“And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:39)
Jesus is talking about the flood that covered the whole earth. Many doubt the Bible and think of it as a book filled with stories or fables that merely teach a lesson. But earth scientists are finding evidence that the earth was flooded with water at one time. There will always be skeptics and naysayers who don’t believe even if the evidence is before their eyes. They cannot and don’t cede to the truth because then, if they believe that there is a God and the Bible is true, their wicked ways are exposed.
The Word of God gives us a glimpse into that time that God told Noah to build an ark because a flood was coming. Man was corrupt and wickedness abounded. “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5) All except Noah. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6:8) God had Noah build an ark and told him specifically how to do it. (Genesis 6:15-16) It’s debatable and only estimated how long it took Noah to build the ark, but the important thing to note is that he endured the ridicule and taunting of people when he was building the ark because he believed God. Peter refers to this when he speaks of the scoffers that will come in the last days. (2 Peter 3:2-7)
Moses who wrote Genesis, tells us that wickedness abounded and was increasing. (Genesis 6:5) And Matthew writes what Jesus said about that time, that even after God had pronounced destruction on the earth (Genesis 6:7), man continued with their lives as if nothing bad would happen to them. “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe 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 24:37-39) That’s how it was then and that’s how it’ll be when Jesus returns.
We can estimate due to the signs that Jesus gave us when He will return. But no man knows when Jesus will return. “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Matthew 24:36) But as Peter wrote, because God tarries, many disbelieve and scoff at the truth. “That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that 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 of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:” (2Peter 3:2-6) Just as there were scoffers in Noah’s time, there will be scoffers when Jesus returns. It will be too late for them. Because it will happen suddenly before they realize what is happening.
We are not to lose hope and feel that God is purposely delaying His promise to us, but God has an appointed time for all things. His mercy and grace in this time delays the destruction for the sake of those who will repent and believe. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2Peter 3:9)
Jesus will return. There will be regret and crying from the scoffers. Jesus made an analogy of this time with a parable of the lord of his house and his servants. “But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 24:48-51)
But of those who await His coming and continue in faith, Jesus compares to the good servant. “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.” (Matthew 24:46-47) Peter writes about this: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light:” (1Peter 2:9) And John writing in Revelation writes to the churches from Jesus, “...Who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:5-6)
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