Believers' Baptism

 Part of the Baptism Basics ~ Mitchell Taylor series.
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used by permission of Truth and Tidings  

The verb “baptize,” from a verb meaning “dip,” lengthens in Greek to mean “immersion, submersion and emergence.”[1]  Other grammarians add synonyms like “dip, immerse … plunge, sink, drench, overwhelm.”[2]  The word “baptize” was used to describe dyeing a garment, drawing wine by dipping a cup into a bowl, or being overwhelmed by questions.[3]  Baptism requires an element in which to baptize, one doing the baptizing, one being baptized and a certain purpose.  Believers’ baptism is done in water by a faithful fellow believer to a saved individual desiring to obey God.  Further examples of baptism correspond to this definition.

In our current Christian climate, we’ll take a moment to defend the importance of observing and following biblical examples.  Some modern scholars attempt to divide Scripture, most notably the NT, into descriptions and prescriptions.  This is done, in the author’s opinion, to allow believers to ease their consciences about following practices and traditions unsupported by Scripture.

Ignoring biblical descriptions, including Christian living, evangelistic practices, baptism or local assembly gatherings, undermines godliness.  It also allows individuals to create their own practices for their convenience or culture instead of observing and continuing in the practices of early NT believers. In the context of baptism, it opens the door for the notion that “sprinkling” could be “baptism” if examples don’t matter.  Instead, one could consult writings like the Didache that instruct about when sprinkling or pouring is permitted or baptism water temperature.

Yet a foundational text of Scripture condemns the idea that biblical descriptions don’t matter.  Paul reinforced to Timothy at the end of his life that “every scripture is inspired by God” (2Ti 3:16 NET, italics mine).  God has not left us to self-determine best practices, but rather “the mind of Christ” is learned as the “Holy Spirit teaches” based on the inspired Scripture; biblical examples are God-breathed examples (1Co 2:13,16).  With the knowledge that we can know God’s thoughts on any matter by listening to the Spirit of God through His Word, let us glean some key points from examples given to us about baptism in the NT.

Acts 2 chronicles the baptism in the Spirit, the formation of the Church which is the body of Christ, and the first local church.  Peter preached a message centered on this truth: “God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (v36).[4]  Some of the same crowd who consented to the Lord’s death 50 days earlier were deeply convicted and sought forgiveness from God.  Peter told them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (v38).  Repentance in this case was not only of all their sins but of their sin of crucifying Christ.  In the anti-Christ climate of Judaism, subsequent individual baptism demonstrated that their faith was already in Jesus as Christ and Lord.  Verse 41 gives clarity to verse 38: “They that gladly received his word were baptized.”  Saved believers were baptized.  These baptized believers were then also added to the first local assembly fellowship in Jerusalem.

Luke, through the Spirit in Scripture, is particular about when baptisms are mentioned.  Each mention is expressly linked with the geographical locations outlining the book of the Acts: “Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (1:8).  We don’t read more examples of baptism until the great persecution and scattering of the saints in Acts 8.  

When the gospel went into Samaria and Judaea, those that believed Philip concerning his preaching, both men and women, were baptized (v12).  Then Simon professed faith and was baptized (v13).  A divinely appointed encounter between Philip and an Ethiopian eunuch resulted in a baptism since he believed Philip’s preaching about Jesus as the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53.  

As the gospel entered Asia in Acts 16, Lydia, “whose heart the Lord opened,” her household, and the Philippian jailor, “believing God with all his house,” were individually baptized.

The baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40 is a vignette giving strong support to the definition and proper mode of baptism.  The eunuch raised the question about baptism upon arrival to a significant body of water (v36).  If sprinkling were suitable, surely water would have been available from their drinking water.  Now that full submersion was possible and faith in Jesus Christ as Son of God was evident, Philip and the eunuch both went into the water, the eunuch was baptized, and they both came out of the water (vv38-39).

