Scripture readings: Mat 24:37-38, Gen 6:5-14, 2 Cor 5:1
My burden in this message is to tell you about how the time of the second coming of the Lord is so near. And how man needs the ark, the church for his salvation. The Ark accomplishes two great things - 1) Salvation from God's judgment. The Lord as the coming flood will save us (1 Pet 3:20) from today's world of wickedness, continual evil (Gen 6:5), fleshly corruptions (Gen 6:12), violence (Gen 6:13)
2) Escape from the terror of the Lord(2 Cor 5:10-11)
Our days are similar to the days of Noah. We have to watch eagerly for the Lord's coming. The signs for the Lord's coming is ripe and all the events told by the Lord has come to pass. Let us all who are believers of the eternal hope come together in love of the Lord which is pure and kind (1 Cor 13:1-13)
The Lord's coming like a flood.
Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38 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 entered into the ark,
and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Luk 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they
sold, they planted, they builded;
Luk 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven,
and destroyed them all.
Luk 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven,
and destroyed them all.
Luk 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
The coming of the Lord is likened to the flood that took everything away (and raining fire and brimstone from heaven, which destroyed the wicked people in Luk 17:29). Since the Lord Himself has given us a hint that His coming would be so abrupt like the flood in the days of Noah, Let us take a closer look at the lifestyle of the people during Noah's time. Why is Noah's story so important to us? What is significant about the ark itself whose dimensions were revealed by God, the Almighty to Noah personally.
Lord Jesus, our Ark of salvation
When the flood came Noah, his family and all the living creatures chosen by God in the Ark were saved. The Ark typifies Christ as the full embodiment of God the Father (Col. 2:9) - For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,. Today if the Lord comes, Hallelujah, don't worry, there is an ark which will save us, The Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He is the Ark which saves not only us but our entire household (Heb 11:7). By faith Noah entered the ark and by faith we enter Christ. Amen.
Our eternal salvation is secured by the Lord's atoning death for us. This we proudly call 'saved by grace'. This work of God is once and for all. Absolutely nothing can change this. We need yet another salvation, which is our daily salvation from the wicked, continually evil generation. Noah walked with God and found grace in the eyes of God. It means he had already secured his eternal salvation, but he still needed an ark during the days of flood. So Praise God for His wisdom, Noah received an ark in addition to his eternal salvation. Amen.
There is mind blowing wisdom of God behind this great truth. The eternal salvation is purchased by the Lord's own effort and there is absolutely nothing for humans in that area, where as our daily salvation is bought by the Lord through us, our workings, our labors, our gifts etc.. (Phil 2:12) God revealed and Noah built. The revelation mingled with human efforts gave shape to the ark. The church is God's revelation and the foundation is our Lord Jesus Christ, the cornerstone. Now whoever is building, he or she is building over this foundation (1 Cor 3:9-14), Amen. Are we building or just throwing hay or grass over the Cornerstone?
We, the believers in Christ build the Ark
There is mind blowing wisdom of God behind this great truth. The eternal salvation is purchased by the Lord's own effort and there is absolutely nothing for humans in that area, where as our daily salvation is bought by the Lord through us, our workings, our labors, our gifts etc.. (Phil 2:12) God revealed and Noah built. The revelation mingled with human efforts gave shape to the ark. The church is God's revelation and the foundation is our Lord Jesus Christ, the cornerstone. Now whoever is building, he or she is building over this foundation (1 Cor 3:9-14), Amen. Are we building or just throwing hay or grass over the Cornerstone?
We, the believers in Christ build the Ark
Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
We are saved by only and only by the blood of Christ from eternal perdition and we have to apply this blood daily. We brag about our salvation by grace which is indeed a thing to be bragged about 24 hours all the days of our life. But at the same time we should never forget that we need our daily salvation from this present perverse and wicked generation (2Pe 2:5). This too is achieved by the blood of Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. The Lord God waited during the days of Noah. His long suffering was available to mankind even when the ark was being built by Noah. But alas! they utterly disappointed Him.
