Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - THREE WARNINGS

THREE WARNINGS

In the Bible, the number three is considered, among other things, to represent something real, and solid; a completeness and spiritual perfection. A few examples include:

• Three is the first of the four perfect numbers recognized in Biblical numerology.
• There were three Patriarchs of Israel: Abraham, Issac, and Jacob [Israel].
• Three men announced to Abraham that Sarah would bear a son.
• Jonah spent three days in the belly of the fish.
• And it took him three days to journey across the city to Nineveh

Additionally,

• Three years was the extent of Jesus’ Ministry.
• Jesus went missing for three days when He was 12.
• Jesus was in the tomb for three days.
• The three encompassing theological virtues are faith, hope and charity.
• And three people comprise the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We should therefore take seriously the three main warnings or events mentioned in Scripture. The first of these, of course, was the flood. In those days…

…the wickedness of man was great in the earth… 

(Genesis 6:5)

…and the earth was filled with violence. 

(Genesis 6:11) 

As per usual, the masses, 

They ate, they drank, they married wives, [and] were given in marriage, 

until the day…the flood came and destroyed them all. 

(Luke 17:27)

So, evidently people everywhere ignored the warnings even though it took about 80 years for Noah to complete the ark.

The second main warning was that of a coming Messiah. This had been foretold for centuries by the prophets of old. Micah wrote about the coming judgement of Israel and the future triumph of Zion due to the coming of the Messiah.

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, 

Though you be little among the thousands of Judah, 

Yet out of you shall come forth to Me, 

The One to be Ruler in Israel… 

(Micah 5:2)

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given…

[And] of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end…

(Isaiah 9:6,7)

Hundreds of years passed between these prophecies and the coming of the Messiah. During that time people forgot, at least in Judah, and everyone apparently just went about their business as usual. It was the wise men of the East who told Herod that it was:

…In Bethlehem of Judea…

…is He who was born King of the Jews[.] 

(Matthew 2:5,2)

However, the coming of the Messiah was ignored and He was even rejected by His people.

…He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 

(Luke 17:25)

But there is yet another warning in Scripture that most don’t accept - that Christ will come again. And again, the usual warning is in place. Scripture states that:

…as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man. 

(Luke 17:26)

We are also told:

 

…that Day will not come unless a falling away comes first… 

(2 Thessalonians 2:3)

For many will come in My name…and will deceive many 

And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars.

For nation will rise up against nation…

And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.

[And] many will be offended, will betray one another… 

And because lawlessness will abound, 

the love of many will grow cold.

(Matthew 24:5-6,7,10,12)

Over the past few years, we have seen all of the above and in increasing frequency and severity. But as has been the case before, most of the world continues to ignore what is happening and continues to go on as usual. We never seem to learn from history. Two events have occurred after warnings; we now have the warning about the third and that would apparently make the prophecies complete. Are we, like others in the past, going to ignore what we have been given?

It certainly is something to think about.