0992. Living in False Security–knew Not Until

Living in False Security–knew Not Until

"And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be" (Mat_24:39)

One of the characteristics of the days of Noah was ignorance. Not ignorance of many things. Concerning mundane things, they were wise far beyond what we may imagine. In those days there were mighty men which were of old, men of renown. But in all their knowledge, a knowledge which included occult and satanic mysteries, they were ignorant of this one thing–the flood.

Of course, they heard the warnings which Noah faithfully and continually gave, but they refused to believe. They doubtless called his words unscientific and pessimistic, the prophesyings of a demented bard.

Thus, too, in the days of the coming of Christ, a world grown old in wisdom, is altogether ignorant of the Lord's coming back. To be sure, the Second Advent, with its accompanying events, is faithfully preached. No message was ever more sanely and more Scripturally proclaimed. From every corner of the globe, where faithful, orthodox men preach, the blessed hope is sounded forth. But yet the world will not believe.

The Holy Spirit through Peter enlarges upon the words of Christ. "They knew not until the flood came." Peter first speaks of the false teachers which shall arise. Then, as an example of their coming judgment, he describes both the overthrow of the old world by the flood, and also the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Then in the opening words of chapter 3 he says:

"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, "And saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

"For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the Word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

"Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished; "But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same Word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men" (2Pe_3:3-7).

This is an age that has rejected the Truth and turned aside after fables. It is an age that says: "Prophesy unto us smooth things." The world will not believe healthful teaching. It will not accept the testimony of God through Sage and Seer, Prophet and Apostle, concerning the Day of the Lord.

This is an age when the world is saying, "Peace, peace." The fact that there is no peace, does not matter.

Surely the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving to the Gospel of the glory of Christ. If the Lord came today, it would be an event for which the world is neither looking nor prepared.

Let the Church of God not permit that day to catch her unawares. The day of the Lord will so come as a thief in the night; but we are not in darkness that that day should overtake us as a thief. We are the children of light and the children of the day. Let us not cast away our confidence, which has great recompense of reward; let us the rather hold fast the confession of our faith, for "He is faithful that promised," and "yet a little while, and He that cometh will come, and will not tarry."

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR