| The Greatest Story Ever Told About The Greatest Man That Ever Lived |
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the
Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days
before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day
Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took
them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one
will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and
the other left. (Matthew 24:36-41)
Much has been written about this passage of scripture from Matthew 24 with various meanings and
interpretations. Some have only used one or two verses to support their doctrines disregarding the
rest of the verses that follow. This is how you make the bible sound like anything you want it to
sound like instead of understanding what it really says. If we take this apart line by line you will
see what I mean.
Let's start with verse 36. Over the years some have claimed that they did know the day and hour
even though Jesus clearly said that only God knows the day and hour. They were so sure that they
were right that they even went public with it and deceived many followers into believing in them,
many of who lost not only their possessions but also their faith when it didn't happen. This is why
we have to be very careful what we teach as James said. (James 3:1) This also is true for verse
37. I have heard bible scholars use only this verse to say that the Nephillim were in the earth in
those days, and therefore they will be on the earth again soon, completely disregarding verses
38 to 40. So let's take it apart and see.
In verse 37, Jesus said that as it was during the days of Noah so it will be when he returns. So the
first question is: "What was it like in the days of Noah". Well we don't have to do much research
on that, because Jesus answers that question in verses 38 to 40. Of course we could say many
many things about what it was like, but if we follow the train of thought that Jesus was presenting
here, he concentrates on the general attitude of the people. He says that in those days people were
simply carrying on with their day to day lives. They were eating, drinking, partying and having fun
right up to the day Noah entered the ark. And yes, the Nephillim were on the earth in those days.
They and their offspring may also have been partying and having fun as many of the people in those
days were related to the Nephillim. Genesis chapter 6 discusses this, how there were giants in the
earth in those days when the sons of god took the daughters of men as their wives and had
offspring with them. The Nephillim mixed their seed with the seed of man and perverted the human
race. Enoch wrote about them as well. The Book of Enoch talks about 200 "watchers" who made a
pact and descended onto the earth to mingle themselves with God's creation. So yes, the Nephillim
were a part of Noah's generation and were very instrumental in changing life on earth. But I don't
believe that this was the point that Jesus was making here.
Jesus was making a comparison to how life was going on as normal then and said that it would be
going on as normal when he returns. People were going about their daily lives just like they are
now. They were eating, drinking, marrying, and so on. They didn't think the end was near or that
they were facing any future calamity. They believed that life would keep going on as it always had.
They lived this way right up to the day that Noah entered the ark. But look at what the next verse
says, which I believe is the key to this entire passage and the point that Jesus was making here.
"And they knew nothing about what would happen..." This is the kicker. This is the point they
completely missed. They knew nothing about what was coming. They completely ignored the
warnings. Let's take a closer look at this to understand it's meaning.
Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days
before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day
Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took
them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one
will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and
the other left. (Matthew 24:36-41)
Much has been written about this passage of scripture from Matthew 24 with various meanings and
interpretations. Some have only used one or two verses to support their doctrines disregarding the
rest of the verses that follow. This is how you make the bible sound like anything you want it to
sound like instead of understanding what it really says. If we take this apart line by line you will
see what I mean.
Let's start with verse 36. Over the years some have claimed that they did know the day and hour
even though Jesus clearly said that only God knows the day and hour. They were so sure that they
were right that they even went public with it and deceived many followers into believing in them,
many of who lost not only their possessions but also their faith when it didn't happen. This is why
we have to be very careful what we teach as James said. (James 3:1) This also is true for verse
37. I have heard bible scholars use only this verse to say that the Nephillim were in the earth in
those days, and therefore they will be on the earth again soon, completely disregarding verses
38 to 40. So let's take it apart and see.
In verse 37, Jesus said that as it was during the days of Noah so it will be when he returns. So the
first question is: "What was it like in the days of Noah". Well we don't have to do much research
on that, because Jesus answers that question in verses 38 to 40. Of course we could say many
many things about what it was like, but if we follow the train of thought that Jesus was presenting
here, he concentrates on the general attitude of the people. He says that in those days people were
simply carrying on with their day to day lives. They were eating, drinking, partying and having fun
right up to the day Noah entered the ark. And yes, the Nephillim were on the earth in those days.
