“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” –Jesus according to Matthew 24:37-39
Many prophecy teachers use these words of Jesus to allegorize what is spoken of and say that in the end times we will see a “flood” of evil and wickedness as it was in the time before The Flood of Noah (even though Jesus doesn’t mention evil practices), or perhaps the strange goings-on regarding the DNA corrupting hybridization of humanity with fallen angels may occur again. But it’s the obvious topic of this passage that provides us with some overlooked but vital intelligence about what is going to happen.
Look at it again. Jesus Himself tells us the coming of the Son of Man will occur with a flood. So where else do we have a warning of a flood in the end times? Is there a second witness of scripture to the veracity of this prophecy?
The Prophecy of the 70 Weeks found in Daniel 9:20-27 describes the time leading up to the Messiah, the interval between the Messiah and the final Week, and the final Week itself. Verse 26 describes the things that happen in the interval and it mentions a flood. It says, “the end of it (the interval) shall be with a flood”.
The prophecy in Daniel declares that the end of “it”, the INTERVAL between the 69th and 70th week, ENDS WITH A FLOOD! That is the second witness!
The month of Elul initiates a 40 day period called Teshuvah. This is the Hebrew word for “repent”. The point of the season is to prepare for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah and the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. It is a time to turn toward God. People are called to turn away from their sin, repent, and change course. It is a time of inward reflection and sincere self-assessment. The goal is a change in lifestyle away from sin to obedience in God’s word. The 40 day period of Teshuvah ends on Tishri 10, Yom Kippur.
Elul 1 marks the beginning of Teshuvah. In a Gregorian calendar of the year 2016, this would be September 3 or 4 depending on when the new moon is confirmed. It is Jewish custom to blow a shofar (ram’s horn) one time every day during the season of Teshuvah. The trumpet is blown every day after the morning service except Shabbat or the Sabbath (Saturday for us in western culture) and the last day of month of Elul.
Elul is the last month of the civic calendar in Judaism. Elul is the sixth month of the religious calendar. Jewish tradition points to the name of the month to be an acronym of “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li” a quote from Song of Songs 6:3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine… In Aramaic, the vernacular of the Jewish people at the time that the month names were adopted), the word Elul means “search”. Per Strong’s Concordance, Elul means “nothingness” in the Hebrew. The month is mentioned one time in the Bible. Nehemiah 6:15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. Cultural customs per http://www.jewfaq.org, http://www.myjewishlearning.com .
Noah was the first person to experience the concept of Teshuvah with 40 days and 40 nights of rain. Noah and his family had plenty of time in the ark to focus on God. They were the only survivors of the global flood.
The reason for the flood was made known in Genesis 6:5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Genesis 6:11 Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. Humanity had ruined, rotted, and spoiled planet earth.
Genesis 6:12 God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.
Genesis 6:13 Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them;
and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.”
The Hebrew word for “violence” is chamac. It is a broad term that can also mean: wrong, cruelty, or injustice.
An evil mindset results in corruption and chamac.
In Noah’s day…eating, drinking, marriages, giving in marriage, more eating, more drinking, buying, selling, planting, building…This is Noah’s witness of humanity.
There was other shenanigans taking place with fallen angels…that is a discussion for another day.
The call of Teshuvah is to turn to God and repent. Repent is not a warm and fuzzy spiritual word that causes your stomach to flutter or hair to stand on your neck.
The Greek word for “repent” is μετανοεο or metanoeo: to change one’s mind for better; heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins; change your attitude.
Matthew 24:37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Genesis 9:2 The fear of you and the terror of you will be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the sky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given.
When Noah and his family were free of the flood and out of the ark, God made the promise stated above. Animals were instilled with a sense of “fear” and “terror” of humanity. Animals are now meals.
The Hebrew word for “fear” is mowra’. It means: fear, reverence, or terror.
The Hebrew word for “terror” is chath. It means: fear, terror, shattered, or dismayed. (Strong’s Concordance).
Humanity was told they could eat whatever animal they wanted, just make sure there is no blood in the animal that is being consumed. Genesis 9:3-4 Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I give all to you, as I gave the green plant. Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
What happens when an animal is backed into a corner? It will defend, attack, and bite. The animal will also flee and retreat.
As a result, animals have hostility towards each other. The height of animal fear and terror will occur during the Tribulation. Animals turn on humanity. The fourth ashen or pale green horse of the Apocalypse confirms in Revelation 6:8 I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.
