Bible Queries: Vol. 2, 272-302

 •  17 min. read  •  grade level: 7
 
A. They are two distinct words in the Hebrews the one means to lift or raise, the other to scatter or shake.
Q. 273. What is the difference between “symbol” and “type?” In the paper on animals, in the same number, they seem used interchangeably. A. P. C.
A. We think the difference can be more easily felt than defined, and we do not think we could in a short space distinguish them satisfactorily. Many writers use the words interchangeably and in some dictionaries each is used as explanatory of the other. Still we think there are instances where “symbol” would seem appropriate, but in which we should shrink from using “type” without the direct warrant of Scripture. Type seems to mean an express and direct emblem, symbol is a wider and more general word.
Q. 274. Kindly say if Ecclesiastes 7:11A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth. (Ecclesiastes 7:1) refers to the believer’s death only. If not, what does it mean?
A. It certainly refers to the death of a good man. At his birth he has a life of trouble before him, but at his death, all this is over, but a good name (better than precious ointment) remains. Always remember that the subject of Ecclesiastes is confined to what is “under the sun.” (1:3, 14).
A. (1) It is not “whoever is unworthy to eat and drink,” but whoever “eats and drinks unworthily.” It is not an adjective referring to the person (which we get in 1 Corinthians 6:22Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? (1 Corinthians 6:2)), but an adverb referring to the manner of eating and drinking (which is only used here and verse 29). In Corinth (20-22), it was grossly irregular. Taking the bread and wine without any sense of that which they set forth, would be another way of eating and drinking unworthily. The question is not of our worthiness, but of eating and drinking in a becoming way and spirit. (2) It is a solemn exhortation to a godly and consistent walk in view of our great privilege, and of God’s great power and holiness, as will be shown in the coming judgments.
A. We are not told. Scripture plainly teaches the descent of all from a single couple. Hence Cain’s wife must necessarily be one of the unnamed daughters of Eve. No doubt following the analogy of other Scriptures, only a brief glimpse of her history is given, and from Genesis 5:44And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: (Genesis 5:4) we learn that she had several more children than the three named. Let us admire and respect the silence of Scripture, where a plain statement might have led to evil in other days.
A. (1) All that follows in the verse and everywhere “in like manner” as men in ver. 8. (2) See B. S. vol. 1, p. 68, Q. 313, also p. 94, Q. 348.
Q. 279. Did the high priest ever wear the garments of glory and beauty? D. T. C.
Q. 280. Will you kindly define the meaning of the word “regeneration?” What is the washing of regeneration, in Titus 3:55Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5)? s. B.
A. It is only used here and in Matthew 19:2828And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28). It means the new creation in Christ. In Matthew it refers to the creation in Christ or new beginning of creation in the millennium, when all the effects of sin are done away. Here it means the spiritual new creation in Christ, which has practically purified us by giving a new place when the old is done away, and all is become new. It goes beyond the new birth in John 3
A. Its position was very central. It was the capital of the powerful tribe of Ephraim, who were the king’s chief opponents. It would therefore be a conciliatory act on his part.
Q. 282. Kings 16:18 speaks of the “covert of the Sabbath.” What is meant by this? H. S.
A. It is supposed to be either a sort of shelter or canopy erected for the people on the Sabbath, when the crowd was too great for the porch to contain them, or a seat covered with a canopy placed on an elevation, for the king and his court, when they attended public worship.
Q. 283. 2 Samuel 5:1717But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. (2 Samuel 5:17), says David went down to the “hold,” and the Philistines “ spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.” What is the “hold” here, and is the valley of Rephaim the same as the valley of that name near Jerusalem? H. S.
A. We cannot say what “the hold” is here; the words are omitted in 1 Chronicles 14:88And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David. And David heard of it, and went out against them. (1 Chronicles 14:8). The broad plain between Jerusalem and Bethlehem which is called by this name by Josephus, answers very well for the spot in all respects but one. The Hebrew word seems to point rather to an enclosed valley than a plain. On the whole, however, it appears most probable that this was the place alluded to in the passage.
A. The reading in 2 Chronicles 36:99Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. (2 Chronicles 36:9) appear preferable, being supported by the historical record in 1 Esdras i. 43, and thus agreeing in the date of Jehoiachin’s birth with Matthew 1:1111And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: (Matthew 1:11). He was king of Judah for three months. The 8th year refers to the date of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.
Q. 285. (1) Was Malachi 4:55Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: (Malachi 4:5) fulfilled in the coming of John the Baptist? (2) What Scriptures prove that the Jews will be restored to Palestine? and will this be before Christ’s return for His saints? M. B. H.
