Signs of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 21. (5/27/1913)

Signs of the Times

May 27, 1913

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 27, 1913

The Unknown Heroes

By Kathrina Blossom Wilcox

BY KATHRINA BLOSSOM WILCOX

SING of the unknown heroes, Who fight in the battle of life; The song of the bravest soldiers, Who fight alone in the strife;

Unknown in the world’s great records, Unsung in the halls of fame, Sometimes alone and forgotten, Yet bearing aloft His name;

Who know of the many sorrows, The care and the grief and pain; Who know of the daily crosses That crush like Oppression’s chain;

Who know of the work and the burdens Borne bravely each passing day; Who know of the sad disappointments So often met in the way;

The love and the counsel, the pleading With God for the ones they love; The long, sleepless nights full of praying For help from the Father above;

Unknown save in God’s great record, There read in letters of gold; For he that is least, it is written, The greatest shall be in My fold.

And so, dear heart, what matter Tho the world may know it not? Strive bravely on in the battle, By God thou art not forgot.

Press on, tho the nights are weary, Tho the days are full of grief. The rift in the clouds brings sunshine; In Him thou wilt find relief.

And when He comes in His glory, He’ll call for the heroes unknown, And with His own hands He will crown them, And gather them round His throne.

Question Corner

“IF YE WILL INQUIRE, INQUIRE YE.”

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 The name and address must accompany each question, not for publication, but as an evidence of good faith, and that answer may be made by letter if deemed advisable.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.

4078 — Christ’s Work

What was Christ’s work before He came to this earth? Does the Word give us any light? A. B. M.

Surely it does. He was Michael the archangel (Jude 9); He was “the Angel of Jehovah” mentioned over and over and over, whom God sent with His children. See Exodus 23 and onward. He is the One who met with Abraham and with Jacob, the One whom Isaiah calls “the Angel of His presence” (Isa. 63:9); the One who came to Daniel as Michael the chief Prince. This warfare between Michael and Satan is suggested also in Revelation 12. He was the One who is working out and continually working toward the glorious results of the sacrifice which was made in the beginning, and which culminated on Calvary.

4079 — Chariots of Iron, Judges 1:19

Please explain Judges 1:19. Why? Also Eze. 39:9-13. M. T. W.

The text tells us that Jehovah was “with Judah; and he [Judah] drove out the inhabitants of the hill country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley; because they had chariots of iron.” And the question, of course, is, Why could he not? And we can simply reply, Lack of faith, that is all. God had promised to the Jews that He would drive out all their enemies, if they would only believe Him. They went in there with a spirit of compromise. He would have done for them in every case just as He did for them at Jericho, if they had only believed Him; but they would not believe. They believed some things, they failed to grasp others. They did some things, they failed to do others. They went into idolatry again and again. Instead of destroying, as God commanded them, some of the wicked inhabitants of Canaan that had forfeited all consideration, they attended their idolatrous feasts, and worshiped with them. Consequently, when they came to the great, strong men of the armies of the valley with chariots of iron, they were fearful. That it was not the fault of God that Israel did not conquer the chariots of iron is shown in the 4th and 5th chapters of Judges. When Sisera with his nine hundred chariots of iron mightily oppressed Israel, he was overthrown by the Israelites under Deborah and Barak; but they had faith.

Eze. 39:9-13 is a prophecy that never was fulfilled, and never will be fulfilled. It would have been if Israel had met the conditions. God would have destroyed all their northern foes when they came upon them, as outlined in this prophecy. There are some parts of the prophecy, however, that will be fulfilled in the last days; but these things mentioned here, which of necessity must have been local, and must pertain to that time, could not be fulfilled, because Israel did not comply with the conditions. God’s promises are conditional when moral conduct is involved. See these conditions laid down in Jer. 18:7-10.

4080 — Shambles, 1 Cor. 10:25

Please explain 1 Cor. 10:25, in regard to eating all kinds of meats. Does the word “shambles” mean a place where meat is offered for sale? Also Gen. 9:3. N. S. P.

Referring to the last text first, the permission of God to Noah to eat all kinds of meat must of necessity have included only the clean beasts. It was given to him as he came out of the ark. About the only food that could be found upon the earth at that time was animal food, and God provided for this in the clean animals which Noah took in the ark. There were only a pair each of the unclean animals; there were seven pairs of the clean—that is, fourteen beasts of each kind of animals fit for food under the law of clean and unclean beasts.

