“As it was in the days of Noah” This phrase has been rumbling around in my head and heart in recent days. When rumbles such as this occur, it usually means the Lord desires that I write about it. Such is the case today….and maybe one day next week, as well. I feel like this topic may be deserving of more than one day, but we shall see.
This assembly of words, “As it was in the days of Noah” was dropped into my heart as my Tuesday small group has worked through our Precept study from the book of The Revelation. In Part 3 of the series, we are studying the book of The Revelation in light of what Jesus spoke concerning the end of time and His return to earth. We found ourselves studying His teachings from Matthew 24.
Matthew 24:37-39 (NIV): As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” Among Christians, there is an intense interest in when Jesus will return to earth. This interest is not peculiar to 2014, however. Jesus’ own disciples sought the answer to the question from the Man himself. If we want to garner information about when Jesus will return, we must examine His words.
Before I move on, however, please allow me to offer clarification. In NO WAY am I asserting that I know when Jesus will return to earth. I don’t. In Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32, Jesus was crystal clear that NO ONE knows the day or the hour…no man, no angels, not even Jesus. Only God knows when Jesus’ feet will touch the earthly sod again. So, if someone tells you they can predict Jesus’ return….there is a Greek word you should offer them. HOGWASH!
On we go! Since Jesus made a clear reference to ‘the days of Noah’, it is prudent for us to examine what was occurring in the days of Noah. We find Noah’s story in Genesis 6-10. Here are some descriptors that offer a glimpse into those days.
- 6:2 – Marriage was taking place.
- 6:5 and 11-12 – There was great wickedness on the earth. The Bible says that EVERY inclination of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil ALL THE TIME. Whew, that’s potent.
- 6:6 – God’s heart was grieved over man’s sinfulness.
- 6:9 – Noah loved God wholeheartedly.
- 6:13 – The earth was full of violence.
- 6:13 – God’s patience with man eventually ran out.
- 6:14-22 – Noah built an ark. It was approximately 1½ football fields long and 4 stories high.
- 7:6 – Men lived exceedingly long lives.
Let’s summarize. Daily life seems to have been the order of the day ‘in the days of Noah’. People were eating, drinking, marrying, working, and living life. The people of Noah’s day lived a long time, and their hearts were unspeakably evil. Think the atrocities of the Holocaust multiplied a few thousand times. Remember, the Word says that EVERY inclination of the hearts of man was ONLY evil ALL the time. While our world is bad, I don’t think it has reached that point yet.
God is patient, not wanting anyone to die and be separated from Him. However, just as with all good parents, there is a limit to God’s patience with His children. God apparently had had it with mankind. He was DONE! Yet, God’s grace is always abounding. He preserved a remnant by instructing Noah to build an ark to save his family and some of every kind of animal.
Let’s finish this discussion next Wednesday. As always, I am blessed by your comments.
