TO CORRESPONDENTS

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 23, 1879

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

L. N. LANE: The word “soul” in Gen. 35:18; 1 Kings 17:21, 22, and many other texts used to prove the conscious state of the dead, will be found fully explained in the work published at this Office called Man’s Nature and Destiny.

J. L. KILGORE: The word “flood,” Joshua 24:2: “Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood,” etc., means the river Euphrates.

47.—THE SECOND MESSAGE.

What movement represents the second angel’s message? and when did it begin and end? D. K. M.

Ans. It took place in connection with what is called the loud cry of the first message, from the spring to the autumn of 1844. Although no call was made for persons to leave those churches which would not tolerate the doctrine of the second coming of Christ, it is estimated that about fifty thousand Adventists did voluntarily leave the communion of said churches.

48.—NO MORE SEA.

It is said in Destiny of the Wicked that the song of praise mentioned in Rev. 5:13 can be heard only after sin and sinners are finally destroyed. How can we harmonize this with Rev. 21:1, where it is said that in the new earth “there was no more sea”? J. H. S.

Ans. We think that the declaration of Rev. 21:1 refers to the present sea, as it does to the present earth and heaven as we read, “For the first heaven and the first earth were passed away,” and, literally, “the sea was no more;” that is, this present sea, defiled, as the earth is, by the blight of the curse. But this is not saying that there will not be a new sea to correspond with the new earth. We think the idea would have been fully expressed if John had said, “And I saw a new heaven, and a new earth, and a new sea; for the first heaven, and the first earth, and the first sea had passed away.” That there will be seas and rivers in the new earth is evident from the prophecy, which, speaking of Christ when he shall take his kingdom, says, “His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.” Zech. 9:10.

49.—PENTECOST.

Please explain Lev. 23:15, 16. Some claim that Pentecost always fell on the first day of the week, and quote these verses to prove it. E. D. H.

Ans. The Sabbath spoken of in verse 15 is the day after the wave-offering was brought. This is considered by all the authorities to which we have access to have been the 16th day of the month, following the passover sabbath, which was the 15th. This is undoubtedly the correct view. The sabbath, then, was a yearly sabbath, coming on a particular day of the month, but not confined to any particular day of the week, any more than our fourth of July. The seven sabbaths mentioned in verse 16 are simply seven weeks, as the word sabbath sometimes means. This would bring the Pentecost on different days of the week in different years. It was not confined to the first day of the week.