They and their offspring may also have been partying and having fun as many of the people in those
days were related to the Nephillim. Genesis chapter 6 discusses this, how there were giants in the
earth in those days when the sons of god took the daughters of men as their wives and had
offspring with them. The Nephillim mixed their seed with the seed of man and perverted the human
race. Enoch wrote about them as well. The Book of Enoch talks about 200 "watchers" who made a
pact and descended onto the earth to mingle themselves with God's creation. So yes, the Nephillim
were a part of Noah's generation and were very instrumental in changing life on earth. But I don't
believe that this was the point that Jesus was making here.
Jesus was making a comparison to how life was going on as normal then and said that it would be
going on as normal when he returns. People were going about their daily lives just like they are
now. They were eating, drinking, marrying, and so on. They didn't think the end was near or that
they were facing any future calamity. They believed that life would keep going on as it always had.
They lived this way right up to the day that Noah entered the ark. But look at what the next verse
says, which I believe is the key to this entire passage and the point that Jesus was making here.
"And they knew nothing about what would happen..." This is the kicker. This is the point they
completely missed. They knew nothing about what was coming. They completely ignored the
warnings. Let's take a closer look at this to understand it's meaning.
The Days of Noah
It took Noah about 100 years to build the ark that God had commanded him to build. He built it in
the middle of the desert. At that time it had never rained, but a mist came up and watered the
whole earth. Rain? What do you mean Noah, there's no such thing as rain. I can just imaging a
scene like that today. What a crazy old man, they would say, building an ark in the middle of the
desert because something called rain is going to fall from the sky and flood the earth. What a
nut. And for 100 years they joked about it. They laughed at him, they teased him, the ridiculed
him, but that didn't stop Noah because he knew what God had told him and he believed God. But
the people didn't, and as a result they knew nothing of what would happen. But sure enough, it
did happen just as God said it would..."and the flood came and took them all away". And only
Noah and his sons and their wives escaped along with the animals that God brought to Noah.
Jesus finishes that passage with "so shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man." So what does
that mean? Does it mean that there will be another flood? Of course not because God said that
he would never do that again. So how will it be the same as in Noah's day? Here is how I see it.
Jesus was warning us that as Noah was warning his generation that the end was near, so many
Christians are warning the world that the end is near now and that everyone should get right with
God and ask Jesus to be their saviour. Because as the flood came and took them all away then,
God's judgment and wrath is going to soon be released on the earth and take many unbelievers
away as well. And as the people were totally preoccupied with their life then, they are also
preoccupied with their life now and don't have time for God. They are too busy with their sports,
movies, music, ipods, ipads, and social media sites to make time for God. And they believe that
life will go on as it always has, completely unaware that we are in the end days and will soon face
the coming judgment of God on this earth. That's how it was in Noah's day, and that is how it is
now.
In both cases, they knew nothing of what would happen until the flood (judgment) came and
washed them all away.
There are many parallels that can be drawn from both of these time periods. People disregard
God's message today as they did in Noah's day. People make fun of Christians as they did of
Noah. Christians are being faithful as Noah was. The flood did come, and God's judgment will
also come soon. Something called rain did come, and the Day of the Lord will also come with all
the bowls of judgment. I believe that this was the point that Jesus was making. That when he
returns, the attitude of the people will be the same as it was in Noah's day....unbelief and
unfaithfulness. This was why he said when I return will I find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8)
Jesus wraps this up with verses 40 and 41 where he says that one will be taken and another left.
What he means is that a Christian and an unbeliever will be working together and the Christian will
be taken away and the unbeliever will be left behind. I believe that he is referring to the rapture of
the church here. This is when all Christians are taken off the earth before the start of the Great
Tribulation period. Jesus will come down and meet the saints in the clouds and take them up to
heaven for a 7 year orientation period after which they come back to earth with him to reign and
rule for a thousand years.
So it all makes sense. In Matthew 24 Jesus was telling his disciples what the end times will look
like just before he returns. He describes many things like floods, wars, famine, and so on and
goes on to draw a parallel between the attitude of the people during Noah's time and today. In
Noah's day the people were just as unbelieving, uncaring, and preoccupied with their life as they
are today. And Jesus is saying see, the people then are just like the people now, that's what it's
going to be like. The only difference is that he was saying this to his disciples so the proper way
to say it would be: just like the people were in Noah's day, that's what they will be like when I
return. Completely wrapped up in their own lives and totally oblivious of God.
