the turning away

It was just another day, a day like any other, the day the Flood came.

Not that it was a good day. There hadn’t been a good day in a very long time.

Matthew 24:37-39: As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe [Noah] entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.

Two previously separated civilizations have intersected. It is a New Age. A New World Order.

We know that the Kingdom of Cain had developed highly skilled craftsmen, particularly in metalworking, industry, and entertainment.

The sons of God community were religious, educated, and enlightened. Both nations were so successful that men began to ‘spread across the face of the earth.’ There is one thing about that Age that did make it unique- the freakishly long lifespans.

Think about the effect such a thing would have on you personally. How would you like to be a hundred years old- with all the wisdom, experience, and accumulated knowledge- in a twenty year old body? We would be unstoppable. Those cats back then was living 700, 800, 900+ years. And there would be multiple generations of similar people all around you. The results would be exponential. Such a group of people could theoretically become highly advanced in very short order.

Engineers, scientists, educators, farmers, and Judges could all have become very skilled and proficient at their trades. So could pedophiles, robbers, and murderers. Sorcerors, cheats, and liars. Gypsies, tramps, and thieves. Powerful men of renown.

With the combined knowledge, resources, and wealth of two cultures, the leaders of the New World Order were prominent men of fame- the stars of the New Age. (Genesis 6:4)

Fame and fortune. Wealth and prosperity. Materialism and entertainment. Power.

The New World prospered. But, there was a problem.

Having already compromised their values in marrying outside the faith, reconciling the difference in morals and values becomes a way of compromise, rather than the way of steadfast faith. The material benefits and prosperity began to overshadow the old stodgy traditions. Soon enough, the new way had no place for the ways of old.

“The Lord God of these backwards people would have you living in animal skins chasing sheep around!” was likely the mock the remnant of believers heard. After hearing this day after day, they probably thought things like, “Look at what the world has become! Things could not be more grand. Look at all the things a person may have today.”

There are cycles of an empire. Some empires last awhile, but they always follow an identical path of enlightenment, prosperity, expansion, apathy, corruption, collapse. It could be called the cycles of prosperity.

It is a predictable path followed by individual people and the systems put in place by groups of people. We lean on God when we need him, and forget about him when we don’t. That’s why it’s hard for a rich man to get into heaven.

Having drawn everyone in, the turning away was universal. It was global. The Light was gone.

Genesis 6:3- And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 5- And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6- And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7- And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 11-  The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12- And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13- And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

“My Spirit will not always strive with man”- is a powerful statement. God is not going to fight us to force us do the right thing. That would not be fair. Not unless you want to let the full supernatural strength of Satan loose, to fight you, to force you to do the wrong thing- to do his will. God will work with you, He will fight FOR you, he will strongly encourage you, he will never give up on you- but he cannot make you do it.

The great wickedness the people fell into was offensive to God. Because every thought of their hearts was to do evil continually, they were mocking God, defying God. They were making a mockery of the atonement. The limit was announced- 120 years of this remains. Men are all about the flesh and nothing about the Spirit.

When I was young, I used to feel bad when I did something wrong because I was causing more suffering for Jesus. He paid the price for all sin- past, present, and future. I think there may be something to that notion. God is not going to suffer forever that people should blatantly and un-apologetically place more grief and pain on His Son. They would continue to place more and more suffering upon the Savior with no intention of ever redeeming the price He would pay. God is not mocked.

Hosea 4:1-3 There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land. By swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery, they break all restraint, with bloodshed upon bloodshed. Therefore the land will mourn; and everyone who dwells there will waste away.

There was an exception, and a remnant, as we know:

Genesis 6: 8-10 ⁸ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. ⁹ These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. ¹⁰ And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

The ark- the link between the Creation and the reset- was Noah’s task in the time remaining. He continued to preach, as was his calling, while he completed the Ark.

Then came the day, the day that the wicked perceived to be like any other day:

 

“The end of all flesh is come before me; Come thou and all thy house into the ark”

 

next week*: as the days of Noah were

*because of a graphic brief description of violent evil contained in this post, it is not appropriate for the Lord’s day. The post will appear on Monday