Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?” Will you please explain it? M. F.

The text to our mind can be understood by taking into consideration the whole argument of the apostle in that wonderful chapter. His whole point is to show that the only hope for life at all is in the resurrection of the dead. Some have thought that he simply used the custom which was in vogue then, without saying whether that custom was true or false, to argue for the hope of the resurrection. But we can not see it in that light. It seems to us that the meaning of the text is this, that they are baptized in view of the fact that all men are condemned to die and that the only hope is in the resurrection of the dead. See Rom. 6:3-6. In that way he is baptized with the thought of the dead in his mind. Now if the dead rise not at all, of what account is his baptism, or what profit is their belief? This to our mind is the point in the apostle’s argument. They are baptized for the dead; baptized in view of the fact that they are dead by reason of sin, that Christ Himself died for them, and that only in His resurrection do they find hope.

3143.— Making Atonement

Please explain the 6th verse of the 16th chapter of Leviticus. M. F. B.

The verse is a statement of Aaron’s duty before he offers the atonement for the people. He himself is a sinful man; and that sinfulness of his must be recognized before God, before he himself can offer for the people. That bullock which he offered represented the Lord Jesus Christ. He himself and his house must stand clear before God before he can represent our Lord Jesus Christ in making the final atonement in the offering of the goat.

3144.— The Death of the Soul

Does not the statement that “the soul that sinneth, it shall die,” mean the first and also the second death? C. E. W.

Certainly, all men have sinned and all men have died. That is true concerning the first death. It comes in consequence of sin; that will be also forever true of the soul that abides in sin. The soul that abides in sin, that identifies itself with sin, that rejects God’s means of taking away sin, will eternally die.