-------------As The Days Of Noah Were----------

Jesus said, "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." Matthew 24:37

Jesus was saying that when mankind is behaving similar to the way they behaved just before He flooded the Earth, He will soon return to Earth to set up His kingdom. How were the conditions on this planet in Noah's day? Are the conditions on Earth similar today? Is there something unique about Noah's time that is different from other ages?

Genesis 6:11 states 11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. Corruption and violence have always been present on earth so what would make Noah's time unique from other eras? Apparently, everyone was corrupt with the exception of Noah's family. We see corruption today in different groups but not on a worldwide scale. There are still plenty of upright and honest people in this world. They are not corrupt. So could Jesus return to Earth today? If He did, then He would be making His statement about the days being like Noah's day a lie. Jesus cannot lie so He cannot return to Earth to set up His earthly kingdom today.

Jesus can call His church home at anytime but He cannot return to Earth because we are not in the tribulation period. During the tribulation period, the world will become corrupt and be filled with violence. The further into the tribulation period, the worse it will get.

Genes 6:5 states Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Is every intent of the thoughts of man only evil continually today? Of course not. There are millions of people who believe in God, attend worship services, and try to live the kind of life that God would have them to live. Of course, there are many whose thoughts are only evil always.

For all of mankind to think only evil thoughts continually, a major change has to occur on this planet. The seeds of this change have already been planted. What makes a person evil anyway? The answer is selfishness. When people only think of themselves without regard for their fellow man, then they become evil. 1 Timothy 6:12 states For the love of money is the root of all evil: Why do people love money? So they can buy things for themselves. Money is a necessary tool in our society but the love of money can cause people to do all kinds of sinful things: embezzling funds, selling drugs, robbing banks and stores, prostitution, etc. All of these activities are rooted in selfishness.

In Noah's day, selfishness was the order of the day. Genesis 6:1 & 2 states 1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. Jesus said, For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage Matthew 24:38.

The people of Noah's day were marrying whomever they wanted to. If the men saw a woman they were attracted to, they married them. It didn't matter if they were already married or not. Polygamy was the order of the day. It is possible that the Sons of God referred to in Genesis were angels but scripture says angels "neither marry or are given in marriage". In today's society, divorce is common simply because one or both of the married partners tire of each other and thus they marry someone else. Homosexuals want to validate their chosen lifestyles by getting married. People of today are practicing what the people of Noah's day did: marrying whomever they wanted to without regard to prior commitments or relationships.

The population of the planet in Noah's day did not know the one true God. Instead, they worshiped idols and idolatry is a form of demon worship. Do we have demon worship in the world today? If you look at such things as witchcraft, astrology, reincarnation, the various religions who do not worship Christ, and the new age movement, then you would correctly conclude that demon worship is rampant and widespread in the world today. In fact, the whole world will one day worship Satan in the form of the coming Antichrist.

Noah's day was filled with violence and terrorism. Those exist today. There are many criminals and terrorists in the world today but the majority of the population are neither criminals nor terrorists. The presence of the Holy Spirit in the world prevents the population from descending into chaos and violence. Genesis 6:3 states And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. God told Noah that mankind had 120 years in which to repent from their sinful ways and turn to God but no one believed Noah so all mankind perished 120 years later with the exception of Noah's family. There was plenty of room in the ark for other people if they had of believed Noah and repented.

What is the modern day parallel to this story? What change must take place in order for the world to become "like the days of Noah"? The answer is found in 2nd Thessalonians Chapter 2 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

It is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit which prevents the coming Antichrist from coming to power. The Holy Spirit resides in all who have put their trust and faith in Jesus Christ. As long as God's church (the true church which consists of every person who knows Christ personally no matter what denomination they belong to) is present on Earth, Christ cannot return because the days are not yet like the days of Noah. There are too many people who seek to do good not evil. It is when Christ calls his church to meet Him in the air to be taken to their heavenly home that the presence of the Holy Spirit will depart and planet Earth will begin to deteriorate into a very violent and corrupt world.

Why? Because they did not believe the truth just as the people of Noah's day refused to believe the truth.

Are you ready to go home?

Copyright 2004 by Gary Goodworth