Monday, October 5, 2015

THE DAYS OF NOAH AND THE LORD’S RETURN


These verses came to mind this morning as I was thinking about something to share with you.

Matthew 24:37–42 “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”

These verses continue to remind me that the coming of my LORD is very near.  The days of Noah were days in which no one suspected that something disastrous was about to happen.  The days of Noah are noted as days when the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5)

These truths are so intertwined with my thoughts about our nation and the world today, that I am looking for the LORD to come and take all true believers home at any moment. 

The context of the scripture precludes the reference being to the return of Jesus as King of kings to set up His kingdom on earth.  Things on earth will in no way be comparable to life as usual at that time in light of all the judgments detailed in the book of Revelation as preceding that moment.  It is not a time when only certain people will disappear (“be taken”) and others left behind. 

The time when Jesus returns to set up His kingdom is identified as 1260 days after the Antichrist declares himself to be God and establishes his throne in the temple of God.  This is a time that can be marked on the calendar—not a time in which “you do not know what hour.”

2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

(If you need more explanation, see the commentary on 2Thessalonians 2 and Revelation 13 on my website.)

The “wickedness of man” and “evil” are identified in accordance with God’s truth as defined in scripture.  It seems that today such wickedness and evil are far more readily embraced as the norm and as acceptable behavior than ever before—certainly in our nation’s history. 

Noah is identified in the word of God as a preacher of righteousness…

2 Peter 2:4–5 “…God…spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly….”

…a voice that the people of his day chose to reject.  So today, there are still some powerful voices of testimony to the truth striving to be heard; but, as a whole, the people of our nation and the world are choosing to reject that truth and embrace the ways of the “god of this world.”

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

Galatians 5:19–21 “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like….”

I pray that you are in the camp of believers that are waiting with expectation for His return.   As we wait, please remember that the LORD warned us that we would suffer tribulation.

John 16:33 “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

So when we process the news about people who identify themselves as Christians, as followers of Jesus, who are persecuted and even killed for their faith, we need to stand strong in the faith.  Paul encouraged the church at Thessalonica in the same way. 

1 Thessalonians 3:3–4 “…that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation….”

We need to pray that in some way their testimonies will be used to bring others to faith.  The promises we should cling to are that the LORD is working everything for good that touches the lives of those that love Him and that we aren’t meant to understand why He allows these things.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Isaiah 55:8–9 ““For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

We are to focus on the truth that His grace is sufficient for whatever we may face in the future and that the death of a believer only results in the blessing of being in His presence.

2 Corinthians 12:9 “…My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

2 Corinthians 5:6–8 “So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”

Come Lord Jesus!

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