perience was a type of the resurrec tion. Rotherham translates the word “ sea monster.” This fish was a spe cial creation of God for a special purpose, and you are right to turn the tables by pointing out this fact to those who insist it must have been a whale with the dimensions of the wha l e s with which we are familiar. THE PRODIGAL SON 'S BROTHER Q. In Luke 15:29 who does the prodi gal’s brother represent? He refused to “make merry" when his brother returned. He seems to have a point for he did not disgrace his father or waste his substance as his wander ing brother did. A. This is a most interesting ques tion. As you know, the Lord Jesus Christ used parables — stories — to illustrate the spiritual truths He taught. Some of His most valuable teaching grew out o f questions He was asked, or incidents which oc curred which led to His including a story in His message. Preachers to day follow this practice and a good illustration enhances any message, especially if the illustrations are tak en from life. In this case be sure to read the first two verses of the chapter which form the background for the parable. The Pharisees, the hypocritical re ligious leaders of the day, were jealous of Christ because the com mon people and “ sinners” (as they called all not instructed by them in Him. These “ blind leaders of the the law) came in crowds to hear blind” were incensed because the Lord did not turn away the common people. They cared nothing for their souls, and when there were trans formations of hearts and minds, they murmured. With this in mind, you can see what Jesus was driving at in the wonderful, moving story of the prodigal. Perhaps it could be better termed, “ the prodigal son’s brother.” He showed how cruel of heart and indifferent to the broth
er’s spiritual welfare was this “ elder brother.” At first one might be tempted to think he had just cause for complaint. But when you realize that Christ was talking about the hypocritical Pharisees who had been blessed with everything in the knowl edge of the law and the prophets while the ordinary run of the mill Jew knew nothing about these things, your sympathy for him is gone. Actually, it might also be ap plied to the Gentiles who were so despised of the Jewish religious lead ers and who would be grafted into the tree (see Romans 10:11). The principle is the same. There should be rejoicing when something lost is found: the coin, the sheep, the son. The Pharisees knew what Christ was talking about. They wanted to keep everything for themselves. We must never follow their example and with hold the Good News from those at home and abroad who know not our Saviour. It is a hard heart indeed that does not wish to “pass the Bread” of Life. Heaven rejoices ac cording to verse 10 of this chapter. Why should not human beings—over the repentance of one sinner? If angels are glad, why should we not be happy? GREATER WORKS? Q. I have always been puzzled by a statement in John 11:12: “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do: because I go unto my Father." How could any person do more than Christ? A. Of course this has no reference whatsoever to Christ’s redemptive work, but only to the numbers of people that have been reached with the Gospel. The Lord Jesus limited Himself to the land of Palestine and to the Jews for the most part, where as His disciples and their successors have gone into every land upon earth as He bade them to do in the Great Commission. This was His plan for the evangelization of the world.
REPLENISHING THE EARTH Q. In Genesis 1:28 the command is given to Adam and Eve to multiply and replenish the earth. Does this word “ replenish" mean that there were people before Adam and Eve? A. No, this is not proven by this word. Rotherham’s excellent trans lation renders the verse thus: “ Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it. . . .” Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary gives thre e meanings for the English word re plenish: The first meaning is “ to stock with persons, or animals, or both” and likely is the meaning here and not the third meaning he gives which is “ To fill again.” Q. So much fun has been made of Jonah and the whale, unbelievers claiming that it was just a myth. It seems to me that the last verse in Jonah 1 answers this question: “Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights." I think this fish God prepared does not need to have any relationship to the other monsters of the deep. Why quibble about the size of present-day whales when the Lord made a special fish for Jonah? A. You have answered your own question very well. And always re member when men and women who consider themselves intellectuals ridi cule the story o f Jonah, they are questioning the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus put His corrobora tion upon the account, as He said plainly : “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: “ For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's bëlly; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart o f the earth” (Matt. 12:39-40). Jonah’s ex JONAH AN D THE WHALE AGA IN
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THE KINO'S BUSINESS
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