Jesus spoke of the worldliness of Noah’s generation, “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” (Matthew 24:38, 39).
God did not judge Noah’s generation for eating and drinking; for He had given them the fruits of the earth in great abundance to supply their physical wants. But their sin involved taking these gifts without thankfulness to the Giver, and demeaning themselves by indulging appetite without limitation.
It was certainly lawful for Noah’s generation to marry. Marriage was in God’s order; it was one of the first institutions which He established. He gave special directions concerning this order, clothing it with holiness and beauty; but these directions were forgotten, and human relationships were depraved and used for evil passions.
A similar condition of things exists today. That which is lawful in itself is carried to excess . Professed followers of Christ are today eating and drinking with the drunken. Intemperance numbs the moral and spiritual powers. People are living for the pleasures of this world.
As God before the Flood, sent Noah to warn the world, that the people might be led to repentance, and thus escape destruction, today and before Christ’s second coming, the Lord will send His servants with a warning to the world to get ready for that great event. All who will forsake their sins by repentance toward God and faith in Christ will be offered pardon.
Before the Lawgiver shall come to judge the disobedient, the law breakers are warned to repent, and return to God; but with the majority these warnings will be hopeless. The apostle Peter said, “There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning” (2 Peter 3:3, 4).
Jesus asked an important question, “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8 also 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1). Therefore, let’s be ready for “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