That's the message here, and sadly the way the world is now. As many knew nothing then, many
know nothing now. The figures from 2011 show that 32% of the world considers themselves
Christian. Of that number I would guess that less than 20% are true born again believers. The
rest may be "religious" but not Christian. This means that 80% of the world is going to a lost
eternity.
It also means that being a Christian is becoming unpopular, old fashioned, and sets the stage for
the "great deception" that will come upon the earth and deceive many who know nothing of what
is to come. It's up to us to reach as many as we can with the Gospel of Jesus Christ before he
returns. It's our last chance. Please do what you can to spread the word because the time is short.
the middle of the desert. At that time it had never rained, but a mist came up and watered the
whole earth. Rain? What do you mean Noah, there's no such thing as rain. I can just imaging a
scene like that today. What a crazy old man, they would say, building an ark in the middle of the
desert because something called rain is going to fall from the sky and flood the earth. What a
nut. And for 100 years they joked about it. They laughed at him, they teased him, the ridiculed
him, but that didn't stop Noah because he knew what God had told him and he believed God. But
the people didn't, and as a result they knew nothing of what would happen. But sure enough, it
did happen just as God said it would..."and the flood came and took them all away". And only
Noah and his sons and their wives escaped along with the animals that God brought to Noah.
Jesus finishes that passage with "so shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man." So what does
that mean? Does it mean that there will be another flood? Of course not because God said that
he would never do that again. So how will it be the same as in Noah's day? Here is how I see it.
Jesus was warning us that as Noah was warning his generation that the end was near, so many
Christians are warning the world that the end is near now and that everyone should get right with
God and ask Jesus to be their saviour. Because as the flood came and took them all away then,
God's judgment and wrath is going to soon be released on the earth and take many unbelievers
away as well. And as the people were totally preoccupied with their life then, they are also
preoccupied with their life now and don't have time for God. They are too busy with their sports,
movies, music, ipods, ipads, and social media sites to make time for God. And they believe that
life will go on as it always has, completely unaware that we are in the end days and will soon face
the coming judgment of God on this earth. That's how it was in Noah's day, and that is how it is
now.
In both cases, they knew nothing of what would happen until the flood (judgment) came and
washed them all away.
There are many parallels that can be drawn from both of these time periods. People disregard
God's message today as they did in Noah's day. People make fun of Christians as they did of
Noah. Christians are being faithful as Noah was. The flood did come, and God's judgment will
also come soon. Something called rain did come, and the Day of the Lord will also come with all
the bowls of judgment. I believe that this was the point that Jesus was making. That when he
returns, the attitude of the people will be the same as it was in Noah's day....unbelief and
unfaithfulness. This was why he said when I return will I find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8)
Jesus wraps this up with verses 40 and 41 where he says that one will be taken and another left.
What he means is that a Christian and an unbeliever will be working together and the Christian will
be taken away and the unbeliever will be left behind. I believe that he is referring to the rapture of
the church here. This is when all Christians are taken off the earth before the start of the Great
Tribulation period. Jesus will come down and meet the saints in the clouds and take them up to
heaven for a 7 year orientation period after which they come back to earth with him to reign and
rule for a thousand years.
So it all makes sense. In Matthew 24 Jesus was telling his disciples what the end times will look
like just before he returns. He describes many things like floods, wars, famine, and so on and
goes on to draw a parallel between the attitude of the people during Noah's time and today. In
Noah's day the people were just as unbelieving, uncaring, and preoccupied with their life as they
are today. And Jesus is saying see, the people then are just like the people now, that's what it's
going to be like. The only difference is that he was saying this to his disciples so the proper way
to say it would be: just like the people were in Noah's day, that's what they will be like when I
return. Completely wrapped up in their own lives and totally oblivious of God.
That's the message here, and sadly the way the world is now. As many knew nothing then, many
know nothing now. The figures from 2011 show that 32% of the world considers themselves
Christian. Of that number I would guess that less than 20% are true born again believers. The
rest may be "religious" but not Christian. This means that 80% of the world is going to a lost
eternity.
It also means that being a Christian is becoming unpopular, old fashioned, and sets the stage for
the "great deception" that will come upon the earth and deceive many who know nothing of what
is to come. It's up to us to reach as many as we can with the Gospel of Jesus Christ before he
returns. It's our last chance. Please do what you can to spread the word because the time is short.