When I think of doors in the Bible, there are two that immediately come to my mind: (1) Jesus (Jn 10:7, 9) and (2) the door on Noah’s ark (Gn 6:16; 7:16). Both of these doors were highly offensive to the world, particularly the former because it was only through God's chosen door that salvation was to be secured, and if you hadn’t noticed lately, the world isn’t too keen on being saved or saved His way (through grace not by works)! Outside each door, there was no hope of escape from death leading to the second death, eternal separation from God. In fact, nearly everyone, in contrast to the few, thought that Noah and Jesus were crazy in their day.
Noah was building a humongous structure in preparation for a coming flood (symbolic of the wrath of God), and Jesus dying on the cross was to provide a way of escaping the wrath of God for the penalty of sin – eternal separation. The messages coming from them were considered moronic. It is suggested in Noah’s day that he was considered foolish or loony because he didn’t convert one soul in 120 years hammering his message from the largest pulpit ever constructed called an ark. If Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, what is He doing hanging on a cross (never mind that it was prophesied of a suffering Redeemer, Isa 53:3-6)? Recall the mocking leveled at Jesus at Calvary,
“And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, ‘Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!’” (Mk 15:29-30, an example of spiritual blindness, cf. Jn 19:20-21).
“Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, ‘He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe’” (Mk15:31-32a).
“Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him” (Mk 15:32b).
The message of the cross in Paul’s day to our day is still considered idiotic (1 Cor 1:18; 2:14; 2 Cor 4:4).
Be that as it may, we know that there were only eight survivors from the global flood who sought refuge in a huge barge-like structure (1 Pet 3:20; 2 Pet 2:5). It is not within the scope of this article to discuss population estimates of the antediluvian (before the flood) civilization. I do believe the earth’s populations were of greater density than the popular notion of sparse and sporadic. The flood was globally catastrophic and 100% deadly. God’s attribute of immutability (Mal 3:6; Heb 13:8; Jas 1:17) would argue that the God of the Old Testament, “I will destroy man” (Gn 6:7) is the same God of the New Testament, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).
This would mean that the God of the Old Testament is a God of love! Would a God of love allow people to be sent to hell? The antediluvian civilization knows the answer to that question. Is it any wonder why Satan wants people to believe that Genesis chapters 1-11 are metaphorical? The people before the flood rejected Noah’s overtures and outreach and paid a terrible price as well as those who reject the message of the cross today,
“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (Jn 3:36).
Like the flood, the wrath of God is coming upon those refusing to enter the only door of salvation (Jn 14:6; Acts 4:12). The door is narrow (Mt 7:13-14), but we don’t know the number of those entering through the narrow way (Lk 13:24), but many will choose to enter the door as in Noah’s day (Mt 7:13, “wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.”). How many are many when all is said and done? If words mean anything, I would venture to say literally into the billions. There is nothing in Scripture that teaches universal salvation which is nothing more than another deception that leads to personal destruction.
The rapture of the Church could take place at any moment which will usher in a world of hurt upon those left behind to experience a dangerous and deadly seven years (Jer 30:7; Dan 12:1; Mt 24:21-22; Rev 6-19). After this 7-year period of tribulation, saved and lost peoples of the earth will go about their business, preoccupied with the routine of living before Christ’s coming to physically reign for a millennium, then the rapture of the lost is upon them like a lion leaping from the bushes toward its prey (Mt 24:37-39).
This passage above from Matthew has been appropriately applied to the rapture (cf. Jn 14:3; 1 Cor 15:51-53; 1 Thes 4:13-18), but this is not the primary interpretation of the Matthew texts. Life as usual and surprise are the common threads between the rapture of the Church before the tribulation period and the rapture of the lost before the Millennial Kingdom. Contextually, this passage in Matthew 24 (Mt 24:37-51) has reference to a period after the seven years of tribulation but prior to the millennial reign of Christ on the earth. The lost are raptured straight into hell (Mt 24:39-41, “taken” in judgment), and the remaining inhabitants (the elect, saved during the trib period) physically enter the millennial kingdom of Christ’s reign on earth. “The other left,” are the elect, and the “taken” are the lost (Mt 24:40-41).
