THE CLOSED THE DOOR

And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the LORD shut him in. (Genesis 7:15-16 NKJV)

We usually think of closed doors in a negative way. But there was one closed door that saved humanity from extinction. Dr. Charles Shaw, my godly Genesis professor, in discussing the Noahic flood, concluded with a subtle smile, “If the LORD had not closed the door, I wouldn’t believe a word of it!” We Bible college students, somber, serious, and deadly literal as we were, had to think about that for a while.

There is a great deal of typology in the recorded history of Noah and the flood. The flood waters foreshadow the coming judgment of this earth—by fire next time! The apostle Peter connects the Noahic flood with that final conflagration:

“For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” (2 Peter 3:5-7 ESV)

Noah is a type of Christ who through his obedience provides salvation for all who will come to him. The ark itself pictures salvation for the family of God (pictured in Noah’s family), as well as for all of creation.

“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” (Romans 8:19-21 ESV)

And then there is the closed door! It was not Noah who closed the door, thus securing the salvation of all inside the ark. It was the LORD God Himself! We are secure within the ark of salvation because God closed the door! And that door will not be opened until the dove returns with a fresh olive branch from the new earth. (Genesis 8:11)

Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9) The salvation of all who have heard the Savior’s voice and entered the sheepfold by faith is certain:

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.” (John 10:27-29 NKJV)

Those inside the ark of salvation are safe because God closed the door!

MYSTERY OF THE TWO WITNESSES, LESS MYSTERIOUS

 The last month of 2022, I spent a lot of time studying the Book of Revelation in greater depth than ever before. Actually, I don’t know if “in depth” is the best description of my study. It has been more like stepping back to get a broader view in light of the whole of Scripture, particularly the Old Testament Prophets. It also involved turning the theological kaleidoscope to see a different pattern than the one through which I viewed God’s redemptive plan in Bible college and seminary. As a result, the glorious message of the Revelation has become clearer than ever before. The mystery has become less mysterious.

One chapter in particular lit up brighter and more glorious to me than the most spectacular New Years fireworks: Chapter 11: The ministry, death, resurrection, and catching up to heaven of the two witnesses. My formal theological training applied mathematical logic to deduce that the two witnesses were two individuals who had not, up to that point died. And since “it is appointed unto men once to die” (Hebrews 9:27), they must come back and suffer death for their witness. Also, they must be Old Testament persons since everything in the Book of Revelation after 4:1 pertains to God’s dealings with Israel—not the church. Or so the theory goes.

Based on this logical and literal approach, it was deduced that the two witnesses had to be Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:11) since those two were caught up to heaven without dying. But there was some disagreement in that camp about Enoch. Since Enoch was not part of Israel, and most of Revelation is about Israel, so the theory goes, Moses was suggested as being one of the two witnesses. Supporting that argument was the fact that the miracles the two witnesses perform are like those God did through Elijah and Moses. (Revelation 11:6) Never mind the fact that Moses doesn’t fit the first criterion for being one of the two: Moses died once! So we’re left with a mystery. Yet it’s a mystery of only intellectual interest. It has no practical spiritual application to anyone living today—or in John’s day, for that matter.

The mystery becomes much less mysterious when we recognize that the Book of Revelation is filled with symbols, and those symbols picture spiritual truths as applicable today as they were in John’s day. The Book of Revelation was written for “the churches” from beginning to end (1:4; 22:16). Jesus is encouraging His church as it goes through the trials and persecution of this age. John’s visions are all to that end.

So who are the two witnesses? They are a symbolic representation of the Church. I know this is a shock to those who, like I, were taught otherwise, but there are solid reasons for seeing the Church as symbolized in the two witnesses.

First, the beast “makes war” with the witnesses (Rev. 11:7). It would hardly be necessary for this wicked world ruler to make war with two individuals! He could simply arrest them and execute them (as is depicted in Stephen King’s novel and mini-series, The Stand). The truth is, this evil world system is at war with God’s people. It resents the testimony of the church against its sins. The followers of the beast will not be content until they have silenced once and for all this witness against them!

But why two? All truth has to be established by at least two witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15; Matthew 18:16; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19; Hebrews 10:28). The Holy Spirit, through the testimony of the Church, “convict[s] the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” (John 16:8. See also Acts 24:25) The two witnesses are given “authority” from God to preach His truth, that is, to prophesy. (Rev. 11:3 cf. Matthew 28:18-20). They do so in sackcloth, a symbol of mourning and repentance. They are calling the world to repentance and they mourn for the condition of the lost. (Compare Ezekiel 9:4)

It is also significant that of the seven churches addressed in Revelation 2 & 3, only two were completely faithful, and they were persecuted for it. Christ encourages the faithful churches and the Church as a whole to remain “faithful unto death” (2:10) because a better world is coming. Christ’s victory is certain!

The real clincher for me came as I was collating my chapter summaries for the Book of Revelation. How would I succinctly summarize the contents of Revelation 11?

“Two Witnesses and Last Trumpet”

Does that sound familiar?

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

My decades long journey to understand this final book of the Bible, this final message of Christ to His churches, has encouraged me to press on with my witness for Christ and to look expectantly for His triumphant return. 

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8)