January 27, 2023
Surely the LORD God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7
The antediluvians did not welcome the loving warnings of God through Noah. Blinded by sin, their initial incredulity grew into scoffing and open ridicule of the man who had found favor in the sight of God. Over a period of 120 years, God gave them time to alter their course as Noah built the ark to God’s specifications, with lots of rooms and space. Not only did the people repeatedly refuse the invitations to come into the ark, but their lack of repentance produced iniquity of such enormity that their minds were rendered incapable of discerning the gravity of their own situation. The preparations made by the “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5) were certainly not taken seriously. The people were busy; so very busy with what they deemed important. There may have been a few in the crowd who were almost persuaded, but even these allowed the peer pressure, mocking, and scorn of others toward Noah to affect their own personal decisions.
Isn’t that a fitting description of today’s world? Perpetual frenetic activity with barely a thought of the Creator and Redeemer or His longsuffering nature. And even though we know not the day nor the hour of His return, it is evident that the season of His coming is upon us. Beloved, let us encourage each other to get ready, be ready, and stay ready for His glorious arrival! Am I sharing truth with those around me? Do I love my neighbor with a willingness to invest time, pointing toward Biblical answers to the perplexities of life in a fallen world? Distractions and deceptions abound. Yet the Holy Spirit continues to provide opportunities to build our own faith and that of others.
Jesus said, “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.” Matthew 24: 37-39
For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. Hebrews 10:36-39