Quote:
Originally Posted by EscAlaMike
Jesus seemed to treat Noah as a real person and the Flood as an historical event in Matthew 24 and Luke 17. In light of this, are we to view the "coming of the Son of Man" through the same allegorical/spiritual lens through which we would view the Flood?
The author of Hebrews also treats Noah and the Flood as historical in Hebrews 11:7.
St. Peter also treats Noah and the Flood as historical in 1 Peter 3:20.
"As to the view of Christian tradition, it suffices to appeal here to the words of Father Zorell who maintains that the Bible story concerning the Flood has never been explained or understood in any but a truly historical sense by any Catholic writer (cf. Hagen, Lexicon Biblicum). It would be useless labour and would exceed the scope of the present article to enumerate the long list of Fathers and Scholastic theologians who have touched upon the question. The few stray discordant voices belonging to the last fifteen or twenty years are simply drowned in this unanimous chorus of Christian tradition...
[Francois] Lenormant pronounces the Flood story as the most universal tradition in the history of primitive man, and Franz Delitzsch was of opinion that we might as well consider the history of Alexander the Great a myth, as to call the Flood tradition a fable. It would, indeed, be a greater miracle than that of the Deluge itself, if the various and different conditions surrounding the several nations of the earth had produced among them a tradition substantially identical." ~ Catholic Encyclopedia - The Deluge
That said, it is not necessary to adhere to a belief that the Flood literally covered the entire surface of the earth. Neither is it necessary to believe that the Flood killed literally everyone except for Noah and his family. |
Past a certain point literalism gets in our way of understanding the higher things
There is a symbolic representation at work In the Scriptures
We need to interpret and translate the symbols using the Scriptures as our guide for what they represent
Revelation (and the rest of Scripture) tells us a lot of things, but we need to understand it in the correct context
The water, mountains referenced in the Hebrew Scripture/OT are not the literal (physical) ones, it is a reference to Real societal things which are the invisible things, and humans are the things that are made which have the natural capacity and gifts to understand
We are told this in Romans
Rom 1:20**For the
invisible things of him from the creation of the world are
clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21**Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but
became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22**Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Understood is this:-
G3539***(Strong)
νοιέω
noieō
noy-eh'-o
From G3563; to exercise the mind (observe), that is, (figuratively) to comprehend, heed: - consider, perceive, think, understand.
Imagination is this:-
G1261***(Strong)
διαλογισμός
dialogismos
dee-al-og-is-mos'
From G1260; discussion, that is, (internal) consideration (by implication purpose), or (external) debate: - dispute, doubtful (-ing), imagination, reasoning, thought.
Rev 17:9**And
here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
Rev 17:15**And he saith unto me, The
waters which thou sawest, where the ***** sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Rev 17:18**And
the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
Eze 38:14**Therefore,
son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD;
In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?
Eze 38:15**And
thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and
many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:
Eze 38:16**And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel,
as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.
Eze 38:17**Thus saith the Lord GOD;
Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?
Eze 38:18**And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face.
Eze 38:19**For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken,
Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
Eze 38:20**So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and
all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and
the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.
Eze 38:21**And I will call for a sword against him throughout
all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.
Eze 38:22**And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
Eze 38:23**Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.
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Genesis 8:4) . . .In the seventh month, on the 17th day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Arʹa·rat.
