Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 27, 1913

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 40, 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 The name and address must accompany each question, not for publication, but as an evidence of good faith, and that answer may be made by letter if deemed advisable.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.

4078 — Christ’s Work

What was Christ’s work before He came to this earth? Does the Word give us any light? A. B. M.

Surely it does. He was Michael the archangel (Jude 9); He was “the Angel of Jehovah” mentioned over and over and over, whom God sent with His children. See Exodus 23 and onward. He is the One who met with Abraham and with Jacob, the One whom Isaiah calls “the Angel of His presence” (Isa. 63:9); the One who came to Daniel as Michael the chief Prince. This warfare between Michael and Satan is suggested also in Revelation 12. He was the One who is working out and continually working toward the glorious results of the sacrifice which was made in the beginning, and which culminated on Calvary.

4079 — Chariots of Iron, Judges 1:19

Please explain Judges 1:19. Why? Also Eze. 39:9-13. M. T. W.

The text tells us that Jehovah was “with Judah; and he [Judah] drove out the inhabitants of the hill country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley; because they had chariots of iron.” And the question, of course, is, Why could he not? And we can simply reply, Lack of faith, that is all. God had promised to the Jews that He would drive out all their enemies, if they would only believe Him. They went in there with a spirit of compromise. He would have done for them in every case just as He did for them at Jericho, if they had only believed Him; but they would not believe. They believed some things, they failed to grasp others. They did some things, they failed to do others. They went into idolatry again and again. Instead of destroying, as God commanded them, some of the wicked inhabitants of Canaan that had forfeited all consideration, they attended their idolatrous feasts, and worshiped with them. Consequently, when they came to the great, strong men of the armies of the valley with chariots of iron, they were fearful. That it was not the fault of God that Israel did not conquer the chariots of iron is shown in the 4th and 5th chapters of Judges. When Sisera with his nine hundred chariots of iron mightily oppressed Israel, he was overthrown by the Israelites under Deborah and Barak; but they had faith.

Eze. 39:9-13 is a prophecy that never was fulfilled, and never will be fulfilled. It would have been if Israel had met the conditions. God would have destroyed all their northern foes when they came upon them, as outlined in this prophecy. There are some parts of the prophecy, however, that will be fulfilled in the last days; but these things mentioned here, which of necessity must have been local, and must pertain to that time, could not be fulfilled, because Israel did not comply with the conditions. God’s promises are conditional when moral conduct is involved. See these conditions laid down in Jer. 18:7-10.

4080 — Shambles, 1 Cor. 10:25

Please explain 1 Cor. 10:25, in regard to eating all kinds of meats. Does the word “shambles” mean a place where meat is offered for sale? Also Gen. 9:3. N. S. P.

Referring to the last text first, the permission of God to Noah to eat all kinds of meat must of necessity have included only the clean beasts. It was given to him as he came out of the ark. About the only food that could be found upon the earth at that time was animal food, and God provided for this in the clean animals which Noah took in the ark. There were only a pair each of the unclean animals; there were seven pairs of the clean—that is, fourteen beasts of each kind of animals fit for food under the law of clean and unclean beasts.

“Shambles” means markets. The text in 1 Corinthians is not regarding clean and unclean meats under the law of God, but as to whether the beast had been offered to idols or not. Read the context and see that this is so. Some of those who had been in idolatry felt very keenly the matter of the foods which they ate. All the foods that were slain were slain with reference to some god. The associations had been so strong, and the memories so keen, that it really defiled the new Christian converts to think of eating the flesh of beasts sold in the markets, lest they should be eating to the honor of some deity. It hurt their consciences if any one did this. Therefore the apostle tells us that while the fact of offering those meats to gods that were no gods would not in any wise affect the meat, yet it might affect the weak conscience of some brother who was troubled in that way. The best way for the individual to do was to buy whatever was sold there that was proper to eat, without asking any questions at all. But if it was questioned, lest the weak conscience should be injured, or some weak brother be caused to stumble, do not eat of it. The true rule for eating and drinking is given in that same chapter, verse 31: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give no occasion of stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the church of God.”

