As In The Days of Noah

As in the Days of Noah by Don Vess

Gen 6:5-22- The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.  6  So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart.  7  And the Lord said, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them.”  8  But Noah found favor with the Lord.
9  This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.  10  Noah was the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11  Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence.  12  God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt.  13  So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!

14  “Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. 15  Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. 16  Leave an 18-inch opening below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat—lower, middle, and upper. (The ark was as long a football field and a half and as tall as a 4-story building) 17  “Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die.  18  But I will confirm my covenant with you. So, enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives.  19  Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood.  20  Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive.  21  And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals.” 22  So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him. The last sentence is what this whole passage of Scripture is all about. One man stood alone, acted out of obedience to God in building the ark all the while preaching a warning about the coming rains that were going to produce a world-wide flood. He did this for 120 years in the face of ridicule and a decadent, violent, sinful, and murderous society. They were obstinate and did not heed the warnings of Noah until only Noah and his wife, three sons and their wives entered into the safety of the ark.

In Gen. 7:5 it says again, “And Noah did according to all that the Lord had commanded him.

Its interesting to note that Jesus prophesied that the days leading up to His second coming would be “like the days of Noah.” Matt. 24:36-39 NLT- However, now one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son Himself. When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 38 In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up until the time Noah entered his boat. 39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is what it will be like when the Son of Man comes.

The people or Noah’s day had heard about the old man building a boat in preparation of an impending flood. Since they had never seen a flood and since they had never seen it rain it must have sounded strange to hear Noah preaching to them to enter the ark and save their families from impending judgment. But since they had never seen a flood, they thought it highly unlikely that such a thing was going to happen. They probably marveled and even laughed as they saw him loading animal feed and then later animals themselves onto the ark. They laughed right up until Noah’s family entered ark and God shut the door.

Our society has grown violent and obstinate against God, just like Noah’s
generation. Centuries have passed since Jesus ascended up into the heavens with the promise that He was coming back in the same manner that His disciples saw Him leave.

Acts 1:9-11 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see Him. 10 As they strained to see Him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “Why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

Men scoff at Jesus and make a mockery of His name. But Peter prophesied of that too. 2 Peter 3:3-13 NLT- Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth, and following their own desires. 4 They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” 5 They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of His command, and He brought the earth out of the water and surrounded it with water. 6 Then He used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. 7 And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire.

They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. 8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like one day. 9 The Lord isn’t really slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 10 But the Day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief.

Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the whole earth and everything in it will be found to deserve judgement. 11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you
should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, He will set the heavens and a new earth He has promise, a world filled with God’s righteousness.

What stands out to me in all that Jesus said, Peter said, and the account of Noah is the indifference of society. It is the same today. Jesus said,
Matt 24:12 NIV- “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” The NLT reads “Sin will be rampant everywhere, and love of most will grow cold.” We are in the days Jesus was speaking of. If you don’t see it, you need to open your eyes.

Jesus said there would be a great falling away before His return. We are witnessing it with our own eyes. But what about us?

How should we respond?

1. We should examine our own selves and evaluate our own spiritual
condition:

2 Cor. 13:5 NLT- Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.

2 Peter 1:3-11 NLT- By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-
control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. 7 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are short- sighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

10 So dear brothers and sisters, work hard to make sure you are really among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, AND YOU WILL NEVER FALL AWAY. 11 Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2. We should be about our father’s business:

Matt 28:19-20 NLT The Great Commission! - ..go, and make disciples of all nations (ethnos: People groups), baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commandments I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Invitation:

Take a moment and examine yourself.

Where do you stand with Jesus Christ? 

Peter closed his letters to the church with the following
statement: 2 Pet. 3:17-18 NLT- I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. 18 Rather, you MUST grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Are You ready?