When we examine the examples the Spirit of God left us in the Holy Scriptures, we learn that baptism cannot save.  Acts 8 tells us about a man named Simon.  Scripture says, “Then Simon himself believed also: and … he was baptized” (v13).  His belief was merely a desire to be associated with Christ because of visible power, much like those in Jerusalem in John 2:23-25.  It was evident to Peter that Simon was not truly a believer when he commented, “Thy money perish with thee …. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter [the gift of God]: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God” (vv20-21).  Baptism could not save Simon.

Similarly, Paul infers that baptism does not save in 1 Corinthians 1:14  when he says, “I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius.”  

Paul knew the importance of baptism, yet divisions and parties had permeated the whole local assembly in Corinth and Paul wanted no one to associate themselves with him – only Christ.  We might ask, If baptism had any merit for salvation or bestowed any grace upon us, would Paul be thankful to not have baptized?  If baptism carried these abilities, he would have been happy to mention all those he had baptized.

We have observed various examples of water baptism in Scripture.  Following the formation of the Church at Pentecost through the baptism of the Spirit, believers in Jesus as Lord and Christ subsequently began to be baptized.  

A believer conducted a baptism by baptizing another believer, through immersion, submersion and their emergence from water.  Baptisms occurred upon request by those who knew they needed to be baptized since they had believed in Christ.  Why be baptized?  We will examine that question in the following article.

In the year A.D.30, John the Baptist, at the Jordan river, began baptizing Jewish people who were eagerly waiting, with earnest desire, to see the promised Messiah.   

" And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.  " Luke 3:15-17

JEHOVAH God is the great Baptizer or Baptist.  

The baptisms which He performs are either to life or to death, to salvation or to destruction.  History proves this.  In the near future we are going to witness a tremendous baptism of fire.  Will this be a great modern Pentecost, and will those who have it come on them survive it?  

The only way to face the happening of that fire baptism is to make sure we have the baptism of salvation.  

By this we do not mean baptism in water  or by sprinkling or pouring water on your head by some religious clergyman.  Millions in Christendom claim to have had water baptism in one form or another, but they will experience no salvation because of it.  

What the Scripture teaches us in Matthew 3 and Luke 3 is the baptism of the Holy Spirit which God administers, not man. 

The apostle Peter by divine inspiration tells us there was an ancient illustration of judgment to come.  So we do well to study it carefully, to know what to do in order to obtain the desired salvation in this perilous time.  Peter tells us the illustration was given in Noah’s days.  The mention of Noah instantly reminds us of the flood—water—and that raises in our minds the thought of water baptism.  

But let us examine and see whether that is what Peter points to.  He writes: “The patience of God was waiting in Noah’s days, while the ark was being constructed, in which a few people, that is, eight souls, were carried safely through the water.  That which corresponds to this is also now saving you, namely, baptism, . . . through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  He is at God’s right hand, for he went his way to heaven, and angels and authorities and powers were made subject to him.” (1 Pet. 3:20-22, NW) 

Q. Who are now being saved by this which corresponds to the ancient pattern which was set in Noah’s days? 

We are happy to say, The Christians from both Jews and Gentiles who receive the baptism in the holy spirit, and now also a “great crowd” of their companions of good will.  In Peter’s day the life-seeking Jews needed to be saved from the baptism of fire that threatened the Jewish nation, and Peter, in A,D.33 on the day of Pentecost, urged them: “Get saved from this crooked generation.” 

Three thousand believed the message that Jesus was glorified in heaven to be both Lord and Christ, and later thousands more; and they were all baptized in Jesus' name for the forgiveness of their sins and to receive the gift of the holy spirit, participating in its baptism.  In course of time these followed Jesus’ instructions and 37 years later did not enter into the city of Jerusalem at Passover time A.D. 70.  Consequently, they did not get trapped there by the Roman legions that besieged the city, and so they did not fall by famine, pestilence and the sword nor get captured and led off into exile as slaves of Rome.  

