What a violent culture we live in today. Violent crime is sweeping the country. We’re afraid to go out on the streets at night. Jesus said that things would be increasingly wicked in the last days, and the climate of the time prior to His return would be similar to the climate of the time during Noah’s life. So what was it like in Noah’s time? Are there any distinguishing characteristics that parallel our own?
In Noah’s day two sins predominated: excessive violence and sexual perversion. Genesis 6:5, speaking of Noah’s time, says, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
There were other characteristics of Noah’s day as well. Jesus said, “For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe 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,” (Matt. 24:38–39).
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We might paraphrase this statement by saying it was business as usual. Noah was building a massive ark without a body of water nearby. There hadn’t even been rain on earth at that point. But Noah faithfully followed the directions God had given him. And as the years went by, he kept on with the job God called him to. No doubt people thought of Noah as some sort of crackpot.
Jesus was saying that in the last days, people also will ignore prophetic warnings. They’ll disregard the clear message of God to them. For the most part it will be business as usual. People will go on with their day-to-day activities.
What It All Means
However, the writing is on the wall for anyone who will pay attention.
And just as Noah was mocked, followers of Jesus will be mocked as well, because that, too, is a sign of the last days. People today laugh at the concept of Bible prophecy and the return of Christ, but one day their mockery will cease and their laughter will stop when Jesus fulfills His words. He is coming back.
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The apostle Paul, writing about the first arrival of Jesus Christ to this Earth, said, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons,” (Gal. 4:4–5).
And again when the time comes, Christ will return. Peter wrote: “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” (2 Pet. 3:8–9).
According to Scripture, there is a generation that will not see death. Instead they will be removed from the face of the earth in what is known as the rapture of the church. This is what Jesus was referring to when He said: “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left,” (Matt. 24:40–41).
Instantaneously millions of believers from around the globe will be caught up into God’s presence. This is spoken of elsewhere in the Bible as well. Paul wrote: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed,” (1 Cor. 15:51–52).
And John wrote: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is,” (1 John 3:2).
A Happy Anticipation
Christ is coming for His church, and He said: “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also,” (John 14:2–3).
In the original language, the phrase “come and get you” implies seizing by force. That is exactly what Jesus will do. He will return and take His people into His presence.
Are you ready for His return? Are you looking for it? It means being ready to meet Him. It means living in anticipation of the return of Christ.
To put it another way, it means that you shouldn’t be doing things that would hinder your spiritual life. The teaching of the return of Christ should serve as a motivator, as a comfort to you. As John said, “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure,” (1 John 3:3).
A. B. Simpson pointed out: “There are two ways of looking at the Lord’s coming: a looking for it and looking at it. It is possible to look at it with keen intellect and a profound interest, and yet have it mean nothing to us personally. It is also possible to know but little of the theology of the subject, and yet have a deep and holy longing for the Lord to appear. May this theme be not only our study but also our personal hope.”
It isn’t just intellectually saying, “I know Christ will come again.” Rather, it’s looking for and welcoming His return. And if there’s anything in our lives that should be changed, anything that is not right with God, we should deal with it now.
This article by Greg Laurie was originally published by Harbinger’s Daily (harbingersdaily.com), and is republished here with their permission.
Greg Laurie is an evangelist, author, and the senior pastor of Harvest Riverside.
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