Are we today in the last days of what the Lord prophesied? Are our days like that of the days of Noah?
(Gen 6:1-2) The sons of God refers to the fallen angels mingled with the daughters of men. Sexually immorality grew and the generation was perverse and wicked. Jehovah's Spirit Who was striving with man ever since the first fall (Gen 3:1) decided not to strive with man forever(Gen 6:2). The sin was great, hence the Lord had to mow them down by reducing their life span to 120 years. Imagine Hitler living for 900 years what havoc he would have created. There were giants in those days which came out of the illegal union of the fallen angels and the daughters of men which was against God's original design. Man's wickedness was great and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was evil continually(Gen 6:5). All these things led God to repent and grieve for making man on earth. The Lord decided to end all flesh (Gen 6:13).
God's repentance and grief
When God created the beasts, the creeping things and the cattle, He saw them and said that it was good(Gen 1:25). Then God created Man on the sixth day in His own image and then said that it was good (Gen 1:27). How amazing this creature 'Adam' would have looked before his fall! It is still a mystery. It is a wonderful feeling to go to a gathering where everything is arranged for you and all are waiting for your arrival. What glory and honor! Almighty God Jehovah gave such a honor to 'Adam' when He created him on the sixth day. On the seventh day, God rested. So the first day of man was God's rest day. Man entered the rest of God. (He was designed originally for resting until his fall when his labor and unrest began) God planted a garden in Eden. What a garden this would have been, since it was built by the greatest Architect of the universe!! He created Man to rest and have dominion over the other creation. But you know what man did! he fell (Gen 3:6), then again fell(Gen 4:8) and fell again (Gen 6:1-8:3). How much the loving God would have grieved to strike off the creation which He made out of great passion. I felt a small micro part of that grief and tears swelled when I was writing this exact line. The Spirit was showing me how true and great the grief was that God faced.
Church is the Ark today
This is an era of grace which began after our Lord's crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Bible says that the days of this era will also end in such an abrupt fashion. That Christ like flood will descend upon earth, upon all the generations. Hallelujah, If Christ is coming like a flood then there must be people whom God has appointed for the ark building(2 Cor 5:1). Let us look at today's world; and see that there is only one ark that is being built now which can save us from the judgment of God, the church of the living Christ all over the world. The local churches around the world put together will become the one Universal Church and this Universal Church is our Ark today.
(All the believers who belong to a particular locality constitute the church of that locality. And all the localities put together will constitute the ONE UNIVERSAL CHURCH. Today though we do not gather as per this plan due to man-made divisions (1 Cor 1:10-13) and traditions, the Lord do not see this division (Col 3:11))
Signs of the Lord's coming
Today is just like the days of Noah, sexual immorality is at the peak. Switch on the television for one minute and see for yourself how the bad has become the new good today. The generation is perverse and wickedness is all around us. There are giants today, these giants have taken more refined form. They are intellectual giants who use their brains to do corruption and all kinds of evilness.
The Lord said that no one knows the exact hour or day when His second coming is except the Father in heaven. When Noah started building the ark, he didn't know the exact date and time of the flood, but he knew one thing that flood was inevitable. We don't know the time of the arrival of the Lord but it is inevitable. The signs the Lord has told to watch out for has come to pass. Many have been deceived and many Christs are in the world today. Some of these shameless children of devil have proclaimed themselves to be 'avatars' of God. (1 John 3:10) What judgment God has reserved for these filthy creatures. It is sad to see many getting deceived by these children of the serpent. What more evidence for perverseness should I give when it is for all to see that today, there are temples for serpent. Oh Lord come quickly. Amen. People have lost their sense and their hearts are hardened with foolishness. Some of these so called 'avatars' have gasped for breath in the hospital for all the world to see before they died. Recently when such a filthy one died and I thought, 'It is time for him to meet the real Avatar. What will he say to Him?' Thank You Lord for reducing our lifespan; otherwise how these serpents would have filled the whole earth with deception and filthiness. I am 33years old and how I am already frustrated every day living in this world and groan unto the Lord to come quickly and release me from this corruption.
