Question Corner by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 17, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 24.

Question Corner

By Editor

1374.—Flesh Foods.

Please explain about eating meat. The Bible says that the swine is not good to eat. R. H.

Well, the Bible, then, settles a part of the flesh food question to those who believe it. God had a reason for absolutely prohibiting the use of certain living creatures as food. See Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. We can conceive of no other reason than that their flesh was totally unfit for food, unclean, unwholesome, in the very nature of the animal. And certain it is, the Jews who have heeded the clear instruction are among the healthiest of the people of earth, notwithstanding their use of tobacco and excesses in other directions. Other animals used for food are becoming more and more diseased. Vegetables, grains, and fruits are much cleaner and more wholesome, almost universally. Wisdom is needed, however, in making the change from a flesh diet to a vegetarian diet, and good common sense should be used in the cooking and combinations of food. See Bible Student's Library, No. 158 ("Natural Food of Man,") containing the Biblical argument, and many recipes, price, 25 cents.

1375.—Congregation or Church.

In Deut. 23:2 what is the difference between membership in the congregation then, and church membership now? J. H.

Practically the same. It would be better if the New Testament Greek word (ekklesia) rendered "church" had been rendered "congregation." It would have enabled us better to connect the Old and New Testament congregations. However, that ancient congregation and its rules were adapted to that people of one blood and nation. Restrictions then physically, nationally, and otherwise, are not operative now. They were symbolic of spiritual things.

1376.—Sabbaths and Feasts.

Will you please explain the difference between the Sabbaths or feast days and God's Sabbath or the Lord's Day? A. L.

The Sabbath of the Lord is eternal. It was applied to this earth as the memorial of God's creative power. Gen. 2:1-3. It comes to sinful man as a sign of God's power to sanctify. Eze. 20:12. As it was through Christ the Lord that God created the world, as it was Christ who wrought and rested (John 1:1-3; Col. 1:16; 1 Cor. 8:6), so the Sabbath is, therefore, the Lord's Day (compare Mark 2:27, 28; Isa. 58:13; Ex. 20:8-11; Rev. 1:10). That Sabbath will exist forever. Isa. 66:22, 23.

The yearly feast days and Sabbaths all came in in consequence of sin. They were of the nature of types and prophecies pointing forward to Christ. They are all enumerated in Leviticus 23 and were connected with the great feasts of the Passover, the First-fruits, the Feast of Trumpets, and the Atonement. All these met their fulfilment in Christ Jesus, and are distinguished from the weekly Sabbath. The weekly Sabbath was always the seventh day of the week, in constant succession; the yearly sabbaths might fall on any day of the week. The Lord distinguishes between the two by the expression, "besides the Sabbaths of Jehovah" (Lev. 23:38), and by the very nature of the institutions.