Noah's preaching--"they took no note"

by skeeder 20 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  skeeder

  The Bible calls Noah a preacher of righteousness. However, it gives no indication that he undertook a global campaign to warn people of a coming flood of which they 'took no note'.

  In Gen chap 6 God gave Noah very detailed instructions about building the ark. In 6:18 and 7:1 he gave specific instructions about who to take into the ark. No instructions were given to Noah about warning anyone that they too should get on board with him.

  The judging had already been done and Noah was chosen to be saved because he was a righteous man. Hebrews 11:7 shows that Noah built the ark 'for the saving of his household'--not anyone else.

  So while Noah was a 'preacher of righteousness' this may refer to his preaching righteousness before the matter of the flood ever came up. This may have contributed to his being chosen to be saved.

  Is it even practical that Noah could have set out on a global mission to get people into the ark? He needed to use his time to build it.

  Since the size of the ark had already been determined , it seems unlikely that God intended for other people to join Noah.MATTHEW 24:39

  Matthew 24:39------ and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away. . .NEW WORLD TRANS

  Almost any Bible you pick up indicates that people were not expecting the flood----not that were ignoring noah's warning.

  It is notewothy that the Kingdom Interlinear Bible published by Jehovah's Witnesses renders the Greek "not they knew" but the English "they took no note". Is there not a difference in not knowing something and taking no note of something you know?

  Other Bibles say: were unaware--knew not--did not understand--knew nothing about what was happening--didn't know anything was happening--knew nothing about what would happen--didn't realize what was going to happen--did not know--they knew nothing

  This fits in perfectly with the context and the point Jesus was making. His point was that his return would come as a surprise; not announced beforehand. This becomes apparent by considering Luke's account. Luke 17:28 says "likewise" and compares the days of Noah with the days of Lot------sudden unexpected destruction as they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting and building. There is no indication of a warning work before the destruction of Sodom.

  Jesus said in vs 30 :"The same way it will be on that day when the Son of man is to be revealed"

  Notice Kingdom song # 215ExtendingMercytoOthers

  1. When Jehovah decreed that a deluge

  Should destroy wicked men long ago,

  Then to Noah he gave a commission:

  ‘Build an ark! Preach the word! Let men know!’

  Now, did Noah reject that assignment,

  Since he never had built arks before?

  No, but he made good use of God’s mercy,

  And he built and

  he preached more and more.

  Where in the Bible do we find this commission? Or that he 'preached more and more'?

  S
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  Of course you are correct. From the JW's understanding, they would say,
  "God wouldn't destroy all mankind without a warning." That's cult conditioning and
  comparing that destruction to the destruction of Armageddon. I like how you point
  out that the song really declares something that cannot be substantiated. The WTS
  flip flops on saying whether flood victims could be resurrected. Since they have stuck
  with NO for awhile now, they try to be consistent by saying "They were warned and
  chose not to listen- same for today."

  Here's some more that we are supposed to think:
  Noah was considered God's friend and he was declared righteous.
  His family was included only because of their cooperation with Noah.
  Today, the FDS (well, really just the GB) are God's friend declared righteous.
  Today, we must cooperate with them to be included in the spiritual ark.
  There was only one ark, only one path to salvation.
  Noah had an assignment from Jehovah, we have an assignment from Jehovah
  through the recruiting work.
• 

  moshe

  The story of Noah's Ark has so many holes in it, that it would , uh, sink a boat.
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  zack

  It's amazing how the turn of a phrase can change the meaning of the universe. I am convinced the NWT is totally dishonest.
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  Leolaia

  The Watchtower interpretation is self-serving, in light of their Flood-Armageddon typology. The description of Noah as a "preacher of righteousness" is a later midrashic interpretation that suggests that Noah sought to pass on his divine warning to his contemporaries in case they may repent. There is an OT model for this in the stories of Jonah and Jeremiah, although I don't believe Noah is ever represented in tradition as having a prophetic commission (unlike Enoch, for instance). Other haggadaic references to Noah are along the lines I have described. Josephus (Jewish Antiquities 1:73) thus says that "Noah, displeased with the deeds of his [contemporaries] and finding their intentions to be odious, sought to persuade them to adopt a better way of thinking and to change their ways". Also the Talmud says: "The righteous Noah used to warn them and say to them, 'Repent, for if you do not, God will bring a flood upon you.' " (b. Sanhedrin 108a).
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  AllTimeJeff

  Leolaia, you should be an elder.... Awesome analysis.

  As I left the borg, I realized that I had at one time believed hundreds of things I never ever examined. Now out of necessity, I don't believe any of it just because it had come from a clearly compromised source. The flood was one....

  Of course, a worldwide flood a few thousand years ago didn't happen.The science doesn't support it and the way the building was built along with how the animals were "gathered" is absurd. Also for the JW slant on this legend, the idea of Noah preaching TO THE ENTIRE WORLD is an interesting thought. For example, could it be just for god to destroy all of the world without warning them first? Would it be possible for one man to warn the entire world? No to both. UNLESS the "world" only existed locally...

  That would mean that what really happened is that some local flood that killed a lot of people got blown out of proportion and turned into legend, which is what many believe to have happened.

  Of course, according to the JW's, the best evidence we really have for the flood of Noah's day is that Jesus said it happened. Well, that settles it for me! But of course! An unlikely legendary event is reported as fact by a man who lived 2000 years ago and who himself got a legendary "boost" from writers with clearly biased intentions.....

  Sorry for the sarcasm, I am in a mood today.. lol....
• 

  startingover

  Also for the JW slant on this legend, the idea of Noah preaching TO THE ENTIRE WORLD is an interesting thought. For example, could it be just for god to destroy all of the world without warning them first? Would it be possible for one man to warn the entire world? No to both. UNLESS the "world" only existed locally...

  I dismissed the idea of a worldwide flood sometime ago, but this little goodie may come in handy when talking to my JW wife sometime. Thanks
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  James Free

  Well done skeeder for a very interesting post. JWD has been getting so repetitive and boring lately, but your insightful post was a breath of fresh air.
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  James Free

  I thought I would add something to move the topic back up in the Active Topics. Yes I know the thread is not about sex, or sending Christmas card exchanges or wondering Do gentlemen prefer blondes? (now on its 4th page) or any other shallow nonsense that currently attracts all the user responses, but it deserves more than the handful of replies so far.
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  Sasha

  I do believe in Noahs story, even if it is a parable or lesson, however, I believe the JW's do not have the truth. All this crying "the end is here", not quite yet. Lots of stuff has to happen in the middle east first, and that will take at least 10-12 yrs. or more