They were spared from a fire baptism upon that faithless Jewish nation.  In this they pictured how persons with faith in God and Christ today will be spared from a similar event shortly to come upon Christendom. 

After mentioning features about Noah’s days the apostle Peter tells us that what is also now saving us “corresponds to this”.  

Corresponds to what? 

Evidently the procedure or arrangement which was God's way of salvation back there during the Flood.  There must be correspondent truth, for Jesus spoke prophetically of the “time of the end”, where we are now, and said: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father. For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. For as people were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.” (Matt. 24:35-39, NW;  Luke 17:26-30) 

By these words Jesus added proof that the Flood was a historical fact and also that this “time of the end” of this world during which he is invisibly present in Kingdom power is like the time of the end of the ancient world when Noah was present. 

Let us, therefore, note the important facts  so that then we can be sure of the baptism that brings salvation.  The main character on that ancient scene was Noah, the builder of the ark.  Whom does he picture?  Noah was given his name by Lamech his father, because at his birth Lamech said: “This same shall comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, which cometh because of the ground which Jehovah hath cursed.” (Gen. 5:29, AS) 

The name Noah means “rest” or “consolation”.  But Noah was no lazy man of inactivity either before or after the flood.  He was the visible leader in the most important activity of that day.  Noah was the tenth in line counting from Adam, and thus he completed a series of generations from Adam, ten being a number symbolizing completion with regard to earthly things.  Noah did not rest before the Flood.  He was a “preacher of righteousness”, and when he was given divine warning of things not yet beheld by man he “showed godly fear and constructed an ark for the saving of his household, and through this faith he condemned the world, and he became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith”.—Heb. 11:7, NW. 

The first thing Noah did after he and his family came out of the ark following the flood was to build an altar and offer sacrifice to Jehovah.  This was restful to the Lord Jehovah, for we read: “And the LORD smelled a sweet savour [a savour of rest, margin; a satisfying odour, Ro]; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every living thing, as I have done.”  

Then Jehovah blessed Noah and his sons. (Gen. 8:21; 9:1)  

Here we see how, in accord with the meaning of his name, Noah brought comfort to mankind at its new start after the Flood, procuring relief as respects the work and the toil of their hands which they had formerly endured because of Jehovah’s curse on the ground.  Tee earth was cleansed and renewed for mankind.

The one who corresponds with Noah is Christ Jesus.  Jesus was the seventy-seventh from Adam, according to Luke 3:23-38, and his name means “Jehovah is salvation”.  But like Noah he ushers men into rest, even now.  Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh you. . . . and you will find refreshment for your souls. For my yoke is kindly and my load is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30, NW) 

During this “time of the end” of this world Jesus gives this rest and refreshment to all the sheep whom he serves as the Right Shepherd, both the remnant of his “little flock” of heavenly joint heirs and also the great crowd of “other sheep”. (Luke 12:32 and John 10:16) 

But after the battle of Armageddon baptizes this old world, including Christendom, with fire, he will comfort mankind with a great sabbath of rest for the thousand years of his reign.  “For Lord of the sabbath is what the Son of man is.”  He said that to Jews who objected to deeds of mercy on the sabbath day.  During the thousand-year sabbath he will rule as King of kings, Lord of lords and High Priest, and will lead mankind in the pure worship of God, so that there will be no divine curse upon obedient mankind.  Jesus is indeed the antitypical Noah.  Ancient Noah did a constructive work “for the saving of his household”.  So does Christ Jesus.  

What is this construction?  How does it correspond with the ark? 

That which corresponds with the ark is Jehovah God’s theocratic system over which he has placed the antitypical Noah, Christ Jesus.  This Son of God is also a builder like Noah, and he tells us that he builds his church or congregation upon himself as the Rock. (Matt. 16:18)  

Moreover, at Hebrews 1:1, 2, 8, 9, we read that he is a “preacher of righteousness” by whom God has spoken to us and “whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the systems of things”. (NW)  The ark which this Greater Noah constructs consists of a new system of things, a new divine arrangement which affords us protection and preserves us for eternal salvation.  The congregation, the theocratic organization which he builds, must live within this new system of things and must think, speak and work in harmony with it.  This ark or theocratic structure is the laughingstock of the world, because it is built according to God’s instructions and for His purpose.  

