Question Corner by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 30, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 38.

Question Corner.

By Editor

"If ye will inquire, inquire ye." "But avoid foolish questions."

[From time to time we will reply under this head, if deemed advisable, to such candid inquiries as may be sent us. Correspondents wishing a reply to their questions must give their full name and address, not for publication unless they wish, but as an evidence of good faith on their part, and to give us opportunity to reply by letter if deemed best. It is always well to inclose stamp. Let the questions be short and pointed, and such as may be answered in limited space. The questions will be numbered continuously.]

146. NOT A BRAWLER.

PLEASE explain in your Question Corner Isa. 42:2.

Isa. 42:2 reads, "He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street." In simple language, it doubtless means that Christ was no brawler. He would not call attention to himself. He would not be heard in loud, meaningless harangues. That has been the characteristic of fanatics in all ages, but that was not the case with Christ, nor with John the Baptist, nor has it been the case with those who have had much of the Spirit of Christ. The power was not in his performance, in outward action, or physical exercise. It was in the message which he bore and the Spirit which accompanied it.

147. "THE SONG OF MOSES."

What is the song of Moses, mentioned in Rev. 15:3?

The "song of Moses," as mentioned in Rev. 15:3, has evident reference to Moses' song of triumph recorded in Ex. 15:1-19. Some think that it has reference to the song recorded in Deuteronomy 32; but the latter is not called the song of Moses, but is rather a song of remembrance, which God gave Moses to write, that the children of Israel might keep in mind God's wondrous goodness in his dealings with them, so that when they should rebel the very song which they had been taught should be a witness against them. See Deut. 31:19, 22. Many of the same truths which are expressed in the one are found in the other. God's wondrous power and work in opening the Red Sea and redeeming his people from Egypt, his justice and truth as manifested in the destruction of the Egyptians according as he had foretold them by his prophet Moses, the awfulness of his character as represented by his name Jehovah, are all revealed in this wondrous song. It is a revelation of God's mercy and justice, so that Moses could truly say, "Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" Again: "The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation. . . . The Lord is his name." Primarily, it is a song of deliverance, a triumph over all temporal outward foes, that triumph wrought by the power of God's name, and will so be sung by the last generation of the redeemed. The song of the Lamb expresses the triumph over all inward foes, and together they express triumph over all conceivable foes, complete and eternal victory.

148. THE MATTER OF FEELING.

In Acts 17:27 it reads, "If haply they might feel after Him, and find Him." Has this anything to do with our salvation? and what kind of feeling does that mean?

The word "feel" in Acts 17:27 means to grope for or after, as persons in the dark; to reach out for. It has no reference to feeling in the sense of inward emotion, but intimates that all persons, it matters not what their condition nor where they dwell, if they will but admit the Spirit of God into their hearts, it will awaken within them such desires that they will reach out after God and find him, for "he is not far from every one of us." The text evidently has reference to those who are in the darkness of heathenism; but every such one, even, if he will reach out after God, will find him.