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)

NOT LIKE ALL THE NATIONS

 Ezekiel 25:8

This verse demonstrates the danger of thinking that Judah, and by extension, the Jewish people, are “like all the nations,” that God has no more concern for them than He has for any other people group. The Church is not a “replacement” for ethnic Israel but the fulfillment of the New Covenant promised to “the house of Israel and the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31). At the same time, it is an error to think, as dispensationalists do, that God has a separate plan for the nation Israel apart from the Church, which was founded by Israel’s Messiah. God’s plan is for the Jews to repent and be “grafted” back into the olive tree of blessing, since they are “the natural branches” (Romans 11:24) and are “beloved on account of the fathers” (Rom. 11:28). “The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29). God’s reputation is at stake. He will not be seen as a failure in His purpose for Israel. Jesus’s words to the Samaritan woman are weighty: “Salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22). 

Side note: It is the Roman Catholic Church that has usurped the Old Covenant relationship of Israel for themselves. They adopted candles, holy water, a special priesthood and hierarchy with priestly vestments, and repeated sacrifices (the mass). The RCC even adopted the OT restriction against lending money on interest to “your brother.” Ironically, since the Jews of Europe were not considered “brethren,” they were allowed to conduct necessary bank financing! Thus the Jews became the principle bankers of Europe, for which they were unjustly condemned in the 1930’s. 

It should not be surprising, then, that Protestant denominations that believe the church has replaced Israel in God’s plan have moved ever closer to Roman Catholic practices in worship. Still, I was appalled when I witnessed a Christian Reformed pastor elevate the bread at communion and say, “The body of Christ,” and then elevate the cup and say, “The blood of Christ.”

WHO’S COUNTING?

If You, LORD, were to keep account of guilty deeds, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, So that You may be revered. (Psalm 130:3-4 NASB)

The saying is true: “To err is human; to forgive is divine.” Ever since the Fall of mankind into sin, there is NO ONE who is free from that curse. Everyone sins. And one of our ugliest sins is that of keeping strict account of other people’s sins and not our own! It’s that sin that brought Jesus’ denunciation: “You hypocrite!” (Matthew 7:5)

The Psalmist takes comfort in the fact that God is not concerned with keeping account of our sins. He is concerned about our hearts. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” (Matthew 15:19) And only God can see the heart! “God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:5)

We can’t even see or know our own hearts unless God shines His light on it! That’s why David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23-24 ESV) David knew well how deceitful our own hearts can be! (cf. Jeremiah 17:9)

Our inability to see the heart is one reason we are warned against judging:

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2 ESV)

“Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5 ESV)

“There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” (James 4:12 ESV)

“Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” (Romans 2:1)

“Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” (Romans14:4 ESV)

And so on.

Psalm 130:4 tells us that the only One who has the right and ability to judge is the same One with whom there is forgiveness! “But there is forgiveness with You, So that You may be revered.” (NASB) Other translations read, “be feared,” which is also a valid translation. Our ideas of fear and reverence may seem contradictory, but they unite in this thought: “My deepest desire is to honor and obey the one I revere, and my fear is that I might dishonor that one and bring his displeasure."

Our text says that God is to be feared and revered not because He has the right and ability to judge, but because there is forgiveness with Him! He is eager to forgive when we show even our feeblest expressions of remorse and repentance. (Note, for example, 1 Kings 21:29) Humans are prone to question the sincerity of a confession or statement of remorse. On the other hand, God, who knows the heart, is quick to forgive. “But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them." (Nehemiah 9:17 ESV)

God promised Israel, “For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34) Can God forget? When it comes to sin, God is the only one who can forget! Only God can cast our sins into the depths of forgiveness (Micah 7:19) and never again hold them against us. That is what merits our reverence. That is the divine attribute we humans need to cultivate by God’s grace.

God is not counting iniquities. He is seeking our heart.

THE FINAL DAY OF ATONEMENT

 ‘For behold, the stone that I have put before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I am going to engrave an inscription on it,’ declares the LORD of armies, ‘and I will remove the guilt of that land in one day. (Zechariah 3:9)

The Day of Atonement in the autumn of each year was when the high priest offered sacrifice for the sins of all the people. The fact that it had to be repeated every year proves that it was not a complete and permanent "removal" of sin and guilt. It did not make the worshiper perfect in the sight of God. (See Hebrews 10:1) 

But Zechariah prophesied of "one day" when God would remove the guilt of His people by means of the "Branch," the "Stone" which has "seven eyes," symbolizing omniscience. Can there be any doubt who that Person is or what day guilt was removed?  Sadly, medieval Jewish commentator Rashi can only say: 

“One day; I know not what that day is.”

