(I Thess. 4:13-18). The word “elect” has to do with the term we use today for choosing. The question on the passage in Matthew revolves around the need for a clear understanding that this signifies Israel. Properly speaking, this time of God’s wrath or indignation will be the last 3% years of the Tribulation. Considering the exceeding sinfulness of mankind such a period of time is certainly minimal. That the Lord has set a specific peri od shows that He has already short ened it. You see, even as the church is God’s “chosen” people for heaven, so Israel is God’s “chosen” people for the earth. This is made eminently clear in the Bible as early as Deu teronomy 14. When you see this word “elect” make certain to check the con text to see about whom the Spirit of God is speaking. We are told in Ephe sians that believers are “chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we might be holy and without blame before God.” Q . Fresno, Calif. — “Why did Jesus ride into Jerusalem and offer Himself as King of the Jews if He did not think He would be accepted?” A. Our Lord was never taken by sur prise. God knows the end even from the beginning. His purpose in this act was to allow the Jews to deter mine for themselves what they were going to do. He knew what they would do but the people were given the privi lege of following their own will. So the Lord does not force anyone today, although He is “not willing that any should perish.” Q , Escondido, Calif. — “Did Jesus ever preach the Gospel of the kingdom to the Gentiles?” A. The question is not quite complete, for it just mentions “the Gospel of the kingdom,” and not whether it is the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven. We assume the reference may be to the words of Christ quoted in Matthew 3:2 where He said, “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” In this aspect He preached
primarily to the Jews, however, there were certainly Gentiles in His hear ing. Because of the Jews, blessings will ultimately go out through all the world during the time of Christ’s mil lennial reign. Q . San Luis Obispo, Calif. — “Was there failure in the plan of God when Jesus was bom King of the Jews, and then was rejected and crucified?” A. There certainly was not. The Lord never fails. God is never taken by surprise. When it tells us in the Old Testament that it repented God, it simply means that He changed His method. God is omniscient. There is nothing which is unknown to Him. Although the Jews rejected and cru cified the Lord, yet it was that very act on their part that, in the plan of God, He used as a means of salvation. The Israelites exercised their own free will in the act of crucifixion, ad mitting their deed as they brazenly declared, “His blood be upon us and upon our children.” Q . Albany, Ore. — “Why was the rich young ruler told to sell all that he had to give to the poor, rather than to take it to God’s house?” A. The Saviour looked deep into the heart of this man knowing that he had kept the commandments scrupu lously. There was, however, a spirit of covetousness which had a grip on him. When he said to bestow it upon the poor, He meant the same as the Lord’s house. He wanted to see what the man would do and what was really in his heart. He evidently was more interested in holding on to his posses sions than he was in obeying the Saviour. Too many of us are like that as well. Q . Centralia, Wash. — “Will you please tell me where in the Bible it says that sickness is sin?” A. There is no place that directly states this. Of course, all sickness in the human race is a result of man’s depraved and sinful nature. If Adam and Eve had not sinned there would 26
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