p. 2 | Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Feb 25, 1913

Question Corner

"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 The name and address must accompany question, not for publication, but as an evidence of good faith, and that answer may be made by letter if deemed advisable.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.

3998 — Private Interpretation

Please explain 2 Peter 1:20. What is meant by “private interpretation?” J. F.

It means that no prophecy is to be taken by itself alone. It is to be compared with other prophecies, other symbols. Only so can the unity of prophecy be established and held. For instance, the four beasts of Daniel 7 are symbolized again in the one beast of Revelation 13. The great sea of Dan. 7:2 is also reechoed in Rev. 17:15, in “the waters.” To endeavor to explain one prophecy entirely by itself alone, without regarding the parallel prophecies, is private interpretation, special interpretation, arbitrary interpretation, really vicious interpretation, that which has given rise to the multitude of theories that there are abroad at the present time. Rotherham's rendering of the passage is excellent in explaining it: “Of this first taking note, no prophecy of Scripture becometh self-solving.”

3999 — Urim and Thummim

It was said in an article of the “Signs of the Times,” some time ago, that the Urim and Thummim were two brilliant stones in the breastplate of the priest, and that the mind of God could be ascertained through them. The writer stated that this was indicated by light which encircled the precious stone, with the affirmative answer given by the stone on the right side, and the negative answer by the stone on the left. H. W.

There certainly was some way by which these were used, and which clearly revealed the will of God. See 1 Sam. 28:6; Ezra 2:63; also Num. 27:21. The “Bible Cyclopedia,” by Fausset, says that “The Speaker's Commentary” thinks that lots were the mode of consultation, as in Acts 1:26, Prov. 16:33; more probably stones with Jehovah's name and attributes, “lights” and “perfections,” engraven upon them. By gazing at them the high priest, with ephod on, before the Lord, was absorbed in heavenly, ecstatic contemplation, and by God was able to declare the divine will. The article in the “Signs” probably states the thing as nearly correct as anything could be. The “Popular and Critical Bible Encyclopedia” says that one of the opinions is that these precious stones are so called from their brilliancy and perfection, which stones, in answer to an appeal to God in difficult cases, indicated His mind and will by some supernatural appearance.

4000 — Patriarchs and Polygamy

Why were the patriarchs allowed to live in polygamy, a thing that is a stench to every true Christian? Look at Solomon, the man of great wisdom. See 1 Kings 11:1-3. T. E. W.

God has suffered a great many things on account of poor, human blindness and wilfulness. He has seemed almost sometimes to shut His eyes to these things, and yet the record of His Word shows that where men transgressed in this way it always brought its own trouble. God's original plan was the one wife and the one husband. This is clearly shown in the creation of man. God did not make them male and females, but male and female. He gave man one wife, and said, “For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave [not to his wives, but] to his wife.” And yet polygamy came in. One of the reasons why it crept in was doubtless because of war. Very many of the men were killed, and the women were left; consequently, one man took more than one wife. The second reason why it came in was doubtless because of lust. But it seems to have become a universal custom, and God's people fell into the universal custom, contrary to His original plan and contrary to His command; and especially as regards kings. Jacob's whole life was embittered more or less by the differences that crept in because of his two wives. Isaac seems to have passed one of the happiest of lives, notwithstanding his trouble between his two sons. He had the one wife. Solomon's kingdom was broken up because of jealousies and troubles; and David had more than his cup of sorrow because of multiplying wives to himself. Yet multiplied legitimate wives is a good deal better than the unbridled licentiousness that obtains in many places at the present time. However, there is no excuse for sin at any time, in any way. God knows the heart, and He knew the heart of His people; and if He suffered them to sin, and saw that because of their lack of understanding they did not grasp the clearer conceptions of truth, that we must leave with Him. Let it suffice us to know that it was not in harmony with God's plan; that He always uses the very best instruments that He has at His hand. And if He mightily used some of these who were guilty of polygamy, it was because they were the best that there were, and their hearts and motives were right toward God.

