When Scripture is silent on something, we often make an assumptions about what likely happened based on our own predilections masquerading as logic.
Here’s an example: Did Methuselah die in the Great Flood? Gen. 7:6 tells us that Noah was 600 years old at the time of the flood. That means his dad Lamech, who was 182 at Noah’s birth, Gen. 5:28, was born 782 years before the flood. Coincidentally (or perhaps not coincidentally) Methuselah lived 782 years after Lamech was born, Gen. 5:26. So Methuselah died in the year of the flood. But IN the flood? We don’t know.
It is tempting to assume that if Methuselah were still alive when the rains came, Noah would have found a spot on the Ark for his grandpa, and Genesis would have mentioned this elderly passenger. Such an assumption fits nicely with our presuppositions about the kind of man Noah was, and perhaps that Methuselah was. But in my view, these sorts of temptations must be resisted. Living with the uncertainty is preferable to guessing wrong.
As a warm up, I’ve intentionally given an example where the “right” answer is insignificant in the grand scheme of Biblical things. Before the fastballs start coming, I’ll just ask: who agrees with me that filling in Scriptural blanks is in invitation to indulge our biases?
This is good. Indeed "Living with the uncertainty is preferable to guessing wrong."
As for Methuselah, the flood of Noah's time was a foreshadowing of the greater flood of the spirit which was to come according to the prophecy of Joel. Wherein God promised, saying "
never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth” (Genesis 9:11b). Notice that His promise is not to never again flood the earth, but by qualification, is rather a promise never to "
destroy the earth" (with a flood of water). The promise is rather a clarification, not of what He will do, but of what He will not do.
Joel's prophecy, on the other hand, is what God will do. Which is also a flood of sorts, as it is a promise to "
pour out His spirit upon all flesh." Which is indeed, not to "
destroy" the earth--but to save it. None of which is physical, but spiritual, as He is spirit.
It is right therefore that Methuselah be present in the world within the time of God's destroying, but not present in the world after--but rather in heaven. Thus, the days of his life in the world align with the foreshadowing of the end of all flesh.
