Question Corner by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 7, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 39.

Question Corner

By Editor

"Enquire, and make search, and ask diligently."

NOTE.—We wish those who ask questions to take particular notice: (1) Only such questions will be answered here as we believe to be of general interest and information. (2) We can not undertake to explain from four to a dozen scriptures, as in one sentence we are often requested to do. (3) Do not ask to "explain" a certain text or passage. State clearly the point in question. (4) Give full name and address, not for publication unless desired, but as evidence of good faith, and to give us the privilege of replying by letter if deemed best. (5) Unsigned communications of any kind find the quickest way to the waste-basket. (6) It is always well to inclose stamp. (7) "Foolish and unlearned questions avoid," also those that minister to mere curiosity. (8) Study the Scriptures yourselves.

No. 633. Picking Grapes or Hops.

WOULD picking grapes or hops for wages promote the cause of intemperance?

We see no harm in doing either under ordinary circumstances, any more than in harvesting barley, rye, or corn. But these questions of conscience must be settled by each individual for himself. Let each one in humility and submission ask God for himself, and then follow the dictates of an enlightened and good conscience.

No. 634. The Hollow of the Thigh.

PLEASE explain Gen. 32 : 25, 32.

The Angel of Jehovah met with Jacob in the form of a man, when Jacob was pleading with God for forgiveness of sin and protection from Esau. He evidently did not know his divine antagonist till the Angel revealed his power and Jacob's helplessness by "touching the hollow of his thigh," the socket of the hip joint, the hollow place in which the neck bone of the thigh is inserted. This revealed to Jacob the Lord, yet painful as it must have been, he would not let the Lord go till he gave him assurance of victory. Jacob prevailed by persevering faith. See Hos. 12 : 4. Verse 32 is confirmatory of the truth of verse 25. "The custom prevailing among the Jews to this day of abstaining religiously from eating this sinew," says the Bible commentary, "seems a lasting monument of the historical truth of this wonderful event in the life of Jacob." It is supposed that the "sinew" refers to the sciatic nerve; it is translated by some "nerve of contraction."

No. 635. Dan. 12 : 11, 12.

PLEASE give me a little information on Dan. 12 : 11, 12. Are the times mentioned separate periods? When do they begin and when end?

The first period—1290 days—is thought by many to begin at the time when the daily desolation ("sacrifice" is a supplied word), paganism, was taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate,—the Papacy—set up. This is fixed at A.D. 508; 1,290 years from that point carries us to 1798, when the days of papal persecution ended. The 1335 days of the next verse evidently begin at the same time, and would therefore end in 1843, when a great time of blessing and power was experienced by the advent people. See "Daniel and the Revelation," by U. Smith, pages 313, 314. We have not space here to enter into a detailed examination of the texts.

No. 636. Is It Sabbath-Breaking?

(1) SHOULD the Sabbath be made a weekly bathing day for the family, if the persons who compose it are "too busy" during the week? (2) Should the secular paper be read on the Sabbath for the same reason, namely, "too busy during the week."

1. The command is, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy" (Ex. 20 : 8–11), "holy to the Lord" (Ex. 31 : 15). This means consecrated unto the Lord, not ourselves. The inspired commentary is, "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord." Isa. 58 : 13, 14. The Sabbath should be kept holy unto the Lord. To "remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy," means to remember it every day of the week, and to so remember it that one would keep it holy when it came. There may be circumstances which would justify bathing; cooking or purchasing of food may be necessary for the sick or feeble; but no person has any right to be so busy with his own work as to hedge on God's time to do work that could be done and should have been done the day before. And he or they who thus do, tho prosperous for a time, will in the end find that he has left out of the question the only One who can assure real prosperity. "Bake that which ye will bake," "and boil that ye will boil" (Ex. 16 : 23) is the expression of a principle which applies to all our work, the bath, the shaving, etc. The ordering of foods and having them delivered on the Sabbath comes in the same category. Those who thus regard the Sabbath say to all who observe them, and to all with whom they deal, that the holy day of the Lord is a mere day of physical rest, subject to one's own convenience and pleasure.

2. No one who loves God, who delights in his Word and works and worship, will ever desire to read a secular newspaper on the Sabbath day. He who feeds upon God's Word will not care to vitiate his Sabbath feast by a perusal of worldly news. Here is a good rule in connection with the specific instruction of God's Word—"In His sight." Do only, speak only, think only, as you would wish to do were Jesus Christ visibly by your side.

No. 637. A Question on the Law. Matt. 5 : 17.

(1) MATT. 5 : 17. What law was Christ talking about? (2) Matt. 5 : 18. When will it all be fulfilled? (3) Matt. 5 : 19. What commandments was Christ talking about?

Here is the whole scripture, Matt. 5 : 17–20:— "17. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. "18. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. "19. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. "20. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

1. Christ is talking about the moral law of God, the standard of righteousness. Verse 20. God's royal law is summarily comprehended in the Decalog, or Ten Commandments. See James 2 : 8–12; Rom. 7 : 7; Ex. 24 : 12; 31 : 18. See also Matt. 5 : 21, 27; but read "to them" instead of "by them." 2. All will never be fulfilled. The law is fulfilled when man fully keeps or fills up its eternal breadth and depth. Only one did this, Christ Jesus. We can do it only in Christ. The prophets, that is what they prophesied, will never be fulfilled; for they prophesy of a glorious eternity as long as the days of God; and eternity will never be filled up. Therefore never a jot or tittle will pass from the law. 3. The commandments of that law. In a way the great commandments of God's law are summarized in supreme love to God and equal love to man (Deut. 6 : 5; Lev. 19 : 18; Matt. 22 : 36–40), and the lesser, the ten precepts of the Decalog, the doing of which is proof of the love. But the mere outward form is not keeping the law. This was self-righteousness, the righteousness that fell short (Matt. 5 : 20), but God requires heart righteousness, the keeping of the law from the heart by the Spirit (Matt. 5 : 21–28; Rom. 1 : 16, 17; 8 : 4; 1 John 5 : 3).

No. 638. Christ and the Sabbath.

Do THE words "Take up thy bed and walk," teach that we may do business on the Sabbath to save us a little labor some other day?

No words of Jesus Christ contravene or conflict with the fourth commandment, which he gave and kept. See that commandment in Ex. 20 : 8–11 and the divine comment upon it in Isa. 58 : 13. "Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Cor. 10 : 31.