"IF YE WILL INQUIRE, INQUIRE YE."
By Editor
This Inquirers' Department is conducted for the purpose of helping those who are studying the Bible. The answers are oftentimes only suggestive. They are never to be considered infallible, only as they agree with the infallible Word. The writer who may answer them does not consider that his opinion is infallible. He will simply give the best that he has, and plead with the inquirer to search the Word. Such questions only will be answered as, to the editors, seem to minister to the good of the readers and to the mission of the paper. We can not answer repeatedly in the same volume questions upon the same scripture. The name and address must accompany question, not for publication, but as an evidence of good faith, and that answer may be made by letter if deemed advisable. No letters are answered which do not contain the name of the writer. It is well always to enclose stamp for reply. God must be first. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind." Luke 10:27, 28. Whatever comes between us and what we owe to God, must be left; but for a man to forsake his family and what he owes to them, he should have clear evidence that God has called him so to do. But the man who loves God as he should, will love his wife, and children, and family better than he possibly could if he did not love God. What God wants is that the whole family shall together follow Him. He who stayed with his newly-wed wife when God called was left. Luke 14:20. Note also verses 25 and 26. To the unselfish heart God's requirements are always reasonable. 3374.—Was Paul One of the Twelve?
Was the apostle Paul one of the twelve apostles? or was the choosing of Matthias approved of the Lord? To the first question, no; to the last, yes. We do not see how one can read the inspired account of Acts 1:15-26 without believing that Matthias was one of the twelve. The record declares that Matthias was numbered with the eleven apostles. In chapter 6:2 he with the eleven is called "the twelve." Paul's conversion was some time after this. In Gal. 1:19 Paul calls the twelve the apostles. Yet Paul was as truly an apostle as any of the twelve. "Apostle" means one sent. Barnabas was an apostle, so also was Epaphroditus. See Acts 14:14; Phil. 2:25. "Messenger" means apostle, and comes from the Greek word apostolos. Jesus is also called "the Apostle." Heb. 3:1. When does the shaking of the powers of the heavens take place? Is it before or after probation closes? Compare Matt. 24:29 with Mark 13:25, 26; Luke 21:25-27; Joel 3:16; Rev. 6:14; 16:17, 18; Heb. 12:26. Note (1) that the shaking of the powers of heaven comes in direct connection with Christ's coming. There may be much or little time between the darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars. The interval is covered by the flexible and indeterminate "and," but between the shaking of the powers of heaven and Christ's coming it is "and then," at that time. When the heavens are shaken, then Christ will come. (2) Joel tells us what causes the shaking. It is God's voice. (3) John tells us that the voice declares at the time of the seventh plague, "It is done." Heb. 12:26 shows that God's voice will shake both heaven and earth, even as the earth was shaken at Sinai. (4) Rev. 6:14, 15 indicates the same thing, and shows that when the heavens are shaken they will be rolled together like a scroll. After that there is no hope manifest among the children of earth. Verses 15-17. (5) In the plagues are "filled up the wrath of God." Rev. 15:1. There is no mixture of mercy in them. Man has rejected it all. Compare Ps. 75:8 with Rev. 14:9, 10. There has been the mixture of mercy throughout the ages, but under the plagues man will have rejected it utterly, they will not even repent of sin. (6) When that unmixed wrath is poured out, there goes forth from the great Judge the awful sentence that character is forever fixed. Zeph. 2:1-3; Rev. 22:11, 12. (7) The period of the outpouring of the plagues covers a prophetic day, or year. "Therefore shall her plagues come in one day." Rev. 18:8. This is "the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion." Isa. 34:8. This year covers that little period of "quickly" just before the Lord comes. The shaking occurs in the very last of that awful first year after the close of probation. Read again Rev. 22:11, 12. Please explain Rev. 20:13. What does it mean about death and hell delivering up the dead? Is it the righteous only that are judged according to their work? Verse 12 brings before us the judgment of the wicked dead. They all stand before God in the record of their work. Verses 13 to 15 relate to the execution of the judgment written according to their works. The righteous, those that have placed all upon Christ, and who have so died, or proved faithful to His coming, do not come into judgment. They are taken to heaven at the beginning of the thousand years. The word "hell" here means the grave or the abode of the dead. The power of death and the grave is forever broken. All have yielded to the mercies of our Lord Jesus Christ. Death and hell will be cast into the lake of fire, which will cleanse the world, and that will be the last of them. This is the second death, the death from which there is no resurrection, death in which death itself shall be forgotten. Can you inform me of the size of the tower of Babel? If the Birs-Nimrod in ancient Borsippa is the ruins of the tower of Babel, it was two thousand feet around the base. Upon this were superposed seven stages. The first was 272 feet square and 26 feet high; the second, 230 feet square and 26 feet high; the third, 188 feet square and 26 feet high; the fourth, 146 feet square and 15 feet high. Above this was guesswork. It is thought, however, that it was 156 feet high. How much of this structure belonged to Nebuchadnezzar, who built the tower, is not known. The first stage was black, second orange, the third red. The other colors are guessed at. Others think that another ruin called Babil by the Arabs was the tower of Babel. It was 600 feet square at its base and probably 140 feet high. Birs-Nimrod, it seems to us, has the stronger claim. In the great judgment-day, when the glory of Christ in His followers shall be manifest. When the New Jerusalem, a pledge of the new earth, shall descend from God out of heaven, all will see that the Word of God is demonstrated to be true. Then all will be compelled to acknowledge Him, the righteous through love, the wicked through fear. See Phil. 2:9-11. 3379.—The Vision of the Chariots
Will you explain Zech. 6:1-8, especially the 8th verse? This scripture was quite fully explained in the article "Out of Babylon to Zion," in the issue of September 6 of last year. In brief, these horsemen were explained to be God's messengers, sent out by Him to look after God's interests in the earth. They were war chariots, to wage battle and execute judgment. Each chariot is given a different field to watch over. Two go to the North, the general seat of all trouble; one to the South; and one passes over the great field to and fro. It represents God working among the powers of earth to bring deliverance to His people and help to Jerusalem. Rebellion in the provinces of Babylon and Media and war in Egypt were all quelled in order that the decree of Cyrus regarding the building of the temple might be carried out. The eighth verse shows that the trouble in the North which threatened God's work had been stayed. The book of Ezra should be read in connection with Zechariah and Haggai. 3380.—Joining Unions, Associations, etc.
Is it right for a Christian to join various worldly organizations? It is not right for a Christian to join any association or organization by which he in any way compromises his faith or his freedom, or stultifies a good conscience. When one becomes a partner with those who are worldly and ungodly, he becomes a partaker of their deeds. The best rule to guide us is found in 2 Cor. 6:14-18. There are ways in which we may unite with our neighbors and fellow men to accomplish some object, but this must not compromise Christian freedom, faith, or practise. 3381.—J. Y.—Money for Foreign Missions.—
Money for foreign missions sent direct to the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Mountain View, California, will be promptly forwarded. Designate the field or fields to which you wish your contribution to be sent. If left to us we will place it in fields which seem to us most needy. 3382.—E. C. W.—Thief on the Cross.—
See the article by Professor Rine in the SIGNS OF THE TIMES of March 7.