D I S C U S with DR. SAMUEL H. SUTHERLAND/DR. CHARLES L. FEINBERG shows Israel as faithless, and be ing divorced from God. Going con trary to God’s Word, she is taken captive into a strange and distant land. Today liberal Jews do not fol low Old Testament customs. In Orthodox Jewry, no person who has been married by a rabbi with a license from the state, is ever considered as divorced unless he has not only the legal but also the religious divorce. This is another reason why there are such strong home ties established in these families and homes. Q. Phoenix, Ariz — “Will you please explain the term which says that Christ is ‘the firstborn of every creature?’ Where is this found?” A. This is found in Colossians 1:15. It does not indicate that Christ is born after natural fash ion and created a Son. This was argued in the fourth century A.D. The first great creed of the church is that Christ is the uncreated Son of God. Christ was born into the human family through the virgin Mary by the marvelous Holy Spir it. “Firstborn” is a figurative use of the term. A firstborn had spe cial prerogatives which o th e rs didn’t have. He always received an extra portion of inheritance. This was the meaning of Elisha’s great request of Elijah in asking “a double portion of thy spirit.” He wanted the right of the firsts born. Read the miracles Elisha did compared to those of Elijah. You will see that God permitted him 21
Q. Watsonville, Calif. — “Does a person’s soul go to be with the Lord immediately at death, or does it sleep until Christ’s return? Is there some definite Scripture that gives us the answer to this?” A. The Bible nowhere teaches “soul sleeping.” Do not confuse the body, which in a sense goes to sleep at the time of death, and the spirit which is always conscious. II Corinthians 5:8 is very clear on the subject. The body of the believer goes into the grave; how ever, his soul is taken immediate ly into the presence of the Lord. Philippians 1 :23 also bears this out. See also Ecclesiastes 12:7. Q. Fresno, Calif. — - “Can you ex plain when God gave Israel a *bill of divorcement?’ Is that only for the Jewish people, and is it some thing that they use today?” A. This subject has a number of ramifications. You will want to study Deuteronomy 24:1. “When a man hath take a wife and mar ried her and come to pass that she finds no favor in his eyes be cause he has found some unclean ness in her, then let him write her a bill of divorcement and give it in her hand and send her out of his house.” As time went on, this authority was vested in the rabbis. Divorce was not readily granted. Conciliation and negotia tions were always sought. Isaiah 50:1 gives us further light on the subject. This is the picture of Is rael, as the wife of Jehovah, be ing put away. Isaiah 54:5 further
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