“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” – Matthew 24:36-39 (ESV)
Let’s be honest. We often go about our lives as if we have and endless string of life events ahead of us. Our attention goes from one earthly experience to the next. We look forward to fun, and we try not to think about unpleasant expectations. In our text above, Jesus refers to such thinking. He even acknowledges the day-to-day events like eating and drinking in addition to the major events of life like weddings. Jesus also warns us that the great event of His return to our world is looming amidst all the mundane and special times of life.
Because the events of the Bible are set in a different time period than the 21st century, we often must work to understand life culture and customs of those days. However, that’s what is striking about Jesus’ points in Matthew 25:36-39. He talks about life in terms of the constants throughout history and time. Marriage, eating and drinking are things that people have done in societies since God created the world. If we are careful students of this passage, we must connect these activities of eating, drinking, and marriage as the description of people celebrating life as they know it. The people are not only enjoying themselves, but they are also living as the people of generations past, present, and future have lived.
While it is true that parties…especially wedding receptions…can be riotous events, morality and wild behavior are not what Jesus is bringing into view. Jesus instead uses the days of Noah and the construction of the ark before the great flood as a parallel event. Jesus tells us just as the world was “living it up” before the flood of Noah’s day, so the world will be doing the same just before Jesus returns in glory. The simple truth is this: People have always lived as if their lives would go on uninterrupted until the day they died of old age. Wars, famines, disease, etc. have interrupted peoples’ lives since the beginning of time, but life always returned to eating, drinking, marriages, and the regular events of life eventually. Therein lies Jesus’ great point: Just as life was normal right up until the moment when Noah and his family entered the ark as the flood arrived to change the world forever, so it will be right up until the very moment when Jesus returns and history finishes its course. People will go to work…go to school…eat meals…drink toasts to good times…get married, and Jesus will return. All of the mundane, normal, and anticipated events of our lives that we so very much look forward to will end, and the judgment of God will arrive.
“…when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed…” – 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 (ESV)
Consider this all very well, dear reader. Do you live your life as if this great day of Jesus Christ’s return is not coming? Do you give it a single thought? Do you instead spend your time on the worries of the world, preparing for life via education, storing up riches, and pursuing everything EXCEPT God and His righteousness all the while your sins remain to your credit? Do you give your time and effort to everything except preparing for that day when history will end, the judgment comes, and eternity begins?
This is Jesus’ urgent plea, dear reader. Just as the multi-year construction of Noah’s ark was a testimony to the people of his day to repent and turn to God, so the church has stood for centuries as the witness of Christ’s resurrection and the call to obey His Gospel.
“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” – Matthew 24:42-44 (ESV)
Dear reader, this is Jesus clear message. He is coming back in judgment of those who do not turn to Him in repentance and faith and Him alone, but He is coming back as the eternal and loving Lord, and Savior of all who call on Him to save them from their sins. Today is still the day of salvation. Why should you perish on that day when life as we know it will end and never return again, and Jesus Christ takes His place as King of Kings and Lord of Lords forevermore? Turn to Christ in repentance and faith, and the sight of His return will not be a horror to you. Rather, it will be the most blessed sight ever had by unworthy sinners such as you and me when our Lord and Savior returns.
May Your Eyes Be Opened To Your Need of Christ,
Eric Conner
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