“WHEN IS THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH?” (PART 2)

“The Days of Noah!” Jesus said in Matthew 24:36-39 - "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 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.

> “The Days of Noah” - GENESIS Chapter 6 I) Satan Corrupts the Human Race (v1-4) (v1-2) The three primary views on the identity of the "sons of God" are:

(1) they were fallen angels (2) they were powerful human rulers (3) they were godly descendants of Seth intermarrying with wicked descendants of Cain. The

last two make less sense than the first, (2) rulers and (3) the godly line of Seth marrying women would not produce giants (known as nephilim); nor bring such corruption to the human gene pool whereas, to bring complete destruction to it’s population via God’s judgment through the flood. However, if Satan’s plan was to corrupt the seed of the woman (that is the promised line of the Messiah (Gen. 3:15), then this was truly an effective and diabolical plan. This commingling of fallen angels and human women produced an unnatural and wicked offspring.

> For further evidence let’s look to the Bible as the best commentary in determining which assumption is right, the evidence weighs heavily on (1) fallen angels; in the Old Testament the phrase "sons of God" (bene elohim) always refers to angels (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7). Some will try to argue against the “sons of God” as angels saying that angels don’t procreate, as they refer to Matthew 22:30-31 - For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. This passage indicates that “angels in heaven” do not marry. The question to be asked is could these fallen angels have the ability and opportunity to procreate with women on earth? Dr. Henry Morris writes, “Whenever angels have appeared visibly to men, as recorded in the Bible, they have appeared in the physical bodies of men. Those who met with Abraham, for example, actually ate with him (Genesis 18:8) and later, appeared to the inhabitants of Sodom in such perfectly manlike shape that the Sodomites were attempting to take these “men” for homosexual purposes. The writer of Hebrews suggests that, on various occasions, some “have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2). The Bible also shares that these fallen angels left their first estate (Jude 6-7 - And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah,

and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.); and have been chosen to be sent to “Tartarus” awaiting the final judgment according to 2 Peter 2:4-5.

(v3) God’s Spirit would no longer strive with the flesh of man, what is the flesh of man like? Turn to Galatians 5:16-26. Are you a Spiritual person or a fleshly person? _________ God said that man has 120 years to repent, then comes the flood. In 1 Peter 3:18-20 - For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. (v4) We talked about the giants (nephilim) and “sons of God” in verse 1. II) Mankind Corrupts Himself (v5-7) (v5-7) The Hebrew word for “wickedness” is “ra” which means man was bad, wicked, evil, vicious injurious and wrong! What will man be like in the last days? Turn 2 Timothy 3:1-9; we also see demonic influence in the church according to 1 Tim 4:1-5.

Dr. Henry Morris summarizes 15 characteristics regarding Noah’s day and these last days

before God’s judgment: (1) Preoccupation with physical appetites (Lk. 17:27); (2) Rapid advances in technology (Gen. 4:22); (3) Grossly materialistic attitudes and interests (Lk. 17:28); (4) Uniformitarian philosophies (Heb. 11:7); (5) Inordinate devotion to pleasure and comfort (Gen 4:21); (6) No concern for God in either belief or conduct (2 Peter 2:5; Jude 15); (7) Disregard for the sacredness of the marriage relation (Mt. 24:38); (8) Rejection of the inspired Word of God (1 Peter 3:19); (9) Population explosion (Gen. 6:1, 11); (10) Widespread violence (Gen. 6:11,13); (11) Corruption throughout society (Gen. 6:12); (12) Preoccupation with illicit sex activity (Gen. 4:19; 6:2); (13) Widespread words and thoughts of blasphemy (Jude 15); (14) Organized Satanic activity (Gen. 6:1-4); (15) Promulgation of systems and movements of abnormal depravity (Gen. 6:5,12).

> Revelation 9:20-21 reflects the sin of mankind in the “Great Tribulation” - But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries

or their sexual immorality or their thefts. III) Noah Found Grace in the Eyes of the LORD (v8-22) (v8-13) Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD – Eph. 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith,” Noah was a “just man”- what is complete or entirely in accord with truth and fact; Noah was “perfect” - right, correct, lawful; while the rest of the world was corrupt and filled with violence. (v14-16) C.I. Schofield writes in regards to the ark, “The dimensions of the ark are themselves an evidence of the accuracy of the Scriptures. On the basis of a cubit as 18 inches, the ark was 450 ft. long with a beam of 75 ft. and a depth of 45 ft. Similar to the proportions of a modern ocean liner.” Naval engineers have discovered that the dimensions and shape of the ark form the most stable ship design known. The ark was not designed for maneuverability but for stability, in order to best protect those within it.

(v17-22) Notice that this was not a local flood; all flesh on earth will die except Noah, his family, and the select animals. God made a “covenant” with Noah, Christ Jesus our Lord has made a “covenant” with us Luke 22:20-21 - He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” - In verse 22 we find faith and obedience, “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” > HISTORY IN THE MAKING:

There were 1656 years from Adam to the flood.