Noah entered the ark by faith, high and dry,
(Gn 7:1, “Come into the ark,” cf. Jn 6:44) while the sun was still shining on
the cusp of a 40-day rain spell (Gn 7:11-12, 19, 20). Read what Moses said,
“So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive” (Gn 7:23).
It is obvious that God protects those who are His, and He will send to hell all those who are not! There can be no mistake about this truth! Jesus didn’t suffer the atrocities surrounding crucifixion because He had nothing better to do! A man or woman who rejects (indecision or no decision is considered rejection until acceptance) God’s provision for salvation is condemned already (Jn 3:18), and unless that condemnation is shifted by faith to Christ on the cross, such a person’s soul will be forcibly removed from the earth after death and consigned to hell waiting for adjudication at the great white throne judgment. There are no appeals, no calls to the governor for a stay of execution.
“On the very same day” (Gn 7:13, not as it started to rain), Noah, family, and all the selected creatures (excluding sea life, of course) were safely in the ark, the LORD closed the door Himself (Gn 7:16). Judgment would commence with the closing of the door (Gn 7:10). Through Noah’s son, Shem, one of the passengers on the ark, the Messianic line would continue and culminate with Jesus the Christ (Gn 3:15; Eph 1:7).
Jesus claimed, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (Jn 10:9). The door remains open as long as you are physically alive, but the door closed after the ark was completed. Some may have floated on some debris for a while during the Noahic flood, but with the geological upheavals around the world, it is doubtful. Even so, it was just a matter of time until they succumbed to death. Given their spiritual state (Gn 6:5) and unreceptive spirit to the words of a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Pet 2:5, only Noah’s family survived), they physically sealed their own doom to a watery grave and spiritually condemned their soul to a fiery eternity (Gn 6:5).
Judgment is coming to this earth unlike anything seen or experienced before in the annals of human history (Mt 24:21-22). No amount of intercessory prayers or righteous living of the godly can avert it! It’s coming rapidly toward the earth; compare Ezekiel’s words (Ezek 14:12-13, 14) of Judah’s impending doom. Ezekiel, carried off in the second deportment to Babylon in 597 B.C., prophesied from Babylon that the city of Jerusalem and the Temple were to be destroyed, and Judah was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar (586 B.C.). According to the words of Yahweh speaking through Ezekiel, even if the righteousness of men like Noah, Daniel, and Job were in Jerusalem at that time, not even their intercessory prayers would avert the destruction of Jerusalem and the surrounding towns, villages, and hamlets of Judah though they themselves would be spared of death.
Like in Ezekiel’s prophecy, future judgment is certain to come to pass. I believe the Church will be taken out of here before the beginning of the tribulation period. There are other good men, however, who believe the church will go through the first 3.5 years of the tribulation and be raptured before the commencement of the last 3.5 years of Jacob’s Trouble.
If you are without Christ, the door remains open as long as you are breathing. The choice between narrow and broad still remains an option. Outside the door is the most dangerous place to live for the timing of its closing is uncertain. Once the door is closed, there is no hope remaining as many from the inhabitants before the flood would confess like the rich man athirst in hell, “Do not come to this place of torment” (cf. Lk 16:28). Listen to what Abraham said to the rich man,
“If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead” (Lk 16:31). What is Abraham saying? People are not persuaded because of some miraculous act (Remember the magicians of Pharaoh’s court contesting with Moses with their own miracles?) but by the Word of God (Heb 4:12; 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20-21). Are you listening? It’s about submitting to the authority of the Word of Christ, “So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (emphasis mine, Rom 10:17, NASB). Reject that authority, and you threaten your own future of eternal life!
Many are called but few are chosen because
narrow is too restrictive for the majority of mankind. If you are caught
outside the ark of safety, the fires of judgment are coming, and it is going to
be very bad for you. Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while
He is near (Isa 55:6; Rom 10:13)! The door won’t stay open forever. I cannot be
any more passionate or clearer. If you are without Christ may this resonate
within your heart; there is no life outside the door, only
judgment. <><
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