Question Corner by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 3, 1904

Question Corner

By Editor

1466.—From the North Country.

In Jer. 31:8, who is it that is brought from the north country?

God's “people, the remnant of Israel.” See Verse 7. The “north country” would be the regions of the north. It will be seen from the context that the gathering is from all parts wheresoever the people of God are scattered. This was in part fulfilled under Zerubbabel; it would have been wholly fulfilled if God's people had then accepted His promises; it will be in all its fulness of glory fulfilled when Christ shall come. Matt. 24:31.

1467.—Cain's Wife.

Where did Cain get his wife, if, as it is written, there were only Adam, Eve, and Cain upon the earth at that time. K.

There are some things which it is worth while to settle for all time. One of these is, that no part of the Bible was written to satisfy our curiosity. Another is, that the one great purpose of the Bible is to warn, to save, to instruct men in the way of righteousness. 2 Tim. 3:16. Hence many things in the narrative seem incomplete, sometimes contradictory, which, if we had the omitted details, would be plain and clear. The Bible does not say that Adam and Eve and Cain were the only people upon the earth then. It gives an account of the birth of Cain and Abel, Abel's death, and then an account of Cain and his posterity for six generations. It then returns and records the birth of Seth and others. But we have no more ground, except uncertain probability, for saying that Cain's marriage preceded Seth's birth than we have to say that Tubal-cain's birth preceded Seth's. In fact Seth was probably born and other sons and daughters of Adam and perhaps of Seth, before Cain became so fearful that his life would be taken, and the Lord promised him immunity. Cain's wife may have been a daughter of Adam, or, perhaps, of Seth. For within 300 years Adam's and Seth's sons and daughters may have numbered fifty or more.

1468.—Not Christ's “Second Coming.”

It is contended from John 20:17 that Jesus ascended, and afterward descended and remained with His apostles forty days (Acts 1:3), and that this was the second coming of Christ. Please explain.

The first part is true that Jesus ascended and then returned; but that was not His “second coming” to this world. He afterward came down and appeared to Paul. Acts 26:16; 9:17; 1 Cor. 9:1. But Christ's coming “the second time” is spoken of as future long after this. Heb. 9:28; Rev. 1:7.