era.” These testimonies come from scores of school leaders and you can imagine how encouraging this is. There is also a great opportunity for these teachers to go into the homes of the pupils, especially those who are having problems. In this way they can talk to the parents, too. They can advise them to go to a good sound evangelical church. This is one of the most thrilling aspects of Biola’s growing ministries. Q . Chico, Calif. — “Was the mercy seat an actual seat on which the priest could sit or before which he could kneel and pray? I am wonder ing whether or not it was a real or merely a symbolic term.” A. It is symbolic in a certain sense although it represents a real seat. God rested there between the cheru bim. Remember, however, that no priest sat in the temple or taber nacle. As Hebrews points out, the reason is that their work was never finished. No one ever got near the mercy seat except the high, priest, and this was only once a year, on the great day of atonement. Read Exo dus 25 to gain a further picture of this. The seat was covered with for feited life, the blood of the sin offer ing. This foreshadows a marvelous spiritual transaction, poi n t i ng to Christ’s death on the cross. Here God’s mercy and justice found satis faction. It was the only place where He could meet with His people (Ex. 25:22). Q . Santa Ana, Calif. — “A friend told me that Peter made a mistake when he quoted from Joel’s prophecy that ‘God would pour out His spirit on all flesh.’ Those who believe that Peter made a mistake say that Joel’s state ment was for the Jews and would only be fulfilled in the millennium. Is this correct?” A. This is found in Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost recorded as in Acts 2:16ff. Peter was absolutely
right in quoting this from the Old Testament. The reason is that he was given the message by the Holy Spirit Himself. We refer you to Dr. C. I. Scofield’s notes on this passage concerning verse 17. Briefly he cor rectly points out» “A distinction must be observed between ‘the last days’ when the prediction relates to Israel and ‘the last days’ when the predic tion relates to the church. A number of references have to do with ‘the last days’ when the prediction relates to the church. Also distinguish the expression ‘the last days’ [plural], from ‘the last day’ [singular]. The, latter expression refers to the resur rection and the last judgment.” You see, this statement from Joel was partially fulfilled on the Day of Pen tecost. This is what is known as a “prefillment” of prophecy. We have yet to see the “fulfillment.” The Church is a parenthesis or insert not seen by the prophet. Many people don’t realize that the Bible teaches both a first and second coming of the Holy Spirit. This was the first, and in millennial times, the complete transaction will take place. Q . Santa Barbara, Calif. — “Could you please explain what the difference is, if any, between the soul and the spirit?” A. There are at least two schools of thought in the theological area. The dichotomist, who believes that a man is made up of only body and soul or spirit. The trichotomist believes that there are three essential parts to a person, making a differentiation between soul and spirit. The latter view holds that the soul is simply the animate nature. For instance, they state that animals have souls and are able to direct their bodies. The spirit, however, is that with which we are able to fellowship with God. It becomes active at the time of the new birth. The new nature will live throughout all eternity. The spirit of the unsaved person is dead and has no communication with God. 24
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