“Shambles” means markets. The text in 1 Corinthians is not regarding clean and unclean meats under the law of God, but as to whether the beast had been offered to idols or not. Read the context and see that this is so. Some of those who had been in idolatry felt very keenly the matter of the foods which they ate. All the foods that were slain were slain with reference to some god. The associations had been so strong, and the memories so keen, that it really defiled the new Christian converts to think of eating the flesh of beasts sold in the markets, lest they should be eating to the honor of some deity. It hurt their consciences if any one did this. Therefore the apostle tells us that while the fact of offering those meats to gods that were no gods would not in any wise affect the meat, yet it might affect the weak conscience of some brother who was troubled in that way. The best way for the individual to do was to buy whatever was sold there that was proper to eat, without asking any questions at all. But if it was questioned, lest the weak conscience should be injured, or some weak brother be caused to stumble, do not eat of it. The true rule for eating and drinking is given in that same chapter, verse 31: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give no occasion of stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the church of God.”

4081 — The Bird Over Running Water

What is typified by the killing of a bird over running water? Lev. 14:5. Have you something in pamphlet form or in condensed book, giving the meaning of the various offerings and sacrifices as indicated in the ceremonies? A. B. M.

It is not always necessary, or best, to inquire into every particular and to make typical every part of every ceremony of the past. The running water, of course, was living water, and the killing of the bird was a sacrifice that was made. There was formed a solution for the means of purification. There was no particular efficacy in the solution itself, but the ceremony indicated judicial cleansing. When it was determined that the leper was clean from his disease, he was sprinkled with this solution and pronounced clean. It is to this, doubtless, that the psalmist refers in Ps. 51:7,—“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.” That is, he wanted God to pronounce upon him absolute cleanness.

We have a pamphlet, “Bible Students’ Library” No. 128, “Christ Our Advocate,” 10 cents. There is also an interesting little work on “The Tabernacle” published by the Rev. W. P. Pearce, Charleston, Missouri, the price of which is 25 cents. It dwells on many more details than most books of this kind.

4082 — Tithing

What should be tithed,—the seed, or grain of the field only? or also the corn-stalks, shucks, and straw? All are used for feed for stock in this country. M. E. G.

We could readily understand how the greatest profit of the crop might come from the straw. The heads of grain might not fill at all, and still there might be a fairly good crop of straw. In that case, the only profit that would come to the farmer would be the straw which he raised. This ought to be tithed as well, if it is fed to stock. Of course it is tithed in the product of the stock, and therefore is not tithed in the field. For instance, if a man should have ten tons of straw that was worth $5.00 a ton, it would be $50.00; but he feeds this to his stock,—to his cattle, to his cows,—and he tithes the product of those cows, the butter and cheese that he makes. Consequently such feed as that is tithed in the products of the dairy. The amount of seed that is sown should be taken from the grain that is raised, and the remainder tithed, for it is the increase of the seed that is tithed. The seed is supposed to have been tithed before it is sown.

4083 — Free-will Offerings and Debt

Would it be wise to make any free-will offerings while one is struggling to get out of debt? M. E. G.

Yes, if the heart said so, and had faith in God. The tithe, of course, belongs to Him. He gives us the nine tenths. The other tenth is His. But when He pours out upon us all our blessings, it would seem that the grateful heart would feel that it ought to make some free-will offering for the sake of the Master, who has given all to us; and would not that also bring the heart into closer sympathy and touch with the Giver of all good? There are very few indeed who could not deny themselves of things not actually needed, in order that they might do something for the Master. When we get the true idea of partnership with Him, it is wonderfully helpful. We may feel then that we are doing business for Him, and are stewards of His means, and our profits are His profits, and our debts are His debts, and we can go to Him with a sympathy that is compelling in its plea, that He will help us not only to secure a living and raise crops, but will help us also to pay our debts.

4084 — Short Bed

Please explain Isa. 28:20. C. S.

The text reads, “For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.” If our inquirer will read the chapter, he will see that God had laid the true foundation, and He gives us the only hope through our Lord Jesus Christ, prophesied as the foundation-stone. In His salvation He will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet. There will be no lies, or falsehood, in it, and yet He tells us that this people whom He is addressing have made lies their refuge. They have fixed up some plan other than God’s. They have made a bed for rest that is so short that they can not stretch themselves on it—insufficient; and the covering is too narrow, they can not wrap themselves in it. Lowth says that the verse is a proverbial saying, the meaning of which is, they will find all means of defense and protection insufficient to secure them and cover them from the evils coming upon them.

