Two by two...

Have been still pondering what Jesus prayed for in John 17 regarding us being made one "so the world might know" Jesus is Lord. Have been overlapping that thought with the reference Jesus makes about the end and how it will relate to Noah's day.

Wild animals struck me today. Throughout Scriptures wild animals often has been used as a type of Gentile. Remember Peter's vision on the roof? What was contained in the white sheet that God had cleansed? Wild animals. Then Peter was taken to the home of a Roman and the Spirit fell on them just as it had on the believing Jews in the upper room. So if we buy this idea, how might it apply to Noah's day?

First, Jesus said in the end things will be just as they were in Noah's day. That means not only will people be eating and drinking but a real and visible sign will be in the earth that all men can see. In Noah's day it was the ark. In our day it is the Body of Christ. Notice I didn't say the "Church" meaning all denominations which are nothing more than corporations of men. No. The Body of Christ is the sign that goes into the ark, a type of Jesus but also a type of unity.

Consider first that Noah as the preacher of righteousness is a type of Jesus who is the founder and builder. Notice second that his own kin are with him aiding his efforts during construction. Those with Noah are the remnant of Israel in Old Testament era on whom God chose to vest Scriptures and his revelation. The kin of Jesus are fellow craftsmen and caretakers of those who would come. Namely we Gentiles.

Notice that from each group, herd and pack of wild animals, God chose some and had them navigate in complete unity, two by two towards the ark. That means each chosen wild animal had to forsake his natural understanding and associate with this collection of other wild animals who were also headed two by two towards the ark. To me this is a clear picture of the difference between a Gentile's experience with Israel's God and a Jew's. We Gentiles are the source of nothing. Never have been.

Since Jesus died for our sins, we have been recipients only, not the source of a single thing in the faith. However, each of our own denominations, that have themselves built upon a Catholic foundation, boast a foundation not from Jesus or his kin but a source completely Gentile. Catholic early fathers and Rome's Councils are the Gentile's foundation. It is for this reason that current denominations cannot accept the Jewish roots of our faith and will through such a delusion be deceived by anti-christ and join in the one world system led by the false prophet.
But God reveals himself to each Gentile and then has that one unify with another as they both make the journey to the ark in this great train of wild animals. This has to be the sign the world sees that clearly shows them who Jesus is. As we finally enter the ark, which is taken here to mean "echad" or complete unity with one another...notice even in this state it is Noah and his kin who are caretakers. The wild animals are receivers only, not the source of a single thing.

Oh how we need to open our minds to embrace our Jewish brothers in the faith so both groups can be edified and built up in our most holy faith.

Let me take this just a bit further. Those with Noah would be akin to Israel's prophets and Jesus' eyewitness apostles. It is from Jesus, Israel's prophets and his eyewitness apostles that we get Scriptures. And Scriptures alone are what feed the Body. So I was not trying to state that Jews today are the caretakers. They are not. Though I would say they are elder brothers in the faith.

What I was trying to say is that in this collection of animals God chose, some were clean(Jews) and some were unclean(Gentiles). But both were walking two by two in harmony to the ark. This act, I believe, will be the single greatest sign the last generation will see before the end comes. Believeing Jews and believing Gentiles walking two by two all eating from the same source...from Israel's prophetic Scriptures and the writings of Jesus' eyewitness apostles.

Better?

Jim