FROM: SUNDAYS OPEN Q & A 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Matt 24:38-39 (KJV) Q. Does eating and drinking represent salvation, eating and drinking Christ? And does marrying represent marrying Christ? In other words, when the doors were shut on May 21, 2011. There is no more eating, drinking and marrying, meaning no more salvation… ANSWER Thats an interesting thought but I dont think so. Eating and drinking (as well as marrying...) are things that people do normally. There is actually nothing wrong with eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage. People always have to eat and drink (although there may be an element of merriment with the drinking, I’m not sure). But certainly God has given His blessing to marrying and giving in marriage. Marriage is a God ordained institution. So if we know we have to eat, and we know it’s perfectly fine and good to marry (he that findeth a wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth favor of the Lord)---than why does it sound as if God is finding fault with these people that were doing these things? In Lukes gospel all those that were eating & drinking and marrying were destroyed: Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. The problem is that eating, drinking, marrying, (and Luke 17 also adds planting and building) are all things that indicate business as usual. All is well and normal so lets eat, and drink, and marry, etc. But things were NOT normal. Noah had been preaching to them for 120 years through the construction of the ark. We dont see it as much with Sodom, but Lot did attempt to warn his sons in laws. God graciously gave the people of Noahs day advance warning of what He was about to do. Certainly it was not a time to eat, and drink, and to plan marriages. It was a time to turn from sin. Once we compare the people of Ninevehs reaction to the message of an approaching judgment day, we can see what it is that God faults those that carry on with their lives as usual. Jonah 3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a days journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. 5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? The people of Nineveh proclaimed a fast (they stopped eating). They also did not drink water (v.7). And certainly since the king issued this decree and all the people were fasting and crying out to God there would not have been any marrying or giving in marriage during that time. Quite a difference. Its just like the message of May 21, 2011 that was proclaimed to the world. Certain people (Gods elect) were stunned by the news. No they didnt literally stop eating or drinking, but their minds eye came off of the things of this world and they seriously considered their relationship to God. Others heard but continued on with their lives as though it meant nothing. But since God says He destroyed all those that were involved with eating, drinking, etc. I think that would not allow us to consider eating and drinking, etc, as a type of getting the gospel out. True believers were involved in getting the gospel out and were not destroyed.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 14:41:53 +0000