Age of wars and rumors of wars
This is exactly the age of wars and rumors of wars. The world is at the brink of war and destruction. See the Lord have comforted us that these rumors or wars will not affect us and nor will it bring the end of the world because the Creator and the Destroyer is One, our Lord Almighty, the Triune God.
Earthquakes are so common nowadays that I myself felt a tremor a couple of months back. When the tremor hit my place, every one quickly ran out to the open roads. I became joyous thinking about the signs of the Lord's coming. At the end of this period, the persecutions of Christians will commence. Beloved everywhere, do not consider it strange when people persecute you for being a Christian, for our Lord have told about this thousands of years before. They will think that killing or persecuting you is a service to God (John 16:2)
Preaching of the gospel as a witness
The gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nation. Then the end will come. Today the gospel has reached to the ends of the earth. Workers and labors of God around the world are burdened and spreading the word fervently. Kingdom of the heavens is taken by violence and with such aggression it is marching forward for the KING's arrival. It is progressing in such a way that it seems that it will be established with you or without you. The Lord has uttered the word that the gospel will be preached to all creatures and hence today all kinds of media, and all kinds of means are used for this purpose. Today all the internet facilities, mobile with sms services, e-book readers, videos, youtube video sharing are all for the Lord's purpose and increase.
In this context I would like to say something. Satan has a talent; he reaches a particular place first thinking that he will get something first. In the garden of Eden he was first to be there before God came to deceive Eve. Now all the media services, even a small text message service is immediately captured by Satan before the Lord makes His grand move. We can see how filthy jokes and other messages are a common part of the text messaging among many people. But hallelujah, all things are for the Lord and the Lord is all (1Co 15:27 )
The Lord's word is not just mere words but power. When He utters something, it will be formed even out of nothing. Amen. Heaven and Earth will pass away but the words of the LORD is for ever. (Mat 24:35)
As in the days of Noah
As in the days of Noah, that were before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriages until the day Noah entered the ark(Mat 24:38). Today is one of the days like in the days of Noah, there is eating and drinking, all kinds of merry making. All kinds of cuisines and cocktails are a part of the great modern lifestyle. Now if we are in the end times, we need to be already building some Ark. This ark is not the requirement of others but you. If you want to save yourselves and your family members then you will have to get an entry into the ark. I remember a movie called 2012, where the world was coming to an end. There was one secret facility where a couple of arks were built after the specialists from around the world knew that some catastrophe was about to happen. Then we see a scene where people from around the world were trying hard to get on to that ark. Some of them paid hefty prices while others found some other means to get inside the ark. Yes they made it at the end and they were saved while others perished. Today In a sense we are openly building an ark and also we are already inside the Ark. It is our Lord Jesus Christ. we are in Him and He in us (1 Joh 2:27-28). Amen.
All creatures are groaning for their glorious liberation
In the beginning Adam fell from all authority and dominance which God had assigned for him and when He cursed Adam, He cursed all living creatures. Hence after the sons of God are revealed in the day of the glorious redemption, all the creatures too will received the glorious liberty. They are earnestly groaning for this(Rom 8:21) Here Noah's ark depicts how the wise Father though grieved want to give back the right place for man according to the prupose he was created-dominance and authority. God set up a mini Eden garden inside the ark with many different species and gave the authority to Noah and family. The ark though was built by him was a salvation for all kinds of creatures during the flood. How accurate when the Bible says in Rom 8:21 that the creatures too will be liberated gloriously along with the sons of God.
