AS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH

Taking a closer look at what Jesus said.

What does the Bible really mean when referencing, "as in the days of Noah?" Even if you have read these verses many times before; please slow down and read them fresh again today. What is the essence of what is being said? 

First, let's consider Matthew and then Luke.

• Matthew 24:36-39 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 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."

Is this about "the way they were living" or "the timing"?

• Matthew 24:40-44 "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. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

This is a harvest. The righteous ones are taken, the unrighteous are left.

• Matthew 24:45-51 "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

The ones left, who had been of the Master's house, who then chose the way of the world, will have their portion with the hypocrites and with a weeping and gnashing of teeth.

It is about timing, that no one knew the day or hour but the Father... And being ready. Living worthy and in expectation.

Were these verses simply about how evil people were? Or are they about being right with God, because a person does not know when He is coming, and He wants us to make it?

Now, the account as it is in Luke:


• Luke 17:20-24 "Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you." Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!' Do not go after them or follow them. For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day."
  

That his disciples will be longing for the day but will have to wait and in the meantime, do not be fooled. And when the day comes, the whole sky will light up and then will the Son of Man suddenly comes.

• Luke 17:25-28 "But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built"

In neither case here did He elaborate on the evilness of them but that life was going on: eating, drinking, planting, marrying, building etc.

• Luke 17:29-32 "but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot's wife."

Something back in Sodom had her heart. And the Lord had said not to look back. We must be faithful to the Lord. Nothing in this world is worth losing our future over.

• Luke 17:33-36 "Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left."

Once again, this is a harvest. The righteous are removed and spared. And the ones left have to face the judgment and wrath of God.

• Luke 17:37 "And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?" So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

The Lord is referring here to buzzards. Where you see roadkill or carcasses, there you will find the buzzards. The Two Witnesses will be killed and the whole lost world will rejoice. But at the end of 3 ½ days, they will be resurrected and when a voice from heaven says, “Come up here,” and not only will “the Two Witnesses” rise, but those who are “still alive” will rise to meet Him also and the graves will open and the bodies of those who previously died in the Lord, their bodies will rise first and be changed in the twinkling of an eye and all go to be with the Lord forever.

Notice what the Lord followed this with...

• Luke 18:1-8 "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.' And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.' " Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

Questions & Considerations:

Is it merely, that life will be going on as usual when “the Day” comes?

Is it, that it will “only” be “evil times” as in those days before deliverance of the righteous and judgment on the wicked?

Might it be that, no one knew the day or hour as in those days before deliverance of the righteous and judgment on the wicked?

Is it that a harvest happens- like with Noah & family/Lot and family, where righteous people were saved from the judgment that came on the unrighteous and this will happen again?

We also know that Noah (and family) and Lot (and family) were remnants to say the least... They were righteous people surrounded by evil.

Also, in 2 Peter 2:5, Peter said Noah was “a preacher of righteousness.”

Peter in the next 2 verses said that Lot “was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds).

And in closing, look at the heart of Jesus when He said: "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

Will there still be preachers of righteousness? Will there still be a righteous people left to be oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked and tormented by seeing and hearing of the day's lawless deeds?

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