It is different!  The world has seen nothing like it and does not understand it.  The Father Jehovah is preparing a bride for His Son.

Hence faith in God is required for its construction, and those who work for this new system of things must exercise faith to carry on under the scoffing and reproach of this world.  But in the great crisis ahead it will serve its purpose faithfully by preserving all those who take refuge in it, just as the ark carried Noah and his family safely through the flood-waters of divine judgment.  We remember, too, how such an ark, chest, or tebah (Hebrew), also saved the infant Moses from a watery death in the Nile river.—Ex. 2:3, 5. 

This is a new system of things (N.T. dispensation) when compared with the old system (O.T. dispensation) which prevailed among the Jews under the law of Moses.  When that Jewish system fully ended in the fiery destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70, this new Christian system of things survived.  Today, nineteen centuries since then, Jehovah’s witnesses are enjoying that same new system of things and are entering into more and more of its new things. 

"Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."  2 Corinthians 3:6

We have done well to take refuge in it, rather than in the system of things which obtains in Christendom and in the rest of the world.  

For the hypocritical worldly system will be baptized with fiery destruction at Armageddon, but God’s new system of things will survive and prove the salvation of those who shape their lives according to it.  

The end of this present wicked world means the end of the things of Satan’s construction, under his dominion, these heavens and earth.  

But the Greater Noah, Christ Jesus, is in the holy heavens at God’s right hand and he will come through the conflict of Armageddon victoriously.  He will survive, and so will the remnant of his anointed followers and their good-will companions who have taken refuge in God's divine new system of things as an ark.  When on earth Jesus, like Noah, confessed that he did not know the day or the hour when that which corresponds with the flood would break out, but now in his heavenly contact with His God and Father He knows. 

In further examining the corresponding points between Noah’s days and this “time of the end”, we ask, "What is the thing into which we are baptized for salvation in view of the approaching world destruction?"

Of course, the anointed remnant of Christ’s “little flock” are baptized in holy spirit, as the early disciples were on the day of Pentecost.  But this is not what the apostle Peter is talking about here.  In Noah’s day water was what the ancient, ungodly world was baptized in to its destruction: “the world of that time suffered destruction when it was deluged with water.” (2 Pet. 3:6, NW) 

Hence it was not this flood into which the eight survivors were baptized for salvation.  Also, it was not merely the ark or vessel into which they were baptized, for doubtless there were some boats afloat on the rivers which flowed out of Eden and these may have ridden the flood waters for a time but at last became swamped and were overwhelmed.  So the Scriptural conclusion is that what brought salvation from the deluge was for the survivors to be baptized or immersed into Noah the ark-builder. 

The seven who went into the ark with Noah had to have confidence in him as Jehovah’s prophet.  They had to be unbreakably attached to him and walk with him as he “walked with God”.  They had to be willing to suffer the taunts and reproaches that fell upon him and suffer with him for a righteous cause.  They had to be incorporated into a system of things not of that world, a theocratic arrangement in which Noah was the chief builder, the chief consultant and shipmaster or pilot.  So they had to submit to him as the head who took the lead and directed the body of fellow workers.  Doing all this, they were in effect baptized into Noah. 

This being baptized into a chosen servant of Jehovah was duplicated in the case of Moses.  Peter tells us of the baptism into Noah, but the apostle Paul tells us of the baptism into Moses.  Those who escaped from Egypt with Moses were the circumcised Jews or Israelites, and the “mixed multitude” (Egyptians) of good will, and all these were immersed or baptized into him. How?  

