dividuals who will have rejected the King in their hearts. Q. Modesto, Calif. "Would you please explain Jonah 3:10 where it records that God repented of the evil that He said He would do to them. Can the Lord change His mind?" A. This passage tells us that "Cod saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and Cod re pented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not." The people of Nin eveh had been living in gross sin until they acted positively on the prophet's message. We should real ize that when men change their minds they then change their ways. When Cod repents, He merely changes His methods. This should prevent any confusion over verses such as this. Our Lord is never tak en by surprise. He is infinite and knows all about the course of man's procedure. The Creator knew all along that the people of Nineveh would repent. So, when these events took place, He changed His method of dealing with them. Q. Lodi, Calif. "In Luke 15:29, just who does the prodigal's brother represent?" A- We should be very careful to watch that in the interpretation of parables we do not make every single detail override the specific message which the Lord is pre senting. What our Saviour is en deavoring to teach in this parable (along with the earlier two regard ing the lost sheep and the lost coin) is how much joy there is in heaven over an individual who re pents. We see the complete and
utter grace, lovingkindness, and mercy of the Father. What com passion he had for the wayward son. He had been looking for him through all those intervening days. The older brother could remind us of the self-righteous Pharisee who was so hypocritical in all his atti tudes. At times such people almost appear not to want people to come to Christ for salvation. Such an attitude doubtless would break the father's heart as much as the prodigal son who had been away as a profligate. Q. Eugene, Ore. "Where in the Scriptures does it say that it is the Christian's duty to say grace be fore every meal?" A. It would be more refreshing if the question had been, "Where in Scripture does it say that it is the Christian's privilege to say grace before every meal?" Such a mo ment of gratefulness is not to be considered an obligation. What a joy should flood our hearts for all that the Lord has given. We should not need any specific verse. It is rather a wonderful privilege. There is Scriptural evidence for thanking the Lord before meals. Consider Paul's experience on the way to Rome (Acts 27). It was in the midst of a great storm when the ship had been wrecked. To encourage all the others he urged them to find nourishment. After his comments of confidence the Bible says, "When he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to Cod in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat" (verse 35). While the men were probably not Christians it was a real testimony to the sailors. We are also enjoined, "Giving
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