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® SCRIPTURE PROBLEMS SOLVED...
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Rich Man
Cannot Lule 16:
ally? J.C.
Concerning Christ's method of teaching,
the disciples asked: © Why speakest Thou
unto them in parables? He answered and
sald unto them, Because it 1s given unto
vou to know the mysteries of the kingdom
and Lazarus
19-31 be taken liter-
of heaven, but to them it ig not oven. For
whosoever hath, to him shall be given,
and he <hall have more abundance: but
whosoever hath not, from him shall be
taken away even that he hath. Therefore
spe: tk 1 to them in parables: because they
seeing =ee not; and hearing they hear not,
neither do they understand.” Matthew
153: 10-13.
Then Ie showed that in their hard-
heartedness and perver rsity, the words of
rains were fulfilled: © By he: aring ve shall
hear, and <hall not under stand; and seeing
ve shall see, and shall not perceive: for
this people's heart is waxed gross, and their
ars are dull of hearing, and their eves they
have closed; lest at any time they should see
with their eves, and hear with their e: LTS,
and should understand with their heart,
and should be converted, and I should heal
them.” Verses 14, 15.
further, Christ announced other lessons;
and Matthew tells us, "And without «a
parable spake He not unto them.” Verse
54. Mark 4:2 tells us that “He taught
them many things by parables,”
It 12 teresting to observe that while
vou attempt to interpret this parable of
Luke 16 literally, vou do sav, “There is
nothing difficult about the name given to
the place where Abraham and Lazarus
were: 1t 1= merely a figurative name for an
actual place.”  IFigurative name! Then
there 1x something figurative about the
chapter, but that ix parabolic: and the
moment that vou introduce a parable,
Albert Barnes says vou cannot make 1t
walk on all fours, and vou admit it by intro-
ducing a “figurative name.’
The Kingdom of God
Please explain Mark 9: 1: There be some
of them that stand here, which shall not taste
of death, till they have seen the kingdom of
(rod come with power.” Mrs. 3. FE. 1.
This prophecy of our Lord was fulfilled
about a week later, when Christ was trans-
figured before them. (See Luke 9:27, 258.)
The transfiguration of Christ was a minia-
ture representation of His coming and
kingdom. When our Lord comes, first will
be seen His glorious person, then those
who are ‘caught up to meet” Him, some
immortalized after their resurrection from
the dead; others changed to immortality
without experiencing death. (See 1 Cor-
mthians 15: 15-54; 1 Thess. +: 16, 17.)
These were all represented at the
transfiguration of Christ. Our Lord was
there as King, *“transfigured before them:
and His face did shine as the sun, and His
raiment was white as the Light.” Matthew
17:2. We read that “there talked with
Him two men, which were Moses and Elias:
who appeared in glory.” Luke 9:30, 31.
Moses represented those who have died, or
will die, and vet who through faith in God
will be raised from the dead to be immor-
talized at Christ's second coming. Moses
died and was buried, but was raised by
Michael or Christ, the Son of God. (See
Jude 9.) Tt 1s the voice of Christ, the
Archangel, that raises the dead. (See
I Thessalonians 4: 16; John 5:28, 29.)
Elijah represented those who will be trans-
lated without seeing death. (See 2 Kings 2:
L112)
The Apostle Peter, in speaking of
this experience at a much later time,
dexeribed the manifestation as the power
and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
and said, “We were eve witnesses of His
majesty.” (See 2 Peter 1: 16-18.) There
are three Gospel writers who mention the
transfiguration: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
Each one mentions it in connection with
the promise of Jesus that they should not
die until they should see the kingdom of
Grod come with power.
The Papacy
Please caplain the seventeenth chapter of
Revelation. M. VV. Z.
I personally understand that the seven-
teenth chapter of Revelation refers to the
papacy, as exemplified in the Catholic
Church. The beast upon which it was rid-
ing, having seven heads and ten horns, is
the beast of Rome, or the Roman Empire
in its divided estate, represented by the ten
horns.
The seven heads of the seventeenth chap-
ter of Revelation, verses 9-11, mav repre-
sent the seven forms of government in
Rome, pagan and papal; namely, kingly.
consular, decemvirate, triumvirate, dicta-
torial, imperial, Exareh of Ravenna, and
the papal. It would seem that the seven-
teenth verse indicates a loss of power and
respect by the papacy just before the close
of time, but, according to Revelation 19:
20, the beast will live on until the coming
of Christ. |
Why the Prevalence of Evil?
Why is at that things that are not good for
ws are pul before us, such as tobacco, cosmet-
tes, drinks, gin, coffee, tea, cards, gambling,
motion pictures, ete. J. (7. J.
You will notice that the Lord does
not pnt these before us. They are <up-
plied by men. Concerning ordinary plav-
mg cards, these were were first devised
for Charles IX of France, who was re-
sponsible for the slaughter of Saint Bar-
tholomew’s night. He became mentally
deranged as the enormity of his guilt
pressed upon him. To keep him from
raging, one of his courtiers prepared
set of handpainted cards. From them
‘ame the ordinary playing cards with
which men gamble today.
Man has demonstrated his inability to
save himself or the world. The demon-
stration 1s indisputably sufficient to war-
rant such a conclusion. Only God can bring
permanent peace out of the warlike pro-
pensities of man. And only He can bring
beauty and security out of chaos. And He
has from the days of eternity decided to do
this through the second coming of Jesus to
establish a kingdom of righteousness upon
the ruined empires of a ruined world. That
day draws on apace. He Himself said:
“When these things begin to come to pass,
then look up, and Lift up vour heads; for
vour redemption draweth nigh.” Luke
21:28.
Of that kingdom we read: © And the king-
dom and dominion, and the greatness of
the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall
MAY, 1942
be given to the people of the saints of the
Most High, whose kingdom is an ever-
lasting kingdom, and all dominions shall
serve and obey Hun.” Daniel 7: 27.
Appendicitis?
(Continued from page 14)
exercise 1s excellent. Energy should be
thrown into the walk, the head should be
kept erect, the shoulders back, the abdomi-
nal muscles drawn in to keep the abdominal
organs in position. Five minutes spent in a
simple exercise at night before going to
bed is helpful.
These exercises improve the intra-
abdominal circulation of blood. The im-
portance of this will be seen when it is
recognized that the large blood vessels of
the abdomen and the smaller vessels of the
viscera are capable of holding about two
thirds of the blood of the entire body.
That which prevents the blood from stag-
nating is the intra-abdominal pressure
exerted by the abdominal muscles. When
these are flabby through sedentary habits
the intro-abdominal pressure is removed,
and abdominal visceral congestion and con-
stipation take place—a condition which is
almost universal in civilized countries.
All of this may be prevented by exercising
care as to what, when, and how we eat.
Someone has well said, “No man dies a
triumphant death who dies of a disease
below the diaphragm.” Such diseases may
be avoided. Government restrictions of
the use of sugar, meats, and butter are
blessings in disguise.
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