p. 5 | Question Corner by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Aug 2, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 31.

Question Corner

By Editor

1696.—To What Law? Hebrews 7:12.

To what change of what law does Hebrews 7:12 refer?

Read the context, or less, even the verse itself, and there can be no more question. It is the law relative to the priesthood. "The priesthood being changed," of course the law regulating it must be changed. The Levitical priesthood was vested in the tribe of Levi, of the house of Aaron. The time of service, the kind of man, the sacrifices he offered, were all specified in law. But when Christ began His priesthood after the order of Melchizedek, he came of a different tribe to serve after a different order. The text in question has no more bearing upon the Decalogue than it has upon the Constitution of the United States. The use of it to endeavor to prove the change of a Sabbath shows to what desperate straits error is put to defend itself.

1697.—The New Birth. John 3:3.

Is water baptism the new birth?

No, water baptism is not the new birth. Millions have been born of God [some would prefer to say "begotten"] who have never known water baptism. We are begotten of God through the Word. 1 Peter 1:23. We are born of the Spirit. Rom. 8:14, 15; John 3:5, 6. We are regenerated by a new life from above. John 3:3, margin. The outward ceremony of this entrance into new relation before the world is water baptism. Gal. 3:27.

1698.—The Soul of Man.

Please explain what you understand the "soul of man" to be.

It is impossible to give a dictionary definition of the term soul. It may be defined in a general way under three heads: (1) The entire man. "Man became a living soul." Gen. 2:7. "Eight souls" were saved in the ark. 1 Peter 3:20. Joshua destroyed all the souls, that is, persons, in many cities. Joshua 10. So the Bible speaks in places, in the original of "dead soul," meaning a dead man. (2) All the thinking, reasoning faculties of man. "Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name." Ps. 103:1. (3) Life, animal life, common to man and beast. See Matt. 16:25, 26. The word soul in verse 26 is the same in the original as life in verse 25. Both should be life. See also Gen. 1:30. Life is literally "living soul."

1699.—Are They Literal? Eze. 39:9.

In the latter part of Eze. 39:9 it reads, "And they shall burn them with fire seven years."

The question involves the study of the whole of the latter part of the book of Ezekiel, which we have not space for in this department, nor in the paper at this time. Suffice it to say:

1. The prophecy of Ezekiel from chapter 36 to the close of the book was a prophecy conditioned on the faith and obedience of ancient Israel. Over and over blessing is based on conditions; but Israel did not meet these conditions. Had she done this, the prophecy would have been fulfilled in fullest detail, including chapter 39:9-15, and the building of the temple offered, with its attendant sacrifices. But now these will never be fulfilled.

2. But God's purposes toward wicked nations and the true Israel are just the same, tho times and environment vary. Israel will be redeemed and given a more glorious inheritance, even the earth made new. Gog and Magog, representing the northern nations, will be punished in part, in this world before and when Christ comes in the ultimate, at the end of the 1,000 years of Revelation 20.

This view of the prophecy makes harmony; any other with which we are acquainted makes confusion. The coming of Christ is near, even at the door. We know no more than this.