Albert Barnes follows up with this comment:

 "Ask any Christian child, 'On what day was iniquity removed, not from the land only, but from all lands?' he would say, 'On the day when Jesus died.'”

The great and final Day of Atonement, as well as the final Passover, was that day when Jesus died to "take away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). He bore the sin of the world, all the defilement since Adam's first disobedience, and opened the way of salvation for all who will believe. (John 1:12-13; 3:16)  Jesus's death on the cross fulfilled all sacrifices in "one day." 

THE MINE FIELD OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE

 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15)

Paul’s directions regarding a brother who is disobedient to Paul’s teaching in that epistle, though stern, are much less severe that his directive to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 5:1-5. In the immediate context of 2 Thessalonians 3, Paul is dealing with unruliness and idleness in the church; in 1 Corinthians he deals with scandalous immorality, even in the eyes of unbelievers.

Church discipline is delicate matter. Misuse of it has split churches; neglect of it has polluted churches. The question is: What is the standard for church discipline? In other words, what sort of sins and to what degree call for church discipline?

I know of a Bible-professing church in a mainstream denomination that has tolerated adultery and the consequential divorce and remarriage, and all parties remained church members. Their emphasis was on love and they did love! The only case of church discipline I have heard of in that church was a man who committed a felony and received a jail sentence!

On the other hand, churches can be too exacting in their exercise of church discipline. I know of another church that used church discipline to purge the congregation of members who were critical of the direction the church as going. Any number of Scriptural injunctions may have been used to “discipline” the “unruly” members! Not surprisingly, the church spit and split again, and it no longer exists under its former name.

It has been suggested that unless the great majority of the church agrees that a certain sin calls for discipline, it should not be imposed. But what if it is clearly identified as sin in the Bible? In that case there is a bigger problem: why does not the vast majority of the congregation not see it as serious? The individual sin in question is only a symptom of wide-spread carnality in the congregation. That condition requires better teaching, preaching, and much prayer to bring the people to an understanding of their sinful condition and repentance. That is what happened in King Josiah’s time when the Book of the Law was uncovered while cleaning out the Temple.

And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. And Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD.” Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king. When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying, “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.” (2 Kings 22:8-13)

Revival happened again among the returning remnants from Babylon when Ezra and the Levites read and explained the Law of God:

THE BIG PICTURE

Many Christians form their beliefs from isolated Bible texts taken out of context, rather than from an integrated understanding of the progressive revelation of the whole Bible.

In order to properly understand any particular passage of Scripture, it is necessary to consider carefully the context of the passage. The three primary rules of Bible interpretation are, "Context, Context, and Context." Otherwise, an isolated passage could be made to say almost anything. 

Here are some contexts we must observe when studying a passage of Scripture:

1. We must observe the immediate context, the paragraph and the theme of that book of the Bible. What is the overall theme of the book? How does the passage we're studying develop that theme? 

2. We must consider the context of the whole Bible and how the passage we are studying fits into the progressive revelation of God and His plan. This means, of course, that if we have not read through the entire Bible (more than once) we are not well-equipped to make definitive interpretations individual passages! That does not mean that a new Christian cannot gain spiritual benefit from a given passage until he has read the whole Bible, but it does mean he should approach the Bible humbly with a learner's attitude, willing to grow in his understanding. 

3. We must consider the historical and interpersonal context of a passage. Books of the Bible were written in a particular time and place and to particular people. What was the setting in which the book was written? Who was it addressed to and why? 

4. We must seek to understand the literary context of a passage. The Bible includes different kinds of literature: History, Biography, Instruction, Parables, Poetry, Prophecy, Apocalyptic, Letters (both personal and formal), and various subcategories. Many errors in interpretation and doctrine come from not considering the kind of literature the passage is found in. 

In conclusion, the Bible is not to a book of inspirational sayings. It is, as W. Graham Scroggie expressed it, "The Unfolding Drama of Redemption." The Bible the progressive revelation of God and His plan for the redemption of fallen people and all of fallen creation. Failure to see that Big Picture is what has led to myriad errors in interpretation. And the Internet is replete with "Bible teachers" who are all too willing to share their errors!