As a believer, I understand that the ‘last days’ would be like the days of Noah and of Lot (Luke 17:26-29). It seems that it’s becoming more apparent for Christians today.
On the surface, this warning has always provided proof that Jesus will return in the clouds for his church at a time that is not expected by the unbelieving world. The flood had come after 100 years of warning and faithful building by Noah and his family. Sodom and Gomorrah were reduced to ashes and ruin in one day, following an attack on Lot’s home. People were going about their normal lives with eating, drinking, marrying, buying, selling, planting, and building. Then suddenly, they were destroyed.
But now, I believe we can see more clearly the underlying culture that Jesus warned about that would be present at the time of his return. Looking at the times of Noah and Lot (remember, they lived over 500 years apart from each other), we can see much evidence of overt wickedness throughout the chapters of Genesis 6, 18, and 19. In Noah’s time, we learn that the daughters of men had ‘relations’ with the Sons of God. People’s hearts were always full of evil, and the earth was filled with violence.
With the case of Lot, homosexual men surrounded his house, demanding he give the ‘men’ in his house. Before this time, Lot had to be rescued by Abraham after the battle of five versus four kings over possessions and food supplies. What becomes clear is that cultures that have every need satisfied wipe their mouths, look around, and try to fill their insatiable appetite for evil, while despising authority. Those generations met their sudden destruction, as will ours.
Let’s compare our generation. There are many aspects of our culture that have been captured wonderfully by many writers for Rapture Ready. I will just mention a couple. In our own nation, we’ve seen the drastic decline of Christianity since the 1960s, following the removal of the Bible from public schools. Since then, we’ve seen the proliferation of false religions, sexual deviancy, violence, and broken families.
It’s heartbreaking for believers to watch our nation fall, to see the gleeful celebration of martyred Christians, attempted murder and murder of righteous leaders. It’s so sad to watch lawlessness overcome our cities and others. Recently, Australia passed the Conversion Practices Ban Act that bans prayers aimed at changing or suppressing someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
2 Timothy 3:13b comes to mind, concerning the last days. “…while evil people and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves.”
What we are witnessing today is only going to get worse. Birth pains are increasing, as we were warned by our Savior in Matthew 24.
How should we be?
We understand that Jesus will come and rescue our generation, not Abraham nor angels. But how should we be in the meantime? Let’s look again at the generations of Noah and Lot and how they acted. I suspect there will be a better role model between the two.
Let’s start with Lot. When Abraham and Lot were going their separate ways, Abraham told Lot to choose first. He chose the plains of the Jordan because they were watered and apparently bustling with business. We see him sitting at the gate of Sodom when the two angels come to investigate. He has some authority. And with his authority, he offers his daughters to appease the vicious mob that wants the two new ‘men’ (angels) in town. When warned to leave the city immediately, Lot hits the snooze alarm in the morning and negotiates with the angels about how far he must go to protect himself and his family.
And let’s not forget Lot’s wife, who aimed to preserve her own life and lost it (Luke 17:32-33). I won’t even mention what happened with Lot and his daughters afterward. Lot did not make the Hall of the Faithful in Hebrews 11. But he is still declared a righteous man because he was distressed by the debauchery of those unprincipled people (2 Peter 2:7-8).
The fact of the matter is, if God chooses you and you respond, there is nothing that can separate you from the love of Jesus (Romans 8:35). Praise God! I cannot give God enough thanks for his tender mercies.
Let’s look at Noah’s example. He was immersed in a severely unholy culture. Looking through Genesis 6, 7, 8, and 9, we see a man who walked with God despite the earth being filled with corruption and violence. God asked him to complete a task that was devoid of common sense and would take about 100 years to complete. He would have been mocked and possibly attacked by his peers. But he led his family faithfully. Not one of his peers befriended or trusted him.
Due to Noah’s faithfulness, he and his family were delivered while the rest of the world was destroyed. God blessed Noah following the flood, and he had dominion over all the creatures of the earth. Was Noah perfect? No. But he did make the Hall of the Faithful in Hebrews 11.
What can we take from these two righteous examples submerged in a culture that has outright disgust for all things ethical, honorable, or decent? Let’s not use our authority to appease the wicked or put ourselves in situations where we need a rescue. Let’s stand our ground but not try to preserve our own lives. We go and do as the Spirit leads us. It won’t be violent. Noah did not use violence in his violent culture. But we can be sure he did not back down from his mission.
Ecclesiastes 8:12-13 says, “A sinner can do evil a hundred times and still live a long life; although I know that in the end things will go well with those who fear God because they fear him. But things will not go well with the wicked.”
We’ve seen this scenario play out many times throughout the Bible. And it’s playing out right now. Let’s keep our noses to the grindstone, not giving ground to the enemy but giving a reason for our hope at each opportunity. A flood is coming soon.
Maranatha!
Jeff Hauck