In the Millennial reign of Christ, all of this changes. A new covenant is coming between zoology and humanity. Hosea 2:18 “In that day I will also make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds of the sky and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword and war from the land, and will make them lie down in safety…”
The result will be harmony in the animal kingdom. The hostility between animals ends. Animals stop eating and attacking each other. For examples, lions, bears, and wolves will become herbivores. Isaiah 11:6a, 7And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together…The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
Isaiah 65:25a The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox…
The hostility between humanity and animals ends. Would you let your child play near snakes? One of these days, it will be okay. Isaiah 11:8 The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
Genesis 10:8-12 Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.” The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.
Nimrod is the great grandson of Noah. The family tree looks like this: Noah, Ham, Cush, Nimrod (Genesis 10:1, 6, 8).
Per Strong’s Concordance, Nimrod means: rebellion or valiant. Three times, Nimrod is described as mighty, strong, and brave in the Hebrew. Some interpretations indicate Nimrod was possibly a “hunter of men” in addition to game. This guy was the original antichrist long before the term was coined.
These were the directions given to Noah and family after the flood. Genesis 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” God said fill the earth, spread out. Nimrod rebelled and built cities. Nimrod brought people to cities. He had a significant opinion of himself. A city bears his name.
Nimrod was a real person. He built towns along the Tigris River. The first town Nimrod built was Babylon (south of modern day Baghdad). Shinar is the area of southern Iraq. Assyria is the area of northern Iraq following the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The towns mentioned in the Bible are real towns. Nimrod is effectively the founder of modern day Iraq. These towns were built roughly 4,000 years ago. Fast forward to March, 2015. These towns are back in our headlines.
Irony: ISIS has effectively occupied the territory of the Ancient Assyrian Empire noted in the Bible. Nimrod and Nineveh were two important cities of antiquities. The modern day Assyrian Empire (ISIS) is doing all it can to destroy and erase the history of the Ancient Assyrian Empire.
Elul is the last month of the civic calendar in Judaism. Elul is the sixth month of the religious calendar. Jewish tradition points to the name of the month to be an acronym of “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li” a quote from Song of Songs 6:3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine… In Aramaic, the vernacular of the Jewish people at the time that the month names were adopted), the word Elul means “search”. Per Strong’s Concordance, Elul means “nothingness” in the Hebrew. The month is mentioned one time in the Bible. Nehemiah 6:15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. Cultural customs per http://www.jewfaq.org, http://www.myjewishlearning.com .
The month of Elul initiates a 40 day period called Teshuvah. The point of the season is to prepare for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah and the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. It is a time to turn toward God. People are called to turn away from their sin, repent, and change course. It is a time of inward reflection and sincere self-assessment. The goal is a change in lifestyle away from sin to obedience in God’s word. The 40 day period starts on Elul 1 and ends on Tishri 10, Yom Kippur.
There are many examples of the significance of the number 40 in the Bible. Notice, the examples ultimately demonstrate a turning away from sin and a return to God’s word. The result is a changed mind, a lifestyle consistent with obedience to God.
On three occasions, Moses went up to Mount Sinai for 40 days and met with the LORD. Israel had worshipped a golden calf and committed idolatry against God (Exodus 32). Moses pleaded with God for mercy against His chosen people. He turned to God and instructed the people of Israel to turn from their sin. The golden calf was destroyed (Exodus 32:20). After the destruction of the golden calf, Jewish tradition has Moses ascending Mount Sinai on Elul 1 to Tishri 10 (Yom Kippur) to receive a second set of tablets. Moses came down from Mount Sinai when the people had repented (http://www.chabad.org, http://www.hebrew4christians.com).
With a lack of faith in God, Israel was left to wander in the desert for 40 years. God told them He would help them take the Promised Land. Only two men believed, Caleb and Joshua (Numbers 32:12). The others did not turn and trust God. Numbers 32:13 So the LORD’S anger burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the entire generation of those who had done evil in the sight of the LORD was destroyed. It was considered “evil” to not believe God. When this came to pass and the last one died. God brought His people back to the land for the taking. 40 years later, the Jewish people returned to God and His word. Course of nation Israel had changed. The Law, God’s word, was reintroduced to the people before they entered the Promised Land (Deuteronomy).
Noah and his family were in the ark for 40 days and 40 nights during the rain and flood. The world was being judged for sin. The corruption of mankind is described in Genesis 6. Noah and his family had 40 days and nights to contemplate their watery environment as a consequence. They turned and responded to God. Their lives were spared in the ark. They had nowhere to go and plenty of personal time for self-reflection.