4081 — The Bird Over Running Water

What is typified by the killing of a bird over running water? Lev. 14:5. Have you something in pamphlet form or in condensed book, giving the meaning of the various offerings and sacrifices as indicated in the ceremonies? A. B. M.

It is not always necessary, or best, to inquire into every particular and to make typical every part of every ceremony of the past. The running water, of course, was living water, and the killing of the bird was a sacrifice that was made. There was formed a solution for the means of purification. There was no particular efficacy in the solution itself, but the ceremony indicated judicial cleansing. When it was determined that the leper was clean from his disease, he was sprinkled with this solution and pronounced clean. It is to this, doubtless, that the psalmist refers in Ps. 51:7,—“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.” That is, he wanted God to pronounce upon him absolute cleanness.

We have a pamphlet, “Bible Students’ Library” No. 128, “Christ Our Advocate,” 10 cents. There is also an interesting little work on “The Tabernacle” published by the Rev. W. P. Pearce, Charleston, Missouri, the price of which is 25 cents. It dwells on many more details than most books of this kind.

4082 — Tithing

What should be tithed,—the seed, or grain of the field only? or also the corn-stalks, shucks, and straw? All are used for feed for stock in this country. M. E. G.

We could readily understand how the greatest profit of the crop might come from the straw. The heads of grain might not fill at all, and still there might be a fairly good crop of straw. In that case, the only profit that would come to the farmer would be the straw which he raised. This ought to be tithed as well, if it is fed to stock. Of course it is tithed in the product of the stock, and therefore is not tithed in the field. For instance, if a man should have ten tons of straw that was worth $5.00 a ton, it would be $50.00; but he feeds this to his stock,—to his cattle, to his cows,—and he tithes the product of those cows, the butter and cheese that he makes. Consequently such feed as that is tithed in the products of the dairy. The amount of seed that is sown should be taken from the grain that is raised, and the remainder tithed, for it is the increase of the seed that is tithed. The seed is supposed to have been tithed before it is sown.

4083 — Free-will Offerings and Debt

Would it be wise to make any free-will offerings while one is struggling to get out of debt? M. E. G.

Yes, if the heart said so, and had faith in God. The tithe, of course, belongs to Him. He gives us the nine tenths. The other tenth is His. But when He pours out upon us all our blessings, it would seem that the grateful heart would feel that it ought to make some free-will offering for the sake of the Master, who has given all to us; and would not that also bring the heart into closer sympathy and touch with the Giver of all good? There are very few indeed who could not deny themselves of things not actually needed, in order that they might do something for the Master. When we get the true idea of partnership with Him, it is wonderfully helpful. We may feel then that we are doing business for Him, and are stewards of His means, and our profits are His profits, and our debts are His debts, and we can go to Him with a sympathy that is compelling in its plea, that He will help us not only to secure a living and raise crops, but will help us also to pay our debts.

4084 — Short Bed

Please explain Isa. 28:20. C. S.

The text reads, “For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.” If our inquirer will read the chapter, he will see that God had laid the true foundation, and He gives us the only hope through our Lord Jesus Christ, prophesied as the foundation-stone. In His salvation He will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet. There will be no lies, or falsehood, in it, and yet He tells us that this people whom He is addressing have made lies their refuge. They have fixed up some plan other than God’s. They have made a bed for rest that is so short that they can not stretch themselves on it—insufficient; and the covering is too narrow, they can not wrap themselves in it. Lowth says that the verse is a proverbial saying, the meaning of which is, they will find all means of defense and protection insufficient to secure them and cover them from the evils coming upon them.

4085 — Calling Names

Is it wrong to call a foolish man a fool? Matt. 5:22. C. S.

The text referred to would seem clearly to indicate that it is. Some of the wisest men in the world have been called fools, and we suppose that the ones who called them fools thought they were telling what was absolutely true. We look upon the wisdom of men altogether differently from what God does sometimes. What to us may be foolishness might be the greatest wisdom after all. It is a good deal better not to call people names in any way. If it becomes necessary for us to tell one that he is foolish, it is better to say that it is foolish to do thus and so, than to call him a fool. It is a good deal better for the human heart to make such applications as that to itself, and let the Lord judge the others.