Question Corner by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 17, 1904

Question Corner

By Editor

1472.—The Last King of Judah.

Who was the last king to sit upon the throne of David? See Sabbath-school lesson for Nov. 28, question 9.

Zedekiah, the one who was captured by the Chaldeans when Ezekiel uttered the prophecy found in Eze. 21:25-27. See Jer. 39:1-10.

1473.—Time of the Ark's Building.

Where do you find in the Bible that Noah was one hundred and twenty years building the Ark?

Nowhere. The inference is reasonable that during the 120 years' limit which God placed upon man's probation, Noah not only preached righteousness, but showed his faith by his works in building the ark commanded of God. Compare Gen. 6:3 with 2 Peter 2:5, Heb. 11:7, and 1 Peter 3:20. These scriptures, taken together, would seem to indicate that the ark was preparing in some way during the continuance of the days of God's long-suffering.

1474.—Days of the Week.

Why were the days of the week given the names they bear instead of the First Day, Second Day, etc.? What do these names signify?

When men departed from the true God, under the guidance of the enemy they began worshipping false gods. Having transferred their devotion to their false gods, they began in will worship, which error always fosters, to establish memorials and remembrances to their pseudo deities. Among these remembrances were the days of the week. Sunday was named after the sun; Monday, from the moon; Tuesday, from the Norse Tyr, the God of martial honor; Wednesday, from the Norse god Woden, the mad or furious one; Thursday, from Thunres, the god of thunder; Friday, from the goddess Frigga, answering to Venus; Saturday from the god Saturn. Nebuchadnezzar named the Hebrew youths after heathen gods, to help them to forget Jehovah. So the days of the week in Satan's plan were thus named, to help men forget the Sabbath and the Lord of the Sabbath.

1475.—Hos. 2:11.

Please explain in your Question Corner the meaning of Hos. 2:11: "I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast-days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts."

The American Revised Version has "feasts" instead of "feast-days," and "solemn assemblies" instead of "solemn feasts." The verse is part of a prediction of judgments upon Israel for her sins. She had perverted all the feasts of the Lord, all His holy days, and had turned to heathen gods. The Lord simply declares that all this perverted worship of hers shall cease in her utter overthrow.

1476.—Take up Serpents. Mark 16:18.

Do you not believe that those who believe are under obligation to take up serpents?

Not at all. That is one of the signs which the Lord declared should follow those who believe; but we are not to suppose that all these signs will follow every one, or be manifest at all times; nor ever at the will of man, but always at the will of God. God does not furnish power for man to display himself. If necessary to His work or for the glory of His name that men should work these miracles, and He can trust them with His power, God will enable them to do all that is here promised; but it is an utter perversion of this text to demand of a believer that he should do the things named to prove his faith. The man who would ask it is unwise, the man who would attempt to work miracles in response is both unwise and presumptuous. Jesus was thus challenged by both Satan and Herod, but He responded to neither; and John, among the greatest prophets, wrought no miracle.