watch

As in the Days of Noah

The condition of the world at the time of the Lord’s return is compared to the days of Noah and the Flood. The condition of humanity at the time of Christ’s return will be pleasure-oriented and motivated by self-interest. Unconcerned about God’s purposes, they will instead mock God’s Word. The eating and drinking, and marrying and giving in marriage probably refers to being busily caught up in the normal course of life without heeding the warnings of the coming judgment. Just like the people of Noah’s day didn’t know the severity and suddenness of the coming destruction, so this present generation seems totally unprepared for Christ’s return.

Although Matthew 24:36 says that we won’t know the exact day or hour of His return, verses 1-6 in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 tells us that as followers of Christ, we will not be totally surprised. Just as a pregnant woman knows the approximate time that she will have her baby, believers know from prophecy and what Jesus told His disciples in Scripture the “approximate season” of His return. However, for those who are in darkness, His coming is compared to a thief coming in the night. Verses 4 and 5 tell us that believers shouldn’t be surprised, because it says that we are children of light and not in darkness concerning His return. Therefore, we are to be alert!

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman; and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all children of light and children of the day: we are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.”

Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, there has never been a time in life where sin hasn’t existed. However, due to the extreme wickedness that will exist in the end times, there’s a verse in the Bible that asks if there will be any faith on earth at the time of Christ’s return; Also, 2 Timothy 3:1-5 gives a description of that wickedness that will be prevalent in the last days: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

Just as in Noah’s day, there was widespread corruption and violence, rebellion against God, immorality, etc., so these things are all characteristic of the days in which we are living. And yet, even with so much apathy in our nation and our world, as Christians, we must not allow apathy to dull our senses. We must not allow our love for God and others to grow cold, nor forget that there is a coming judgment.

Much of the world is indifferent to the hope of Jesus Christ, and many are working to bring in a new world order based on evolutionary humanism. Some deny the existence of God, and others do not believe in a personal Creator God–a God who out of love for humanity, sent His Son to take all the sin of the world upon Him; He died this horrible death on a cross to reconcile mankind to a holy God.

I want to encourage everyone who reads this blog to take these warnings seriously. I would also like to encourage you to visit the Answers in Genesis replica of Noah’s Ark (Ark Encounter). If you are already a follower of Jesus, you will find this museum a real faith-builder, and if you are not a believer, you will find answers to many of the questions that have made you doubt the historicity of the universal flood and the record of Noah and the ark.

I have also included 3 of the main passages of Scripture I used to write this blog:

  • Matthew 24:37-44 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then two shall be in the field; one shall be taken, and the other left. Two will be grinding at the mill; one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for you know not what hour your Lord comes. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore be also ready: for in such an hour as you think not, the Son of man will come.
  • 2 Peter 2:4,5 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment: and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly.
  • 2 Peter 3:3-10 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days mockers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers died, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. For this they are willingly ignorant, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water: but the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

Check out this post from a fellow blogger: http://roadlesstraveledtours.com/our-help-in-time-of-trouble/

Put on the Armor of God in order to Stand in the Evil Day

In order to live a victorious life in Christ, we must first recognize that there is a serious spiritual war going on around us all the time. The battles in this war are for the hearts, minds, and souls of humanity. Since Satan knows that his time is short, he wants to take as many people to hell with him as he can. This never-ending war will continue until the Lord’s return, and if we want to be the “peculiar treasure” of God that shines in this dark world, we must “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Eph. 6:10).

Too often Christians get busy and distracted by temporary things rather than keeping our minds focused on eternity. We forget that “our adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8) The Bible tells us to resist him. James 4:7 says to “submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you,” and verse 8 says if we draw nigh to God that He will draw nigh to us.

I’m not sure that adults take this passage in Ephesians 6 seriously enough. These verses are often used in children’s Sunday School classes and in Vacation Bible School, because children enjoy coloring and making the armor pieces. That’s great, but adults need to recognize the urgency of putting on this armor, too. We need to stand against the “wiles of the devil” (verse 11), because Satan and his demons have carefully devised schemes and tactics that they use against people, and they have had many years to practice and improve their strategies.

We are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against these wicked spiritual beings, so we should realize that we cannot fight these battles in the flesh. We must with God’s help use the provisions of this armor, relying upon His power in order to stand strong against the enemy. This is not a one time attack. These attacks will come again and again, so we must stay watchful and alert.

I will try to summarize the six pieces of armor (see Ephesians 6:11-18) that we must put on. First, we have the belt of truth. Knowing the truth of God’s Word will keep us from the deception of false teachers and cults. The breastplate of righteousness represents the godly character that results from obeying the truth that we know. Shoes that are the preparation of the gospel of peace remind us that we are to be peacemakers just as Christ tell us in Matthew 5:9. In order to share the gospel in this troubled world, we need to be at peace with God, others, and with ourself. Completely trusting God and all of His Word is like a shield, allowing us to quench the fiery darts of the enemy. The helmet of salvation reminds us of the hope we have because we have believed what Christ’s death on the cross did for us, repented of our sins, and we now live as “new creatures in Christ”. The sword of the Spirit is the offensive weapon that we use to fight the enemy. After Jesus spent those 40 days in the wilderness, the devil came to tempt Him, and in response to each temptation, Jesus spoke truths from the Word of God until the devil departed. That means that we must read and know His Word in order to use this weapon well. And finally remember to watch and pray always for ourselves, and for all believers, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.