Matthew 24:36-37 (CSB)
“Now concerning that day and hour no one knows – neither the angels of heaven nor the Son – except the Father alone. As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be.”
As we watch and wait for the return of Jesus we are told that as it was in the days of Noah, so the return of Jesus will be. As we read on in Matthew 24, verse 38, we learn what people were doing as Noah prepared for the flood that was coming.
Matthew 24:38-39 (CSB)
“For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark. They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. This is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be.”
Matthew 24:44 (CSB)
“This is why you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
There is a clear warning in these words Jesus spoke. Last days prophecy is clearly unfolding before our eyes and we need to be prepared! We need to be prepared spiritually but also physically and mentally, because times will inevitably become much harder.
Back in Noah’s day, God saw how corrupt the earth had become and He regretted making man. We are told that Noah was a righteous man who was close to God. Then God spoke to Noah and warned him that He was going to flood the earth. God told Noah to build an ark for himself and his family. Two of every living creature and every kind of food was to be taken onboard the ark. Noah followed God’s commands.
To give you an idea of the scale of the build Noah was about to undertake, go to YouTube and search Ken Ham and Ark Encounter. From God’s measurements for the ark that He gave to Noah, which are in the Bible, a life-size replica has been made and is open to the public in Kentucky, America.
From biblical calculations we can estimate it took Noah around 75+ years to build the ark, an epic task. It seems probable that Noah lived in Mesopotamia which now lies mostly in modern Iraq and northeastern Syria, together with southeastern Turkey and western Iran. I can only imagine how Noah’s neighbours would have mocked him for building such a large ark in a land of mostly desert! But people then had become sinful, rebellious and far removed from God, and because of that they perished. There are people now that also are far removed from God and if they remain so, they too will perish.
We have the Bible to learn from; what is going to happen in the last days. We have been warned to prepare, to believe in Jesus, put our trust in Him and to watch for His return, but people still choose to ignore Him and the signs, just as people ignored Noah and warnings about the flood. They carried on as normal and perished. It doesn’t make any sense to ignore what the Bible tells us. Biblical prophecy has always come true and it continues to come true.
Hosea 4:6 (CSB)
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from serving as my priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your sons.
God was talking to the prophet Hosea about the children of Israel and how they were destroyed for lack of knowledge and disobeying the word of the Lord. God has given people every opportunity to have faith in Him and follow His commands, but many people would rather follow the world.
God has given us Jesus to believe and trust in, He is the way (the only way) to God. But God has put a time limit on people being saved and we are fast approaching the cut off date. Please don’t put off the very important decision to ask Jesus into your heart, and be saved. Tomorrow may be too late. Please don’t end up like the people who perished in Noah’s day. Jesus has promised us eternal life with Him if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior.
John 3:16 (CSB)
“For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
The clock is ticking!
Onward Christian Soldiers 