4085 — Calling Names

Is it wrong to call a foolish man a fool? Matt. 5:22. C. S.

The text referred to would seem clearly to indicate that it is. Some of the wisest men in the world have been called fools, and we suppose that the ones who called them fools thought they were telling what was absolutely true. We look upon the wisdom of men altogether differently from what God does sometimes. What to us may be foolishness might be the greatest wisdom after all. It is a good deal better not to call people names in any way. If it becomes necessary for us to tell one that he is foolish, it is better to say that it is foolish to do thus and so, than to call him a fool. It is a good deal better for the human heart to make such applications as that to itself, and let the Lord judge the others.

Our Bible Band

Schedule for Week Ending May 31, 1913

Sunday May 25 2 Kings 1, 2 Monday " 26 " 3, 4 Tuesday " 27 " 5, 6 Wednesday " 28 " 7, 8 Thursday " 29 " 9, 10 Friday " 30 " 11, 12 Sabbath " 31 Psalms 37, 38

Our readings are in 2 Kings, chapters 1 to 12 inclusive, closing with Psalms 37 and 38. God's great prophet Elijah is still on the stage of action, Ahaziah is king over Israel. Elijah is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind with God's chariots, the cherubim of angels. Upon Elisha rests the mantle of Elijah. Joram follows Ahaziah as king. Much space is given to the mighty miracles wrought by Elisha. Very touching and striking is the simple faith of the little Israelitish maid as recorded in chapter 5. Jehoram reigns over Judah, followed by Ahaziah. Jehu is anointed king over Israel. He slays Joram and takes the kingdom, and also slays, with Joram, Ahaziah of Judah. Jezebel, the wicked queen who stirred up weak Ahab to the most of his wickedness, is also slain by Jehu. Jehu, with his mighty, unconsecrated zeal, slays the worshipers of Baal, and smites right and left. Athaliah usurps the kingdom of Judah. Joash, the true king of Judah, is hidden until he is old enough to be proclaimed king. Then Athaliah is slain. And so the record continues. Now and then we have good kings in Judah, but in Israel they are invariably deplorably weak, or altogether bad. Psalm 37 is a vivid presentation of the reward which shall be given to the righteous and the wicked.

God the Revealer

By K. C. Russell

By K. C. Russell

“Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image”

A Great Prophecy

THE most condensed and comprehensive outline of the world’s history that has ever been written is recorded in the book of Daniel. The author of this remarkable prophecy is none other than Jesus Christ, the Saviour of men; for we read, in 1 Peter 1: 10, 11, that the Spirit of Christ was in the prophets; and in 2 Peter 1: 21, that “the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

It should furthermore be remembered that the Author of this book has commanded all not only to read this book, but also to understand it. See Matt. 24: 15. A book with the sublime authorship that this has, should command the attention of every thoughtful person, especially those who love the Lord.

The second chapter of Daniel contains a most remarkable and graphic illustration demonstrating that God is a Revealer of the future events of this world’s history. It is this fact that forever places the seal of divinity and infallibility upon this wonderful prophecy.

A King Perplexed

In the first verses of this chapter we are told that Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had a dream, and that he called the professedly wise men of his realm to interpret it, for they claimed great skill in revealing mysteries. But upon learning that the king wished the dream told, as well as the interpretation, they were greatly perplexed, and said to the king that the gods only could do such a thing, whose dwelling was not with flesh. The king was greatly enraged at the wise men because of their failure to reveal the dream and to interpret it. He reasoned that if they possessed a knowledge of the future, they could with equal ease reproduce his dream. Because of their refusal to reproduce and interpret his dream, the king commanded that they be slain and their property destroyed.

Daniel Involved

It was at this juncture that the great Revealer, through His servant Daniel, appeared upon the scene of action. Daniel informed the king that he would attempt to do what the great and wise men had failed in accomplishing; but he required time, in order that he and his three companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, might unite in seeking the Lord for wisdom concerning the matter. See Dan. 2: 16-18, inclusive. This request of the king by Daniel showed his reliance upon God as the Revealer, and not upon any wisdom that he possessed independent of the Lord.

It is interesting to observe how Daniel and his three companions united in seeking wisdom from God concerning the matter. This method is in sweet accord with the Saviour’s words in Matt. 18: 19, 20, which are as follows: “I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” The result of this united prayer is beautifully expressed in the following forceful words: “Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. . . . He revealeth the deep and secret things: He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him.” He further added, in verse twenty-eight, that the dream was for the purpose of revealing “what shall be in the latter days.”

