Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 18, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 11.

1332.—Job 14:22.

Please explain Job 14:22: “But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.” H. E. D.

The passage is descriptive of man’s present state here. True, the verse previous speaks of his condition of death, but in verse 22 Job returns to man’s condition here. The American Standard Revision reads: “But his flesh upon him hath pain, and his soul within him mourneth.” The verse expresses a part of the trouble of the few days mentioned in verse 1. It is because of the trouble, the pain, the mourning of the few days that Job thought the grave would be desirable. Verse 13.

1333.—Isa. 66:24. “Their Worm Shall Not Die.”

Kindly explain Isa. 66:24. D.

“And they [the righteous] shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against Me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh.” The text is a description of what is stated in other words in Rev. 20:7–9. Note first that it is not upon the writhing bodies of agonized souls that the righteous look, but upon the carcasses of the wicked, the dead bodies. The undying worm and unquenchable fire are illustrations borrowed from Tophet, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, just outside of Jerusalem. It was at one time noted for its idolatry. It was afterward degraded to a place where the offal and refuse of the city and the bodies of animals and malefactors were cast. Upon this filth, worms constantly preyed, not to keep alive, but to devour; and to avert pestilence by such a mass of filth, constant fires were kept burning to consume what the worms left. The worms died not and the fire ceased not to burn as long as there was aught to consume. Both symbols became symbols of utter and complete destruction. See Isa. 51:6–8. Then will the enemies of God be seen to be identified with sin, to have chosen sin in preference to God and good, and they shall be an abhorring to all the righteous forever.

1334.—Adam Not Deceived. 1 Tim. 2:14.

Will the SIGNS please give us a little light on 1 Tim. 2:14: “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” C. S. D. F.

The woman was deceived by Satan through the serpent. She believed him instead of God. Adam seems to have yielded so as to be with her in the sin, because of his love for her. She was deceived; he entered into the thing openly.

1335.—Isa. 66:17.

The application of the text is the time of judgment, when by fire and sword the Lord will plead with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many. Verse 16. See Jer. 25:32, 33. Verse 17 mentions certain classes whose religion consists in idolatrous ceremonies, while they give themselves up to feasting and gluttony. They shall all come to destruction together. The margin seems to give a clearer sense.

1336.—Rom. 2:12.

Sirs,—Through the Question Corner of the Signs of THE TIMES, kindly explain Rom. 2:12. K. P.

Let us paraphrase the text: “For as many as have sinned without [the knowledge of the written] law [as the Jew had] shall also perish without law [shall not be held to strict account as those who have had greater light]; and as many as have sinned in the law [having a knowledge of the law] shall be judged by the law.” This is explained in verses 13–15, showing that it is to the heathen who have no knowledge of God’s law and to God’s professed people who do that the text refers. Verses 13–15 are a parenthetical explanation. For the time of the judgment read verse 12 with 16.