p. 7 | Question Corner by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 13, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 33.

Question Corner

By Editor

1262.—Latter Day Judgments. Isa. 29:4-12.

The whole of the chapter is a striking prophecy of apostate Jerusalem and the apostate people of God, applicable not alone at the first advent but now. "Ariel" (Lion of God) is a poetical name for Jerusalem. Verse 4 indicates that the city shall be crushed as it were into the ground, having no power or reputation. Many foes would come against her, yet they would be disappointed. Destruction and disappointment would be the fate of earthly Jerusalem and those who fought against her. Verses 9, 10 and 13 show the blind spiritual condition of the apostate people of God. It is equally true now. Verses 11, 12 show that in this apostate condition they can not discern the prophetic words which God gives as a light. 2 Peter 1:19. How true these verses are to-day as regards the Revelation! How many times do we hear, unconsciously as to the speaker, the very words of the prophet. The wonderful prophecies of the book are presented to one, and he is asked: "Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I can not; for it is sealed; and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I am not learned." Hence the judgments. There is light and warning in God's prophetic word to save the world, but the world will not heed.

1263.—A Generation.

According to the Bible how many years is a generation?

We are nowhere told in the Scripture the length of a generation. A generation would be that general class of people living upon the earth at the same time. The four generations of Gen. 15:16 were about 400 years. The generations of the three periods of Matt. 1:17 would average from about twenty-nine to forty-three years each. All this goes to show that the word generation does not denote a specific, definite period.

1264.—What Is the Holy Spirit?

Is the Holy Ghost the angel Gabriel? If not, do we have any means of knowing who it is?

To the first question, No. Gabriel was a servant of God, created by the Spirit, inspired by the Spirit, but not the Spirit more than any other angel of God. The angels are creatures. The power by which all things are created and wrought is the Holy Ghost, or better the Holy Spirit. God's angels minister His Spirit; so do men. The whole teaching of the Bible, it seems to the writer, is that the Spirit is God's great life, flowing out from Him to all parts of the universe in harmony with His perfect righteousness, and so connecting every part of His dominion with Himself by a living conscious connection. To feebly illustrate: In the office where this is being written there are fourteen departments connected by telephone with the manager's office. Men in each department may talk with him separately. He is in a way present in that department. All the departments may be connected at once, all may hear the same message. To all departments he is personally present so far as voice and message is concerned. The current of electricity and harmony has effected the wonder. So men in harmony with God's law are everywhere vitally connected with Him; to each one is He made present by the presence of His life-giving, knowledge-bearing, wisdom-bestowing, love-imparting Spirit.

1265. Moody and the Sabbath.

Would you please answer through the SIGNS if D. L. Moody kept the seventh-day Sabbath? And have we proof of it?

We have been informed by one of Mr. Moody's pupils that Mr. Moody kept the seventh day as a day of rest to himself. Whether he kept it for the purpose God gave it,—a spiritual rest and delight,—or merely for the purpose of physical rest to fit himself for his usual arduous Sunday duties, we know not. But what difference does it make whether Mr. Moody or Mr. Wesley or Mr. Finney observed the Sabbath or not? If they were honest men, as every one of them doubtless was, it simply proves that they did not understand all the will of God. Abraham, "the father of all them that believe," had two wives; David, a man greatly honored by God, had many wives. But their mistaken course does not vitiate or make void the law of the Most High. Here are important questions: What has God commanded? How did Jesus regard those commands?