Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 17, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 11.

“Enquire and make search and ask diligently.”

ALL questions designed for this department must be accompanied by the name and address of the inquirer, or they will reach the waste-basket by the quickest route. This is an invariable rule. We do not ask the name for publication, but that we may reply by letter if thought best.

730. Ps. 104:30.

TO WHAT TIME DOES PS. 104:30 apply? H. C. M.

Taking verse 30 in connection with verse 29, it would seem to refer to God’s power and care in continually repeopling the earth with animal and vegetable life. Verse 30 will, however, be gloriously fulfilled when the earth shall be renewed and repeopled with the undying things. Every good thing which God does now is a promise and a prophecy of His ultimate work of perfection.

731. Acts 18:17, 18.

WILL you please harmonize Acts 18:17 with verse 8 of the same chapter? Who is Sosthenes? H. C.

When Paul went to Corinth, Crispus was the ruler of the synagog. When the Jews turned Paul out of the synagog, Crispus must have gone with him; for if Crispus had remained ruler, Paul would have continued to preach in the synagog instead of going to the house of Crispus. When Crispus left, or was turned out, of course another ruler of the synagog was chosen, and this was Sosthenes. It is thought by some, and the supposition is reasonable, that Sosthenes himself was converted, and afterward referred to by Paul as “Sosthenes our brother.” 1 Cor. 1:1.

732. Job 14:22.

PLEASE give a logical explanation of Job 14:22, with the preceding verses of the chapter: “But this flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.” N. A. R.

It seems to us plain as it is. The subject of Job’s discourse is man’s frailty and nothingness compared with God’s greatness and power. Verse 20 speaks of man’s death: “Thou prevailest forever against him, and he passeth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.” Verse 21 shows that in man’s death he knows naught of what is taking place on earth: “His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.” Verse 22 does not refer to man in a state of death, but reverts to the opening statement of the chapter: “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.” Verse 1, “His flesh upon him [his physical nature] hath pain, and his soul [his mental-spiritual nature] within him mourneth” (R. V.); that is, in this life here; not “shall have,” as in our version, but “hath,” as in the R. V.

733. Rev. 12:7, 14-17. Michael.

PLEASE explain Rev. 12:7. Who is Michael? and when did this war take place? Also same chapter, verses 14-17. Was that actual water, or is it a figure? Was the woman the Virgin Mary? A SUBSCRIBER.

The symbols in brief in Revelation 12 are as follows: The woman is the church of God, the “daughter of Zion.” See Micah 4:10. The man child is Christ. Rev. 12:5 with Ps. 2:9. The dragon is “that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan.” Rev. 12:9. Michael (which means “who is like God”) is Christ Jesus, the Archangel, “the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people,” whose voice shall raise the dead. Dan. 12:1; Jude 9; 1 Thess. 4:16; John 5:25. The war was the spiritual conflict previous to and at the first advent of our Lord. The triumph was in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The water of verse 15 is the flood of persecution and error by which Satan has sought to destroy the church. Verse 16 refers to the staying of the persecution, and verse 17 to the last exercise of Satan’s wrath against the remnant church.

734. Jude, verse 9.

WHAT was the point in discussion concerning the body of Moses?

Satan, or Lucifer, the instigator of sin, claims all those who have died (for death is finished sin) as his prisoners, and he is determined to keep them in the grave. See Isa. 14:12-17. Michael, or Christ, is the Prince of life. The dispute, therefore, must have been over the resurrection of Moses. That he was raised from the dead is shown by Matt. 17:1-3, and other scriptures.