A. (1) In part according to Matthew 11:1414And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. (Matthew 11:14), but inasmuch as they did not receive it, there will be a further fulfillment in Revelation 11:33And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. (Revelation 11:3), just before the Millennium. (2) Isaiah 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 29, 32, 34, 35, 54, 62, 65, 66, Jeremiah 32, 33, Ezekiel 20, 34, 36, Zechariah 13, and many other chapters. This restoration may begin before the church is taken away to heaven, but Israel will not be grafted into their own olive tree (Romans 11) until the Gentiles are cut off, and God ceases to deal with them in blessing as now. This will evidently be when the church is gone and the present day of grace closed.
A. See B. S., January 1882, p.16, Q. 25.
Q. 287. Conder’s “Handbook to the Bible” says, the holy anointing oil was only made once, as the penalty of “Keritoth” was denounced against the repetition of the manufacture of it. Is this statement correct? Was not the denunciation against the profane use, rather than against the actual repetition of its making for sacred use? H. S.
A. Exodus 30:32,332Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. (Exodus 30:32)
3And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about. (Exodus 30:3)
, certainly seems to bear out what you say. It is probable that Conder only repeats the Rabbinical tradition in stating it was only made once, founding this un that rigid interpretation of the letter of ver. 32 apart from the spirit, which is the root of so many of their blunders, They say it lasted 900 years, till the captivity. It appears however from 1 Chronicles 9:3030And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices. (1 Chronicles 9:30), that more was subsequently made. Saul, David, Solomon, Jehu, Joash were anointed with it.
A. “I judge him not” means that the Lord did not then execute judgment on those who believed not. The “one” refers to the gracious word He then spoke, which, when the day of judgment came, should rise up in judgment against all who heard them only to reject; even as now.
A. The passage refers to “angels,” not “saints”. The prevalent vague idea that we are to become “angels” some day finds no shred of support in Scripture. Angels existed before ever a “saint” was heard of. They too are spirits; we shall have bodies. They are not redeemed by the blood of Christ, for the fallen ones are never restored. Indeed there is no parallel between the two classes.
A. No. The trump in 1 Corinthians 15 is a signal for the rapture of the saints, and the first resurrection; the seventh trumpet in Revelation is subsequent to this, and has no reference to the same event. See also B. S. vol. 1. p. 92, Q. 341.
Q. 291. Is it true that believers ought not to pray day by day for the pardon of their sins? Did not our Lord Himself command us to do this in the prayer He taught His disciples, and is it not also the teaching of that verse. “He that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit?” I know another verse speaks of our being “clean through the word” and yet another of the washing of water with the word. But yet, day by day, especially at the close of the day, or after any fall which has greatly grieved me, I go to the cross of Christ, and cannot really help confessing, and asking for fresh pardon. Surely this is not wrong, nor unscriptural. I should be very thankful for some explanation of the subject.
A. R. C.
A. We must distinguish between being cleansed once for all before God, by the blood of Christ according to Hebrews 10:2,222For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. (Hebrews 10:2)
22Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22)
etc., and the more common use of the word cleansing, which is by water, i.e., through the word (See John 15:33Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (John 15:3); Ephesians 5:2626That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:26), etc.) This cleansing, however, is twofold, which you have rightly distinguished. The bathing or complete cleansing refers to the new birth by water and the Spirit (the word of God applied by the Holy Spirit’s power). The washing of the feet refers to the constant practical cleansing needed as to our daily ways, not as affecting our standing before God, but as affecting our communion with our Father. The word to a believer as to the sin he commits after conversion is plain in 1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). We are to confess our sins daily, heartily honestly, and fully, and we receive there and then our Father’s forgiveness. Once we really judge ourselves, there is no need to implore forgiveness, for it is assured us on the authority of this verse. Still none could find fault with the practice you describe: provided that you clearly understand that no sin alters your standing which is eternal, resting on the infinite and unchangeable value of the blood of Christ, in whom indeed alone you stand, but that it does affect your state, and that you get no communion, no forgiveness, until it is fully confessed.
A. Seeking to be justified by the works of the law, rather than being justified by the work of Christ, thus giving up grace for legality. It was this that the Galatians were in such danger of doing.
Q. 293. How long was Noah building the Ark? From Genesis 5:3232And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Genesis 5:32) and 7:11, it would appear 100, but from Genesis 6:3, 120 years. A. H. B.
