“LONG threatened comes at last,” and so the Flood, long threatened, came too! Noah, of whose life but little is recorded, is known to us in the double character of a preacher and shipbuilder. He combined these two qualities: he was “a preacher of righteousness,” and, moved with fear, he “prepared an ark to the saving of his house.”
The theme of his preaching was, no doubt, what was the manner of life men should live who were to be visited by such a judgment as the Flood; whilst his daily toil was the construction of the ark, after the fashion communicated to him by God, whereby he and his house should escape.
Without the latter the former would have been self-condemnatory; for what reliance could be placed on a man who told others of a coming danger against which he made no practical provision for himself! None whatever!
Such a preacher could have no real faith in that which he preached; and to charge him with hypocrisy would be fair and just.
But for a long century did this faithful servant of God proclaim the advent of judgment; and yet, for as long did his message meet with rejection and unbelief. The people of that day, engaged as they were with their eating and drinking, their marrying and being given in marriage, lightly regarded tidings so absurd and so unwelcome.
Noah might preach as he liked, and exhibit all possible confidence in the truth he announced, by his daily labor, so that his faith and works went hand in hand; but all to no avail!
The wiseacres of that day ridiculed the Flood in prophecy; just as the wise men of this day deride it in history.
Perhaps then as now, they declared that such a weight of water would affect the gravity of the earth, and make her change her orbit—so that some collision or fearful catastrophe would inevitably occur. Such a derangement of the laws of nature could not happen without serious mischief. The idea of a Flood, Noah may have heard, was too monstrous to be accepted. How could such an event take place? Where could sufficient water be found? and many other kindred questions may have been propounded to him by the scientists of the day.
Be that as it may, the preaching and building continued as years passed on.
The world took its way; Noah, “warned of God of things not seen as yet,” steadily pursued the path of faith.
God’s warning outweighed man’s mockery; and, if God had told Noah that the Flood should come, he could close his ears to the infidel contradictions of science.
There may be, and there are, such things as the laws of nature, but there is also―and let the men of the nineteenth century believe it―there is THE LIVING GOD! God, who created, is always above creation!
And so “the Flood came!” Yes, it came, but not unpredicted; it came, but not unforetold by long years of faithful testimony to the ear and to the eye of man. Noah’s voice was heard, and Noah’s ark was seen―the double activity of his patient, God-honoring faith was visible to all.
And, yet, “they knew not until the Flood came.”
“They knew not!” How so? Why their ignorance? Where lay the fault? Certainly not on the side of Noah. He did all he could to warn them. Their ignorance was the result of their own perverse unbelief; the blame rested on their own shoulders. It came and “destroyed them all!” None escaped but Noah and his house! That judgment made short and summary work of all their reasonings.
To assert that they did not believe that the Flood could come did not prevent it coming. It came! To argue the physical impossibility of such an event did not make it impossible! It came! God was behind the scenes.
It came and destroyed them all―their unbelief and arguments to boot.
Unbelief of coming judgment cannot destroy the judgment. God survives all human unbelief.
And so, if today, mockers should be heard say, “Where is the promise of his coming” (as, indeed, has been predicted of them), let them, and let all, remember that “the day of the Lord will come!”
The advent of that day has been announced long―longer far than the coming of the Flood―and come it will!
As then, so now, unbelief derides, and skepticism mocks, and the world pursues its course of eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building―displaying total unconcern―but “the day of the Lord will come.”
So says God! And so proclaims His faithful Word!
And, therefore, dear reader, as Noah provided for his future, so do you! He had to labor long years at the work of the ark. You may find shelter and security all prepared! His toil cost him much―you may find salvation free!
His place of safety was only for time―yours for eternity!
His was a perishable ark of wood―yours the Son of God, who became man, who died to accomplish redemption, who lives in glory able and willing to save, but who is coming again in judgment.
Redemption’s work is complete, and a full and blessed salvation may be yours now―whatever you are―if only you believe in Jesus. His name’ is salvation. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
J. W. S.