Church the body of Christ
What ever the Lord has told has come to pass. We are at the threshold of a new era when this perverse, wicked generation is swept away by the flood. A new age will begin when the Ark, our Lord saves us from such a devastating judgment. Abide in the Lord(1 Joh 2:28). The Ark is the church today as the church is the body of Christ (1Co 12:27, Eph 4:12) whose head is our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 1:10, Eph 1:22-23). We are building each other (1Th 5:11) means we are building the body of Christ and we are building the ark. Noah's ark had a window on the top of it to let the light from heaven inside the ark. The light we have in the church is the heavenly light, our Lord Jesus Christ (Joh 1:4-5).
Noah sweated out there in the field for 120 years, suffering all mockeries and doubts while he was building the ark. The task given by God was Noah's practical experience and by the great wisdom of God, our spiritual message of the coming era and the building of His ark, God the Son. We need to build Christ as revealed by God, and not driven by our own natural abilities, and likes and dislikes.
Let us therefore not be in the world full of deception and wickedness, laboring for it but understand the revelation of God for this generation which is at the brink of termination and the immediate start of a new era. Do not become dis-similarly yoked with unbelievers. You have become righteous by Christ's blood ( Heb 9:14 ) and now what is your partnership with lawlessness? (2 Cor 6:14). We are the temple of the living God(2 Cor 6:16). For we alone have the privilege of calling the Lord Almighty our FATHER (2 Cor 6:18). So let us be wary and work out our salvation (Phil 2:12) which is the Ark of God, the Christ whom we adore and love, who will save us from the judgment and the eternal perdition.
FINAL WORD
These are the last days, brothers and sisters. We are nothing and our life is like a vapor (Jam 4:14). We are going nowhere with the wealth that we are amassing or the worldly accomplishments and fame that we are laboring for. The future financial security or the investment for a bright future is for this worldly folks. We don't know whether we will be alive tomorrow to see this investment. There is only one real and strong security for us, the Lord Jesus Christ. Come beloved and come share the love of Christ, and let us build together the great ARK, the body of Christ. The King's arrival is at hand. Our days are just like that of the Noah's. Amen.
Are we today in the last days of what the Lord prophesied? Are our days like that of the days of Noah?
(Gen 6:1-2) The sons of God refers to the fallen angels mingled with the daughters of men. Sexually immorality grew and the generation was perverse and wicked. Jehovah's Spirit Who was striving with man ever since the first fall (Gen 3:1) decided not to strive with man forever(Gen 6:2). The sin was great, hence the Lord had to mow them down by reducing their life span to 120 years. Imagine Hitler living for 900 years what havoc he would have created. There were giants in those days which came out of the illegal union of the fallen angels and the daughters of men which was against God's original design. Man's wickedness was great and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was evil continually(Gen 6:5). All these things led God to repent and grieve for making man on earth. The Lord decided to end all flesh (Gen 6:13).
God's repentance and grief
When God created the beasts, the creeping things and the cattle, He saw them and said that it was good(Gen 1:25). Then God created Man on the sixth day in His own image and then said that it was good (Gen 1:27). How amazing this creature 'Adam' would have looked before his fall! It is still a mystery. It is a wonderful feeling to go to a gathering where everything is arranged for you and all are waiting for your arrival. What glory and honor! Almighty God Jehovah gave such a honor to 'Adam' when He created him on the sixth day. On the seventh day, God rested. So the first day of man was God's rest day. Man entered the rest of God. (He was designed originally for resting until his fall when his labor and unrest began) God planted a garden in Eden. What a garden this would have been, since it was built by the greatest Architect of the universe!! He created Man to rest and have dominion over the other creation. But you know what man did! he fell (Gen 3:6), then again fell(Gen 4:8) and fell again (Gen 6:1-8:3). How much the loving God would have grieved to strike off the creation which He made out of great passion. I felt a small micro part of that grief and tears swelled when I was writing this exact line. The Spirit was showing me how true and great the grief was that God faced.
