Correspondence: Mat. 25:14-30; 1 Ki. 22:14-16; 1 Th. 5:2; Rev. 3:10; Rev. 1:19

From: Young Christian: Volume 30, 1940

Correspondence: MAT 25:14-30; 1KI 22:14-16; 1TH 5:2; REV 3:10; REV 1:19

1 Kings 22:14‑16 • 2 min. read • grade level: 7

Question: What are the Talents of Matthew 25:14-30¹⁴For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. ¹⁵And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. ¹⁶Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. ¹⁷And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. ¹⁸But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. ¹⁹After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. ²⁰And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. ²¹His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. ²²He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. ²³His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. ²⁴Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: ²⁵And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. ²⁶His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: ²⁷Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. ²⁸Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. ²⁹For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. ³⁰And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:14‑30), and to whom are they given? Are the Talents man’s ability, or money? How are the Talents gained?

Answer: The Talents of Matthew 25:14-30¹⁴For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. ¹⁵And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. ¹⁶Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. ¹⁷And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. ¹⁸But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. ¹⁹After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. ²⁰And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. ²¹His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. ²²He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. ²³His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. ²⁴Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: ²⁵And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. ²⁶His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: ²⁷Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. ²⁸Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. ²⁹For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. ³⁰And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:14‑30) are the gifts or abilities bestowed by the Lord upon each of His own, to be used for His glory.

Question: Why did King Ahab rebuke Micaiah when he told him the same as the four hundred wicked prophets? (1 Kings 22:15-16¹⁵So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. ¹⁶And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord? (1 Kings 22:15‑16)). Micaiah had said (1 Kings 22:14¹⁴And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak. (1 Kings 22:14)), “As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.” And in verse 14 he told what the Lord had given him to say.

Answer: When Micaiah came into the presence of King Ahab, he was intimidated, and gave a false prophecy to escape the King’s wrath. But when his hypocrisy was detected by the King, he uttered the truth as the Lord had given it to him to speak.

Question: Is 1 Thessalonians 5:2²For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:2) Christ’s coming for us, or with us?

Answer: It is the day of the Lord, when He comes to assert His authority, and take the Kingdom. We appear with Him. It is when He comes as a thief in the night, an unwelcome and unlooked for visitor to the wicked. (Isa. 2:10-12¹⁰Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty. ¹¹The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. ¹²For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: (Isaiah 2:10‑12); Joel 2:1-2, 28-32¹Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; ²A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. (Joel 2:1‑2)
²⁸And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: ²⁹And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. ³⁰And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. ³¹The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. ³²And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. (Joel 2:28‑32)).

Question: What is the “hour of temptation” in Revelation 3:10¹⁰Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10)?

Answer: The “hour of temptation” is future. The saints will be kept from it by the Lord coming to take them to Himself. It will be during the time of “the great tribulation” after the church is gone to be with Him. “Those that dwell on the earth” are a special class who claim the earth—earthly minded (Phil. 3:19¹⁹Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) (Philippians 3:19)).

Question: Please explain Revelation 1:19¹⁹Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; (Revelation 1:19).

Answer: “The things which thou hast seen” includes Revelation 1:12-18¹²And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; ¹³And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. ¹⁴His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; ¹⁵And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. ¹⁶And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. ¹⁷And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: ¹⁸I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Revelation 1:12‑18).

“The things that are” is the period of the church’s history on earth.

“The things that shall be hereafter,” or “after these things” is the future, commencing with the 4th chapter. The church is still on earth, and no prophecy is to be fulfilled till we are with the Lord in heaven. The wars, pestilence, famines, earthquakes, etc., that take place now, are not foretold in Scripture. We are simply told to wait for the Son from heaven. The church is being gathered now. The Bright and Morning Star may soon be ours. Till then no prophecy can be fulfilled, not even the “beginning of sorrows” (Matt. 24:8⁸All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:8)), do we look for.

“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled. . .” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2¹Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, ²That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. (2 Thessalonians 2:1‑2). This is the first thing to happen, and how soon we may see Him who loved us, and gave Himself for us!

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