Luke 17:20-27
The men who talked with the Lord Jesus knew the writings, now called the New Testament, which tell of a time for Christ’s rule to be over the earth. But many did not believe Jesus the Messiah and King, although He had spoken the words of wisdom and done the miracles told of the Holy One, as Zechariah 14:9; Isaiah 61:1.
Yet those men wanted Jesus to tell them the time for His rule to begin. He told them God’s Kingdom would not be with the display, as they expected, and they need not be looking for the King; He said, “Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you,” within their midst, for He, the King, stood with them. Still they did not believe Him.
Afterward, Jesus told the disciples that when He, “the Son of man,” came to rule, His coming would be “as lighing,” which goes instantly across the whole sky, and seen by all. His words show that His coming will be a time of judgment for all them who do not believe God. And the people who will live then, will be like the people long ago who did not believe God would send the flood over the earth. Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Noe (Noah), so shall it be in the days of the Son of man: they ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, till the day Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.”
Noah was the only man not doing wickedly when God said He must send the flood on the earth. God told him to prepare the great ship, called “the ark,” because ark means a safe place. Noah did not doubt God’s words, but began to build the big ship, which was large enough to hold many people, and he told them of the flood.
People of that time lived many years longer than now, and they had a long time to decide. But they did not believe God’s words about a flood, and kept on their plans the same as before, and did not prepare to go in the ark.
But on the day God had set, the rain began and the springs were opened, and soon the dry land was covered. Then people knew the flood had come. But it was too late to enter the safe place, for Noah could not let them in. God had shut the door.
Some now say the flood is “just a story,” but the disciples did not doubt it a real event. Peter wrote that ‘Noah was a preacher of righteousness,’ what was right for God; and he wrote that God was “long suffering, waiting’ for those people to believe (1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 2:5).
The Lord Jesus knew the flood was true, He said, “The flood came and destroyed then all.” He is now the Ark of safety fron God’s judgment, which must someday be on all wickedness.
God is “long suffering” now, wait ing for people to believe His word am be safe in Christ; “He is not willing does not desire, that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.
“He hath appointed a day in whicl He will judge the world in righteousness.” Acts 17:31.
ML 09/23/1945