Church is the Ark today
This is an era of grace which began after our Lord's crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Bible says that the days of this era will also end in such an abrupt fashion. That Christ like flood will descend upon earth, upon all the generations. Hallelujah, If Christ is coming like a flood then there must be people whom God has appointed for the ark building(2 Cor 5:1). Let us look at today's world; and see that there is only one ark that is being built now which can save us from the judgment of God, the church of the living Christ all over the world. The local churches around the world put together will become the one Universal Church and this Universal Church is our Ark today.
(All the believers who belong to a particular locality constitute the church of that locality. And all the localities put together will constitute the ONE UNIVERSAL CHURCH. Today though we do not gather as per this plan due to man-made divisions (1 Cor 1:10-13) and traditions, the Lord do not see this division (Col 3:11))
Signs of the Lord's coming
Today is just like the days of Noah, sexual immorality is at the peak. Switch on the television for one minute and see for yourself how the bad has become the new good today. The generation is perverse and wickedness is all around us. There are giants today, these giants have taken more refined form. They are intellectual giants who use their brains to do corruption and all kinds of evilness.
The Lord said that no one knows the exact hour or day when His second coming is except the Father in heaven. When Noah started building the ark, he didn't know the exact date and time of the flood, but he knew one thing that flood was inevitable. We don't know the time of the arrival of the Lord but it is inevitable. The signs the Lord has told to watch out for has come to pass. Many have been deceived and many Christs are in the world today. Some of these shameless children of devil have proclaimed themselves to be 'avatars' of God. (1 John 3:10) What judgment God has reserved for these filthy creatures. It is sad to see many getting deceived by these children of the serpent. What more evidence for perverseness should I give when it is for all to see that today, there are temples for serpent. Oh Lord come quickly. Amen. People have lost their sense and their hearts are hardened with foolishness. Some of these so called 'avatars' have gasped for breath in the hospital for all the world to see before they died. Recently when such a filthy one died and I thought, 'It is time for him to meet the real Avatar. What will he say to Him?' Thank You Lord for reducing our lifespan; otherwise how these serpents would have filled the whole earth with deception and filthiness. I am 33years old and how I am already frustrated every day living in this world and groan unto the Lord to come quickly and release me from this corruption.
Age of wars and rumors of wars
This is exactly the age of wars and rumors of wars. The world is at the brink of war and destruction. See the Lord have comforted us that these rumors or wars will not affect us and nor will it bring the end of the world because the Creator and the Destroyer is One, our Lord Almighty, the Triune God.
Earthquakes are so common nowadays that I myself felt a tremor a couple of months back. When the tremor hit my place, every one quickly ran out to the open roads. I became joyous thinking about the signs of the Lord's coming. At the end of this period, the persecutions of Christians will commence. Beloved everywhere, do not consider it strange when people persecute you for being a Christian, for our Lord have told about this thousands of years before. They will think that killing or persecuting you is a service to God (John 16:2)
Preaching of the gospel as a witness
The gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nation. Then the end will come. Today the gospel has reached to the ends of the earth. Workers and labors of God around the world are burdened and spreading the word fervently. Kingdom of the heavens is taken by violence and with such aggression it is marching forward for the KING's arrival. It is progressing in such a way that it seems that it will be established with you or without you. The Lord has uttered the word that the gospel will be preached to all creatures and hence today all kinds of media, and all kinds of means are used for this purpose. Today all the internet facilities, mobile with sms services, e-book readers, videos, youtube video sharing are all for the Lord's purpose and increase.
