QUES. 1.-Can you give us light on the following subjects, through Help and Food?

It seems from Gen. 11:26 that Terah begat Abram when he was 70 years old; but verse 32 says that Terah was 205 years old when he died in Haran; and Acts 7:4 says Abram did not leave Haran till Terah had died; yet, according to Gen. 12:4, Abram was only 75 years of age when he left Haran. Is it that Abram was not Terah's firstborn?

ANS.-Your last references clearly show that Abraham could not be Terah's firstborn, though first mentioned in Gen. 11:26. This is very common in Genesis:God's sovereign grace gives first place to a younger instead of the elder, as Adam must give place to Christ. In Gen. 10:1 Shem is put first though Japheth was his elder, as verse 21 tells us. Note this displacement of the elder for a younger in Isaac and Ishmael; Jacob in place of Esau; Judah in place of Reuben, etc.

QUES. 2.-Should we conclude from Exod. 37:7 that the cherubim and the mercy-seat were made of one piece? If so, does it signify that if God meets man in mercy it cannot be at the expense of His holiness, but that all must be in keeping with divine glory and righteousness?

ANS.-Yes, of one piece, as verse 8 clearly says:"Out of the mercy-seat made he the cherubim on the two ends thereof." Salvation (the mercy-seat) and government (the cherubim) are in one and the same glorious Person (Christ), who said, "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth; go ye therefore," etc. (Matt. 28:19), and all judgment is committed to the Son of Man, our Saviour (John 5:22-27).

QUES. 3.-Do the cherubim on the mercy-seat, gazing on the blood, speak of judgment executed? Is it in a judicial character that they are there?

ANS.-The cherubim seem always to be connected with God's government, therefore have a judicial character. First mentioned in Gen. 3:24, they are throughout Revelation connected with the Throne and part of it. See Rev. 4:6; 6:1-7, etc.; also Ezek. 1:5-28 where they appear as bearers of the glory of God's government over the earth, when Israel was being given up as His people.

QUES. 4.-In what sense am I to understand that the "word of prophecy" is more sure than the transfiguration scene as 2 Peter 1:19 tells us? When a thing is true, how can it be more true? "Adolphus."

ANS.-The passage is better translated, as in the Numerical Bible, "We have also the prophetic word confirmed." The prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the glory of Christ and His kingdom were confirmed by what Peter and two others saw, when the lowly Jesus was transfigured before them in His kingdom glory, and the Father acknowledged Him with honor, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

According to the law the testimony of one had to be established, or confirmed, by another witness, in order to make it valid or competent to act upon it. (See Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; and John 8:17,18.) It is in this sense that the "word of prophecy was made more sure," that is, was confirmed.