Post by Daniel on Sept 27, 2017 8:50:10 GMT -5
What Jesus Really Meant When He Spoke of the 'Days of Noah'
Michael Brown
9/25/2017
Have you heard this before? "We know that the last days will be wicked. Very wicked. Just like the days of Noah. That's what Jesus said."
One website states, "Jesus said that the end times would be like the days of Noah and Lot. Are we living in a day like that?"
Another site explains, "Regardless of how one interprets Matthew 24, there's no doubt that Christ referred to the rebellion and judgment in Noah's day, which He compared to mankind's subsequent rebellion and impending judgment. It's a sober warning for any generation to consider."
A pastor on YouTube argues that, just as Noah's day was marked by the great flood, so our day has been marked by massive hurricanes like Harvey, which dumped unprecedented amounts of water on our land.
Another Christian teacher goes even further, suggesting a potential connection to aliens: "There continues to be a flow of articles, books and entertainment programs dealing with UFOs, aliens and the like. Many wonder if there is a connection or relationship to the prediction of our Lord in Luke 17:26 (NKJV): 'And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man.'
"The emergence of the 'Nephilim' was what brought about the Flood of Noah. Who were they? Is the current interest in the possibility of 'alien' involvements somehow of biblical relevance?"
The truth is that Jesus did make a comparison between the last days and the days of Noah, but His primary point was not that there would be great wickedness in the last days, as there was in the days of Noah. Instead, His point was simple and clear, as we'll see by reading His words firsthand.
But first, a few caveats.
I'm not denying that the last days will be marked by great wickedness.
I'm not saying that there are no comparisons between the days of Noah and the final generation. I'm simply questioning if that was the Lord's main point.
I'm not denying that there will be great judgment at the end of the age, just as there was in Noah's day. That, in fact, was a clear point Jesus was making.
As for those looking for parallels between Noah's day and ours (if we are the last generation or nearly the last), how about this? Jewish tradition states that a straw that broke the camel's back in Noah's day, bringing on the flood, was that men were marrying men as well as animals. (See Gen. Rabbah 26:5.) What do you know!
The question, again, is this: Was Jesus telling us that the final generation would be marked by extreme rebellion and wickedness, just as Noah's generation was? Let's look at His words.
In Matthew's Gospel, He said, "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. [The Son of Man was the way Jesus often referred to Himself. So, He's talking about His return here at the end of the age.] 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" (Matt. 24:37-39, MEV).
What were the people of Noah's day doing before the flood came? They were living their normal lives. They were going about their normal business and conducting their normal affairs. They were oblivious to the fact that the end was near.
Jesus says that's how it will be for non-believers before He comes. They'll be going on with their normal activities, not realizing the end is at hand.
continued..
www.charismanews.com/opinion/in-the-line-of-fire/67426-what-jesus-really-meant-when-he-spoke-of-the-days-of-noah
Michael Brown
9/25/2017
Have you heard this before? "We know that the last days will be wicked. Very wicked. Just like the days of Noah. That's what Jesus said."
One website states, "Jesus said that the end times would be like the days of Noah and Lot. Are we living in a day like that?"
Another site explains, "Regardless of how one interprets Matthew 24, there's no doubt that Christ referred to the rebellion and judgment in Noah's day, which He compared to mankind's subsequent rebellion and impending judgment. It's a sober warning for any generation to consider."
A pastor on YouTube argues that, just as Noah's day was marked by the great flood, so our day has been marked by massive hurricanes like Harvey, which dumped unprecedented amounts of water on our land.
Another Christian teacher goes even further, suggesting a potential connection to aliens: "There continues to be a flow of articles, books and entertainment programs dealing with UFOs, aliens and the like. Many wonder if there is a connection or relationship to the prediction of our Lord in Luke 17:26 (NKJV): 'And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man.'
"The emergence of the 'Nephilim' was what brought about the Flood of Noah. Who were they? Is the current interest in the possibility of 'alien' involvements somehow of biblical relevance?"
The truth is that Jesus did make a comparison between the last days and the days of Noah, but His primary point was not that there would be great wickedness in the last days, as there was in the days of Noah. Instead, His point was simple and clear, as we'll see by reading His words firsthand.
But first, a few caveats.
I'm not denying that the last days will be marked by great wickedness.
I'm not saying that there are no comparisons between the days of Noah and the final generation. I'm simply questioning if that was the Lord's main point.
I'm not denying that there will be great judgment at the end of the age, just as there was in Noah's day. That, in fact, was a clear point Jesus was making.
As for those looking for parallels between Noah's day and ours (if we are the last generation or nearly the last), how about this? Jewish tradition states that a straw that broke the camel's back in Noah's day, bringing on the flood, was that men were marrying men as well as animals. (See Gen. Rabbah 26:5.) What do you know!
The question, again, is this: Was Jesus telling us that the final generation would be marked by extreme rebellion and wickedness, just as Noah's generation was? Let's look at His words.
In Matthew's Gospel, He said, "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. [The Son of Man was the way Jesus often referred to Himself. So, He's talking about His return here at the end of the age.] 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" (Matt. 24:37-39, MEV).
What were the people of Noah's day doing before the flood came? They were living their normal lives. They were going about their normal business and conducting their normal affairs. They were oblivious to the fact that the end was near.
Jesus says that's how it will be for non-believers before He comes. They'll be going on with their normal activities, not realizing the end is at hand.
continued..
www.charismanews.com/opinion/in-the-line-of-fire/67426-what-jesus-really-meant-when-he-spoke-of-the-days-of-noah