What the King Dreamed

The dream is as follows: “Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.”

What the Dream Meant

The interpretation of this remarkable dream is as simple and to the point as the dream itself. It begins with these words, addressed to Nebuchadnezzar: “Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath He given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.”

From this language it is easy to understand what is represented by the head of gold of the great image. How clearly it represents the first universal kingdom in the world’s history—Babylon! It is significant that this is symbolized by the head of gold, because, as the historian says, “It was the golden kingdom of a golden age.”

When one considers the wealth and glory of the Babylonian kingdom as compared with the three succeeding universal empires, it is easy to understand why the God of heaven has symbolized Babylon with the head of gold. The capital of the kingdom, the city of Babylon, will never be excelled in grandeur and glory by any earthly city. It was sixty miles in circumference, with a wall about it three hundred fifty feet in height and eighty-seven feet thick. It was laid out in a perfect square, with fifty streets running at right angles. There were also walls on either side of the river Euphrates, that ran through the city, and twenty-five brass gates on either side of the river. History teaches that the city of Babylon contained enough food stored within its walls to feed the subjects of the kingdom for twenty years in case of a siege. The tower of Belus, in the center of the city, represented a vast amount of wealth in its costly construction. Space will not permit us to say more regarding the glory of this once grand and magnificent metropolis of the proud monarchy of Babylon. Suffice it to say that the head of gold does in a most signal way represent the kingdom of Babylon, the first universal empire.

Succeeding Powers

The prophet continued his interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream by saying that another kingdom shall succeed the one over which he was reigning. In the year 538 B.C., at the time Belshazzar was the king of Babylon, the Medo-Persians overcame the first kingdom, and thus Babylon was succeeded by another universal empire. It will be noted that this second universal kingdom, Medo-Persia, was symbolized by the breast and arms of silver; and as silver is inferior to gold, so the Medo-Persian kingdom was inferior to Babylon in splendor and glory. However, by virtue of the fact that it overcame the Babylonian kingdom, it is evident that it excelled it in strength and power; but not even in these until Babylon had become weakened by the vices of luxury.

In his further interpretation of the dream, the prophet says that succeeding the Medo-Persian kingdom “another third kingdom of brass” should arise. No evidence is required to prove that the third universal kingdom was that of Grecia. It came upon the stage of action in 331 B.C.

The prophecy proceeds as follows: “And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron,” which very clearly symbolizes the iron monarchy of Rome, which surpassed in strength and power all the preceding universal kingdoms, for iron is stronger than gold, silver, and brass. In a most remarkable manner the prophet outlines the divided state of the Roman Empire by the mixture of the iron and the clay. It is a fact well known in history that between the years 351 and 476 the kingdom of Rome was divided into just ten parts, as follows: the Alemanni, the Ostrogoths, the Visigoths, the Franks, the Vandals, the Suevi, the Burgundians, the Heruli, the Anglo-Saxons, and the Lombards. Most of these horns, or powers, are still in existence, and the kingdom remains divided until the end of time.

The reader will recognize from the foregoing, the modern names of the kingdoms, which are familiar to all; namely, the Franks, the French; the Anglo-Saxon, the English; etc.

The great climax in the interpretation of this dream by Daniel is the establishment of the fifth universal empire, which is clearly expressed in the language of the prophet recorded in Dan. 2: 44: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” This fifth universal kingdom, which is yet to be established, is symbolized by the stone that was cut out of the mountain without hands, which is to destroy all of the earthly kingdoms that exist, and it will remain forever.

For over 1,400 years we have been living in the divided state of the Roman Empire, in which the prophet says this universal kingdom will be set up. Certainly the time must be near at hand when this fifth universal kingdom will be ushered in. When one stops to review how every detail of this prophecy relating to the four universal empires has been so accurately fulfilled to the very letter, how can he doubt the establishment upon this earth of the fifth kingdom which has been so clearly foretold in this remarkable prophecy? Is it not high time that all should seek to become inhabitants of this fifth universal kingdom? And in order to do so, we must let the principles of this kingdom now enter our hearts and change our lives so that we may become fit subjects for it.