By Jehovah’s symbolic act at the Red sea; and there again Jehovah by his angel acted as the great Baptizer or Immerser.  He formed the watery walls on their right hand and their left as they moved eastward through the bed of the Red sea.  He provided the watery cloud above them, and with it he hid them from the view of the pursuing military hosts of Pharaoh.  Then he lifted his people out of these waters by bringing them out alive on the eastern shores of the Red sea, a living free nation.  But to experience this baptism they had to accept Moses’ leadership.  Rebellion against him as Jehovah’s chosen deliverer was punished with destruction.  As he was the mediator between God and the Israelites, they had no approach into relationship with God except through him.  They had to accept Jehovah’s laws through him, their God appointed deliverer.  Outside of the theocratic organization under Moses’ visible headship and outside of this “state of Israel” there was no hope and a person was “without God in the world”.  So we read at Ephesians 2:12, NW. 

By following Moses through the Red sea under the cover of the miraculous cloud the Israelites and the “mixed multitude” of good will were baptized into Moses.  From then on they were bound to his headship and dependent on his acting as mediator between Jehovah God and Israel.  Consequently Moses spoke of bearing them as a father does a child in his bosom. (Num. 11:11-14) 

The apostle Paul pronounces all this a baptism when he writes: “Now I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea and all got baptized into Moses by means of the cloud and of the sea.” (1 Cor. 10:1, 2, NW)  

The Egyptian armies in pursuit were not under that protecting cloud.  So when Jehovah’s angel looked out through that cloud and saw the Egyptians in the bed of the Red sea, the walls of water were let collapse and those armies were baptized in watery destruction.  They were never lifted out alive by human or by divine power. 

God used Moses to predict that there was coming a Prophet like him but greater than he was.  The apostle Peter plainly points out that this Greater Moses who was to come is the Lord Jesus Christ.  As with Moses, so with Christ.  There is a baptism into him for salvation.  

His “little flock” who become joint heirs with him in the heavenly kingdom are baptized into him by the holy spirit which God first poured out upon Jesus as the Head and which Jesus at Pentecost began pouring upon the members of his “little flock”.  For, says the apostle Paul, “just as the body is one thing but has many members, and all the members of that body, although being many are one body, so also is the Christ.  For truly by one spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink one spirit.  Now you are Christ’s body, and members individually.” (1 Cor. 12:12, 13, 27, NW) 

However, Peter points to a baptism into him at this “time of the end” of this world, a baptism which includes the True Shepherd’s “other sheep” as well as the remnant of his little flock, for he brings them all together to become “one flock, one shepherd”. (John 10:16, NW; Acts 3:19-23; Heb. 3:4-6) 

This is the baptism into the Greater Noah.  When the ancient world ended, one’s being inside the ark was a symbol of being baptized into Noah under the theocratic system of things.  Noah’s wife, his three sons and their wives were the seven baptized into Noah.  

Whom did these picture? 

First take Noah’s wife.  She is a woman who has been entirely ignored in previous discussions of this prophetic drama.  In whom does she find her correspondency today?  Obviously in those whom the Scriptures call the “bride” of Christ, the “Lamb’s wife”.  They are the “body of Christ”, his 144,000 faithful anointed elect followers who make up his spiritual “little flock”.

  Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2, 9; John 3:29; 2 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:21-32. 

Noah had his wife, at least a hundred years before the flood, for her son Japheth was the oldest and was born about a hundred years before the flood, since Noah was five hundred years old when he became a father.  Shem, her next son, was born ninety-eight years before the flood began. (Gen. 5:32; 7:11; 10:21, AS, margin; Ge 11:10; 9:22-25)  

How many years of Noah’s six hundred before the flood he had this wife we do not know.  He had her well before the end of that ungodly world and possibly long before the birth of his three sons.  So Christ’s bride began forming long, long before the end of this wicked world, namely, nineteen centuries ago, at the beginning of this Christian system of things.  In this “time of the end” she is represented on earth by the remnant of his anointed little flock. 

