963. (A. H. A.) Rom. 6:4.—The baptism of Rom. 6:4 is a baptism which sets forth the three great Gospel facts, Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. The baptism of the Spirit is that of life alone. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism unto death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Verses 3, 4. Baptism is the marriage ceremony before humanity of the converted soul's marriage to Christ.
964. (F. H.)—The "new dispensation" began at the crucifixion of Christ. There ended the Aaronic priesthood, and there the typical sacrifices ceased. Read Hebrews 9.
965. (J. W. B.) Bible Chronology.—The common chronology of the Bible is that of Archbishop Usher. This is about one hundred years too short. Usher only gives about three hundred fifty years to the period of the judges, while Paul says, "He gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet." Acts 13:20. But this, it will be seen, is not definite. Usher has other minor mistakes. Your idea of the 6,000 years of earth's history and the 1,000 years of Sabbath rest, seems to be borne out by the ancient types.
966. (M. E. S.)—The second commandment forbids the attempted making of any likeness to Deity, or any conception of Deity, in order to worship. It forbids the worship of all images or likenesses of any sort whatever. But this does not mean the making of images of things to beautify; for the tabernacle and temple were, by the Lord's express directions, beautified by the imagery of angelic figures and fruits. The Lord has also told His prophets to make plain upon tables the visions He gave them.
967. (W. E.)—The Sabbath is to be kept, according to the fourth commandment, "holy unto the Lord." But this does not mean that it was to be antagonistic to human life. If human life or health or necessity require the building of a fire on the Sabbath day, build it. It was not required when Israel was passing through the wilderness. It is required in cold climates. "The Sabbath was made for man," to be a blessing and comfort to him forever.
968. (M. E. S.) The Beginning of the Sabbath.—The day is made up of evening and morning, the evening coming first. See Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, etc. In harmony with this the Lord told Israel, "From even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath." Lev. 23:32. The Sabbath began and ended at sunset. See Neh. 13:15-19; Matt. 8:16; Mark 1:32-34; Luke 4:31-40. It will be seen by these scriptures referred to in the Gospels that the Sabbath closed at even, when the sun did set. Then the sick were brought, which would not be done on the Sabbath. How good it is to have one of God's richest blessings come to us at a time when we can welcome it, and to go at a time when we can consciously receive its parting blessing! Satan would have us put all this at midnight, when humanity is unconscious. God's way is the better.
969. (F. A. H.) Christ's Baptism.—The word "baptism" itself means a burial. The believer's baptism is like that of the Master's, and that is a burial. See Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12. It is hardly reasonable to suppose that our Lord was taken down into the water in order to be sprinkled. He was immersed, and if the word baptizo had been translated, it would have said so; that is what the word means.
970. (W. P. F.) Luke 16:16.—The first part of the sentence, like many others, is elliptical, that is, it is not complete; the verb is understood. The translators supplied but one-half of it. "The law and the prophets were preached until John; since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." The kingdom of God then became present truth, and it stirred the people. See Matt. 3:1-6.
971. (Fellow-worker.) Oysters.—"Are oysters forbidden in the Word of God?" See what the Lord calls such things in Lev. 11:9-12. Have they changed since? We shall have an article upon the subject of diet soon.