Spiritualism the Masterpiece of Deception

By Ellen G. White

By Mrs. E. G. White

SPIRITUALISM is the masterpiece of deception. It is Satan’s most successful and fascinating delusion,—one calculated to take hold of the sympathies of those who have laid their loved ones in the grave. Evil angels come in the form of those loved ones, and relate incidents connected with their lives, and perform acts which they performed while living. In this way they lead persons to believe that their dead friends are angels, hovering over them, and communicating with them. These evil angels, who assume to be the deceased friends, are regarded with a certain idolatry, and with many their word has greater weight than the word of God. Thus men and women are led to reject the truth, and give “heed to seducing spirits.”

The word of God declares in positive terms that “the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.” This plain scripture directly contradicts the teaching of Spiritualism, and if it were heeded, would save souls from the snare of the enemy.

To Satisfy Curiosity

Many are investigating Spiritualism simply from curiosity. They have no real faith in it, and would start back horrified at the idea of becoming mediums; but they are venturing on forbidden and dangerous ground. When they are fast in the toils of the deceiver, they find they are in the power of him who makes the most abject slaves of his servants, and nothing can deliver them but the power of God. The only safety for us is in trusting implicitly and following faithfully the instruction of the word of God. The Bible is the only chart that marks out the narrow path which shuns the pitfalls of destruction.

It was God’s purpose to deliver Israel from the abominations that wrought havoc in the idolatrous nations around them. They were not to sacrifice to Moloch, nor to make their sons or their daughters pass through the fire, nor to seek unto wizards, nor defile themselves by communion with those who had familiar spirits. The instruction of God to His ancient people is profitable to us to-day: “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God. And ye shall keep My statutes, and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you.”

The Abominations of the Canaanites an Example

The Lord presented before His people the results of holding communion with evil spirits, in the abominations of the Canaanites; they were without natural affection, idolators, adulterers, murderers, and abominable by every corrupt thought and revolting practise. Says the apostle Paul: “The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.” Sodom had been consumed for the same crime that existed in Canaan; but could it be that the people who had been privileged to behold the glory and power of Jehovah, had need to be warned by these examples, lest they fall into the same errors and die under similar judgments? Men do not know their own hearts, for “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;” but God understands the tendencies of the depraved nature of man.

Satan was watching for an opportunity to lead the people of God into conditions favorable to the development of rebellion and transgression, that they might make themselves as abhorrent to God as were the Canaanites. The adversary of souls is ever on the alert to open channels for the unrestrained flow of evil in our nature, that we have not overcome; for he desires that we may be ruined, and be condemned before God.

Conditions Then and Now

The condition of society to-day is the same as when God presented before Israel the abominations of the heathen; and the same warnings are necessary to the remnant people. Spiritualism is advancing through the land in triumph. “The spirits of devils, working miracles,” are going “forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Men are seeking unto them that have familiar spirits; but the people of God can not in any sense follow the practises of the world. They must keep the commandments of the Lord. The line of separation must be distinctly marked between the obedient and the disobedient. There must be open and avowed enmity between the church and the serpent, between her seed and his seed.

Satan was determined to keep his hold on the land of Canaan; and when it was made the habitation of the children of Israel, and the law of God was made the law of the land, he hated Israel with a cruel and malignant hatred, and plotted their destruction. Strange gods were introduced through the agency of evil spirits; and because of transgression, the chosen people were finally scattered from the land of promise.

The same experience is repeating in the history of God’s people. God is leading them out from the abominations of the world to keep His law in the land of the enemy, and the rage of “the accuser of the brethren” knows no bounds. “The devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” The antitypical land of promise is just before us,—a land where no strange god shall ever come, no evil spirit enter; and Satan desires to destroy the people of God, and cut them off from their inheritance.

It is time to heed the Saviour’s injunction as never before. “Watch and pray, lest ye

enter into temptation.” Trust in God, however perplexing may be your situation. Seek His counsel, and turn not after them that have familiar spirits, to be defiled by them. He who has died to redeem you, has promised to guide you, and clothe you with His own righteousness, if you will but loathe sin, and purge yourself from evil by washing your robes of character, and making them white in the blood of the Lamb.

What love, what wonderful love, that God bears with the perversity of His people, and sends help to every soul that desires to do His will and forsake sin! If man will but coöperate with the agencies of Heaven, he may come off more than conqueror. Fallen creatures as we are, capable of the most revolting crimes, yet we may become victors, through the power of the grace of Christ, and have a place in His everlasting kingdom, to reign with Him forevermore.

Continue reading: The Witnessing of God: The Basis of Our Confidence