Noah’s wife had a most intimate relationship with him as her husband.  Just so, the “bride” class, including the remnant today, are baptized into the modern-day Noah, Christ Jesus, in a special way by holy spirit.  This means they must be baptized into his death for the vindication of Jehovah God’s kingdom, that they may be finally raised up in the likeness of his resurrection, the first resurrection, to heavenly “glory and honor and incorruptibleness”.  

The apostle Paul asks them: “Do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  Therefore we were buried with him through our baptism into his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised up from the dead through the glory of the Father, we also should likewise walk in a newness of life.  For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall certainly also be united with him in the likeness of his resurrection.” (Rom. 6:3-5, NW) 

Here Jehovah God is the great Baptizer.  

In ancient time Noah worked for his wife’s salvation by showing his faith in a practical way.  She did not forsake him.  She followed him into the ark and did not die off but spent some of her years after the flood, though not to bring forth further children to Noah.  So with the remnant now. 

Here we come to a consideration of Noah’s three sons and their wives.  

Who today correspond with them?  

We must be honest and face the facts of our day, “the time of the end.”  Today our glad eyes behold a great crowd of men and women, boys and girls, flocking to Jehovah’s theocratic organization and taking up sacred service at his spiritual temple.  They see there is no salvation for them in any of the demon-inspired, man-made religions of this fateful day.  So they turn from doing the will of men and of this world and dedicate themselves entirely to doing God’s will.  They ascribe all power of salvation to Jehovah God who sits on the throne and to his Son Jesus Christ, whom the Father gave as a Lamb in sacrifice.  They hail Him with palm branches as Jehovah’s anointed King, and they follow His leadership as the Right Shepherd.  He will become their “everlasting Father”. (Isa. 9:6)  These now vastly outnumber the remnant with whom the Shepherd has made them one flock, and we see they have come under the new system of things at the opportune time, in the interval of favor between the opening part and the closing part of the “great tribulation” upon Satan’s world.  

In such terms as the above they were foretold at Revelation 7:9-17. 

We, therefore, cannot erase them from the scene of the end of the world.  We cannot leave them out of the picture.  They are in the ark arrangement with the remnant of the little flock.  Hence they must have a correspondency with some of those in Noah’s ark during the flood.  It is only reasonable, it is only factual, that they correspond with Noah’s three sons and their three wives. 

This is nothing strange or unusual.  

We have already noted that a “mixed multitude” were baptized with the Israelites into Moses at the Red sea and eventually entered the Promised Land.  Further, when Jesus was comparing the days of his second presence before the battle of Armageddon with ancient days when great calamities and remarkable deliverances occurred, He drew not only Noah’s days into the comparison, but also those of Lot.  

Lot was a nephew of Abraham, in whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed.  Lot had taken up residence in Sodom, which was condemned to fiery destruction.  Showing that Lot and his two daughters who escaped the fiery destruction were figures prophetic of persons to come, Jesus said: “Likewise, just as it occurred in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building.  But on the day that Lot came out of Sodom it rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed them all.  The same way it will be on that day when the Son of man is to be revealed.  Remember the wife of Lot.” (Luke 17:28-30, 32, NW) 

Lot and his daughters, for whose lives Abraham interceded with Jehovah’s angel, doubtless picture the same class as the mixed multitude of Moses’ time and Noah’s three sons and their wives.  All this pictures that, not only is a spiritual class of 144,000, the remnant, carried safely through Armageddon, but also an earthly class of good will: Believers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Noah’s sons and daughters-in-law outnumbered him and his wife three to one, and after the flood they were the ones who fulfilled God’s mandate: “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” (Gen. 9:1)  

They had been baptized into Noah by faithfully co-operating with him as Jehovah’s servant during all the years of building the ark and by finally entering the ark with him, likely going in two by two as the male and female animals did. So they came under Jehovah’s blessing after the flood, with a mandate that agreed with part of the mandate given to Adam and Eve in Eden.  Genesis 1:28 

How fitting a picture they are of the “great crowd” of other sheep of today! These also are being baptized into the Greater Noah, Christ Jesus.  