A. Probably a very short time. The following considerations tend to show this. Verse 3 was not said to Noah. Verse 14, ordering the construction of the ark, was probably a very short time before the flood (see verse 13 “is come before me”). Verse 18 shows that Noah’s three sons were not only born, but married. Now the eldest was only born a hundred years before the flood. If therefore we allow time for the youngest to get married, it brings us close to the date of the deluge. Besides this, two whom we regard as in the line of godly men, lived, the one (Lamech) to within 5 years of the flood, the other (Methuselah) to the very year of the flood. And it is hardly likely that in their lifetime Noah was the only righteous man (7:1.), which is the ground of 6:18. Besides this, there is absolutely no scripture to favor the thought that the ark was a long time in being built.
A. The R. V. reads correctly, “He that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” The meaning is, he that is washed all over, or bathed with the washing of regeneration by the Word and Spirit at the new birth, does not require a new nature again when he falls; but only requires the defilement, his feet (that part of him that touches the world) to be washed; that is the application of the word to his conscience, leading to true confession and restoration (1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9),) See Q. 291 above.
Q. 296. Please explain Numbers 31:4040And the persons were sixteen thousand; of which the Lord's tribute was thirty and two persons. (Numbers 31:40). For what purpose were these 32 Persons, who were “the Lord’s tribute” used? F. J.
A. Probably as servants to the Levites, or the priests. See verses 18-30.
A. (1) This passage stands in remarkable and striking cent] fist to Philippians 2:1010That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (Philippians 2:10). There when it is a question of being compelled to bow. three order of things are included, things celestial, terrestrial, and infernal. Here where it is a question of reconciliation, and making peace by the blood the things infernal, are most pointedly omitted, and the expression “all things” is expressly limited to things celestial and terrestial. The distinction is all important. What the reconciliation of earthly things means we know, that of heavenly things is more mysterious. In some way we know that Satan has access to the heavenlies, and there must be defilement where his presence is. Hebrews 9:2323It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. (Hebrews 9:23), refers to the same subject. It is sufficient for us to know that there will be nothing in heaven or earth left that is not reconciled to God by the blood of Christ. (2) In this passage also, “all things” is again limited to things celestial and terrestrial. Here Christ is not the reconciler, but the head and center of all, even as He will be in the Millennial reign, when this passage will be fulfilled.
A. (1) Refer to p. 18, Q. 32, also p. 199, Q. 216. (2) The apostle’s life of constant danger and trial was a daily death. We should be glad to know the force of the first part of the verse. “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
A. Christ so clothed His teachings in parabolic language, that only those who had ears to hear, heard; that is to say, only those who would do His will knew of the doctrine. John 7:1717If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:17).
A. This agrees with 1 Corinthians 1:2626For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: (1 Corinthians 1:26). The “hardness” refers to the immense snare that wealth and position are, and the hindrances they oppose to the simple reception of the gospel.
A. The word is, properly an adjective, in the plural form. It is translated disciples, in Isaiah 8:1616Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. (Isaiah 8:16). The verses are thus rendered by Benisch, whose version is authorized among the Jews:— “The Lord eternal hath given me a tongue for disciples, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning; he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the disciples.” And Henderson, in his blank verse translation of the Book of Isaiah, gives it as follows: “The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of those that are taught, That I may know how to succor the weary with a word; He wakeneth me e very morning, he wakeneth my ear, That I may listen like those who are taught.”
Q. 302. Referring to B. S. vol 1, p. 41, Q. 277, please explain more fully the difference in significance between LORD, and Lord. E. S. V.
A. Dr. Angus states in his “Handbook,” “LORD, in capitals, is the translation of Jehovah, and Lord, in small letters of another word. See Psalm Exodus, 1. This distinction is important.”
That other word is Adonai; both this and Jehovah are considered to refer to the Second Person in the Trinity: and it is interesting to trace the word in this connection through the Old Testament.
Bishop Wordsworth, thus writes on the same subject: “The name JEHOVAH is a word of higher import (than Elohim); it is derived from the old verb hared?, to be, and signifies self-existence, (see Hosea 12:55Even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial. (Hosea 12:5).) Its proper meaning seems to be “He is,” (see Gesenius, p. 337). The word JEHOVAH proclaims I AM THAT I AM. It was rarely uttered by the Jews, on account of their reverence and awe for the Divine Being, the Everlasting... but in its stead, they uttered the word Adonai, where the word Jehovah occurs in the Bible (except when it precedes Adonai); and since this word Adonai signifies or Runes Lord (and is rendered by Kurios in the Septuagint or Greek Version), therefore in our English Bibles the name Jehovah is represented by LORD. The great antiquity of the word Jehovah is evident from its etymology. The word is derived from havah, to be, which was already antiquated when the Pentateuch was composed, and had been almost supplanted by hayah.