There were 427 years from the flood to the time Abraham entered the land of Canaan.

There were 450 years from the flood to the birth of Isaac.

Adams lifespan overlapped Methuselah by 243 years.

Methuselah's lifespan overlapped Noah by 600 years, and Shem by 98 years.

Methuselah's name means "when he dies it shall be sent" probably meaning the flood.

There were 126 years between the death of Adam and the birth of Noah.

Noah lived for 350 years after the flood, and he died two years before the birth of Abraham.

Shem lived from 98 years before the flood - 502 years after the flood.

Shem lived until 75 years after Abraham entered the land of Canaan.

IV) The Judgment of the flood (Chapter 7) Noah was only nine generations removed from Adam; and his father, Lamech, was 56 years old at the time of Adam's death. When God saw the wickedness that prevailed in the world (Gen 6:5), He disclosed to Noah His intention to destroy the world by a flood. He instructed Noah to build an ark in which he and his family would survive the catastrophe. With unswerving confidence in the Word of God, Noah started building the ark. For 120 years the construction continued. During this time of grace, Noah continued to preach God's judgment and mercy, warning the ungodly of their approaching doom (2 Peter 2:5- For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly). He preached for 120 years, however, without any converts (1 Peter 3:20). People continued in their evil ways and turned deaf ears to his pleadings and warnings until they were overtaken by the Flood. > We should learn and follow Noah’s:

- Character – “Just…perfect, Noah walked with God” (Gen. 6:9) - Obedience – Noah did; according to all that God commanded him so he did. (Gen 6:22; 7:5) - Testimony – Turn to Hebrews 11:7, what was Noah’s testimony? (1) By faith; (2) godly fear – Gk. -

eulabeomai – to act cautiously, to reverence, to stand in awe of; (3) prepared (Gk. - kataskeuazo – to equip, prepare, make ready) an ark; (4) saving his household; (5) condemned the world; (6) became an heir of righteousness by faith. There’s one more passage to add to this awesome testimony 2 Peter 2:5 (7) Noah was a preacher (Gk. - kerux – herald of divine truth) of righteousness.

(v1) God invites Noah to “come” into the ark for salvation! Today Christ invites people to “come” in Matthew 16:24-28 (Come to salvation!); Matthew 11:28-30 (Come, learn, rest! Interestingly Noah’s name means rest.); Revelation 22:12-17 – (Come to the New Jerusalem). (2-3) The extra 5 pairs of clean animals and birds would be used for sacrifice (8:20) and food (9:3) (v4-24) Observe the Historical Evidence for the Flood - Henry Morris and John Whitcomb in their book The Genesis Flood write, “There are many extra-biblical evidences that point to a worldwide catastrophe such as a global flood. The vast fossil graveyards found on every continent, the large amount of coal deposits that would require the rapid covering of vast quantities of vegetation, the fact that oceanic fossils are found upon mountain tops around the world, the over 270 flood stories from all parts of the world, and the large extent of geological formations showing vast layers of sedimentary deposits (including those found in the Grand Canyon) all lend credence to the occurrence of a global flood. It is true that the Genesis flood account shares many striking similarities with the Babylonian Gilgamesh epic and with the Babylonian Atrahasis epic for that matter. In fact, literally hundreds of flood traditions have been preserved all over the world, with traditions abounding in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, as well as both of the Americas, and the Genesis account shares similarities with most of them. Of the flood traditions which have survived up to the present time about 95% describe a global cataclysmic deluge, 88% tell of a favored family of humans saved from drowning to reestablish the human race after the deluge, 66% say the family was forewarned of the coming cataclysm, 66% blame the wickedness of man for the deluge, and 70% record a boat as being the means by which the chosen family (and animals) survived the flood. More than one third of these traditions mention birds being sent out from the boat.

It logically follows that despite the relative isolation of the various cultures that have thrived since the flood, since every culture has descended directly from the flood’s survivors stories of this traumatic event ought to be both abundant and universal, having been passed down from generation to generation. Indeed flood traditions are both abundant and universal. Many of these traditions are remarkably consistent considering the relative isolation of the cultures, the length of time that has elapsed since the flood, and the human tendency to embellish, exaggerate and distort stories over time. The Babylonian and biblical accounts of the flood appear to represent different retellings of an essentially identical flood tradition. Peter also describes the universality of the flood in 2 Peter 3:6-7 in which he states: "by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." In these verses Peter compares the "universal" coming judgment to the flood of Noah's time and states that the world that then existed was flooded with water. Also, God’s promise (Genesis 8:21; 9:11, 15) never again to send such a flood has been broken repeatedly if it were only a local flood. Further, all men in the world today are said to have descended from Noah’s three sons (Genesis 9:1, 19) and many later Biblical writers accepted the historicity of the worldwide Flood (Isaiah 54:9; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5; Hebrews 11:7). Lastly, the Lord Jesus Christ believed in the universal Flood and took it as the type of the coming destruction of the world when He returns (Matthew 24:37-39; Luke 17:26, 27).”