Like the Days of Noah: Luke 17:20-27

Luke 17:20‑27  •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 7
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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 whole earth. But many did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah and King, although He had spoken the words of wisdom and done the miracles told of the Holy One in places such as Zechariah 14:99And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. (Zechariah 14:9) and Isaiah 61:11The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; (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 marvelous 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.
Warnings of Judgment
Afterwards, Jesus told the disciples that when He, “the Son of man,” came to rule, His coming would be “as lightning,” which goes instantly across the whole sky and is seen by all. His words show that His coming will be a time of judgment for all 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 did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until 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 the 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 with their plans the same as before, and did not prepare to go into 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 was 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 Peter 3:20; 220Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. (1 Peter 3:20) Peter 2:5).
The Lord Jesus knew the flood was true. He said, “The flood came, and destroyed them all.” He is now the ark of safety from God’s judgment, which must someday punish all wickedness.
God is “long suffering” now, waiting for people to believe His word and be safe in Christ; He is “not willing, [does not desire], that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:99The 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. (2 Peter 3:9)).
Further Meditation
1. How does the Lord describe His coming when He comes to rule?
2. What makes people say that something is “just a story”? Why would someone be motivated to deny that God is ready to judge wickedness? Who else in the Bible failed to see that judgment was coming despite warning?
3. A bit more challenging, but beautiful, book The Patriarchs by J. G. Bellett has a very nice section on the life of Noah and the judgment that came in his day. The book goes far beyond the subject of this chapter but is very worthwhile.