4001 — Done Away

Please explain 1 Cor. 2:7-11. Does not this show that the Ten Commandments were done away, taken in connection with Col. 2:14, 16, and 1 Chron. 16:15? W. A. K.

Our inquirer has made a mistake evidently. He means 2 Cor. 3:7-11; and 2 Cor. 3:7-11 is simply a contrast between the glory of condemnation and the glory of justification. It carries us back to the time that Israel received the law, and gives us the experience of Moses in contrast to the children of Israel. Moses received God's law by faith. The children of Israel listened to God's law, and did not want the Lord to speak to them any more. See Exodus 20. The law was glorious to them, but it was only the glory of condemnation. Moses, who looked beyond the law to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, saw beyond the condemnation to the justification. God's glory shone into his own heart, and out through his face. It was not the law which was done away, but the condemnation which was done away. “For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.” See the Bible Students' Library, No. 149, “What Is Done Away in Christ?” Price 2 cents. This will explain the whole chapter much more fully than we can explain it here.

Col. 2:14 simply speaks of those shadowy, yearly sabbaths and feast days which pointed forward to Christ. There is nothing in the Sabbath of the Lord which is a type. It antedates all types, being ordained before sin entered. 1 Chron. 16:15 is a strong statement that God had given the covenant, and all that it embraced, to Abraham forever. So the first part of the verse 15: “Remember His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath unto Isaac, and confirmed the same unto Jacob for a statute, to Israel for an everlasting covenant.” All this, however, was based upon the obedience by faith.

4002 — What Covenant Is Meant?

What is the covenant in Gal. 3:15-17? W. A. K.

The passage reads: “Brethren, I speak after the manner of men. Though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy Seed, which is Christ. Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.” The covenant there mentioned is the great everlasting covenant, that which is called “the new covenant,” because later ratified by the death of Jesus. It was the covenant that was confirmed to Abraham, but was made in the very beginning, when man sinned. That covenant is the covenant of faith. Abraham was saved by faith, and the apostle desires that those brethren who wanted to be saved by the works of the law understand that the written law which came to them four hundred and thirty years after could not annul that covenant. The law was everlasting, of course,—it pointed out sin; but the covenant was everlasting also,—it brought salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus. The law coming four hundred and thirty years after, means that it was written, and placed in written form with Israel; but it did not disannul the covenant, for the inheritance is not of the law—man can not work out his own salvation —but it is by promise, for God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.

This will explain, also, Rom. 4:14: “For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect.” For, as the next verse declares, “the law worketh wrath;” that is, it shows man to be a sinner, but it does not save him from the sin. The deeds of an unrighteous man can not work righteousness. The salvation is by the promise, and the promise is made effective by faith.

4003 — During the Time of the Plagues

Please explain Ps. 91:7. Does it really mean that 11,000 will fall where one will be saved? And would that mean 11,000 times 144,000? J. F.

We do not regard the statement as at all definite. That is not the thought of Ps. 91:7.—“A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand.” We have similar statements, such as, “How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight?” They are simply great, general statements to show how God will care for His people, or will give power to His people. Some of His people during the seven last plagues—which seems to be very clearly indicated in Psalm 91—may be where there are none at all. Some may be where there are great multitudes, where more than one thousand fall at their side, and more than ten thousand before them, in the plagues of the last days. The great thought is that God is going to protect His children, and the round numbers of thousand and ten thousand are simply used to show that vast numbers all around on every side would fall, while His own people would be safe.

4004 — Going on to Perfection

Please explain Heb. 6:1. J. F.

The verse is an exhortation for the children of God to go on to better things. They have supposedly accepted the first principles of the doctrine of Christ. They had repented from their dead works. They had by faith become children of God. Now God does not want them to remain there; He does not want them to go back into sin, and lay a foundation again for repentance. He does not want them to take any risks whatever of their salvation. And that is what we all do when we are willing to stay just where we are and not follow the light which God gives, and do the duties which He demands. That is the great thought that He wishes us to get from the text. It is not worth while to discuss the particular things that He mentions in this and the next verse, only as we get from them the lesson designed.