Shut In or Shut Out

“And they that entered, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him. And Jehovah shut him in.” (Genesis 7:16)

This verse is from account of Noah. All “flesh” or of every creature entered male and female into the Ark to replenish the earth after the flood. The Word says that two by two. (Genesis 7:15) but there were certainly more than two of every kind, especially of those animals that would be needed for food and those needed for the sacrifices that would take place after the flood.

The next sentence of that verse says that the Lord Himself shut Noah in. The Hebrew the word used means to “inclose” him in, which is probably an old spelling of enclose.  One meaning of that word is to seclude, likely from what was beginning to happen outside of that ark, the judgement that was coming upon the wicked.

We see this in several instances in the Bible. Elisha told the widow who cried out to him because of her ill fortune. Her husband had died, and the lender had taken her two children as slaves. The only thing she had was a pot (which was the word they used for oil flask) of oil. The narration of this event is confusing because she complained to Elisha that the lender had taken her two children, yet she had her sons with her. Nevertheless, Elisha tells her to borrow empty vessels from her neighbors, in other words anything whatsoever that was empty and could be filled. Her sons bring in the vessels. Elisha tells her to shut herself and her sons in. Then she was to pour into the empty vessels which when she did, filled every one of them. Now she had something to sell and live on for the rest of her life. (2Kings 4:1-7)

In the New Testament we have the Parable of the Ten Virgins. The foolish virgins were not prepared and when they went out to buy oil, the bridegroom came and the wise virgins who were prepared left for the celebration with the groom. The door was shut and the foolish virgins couldn’t enter. (Matthew 25:1-11) “But he (the bridegroom) answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” (Matthew 25:12) What is peculiar and instantly we know this has a deeper spiritual meaning is what Matthew added at the end of the parable. “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 25:13)

Jesus spoke of the master of the house shutting the door to keep one out in speaking of the strait and narrow gate or door. It emphasizes that it’s not by works that we are saved. But Jesus will say to those who depend on their own temporal and useless works for salvation, as workers of iniquity. They refuse to accept God’s way and want to do things their way. “But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.” (Luke 13:27)

From these examples we get the idea that the Lord shuts some in and shuts some out.  When the Lord is doing a great work and blessing us, He shuts us in away from the interference of the wicked. The wicked are completely unaware of the blessing and the provision of the Lord. When the judgement of the wicked comes, the Lord will shut the righteous in and away from the judgement. This is why we believe that the rapture will certainly come before the 2nd Coming of Christ in which He returns to earth and the tribulation that comes upon the earth is worse than any has ever been. Jesus said about this time in speaking about those days. “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matthew 24:21) We also receive a warning to use our time here on earth usefully and prepared for the Lord’s return for His brothers and sisters. And ultimately, we are warned against ignoring God’s commandments and doing our own thing. We cannot invent anything that will save us. God has a plan of salvation and to try to merit salvation by earthly means, is foolishness.