In this context I would like to say something. Satan has a talent; he reaches a particular place first thinking that he will get something first. In the garden of Eden he was first to be there before God came to deceive Eve. Now all the media services, even a small text message service is immediately captured by Satan before the Lord makes His grand move. We can see how filthy jokes and other messages are a common part of the text messaging among many people. But hallelujah, all things are for the Lord and the Lord is all (1Co 15:27 )
The Lord's word is not just mere words but power. When He utters something, it will be formed even out of nothing. Amen. Heaven and Earth will pass away but the words of the LORD is for ever. (Mat 24:35)
As in the days of Noah
As in the days of Noah, that were before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriages until the day Noah entered the ark(Mat 24:38). Today is one of the days like in the days of Noah, there is eating and drinking, all kinds of merry making. All kinds of cuisines and cocktails are a part of the great modern lifestyle. Now if we are in the end times, we need to be already building some Ark. This ark is not the requirement of others but you. If you want to save yourselves and your family members then you will have to get an entry into the ark. I remember a movie called 2012, where the world was coming to an end. There was one secret facility where a couple of arks were built after the specialists from around the world knew that some catastrophe was about to happen. Then we see a scene where people from around the world were trying hard to get on to that ark. Some of them paid hefty prices while others found some other means to get inside the ark. Yes they made it at the end and they were saved while others perished. Today In a sense we are openly building an ark and also we are already inside the Ark. It is our Lord Jesus Christ. we are in Him and He in us (1 Joh 2:27-28). Amen.
All creatures are groaning for their glorious liberation
In the beginning Adam fell from all authority and dominance which God had assigned for him and when He cursed Adam, He cursed all living creatures. Hence after the sons of God are revealed in the day of the glorious redemption, all the creatures too will received the glorious liberty. They are earnestly groaning for this(Rom 8:21) Here Noah's ark depicts how the wise Father though grieved want to give back the right place for man according to the prupose he was created-dominance and authority. God set up a mini Eden garden inside the ark with many different species and gave the authority to Noah and family. The ark though was built by him was a salvation for all kinds of creatures during the flood. How accurate when the Bible says in Rom 8:21 that the creatures too will be liberated gloriously along with the sons of God.
Church the body of Christ
What ever the Lord has told has come to pass. We are at the threshold of a new era when this perverse, wicked generation is swept away by the flood. A new age will begin when the Ark, our Lord saves us from such a devastating judgment. Abide in the Lord(1 Joh 2:28). The Ark is the church today as the church is the body of Christ (1Co 12:27, Eph 4:12) whose head is our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 1:10, Eph 1:22-23). We are building each other (1Th 5:11) means we are building the body of Christ and we are building the ark. Noah's ark had a window on the top of it to let the light from heaven inside the ark. The light we have in the church is the heavenly light, our Lord Jesus Christ (Joh 1:4-5).
Noah sweated out there in the field for 120 years, suffering all mockeries and doubts while he was building the ark. The task given by God was Noah's practical experience and by the great wisdom of God, our spiritual message of the coming era and the building of His ark, God the Son. We need to build Christ as revealed by God, and not driven by our own natural abilities, and likes and dislikes.
Let us therefore not be in the world full of deception and wickedness, laboring for it but understand the revelation of God for this generation which is at the brink of termination and the immediate start of a new era. Do not become dis-similarly yoked with unbelievers. You have become righteous by Christ's blood ( Heb 9:14 ) and now what is your partnership with lawlessness? (2 Cor 6:14). We are the temple of the living God(2 Cor 6:16). For we alone have the privilege of calling the Lord Almighty our FATHER (2 Cor 6:18). So let us be wary and work out our salvation (Phil 2:12) which is the Ark of God, the Christ whom we adore and love, who will save us from the judgment and the eternal perdition.
FINAL WORD
These are the last days, brothers and sisters. We are nothing and our life is like a vapor (Jam 4:14). We are going nowhere with the wealth that we are amassing or the worldly accomplishments and fame that we are laboring for. The future financial security or the investment for a bright future is for this worldly folks. We don't know whether we will be alive tomorrow to see this investment. There is only one real and strong security for us, the Lord Jesus Christ. Come beloved and come share the love of Christ, and let us build together the great ARK, the body of Christ. The King's arrival is at hand. Our days are just like that of the Noah's. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment