Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Dec 14, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 49.

1682.—The Righteous Begging.

Will you please show the harmony, either in the “Question Corner,” or by letter, in the following scriptures: Ps. 37:25 and Luke 16:19-25? L. H. C.

Ps. 37:25 reads, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” Luke 16:19-25 is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, in which the beggar Lazarus is represented as laid at the gate of the rich man and longing—doubtless begging—for crumbs. (1) The record is only a parable and does not deal in an actual transaction of this sort. It would be revolting and contrary to Scripture so to conclude. (2) David does not aim to declare a universal truth; but what he himself had observed, or had not observed. (3) We have no evidence to show that the beggar was the seed of the righteous, even tho he was good. To meet the result expressed in the psalm, the father should do in all things righteously, and the seed should follow in his steps. Lazarus may have been suffering from his father’s sins physically. (4) The parable is an illustration, it seems clear to us, of Jews and Gentiles.

1683.—Voice in the Streets.

Will you kindly harmonize these two Scriptures, Isa. 42:2, and Luke 14:21? In the first scripture Christ’s voice is not heard in the street, and in the next scripture it would seem as if the Lord would here sanction meetings on the streets of our cities. Is it proper or not to hold open-air meetings on the streets? W. T.

The meaning of the first scripture, we take it, is that our Lord would not be a ranting, noisy agitator. One translation is, He shall not “raise a clamor.” He would not foment discord or seek to create disturbance or discord. Yet, street preaching, properly conducted, is all right. Let the Lord lead. It may be well to take collections even; but let everything be done decently, and let the dignity and sweetness of the Christian religion characterize it all.

1684.—King of Tyre.

Is it the King of Tyrus, or is it the devil, that is spoken of in Eze. 28:12-19. Some say it is the devil. If so, what proof is there for that? Please answer in the SIGNS. E. A. O.

He is both King of Tyrus and the devil, while the earthly King of Tyre is spoken of in the first part of the chapter as the “prince” of Tyre. The prince is under the king. The ruler of Tyre was under the ruler Satan, who was the real King of Tyre. So Lucifer is spoken of in Isaiah 14 as the King of Babylon, because the earthly rulers of Babylon were serving him. Again, the very language of Eze. 28:12-19 could apply to no mortal man, while it does fit the great apostate angel.