As in the Days of Noah

“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.” Matthew 24:37

I came across this quote by John Stott, who was a British Christian leader and Anglican pastor noted as a leader of the worldwide Evangelical movement.

“Much that we take for granted in a civilized society is based upon the assumption of human sin. Nearly all legislation has grown because human beings cannot be trusted to settle their own disputes with justice and without self-interest. A promise is not enough; we need a contract. Doors are not enough; we have to lock and bolt them. The payment of fares is not enough; tickets have to be issued, inspected and collected. Law and order are not enough; we need the police to enforce them. All this is due to man’s sin. We cannot trust each other. We need protection against one another. It is a terrible indictment of human nature.”

This quote lays out exactly the heart of unregenerate man as stated in the scriptures. We see this in Jeremiah where he wrote,

“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9  

From the time man sinned in the garden, he continued falling further and further away from the God who is there and who created him, ending in a world where God actually regretted making man. We see this in Genesis 6.

“The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” Genesis 6:5-6.

It was so bad God found only one man, along with his family, whose heart was toward Him. Everyone on the face of the earth, except Noah and his family, were destroyed by a flood on account of the wickedness that was prevalent in the world. And we see in our focus verse that Jesus said to His disciples that in the last days, just before the coming of Christ, it would be like the days of Noah prior to the flood.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:36-39.

So, was Jesus speaking of this time period? Is unregenerate man today the same as those in the days of Noah? If we are not there now, we are definitely heading quickly in that direction. Now before I continue, I want to give this caveat. I am not saying that all unsaved individuals exhibit these characteristics. I am looking at the group as a whole. Therefore, I see this as a conglomerate of all unsaved people. I believe that mankind is growing increasingly evil as time goes on. He is becoming increasingly narcissistic, doing things that are best for himself, often with no thought about the consequences of others. It used to be that children were safe walking the streets of their neighborhoods. However, children now can be targets for people desiring to sell them for nefarious purposes. More people than ever are killing innocent bystanders; the Connecticut school shooting in 2012  and the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 are just a few examples. The number of abortions performed each year is increasing, and the stigma behind killing the unborn is basically gone. Many sins that once were taboo are now considered mainstream. Moreover, when it comes to contemporary television and movies, not much is left to our imaginations anymore. We live in a world where the absence of morals, compassion, and plain decency is becoming the norm in this world.

There is so much more I could add to the above list. However, I believe my point is clear. The more the world moves into the darkness, the more it becomes incumbent on us who are True Believers to be the light on a hill mentioned in Matthew 5. 

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16.

And what are we call to do?

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20.

We need to show this world we are different, that we are the Noah’s of this generation. Noah did everything God told him to do, and for at least 120 years, was a witness to his contemporaries. He never compromised. And it is imperative we never compromise either. If our friends, whether they claim to be Christians or not, are discussing things of an improper nature, we must not join the talk or we become compromised. If they take supplies home from a company for personal use without permission, we must not participate, or we are compromised. We must not talk about others behind their back in a negative light, for that is gossip and is compromising. We must do nothing that is compromising our faith, for it  darkens the light that is to shine forth. All we need to do is show the world we say one thing and do another or do something contrary to the Word we claim to follow, and our light to the world dims. Yes, modern man is becoming much like the people of Noah’s day. And it is important that we live our lives as Noah and his family, who’s hearts were focused on God and His will. We must not compromise, or we are no different than the unsaved.

The world system is totally against God and His ways. The closer we get to the end, the worse things will get. We see this everywhere we look. It is important that we study His Word, pray, and fellowship with God and His people in order to resist the temptation to conform to the world’s ways. 

“But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” John 17:13-16.

We are called to be salt and light, to show the world the truth, compelling them to enter into His salvation. We are called to counter the wickedness that is quickly growing and becoming more of a factor in every part of our society. We are called to stand true in the face of any adversity and never conform to the ways of this culture. Remember, we are in the world, but not of the world. We must be cognizant of what we are doing at all times, and when we find ourselves falling short, we must cry out to God, repent, and then seriously decide never to do it again. Then our light will shine bright once again. 

So, as it was in the days of Noah, it has become again today. The unbelieving world is racing toward the darkness and the True Believers, just like Noah who lived a holy life before a watching world, should be pointing to the one way of escape from the coming destruction; the wooden Ark back then, and today the living Ark, that being Christ.