Jesus was tempted by Satan for 40 days in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11). Every time Jesus was tempted by Satan, He turned to God the Father and quoted Deuteronomy. Jesus’ responses to temptation were to turn to the word of God (Matthew 4:4), to not put the Lord your God to the test (Matthew 4:7), and to worship and serve the Lord you God only (Matthew 4:10). Jesus resisted the tempter and was obedient to His Father.
To the critic who says, “There is no such thing as a ‘rapture’.” Sorry, that is incorrect. For the very first ‘rapture’, go all the way back to the Book of Genesis. This event takes place before the flood of Noah. Genesis 5:21- 24 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters.So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
Becoming a father clearly resulted in a changed attitude for Enoch. At that point, the Hebrew grammar suggests Enoch responded to God and “walked with Him”. The name Enoch means “dedicate” per Strong’s Concordance. Enoch dedicated himself to God. Jewish tradition states Enoch was a preacher.
The meaning of the name of Methuselah is a bit of a mystery. Here are a couple of possibilities. One is “man of the dart” per Strong’s Concordance. A second is “when he is dead it shall be sent” per Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names. The issue is the root of the name. Is it “mut” (death) or “mat” (man) in the original Hebrew?
Did Enoch know judgment was coming from God? Something caused Enoch to rethink his attitude. The ages of the people documented in Genesis as time points would suggest the flood began when Methuselah died. Methuselah lived the longest of any man, 969 years (Genesis 5:27). God allowed the greatest amount of time for humanity to repent of their actions before judgment came. But, when the time came He acted swiftly and decisively with a global flood.
Note, Enoch was not around during the course of the flood. He was taken off of the earth before the world wide judgment of God came. He was spared and did not have to go through the tribulation of that time.
… for God took him. The meaning of “took” in Hebrew is “laqach”. Strong’s Concordance defines the word as: to take, take in the hand, carry along, carry away, take away, or to fetch.
Another definition is to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, or accept. The concept of taking in marriage is noted in the Hebrew Old Testament word “laqach” and the Greek New Testament word “harpazo”. Language of a marriage is noted with Christ and His bride the Church throughout the New Testament. Terms for rapture in the Old Testament and the New Testament center around marriage and a groom taking or snatching his bride.
Enoch was not a Jew or citizen of the country Israel. Nations were not in existence before the flood. Is Enoch a type or foreshadowing of the rapture of the bride of Christ, the church? Is there a group of people who will be taken away before a worldwide judgment of God?
Some may say Enoch is just an Old Testament story and fable. The story of Genesis is confirmed in Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Isaiah 11:8 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
Previously, the relationship between animals was discussed in the verse. In a nutshell, there will be harmony among and between the animals in the future. The relationship of predator and prey will be removed. What about the relationship between animals and humanity? There are multiple verses that speak to this relationship as well.
Prior to the flood, animals and humanity had a peaceful coexistence. But after Noah’s global flood, things changed. God informs Noah and the survivors of the flood they can now eat meat. From this point forward, animals are a food source. Hostility between humanity and zoology had been initiated. Genesis 9:2 “The fear of you and the terror of you will be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the sky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given.
The Bible says there will come a time when humanity and animal angst will end. A harmonious relationship with zoology will be restored as originally intended. PETA will rejoice! This concept of peace with animals is noted in multiple places. God makes a peace treaty or covenant with the animals.
Hosea 2:18 “In that day I will also make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds of the sky and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword and war from the land, and will make them lie down in safety…”
Job 5:22-23 “You will laugh at violence and famine, and you will not be afraid of wild beasts. For you will be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field will be at peace with you…”
Ezekiel 34:25 “I will make a covenant of peace with them and eliminate harmful beasts from the land so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods…”
Dr. Dolittle, the Dog Whisperer on the Animal Planet, or the cat psychologist from “My Cat from Hell” have nothing on God. Some of these folks in today’s world (March 2014) will be looking for a new job once this covenant is enforced. There will no longer be a “cat from hell”. Animal therapists will not be necessary.
Isaiah 11:6-8 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
The earth in its current status (February 2014) is still cursed. The curse finds its origin in the sin of Adam.
Genesis 3:17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
God wasted no time with the curse on the ground. The environment changed quickly. Finding food was clearly becoming an issue relative to the perfectly created Earth. From Adam to Noah in nine generations, the cursed ground was taking its toll. Man was having to work harder in order to eat. Genesis 5:29 Now he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the LORD has cursed.”
