Answers to Questions

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 3, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 35.

Answers to Questions

“Enquire, and make search, and ask diligently.”

No. 408. An Israelite Indeed.

WILL you please explain John 1:47? Whom did Jesus mean, himself or Nathanael, when he said, “Behold, an Israelite indeed”? W. H. S.

He must have meant Nathanael. Read the verse again; the language will admit of no construction otherwise. An Israelite indeed is one who, like Jacob, has gained the victory by faith. Such an one God has cleansed, and he is indeed an Israelite, a prevailer, and without guile. And only such are Israelites, whether they be born Jew or gentile.

No. 409. Babylonian Empire.

By whom and when was the Babylonian Empire founded? Give your authority. F. L.

It was founded by Nimrod, the great grandson of Noah. The authority is Gen. 10:10: “And the beginning of his [Nimrod’s] kingdom was Babel [margin, ‘Babylon’], and Erech,” etc. Of the origin and history of Babylon, Sayce, than whom there is no better human authority, says (“Ancient Empires of the East,” page 102), “It is only the Old Testament which gives us fuller and more trustworthy information.”

No. 410. The 144,000.

IS THERE any scripture to show that the company of Rev. 14:1-5 and the company of Rev. 15:2-4 are identical? J. M.

The full proof of this involves a consideration of the name and seal of God, the beast, his image, and mark. For that we have not space here. Suffice to say that the two companies have the following parallels:—

Company of Rev. 14:1-5.	Company of Rev. 15:2-4.
1. The Father’s name indicates character. Ex. 34: 6, 7. This company has God’s character or righteousness.	1. This company are supreme—yea, victorious over all earthly powers and sin, and thus they glorify the Father’s name.
2. They are marked or sealed with God’s name. Name is used with seal. Esther 8:8.	2. As they get the victory over all opposing powers, marks, and names, they must have God’s power, mark (seal), and name.
3. The sealing work comes just before Christ appears. This company are “redeemed from the earth,” “from among men;” they did not die; they were translated.	3. They stood in the last generation, when the plagues were poured out. They were saved by Christ’s coming.
4. They sing the new song, which no others can sing. Their characters are perfect—without fault.	4. They sing the new song, made up of the songs of Moses—victory over all earthly foes—and the song of the Lamb—victory over all inward foes. No other generation could sing both. Their characters are perfect.
5. They stand on Mount Zion, where the throne of God is. Ps. 2:6.	5. They stand on the sea of glass before the throne.

A study of the book of Revelation on right principles and from right motives will confirm their identity.

No. 411. Smoke of Their Torment, the Millennium.

(1) The Scripture does not assert simply that the torment of the wicked is forever (Rev. 14:11, see SIGNS No. 25, page 7), but that the smoke ascendeth forever. What is signified by this expression? (2) It would seem that the language of Rev. 14:11 is borrowed from Isa. 34:9, 10. Now, if the latter finds its fulfilment during the millennial period, why may not the former? T. H.

1. On the worshipers of the beast and image the following fearful doom will come:—

“The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” Rev. 14:10, 11.

As it has been before shown, in the issue above referred to, torment means testing, a final determinate test. The smoke of their torment seems to have reference to Ps. 37:20. “The fire utterly burns the wicked (Rev. 18:8), even to ashes (Mal. 4:1). The smoke goes up forever, or passes away forever; not that it is forever ascending, or forever going up, but it ascends, and is forever gone. The material is burned to ashes, the earth is purified, the fire goes out, and the smoke has forever ascended.”

2. Rev. 14:10, 11 relates to the wrath of God without mixture, referring to the pouring out of wrath upon those who have rejected the Gospel. This wrath is manifest in the seven last plagues; and in the seven last plagues “is filled up the wrath of God.” Rev. 15:1. They therefore cover the whole great and dreadful day of God’s wrath foretold by the prophets (Isa. 13:9-12; Zeph. 1:14-18; 2 Peter 3:7, 10, and others), beginning when Christ leaves his priestly work for fallen man, and closing when the last vestige of sin is destroyed. When God withdraws his Spirit, which sinful man will have rejected, from the earth, the results of sin take their full course, and this will continue till God shall forever banish sin and speak from the purified earth new heavens and new earth. Some of the wicked taste this wrath at the beginning and close of the thousand years, but it is all of their own choosing; they are but filled with the fruit of “their own devices.” Prov. 1:31.

No. 412. The Desolate Earth; Man and Beast.

According to Zeph. 1:2, 3 and Jer. 4:23-27, the earth is to be destitute both of man and beast. Why does Isa. 34:11-15 intimate that while the earth is to be destitute of men, living animals will possess it? T. H.

Jeremiah does not say that animal life will be extinct, simply that “all the birds of the heavens were fled.” In the wildest storms of earth some courageous storm birds revel, but in the light of Christ’s coming all animal life will flee from before his presence, and the wicked will die. Zeph. 1:2, 3 relates to the ultimate destruction at the close of the day of the Lord; Isa. 34:11-15, to the thousand years, prior to the universal destruction of sin and its works. The utter destruction of bird and beast does not exist all through the day of the Lord, but all these great events will occur “in the day,” as stated in 2 Peter 3:10. The fowls live after man is destroyed. See Rev. 19:17, 18.

No. 413. John the Baptist and Elijah.

In John 1:21 John the Baptist told the priests and Levites that he was not Elias, but Christ speaks of him in Matt. 17:10-13 as being Elias. Will you please explain? L. H.

The Jews had the idea that Elias (Elijah) was coming back again personally, and with that in mind they asked John the question, “Art thou Elijah?” He answered, “I am not.” That is, he was not Elijah personally. Our Saviour in Matt. 17:11-13 explains how John was Elijah. The latter was a type of the former. John came in the spirit and power of Elijah. See Luke 1:17. So Elijah is the type of those who herald to the world Christ’s second coming, because they possess the same spirit and power that he did, and do a similar work. See Mal. 4:5.

No. 414. A Ruler in Judah; Tithes.

1. Please harmonize Gen. 49:10 with Eze. 21:26, 27. 2. Also Gen. 14:20. Compare last clause with verse 23. What was the “all” that he paid tithes of? J. McM.

1. Gen. 49:10 declares that the rulership, the tribal center and organization, should not depart from Judah till Shiloh, Christ, our Peace, should come. Eze. 21:26, 27 declares that the kingdom of God in Judah should be overturned, or perverted. This was true under Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, Rome, the last three of which fulfilled Ezekiel’s prophecy; but it is a notable fact that until Christ came, the tribe of Judah remained separate and distinct from the world, and recognized as a tribe. 2. Tithes of all the goods he had captured in the war. By right it was all Abram’s, but he returned it all to the king of Sodom except what was due to God and to those who fought with him.