Ques. When does the execution of the seven last plagues take place? (Rev. 15). B.
Ans. At the last part of the tribulation period. It is the great tribulation when men are deceived by the Satanic trinity (verses 13, 14).
Ques. What do we learn from the cloven tongues of fire that sat upon each of the disciples when the Holy Spirit came down at Pentecost? (Acts 2:3). Is that the baptism of fire spoken of in Matt. 3:11? V.
Ans. The baptism of the Holy Ghost was at Pentecost; the baptism of fire is when the Lord returns with His saints to judge the world, beginning with the unbelieving Jews: then He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
In Matt. 3:16, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove lighting on Him, and the Father's voice says, "This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." "Him hath God the Father sealed." John 6:27. The Holy Spirit came upon Him in this form, because of the lowly character He took, "He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed, shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench." Matt. 12:19, 20. Here all is different. He has finished the work given Him to do, and rejected and crucified on earth, risen and glorified in heaven, and received of the Father the Holy Spirit to send down to earth as His witness (John 15:26, 27).
The tongues of fire, divided into more than two (the word means "several"), gives us the thought of the power of God in testimony in the Word which was like consuming fire, judging all that comes before it,-brings blessing to the believers, and judgment to the unbelievers.
The Lord at Babel (Gen. 11:6.9) confounded the language to scatter the people. He was not their center. When the gospel began, He sent it so that every one could hear in their own tongue the wonderful works of God. This message, if received, gathers those who receive it into one with Christ as their Head and Center. Babel was to shut God out. The gospel brings God in, and brings us to God.
Ques. What does Rom. 10:6, 7 mean? W. W. H.
Ans. This chapter begins by showing the foolishness of those who labor to produce a righteousness of their own, who do not therefore submit themselves to the righteousness of God, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes. Then it shows how the gospel has come right to us, to our hearts; no laboring, no efforts, only resting on God's precious Word. This is the way Deut. 30:12, 13, 14 is used here. The word was nigh them, in their mouth, and in their hearts. How blessed and precious the good news of God is!
Ques. Please explain Matt. 16:16-18. C.
Ans. It was on Peter confessing that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, that the Lord expresses His intention to build His Church (assembly) on that foundation (see 1 Cor. 3:11).
“Peter" means "a stone", and it was upon Christ (this rock) that the assembly was to be built. Peter as a stone, was built upon it with the rest of the living stones (1 Peter 2:5). "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it", means that the power of death cannot destroy the assembly. Individuals die, and are "absent from the body and present with the Lord"; the assembly never dies. The Lord will come and take it up to meet Him in the air to be forever with Him.
“I will build" shows His intention. It was still future. At Pentecost it began. The Lord in glory received the Holy Spirit to send Him down to dwell in all believers (Acts 2:33; 1 Cor. 6:19; 12:12, 13). This is the first time the assembly is mentioned in Scripture.
Ques. What is meant by blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Matt. 12:16? Is this the unpardonable sin?
Ans. Read carefully Man. 12:22-32; Mark 3:22-30, and you will see the diabolical perversity of those who said that "Christ had an unclean spirit." This was saying that the Lord was possessed by the prince of devils, and that it was by his power that Jesus was working those gracious miracles. This could not be passed over by God, so that those who spoke thus were in danger of eternal judgment. "Neither in this world" (Matt. 12:32), was the age of law. "Neither in the world to come", is the Millennial age.
In the Church period we preach the gospel to every creature, and we know that Jesus has said, "Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out." We do not know those who are beyond the pardoning grace of God. God knows each soul.
“If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them, which believe not, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, should shine unto them." 2 Cor. 4:3, 4.
Ques. Is not the treasure in Matt. 13:44 Israel? Is the Church hid in the field, or was it hid in God? Does Psa. 135:4 point on the treasure in Matt. 13:44? A. S.
Ans. "The kingdom of heaven" in its mysterious form, (that is, when the King is absent, only called so in Matthew's gospel), applies to this present time. It does not apply to Israel in the past, nor in the future,-that is, after the Church is caught up.
Israel was to be a peculiar treasure, if they had obeyed Jehovah (Ex. 19:5); and they will be it in the reign of Christ, the center for His earthly glory (Psa. 135:4). It will be the Kingdom in power then. Israel was never hid in the field. They were well known, not hidden.
In Matt. 13:44 the Man found it, and hid it, then sold all that He had, and bought the field for the treasure that was in it. The field is the purchased thing there. In verses 45, 46 we find the great object of His delight, the pearl of great price (Eph. 5:25-27). This is what was hid in God, and was only revealed (Eph. 3:9) after Paul was converted.
It is important to notice that all the parables of the Kingdom of heaven apply to the Church period.
Ques. Please explain Rom. 6:3-5; and Col. 2:12. P. R. T.
Ans. The question, "Shall we go on in sin that grace may abound?" is answered, "God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein,”
The teaching is, that we are now brought into a new place through the death of Christ, where He suffered for sin, and we by faith in Him, have part with Him in that death. Can we go on with what we have died to? Then our baptism is unto the death of Christ. His death is now an end to our old place as men in the flesh. Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. His is the pattern of the life we now are to live before God. Our faith lays hold of this blessed truth that we are now before God in Him. We are planted together in the likeness of His death, of which baptism is the symbol, and we shall be also of His resurrection. The believer is always viewed in Romans as being on earth, alive in Christ and justified, but not said to be risen with Christ. Our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin, and we are to reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Col. 2:12. In verse 11, the circumcision made without hands is the death of Christ in which the body of the flesh is put off. In verse 12, we are buried with Him: baptism as a symbol, expresses this. We see also that we are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead, thus we have now put off the old man, and have put on the new, which new life is the life of Christ in us, though we are still on the earth. As dead, buried and risen with Christ, we are freed from ordinances, and are now to hold the Head from which all our springs flow.
All that Thou hast, Thou hast for me.
All my fresh springs are hid in Thee.
In Thee I live; while I confess
I nothing am, yet all possess.