Not, however, in the same way as the remnant of the “little flock” are.  

They are not baptized into Christ’s death, for the great Baptizer Jehovah God does not will this concerning them.  It is His will that, surviving the battle of Armageddon in the modern “ark” of salvation, they may be fruitful with children in the righteous new world and may have part in building up the paradise on the cleansed earth and inhabiting it as perfect humans in God’s image and likeness forevermore. 

Hence they are not like Christ’s remnant who are “buried with him through our baptism into his death” or “united with him in the likeness of his death”.  

Even though some “other sheep” may die in the remaining time before the battle of Armageddon, yet they never sacrifice their prospect of perfect life in the earthly paradise.  They sleep away in the hope of resurrection to human life on earth under Christ’s kingdom of a thousand years.  So it is by their hearing the voice of the Right Shepherd today proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom in all the earth for a witness to all nations and then devotedly following him as God’s anointed King that they are baptized into the Greater Noah.  For this reason they live changed lives in this fallen world.  They no more waste time in imitating the manners of this world, but live according to the new system of things, the ark of safety, our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed …  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.” (Isaiah 9:1–2) 

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice, from that time forward, even forever.”  (Isaiah 9:6–7) 

For all the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.—Romans 15:4, New World Translation.

We grow more sure that Jesus really will raise up on the last day every single man, woman, and child whom the Father has given him (John 6:37–39). 

No darkness can stop Him.  Satan can lie and murder all he pleases, but Jesus will keep His promise.  Precious relationships may be healed.  

The apostle Paul saw John Mark restored to much usefulness (2 Tim. 4:6). Sometimes there is wonderful forgiveness and restoration.  But even if there isn’t, Jesus keeps all who are His.  The most horrible sickness on earth cannot stop Him.  There is no accident outside of His providential wisdom and love. Moral failure cannot defeat Him.  Hatred cannot disable His power or blunt His love.  And so even as the shadows fall, the precious assurances of the gospel shine joy into the troubled heart. 

IN SUMMARY:

God's first judgment on the human race was destruction of all life in the worldwide flood (Noah's 'water baptism' providing salvation of 8 souls in Noah's Arc), and lastly:

God's Final Judgment will be in the Baptism by Fire destroying not only life, but the heavens and the earth - ending all human religions/governments and demonic rebellion against God - beginning His righteous government by His Son Jesus bringing everlasting perfect peace, in harmony with our creator on the new earth, in everlasting life of joy and true friendship with God and all mankind.

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out." 2 Peter 3:10

"And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail."  Hebrews 1:10-12  KJV

Exhortation to Preparedness.

"Since everything (human religions and governments) is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought [you] to be, conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire.  But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."  2 Peter 3:11-13

"You, therefore, beloved ones, having this advance knowledge, be on your guard so that you may not be led astray with them by the error of the lawless people and fall from your own steadfastness.  No, but go on growing in the undeserved kindness and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.  Amen. "

2 Peter 3:14-15

"The meek shall eat and be satisfied; they shall praise Jehovah that seek him: your heart shall live (enjoy life) for ever."  Psalm 22:26  DARBY

"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever."  1 Timothy 1:17

"Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen."  1 Timothy 6:16

"To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."  Jude 1:25

[1] W.E. Vine, The Collected Writings of W.E. Vine, Vol 5, Baptism (Glasgow: Gospel Tract Publications, 1986), 93.

[2] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, ed. William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, 4th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1952), 151-2.

[3] Many examples are observed by consulting the works of Thayer, Moulton and Milligan, Bauer and others.

[4] All Scripture quotations in this article are from the KJV unless otherwise noted.

These articles are used by permission of Truth and Tidings 

Some portions borrowed from JW.org, 

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Page created by Peter Brenner October 2023

(Edited Saturday, December 20, 2025)