It is true, Noah (meaning rest or comfort) did provide humanity relief. If it were not for him building an ark, we would not be here. Conditions on Earth continued to become more difficult for growing food after the flood. Lot chose the lush and fertile Jordan valley near Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 13. This area is described as similar to the Garden of the Lord in Genesis 13:10 prior to its destruction.Today we know this area around the Dead Sea to be a barren, desert wasteland.
Romans 8:20-22 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. Today, the creation continues to groan. We are still dealing with the effect of Adam’s choice. Prophecy tells us the growing conditions will get worse before it gets better. For now, we hold to the words of the Apostle Peter. 2 Peter 3:13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
God Himself comments in Isaiah 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. This concept is noted in the Old and New Testaments. Revelation 21:5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
Isaiah 10:24-25 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD of hosts, “O My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear the Assyrian who strikes you with the rod and lifts up his staff against you, the way Egypt did. For in a very little while My indignation against you will be spent and My anger will be directed to their destruction.”
God is calling out to the citizens of Zion or Jerusalem. Assyria’s treatment of the Jews is similar to the bondage Israel experienced in Egypt. Israel do not sweat it, God is going to take care of this guy and his people. God informs the people of Israel their judgment is almost over. When that has run its course, Assyria will be destroyed.
Another name for the Assyrian is Asshur. The genealogy traces back to Noah and his son Shem. Asshur is the second son of Shem (son of Noah). Genesis 10:22 The sons of Shem were Elam and Asshur and Arpachshad and Lud and Aram. After the flood, Asshur settled in what is modern day Iraq on the Tigris River. His city was located between modern day Baghdad and Mosul. Asshur was the first capital of Assyria (Holman Quicksource Bible Dictionary).
This geographical area has been home to conquering empires throughout history. It was home to the Assyrian Empire. It was home to the Seleucid Empire after the four way split of Alexander the Great’s Grecian Empire. This area was a part of the Eastern leg of the Roman Empire. The eastern leg eventually became the Byzantine Empire. The last empire in this region was the Ottoman until the 19th Century. (An Alternative View: The Return of Nimrod? Chuck Missler)
Who is the Assyrian? Some would argue he is the Antichrist. The Antichrist is destined to be thrown alive into the Lake of Fire in Revelation 19:20. I would argue the Assyrian is not the Antichrist. His fate is to be discussed in the next post. His destination is not the Lake of Fire. He will not be alive; he is going to die.
Isaiah 9:18-19 For wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briars and thorns; it even sets the thickets of the forest aflame and they roll upward in a column of smoke. By the fury of the LORD of hosts the land is burned up, and the people are like fuel for the fire; no man spares his brother.
Isaiah uses idiomatic language to describe wickedness. The wickedness can be in civil relations, moral, ethical, and religious connotations. The people’s wickedness is like a destructive fire. A fire burns vegetation and wood.
As God sees it, the people’s actions are like a fire. God’s judgment in return is a fire. So the logic goes, the people’s actions (wickedness) result in a consuming fire of the land. In the idiomatic language, briars, thorns, and woods are the fuel. In reality, the people become the fuel in their judgment.
God’s word says that people’s actions can affect the environment. I realize in today’s “scientific” world that seems pretty far-fetched in some circles. This concept leaves the “global warming community” and the “environmental left” in a tight spot. These two groups would agree that man has negatively impacted the environment. This position would also be in agreement with God. This does not mean these left leaning organizations are in agreement with the Bible. If you read their beliefs, they are not consistent with God’s precepts.
The greatest environmental disaster of all time was due to man’s actions and sins. That disaster was the flood in Genesis. Genesis 6:13 Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.
Genesis 7:4 “For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will blot out from the face of the land every living thing that I have made.” The wickedness of humanity resulted in forty days and forty nights of rain. Incidentally, this is the first time in history it rained according to the Bible. Genesis 7:4 is the first mention of rain being caused. Genesis 2:5 indicates that God had not sent rain on the earth. Genesis 2:6 indicates there was a mist from the ground that watered the surface of the earth. God originally used His own misting sprinkler system to water plant life.
Man’s actions have impacted the environment in the past and in today’s world. Man’s actions and wickedness will impact the environment in the future Tribulation. Revelation 8:7 talks of hail and fire. Revelation 16:21 talks of the plague of hail. The sun is progressively impacted until there is darkness in Joel 2:10, 3:15, and Revelation 16:10.
Matthew 24:37 “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” –Jesus according to Matthew 24:37-39
