In Matt 24, and Luke 17 we are told that the coming of the Son of man will be exactly like the days of Noah and Lot. When the Lord says it, he means it. We can be sure that there is a 100% chance, what is coming will be exactly like the days of Noah and Lot...exactly. We will look back on what happens and say "Blessed be your name Lord, for once again fulfilling your word just as you always have." It's a sure bet.
With all the uncertainty around what the escape is, or is not, don't you think we should take a really close look at exactly what happened with Noah and Lot? I mean, the Lord gave us two examples, not one, to figure out what it is we should be looking for in the future. With these two examples, we are also able to cross reference the commonalities, to know for sure, exactly what's going to happen. Since we know that the coming of the Son of man will be just like both the days of Noah, and Lot, that means this coming event matches up with both, which means whatever conclusions we come to, those conclusion must match both stories..Noah AND Lot, remember that.
So we look at the story of Noah, and we consider this idea that people tell us about that Noah was to go into the ark, and the bible says he waited 7 days for the rain of the flood to start, so people automatically say "hey, see! Noah sat there for 7 days, and not until after the 7 days did the flood come." Yea? So? Where was Noah during those 7 days? He was in the ark. Not only do we know that Noah was in the ark, we know it was because of the flood that Noah entered the ark. Not only do we know that Noah was in the ark, did not tread water for a second, we also know that the story of Noah must match the story of Lot as it applies to the coming of the Son of man in our near future.
Do we see anything about Lot waiting for 7 days before leaving Sodom? No, we don't. What do we see?
Gen 19:15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
What do we see in both stories? Above we see that not until Lot entered the safe place, known as Zoar, did the Lord rain fire and brimstone. What do we see with Noah? Not until Noah was safely in the ark did the Lord rain the floodwaters on the earth. The same idea in both stories so you can be absolutely sure that not until we are taken to a safe place will one drop of rain, or one ember of fire and brimstone fall. As it was, so shall it be. Noah escaped all the floodwaters. Lot escaped all the fire and brimstone, we shall escape all of what's about to happen. That's verbatim out of the word of God. Ask a post-tribber or a pre-wrath teacher how much water Noah had to tread. Ask them how many burn spots Lot had on him as he walked out of Sodom. Then watch how quickly they try to change the subject.
I actually read some guy who tried to argue that Luke 21:36 has nothing to do with the rapture. At that point I say, call it whatever you want. Make them explain to you how Noah and Lot escaped all, those who are counted worthy are promised an escape from all in Luke 21:36, yet somehow men are arguing that there is no escape from all that's about to happen?
What are "all these things" that we are to pray to escape? Well, look at what Jesus said in Luke 21. He lays out an entire panorama of the tribulation period.
Luke 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: 11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. 13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony. 14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. 16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. 17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. 18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish. 19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; 30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. 31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. 32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. 33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
He tells us everything that's going to happen, then when he is done telling us what's going to happen, he tells us to pray we may be counted worthy to escape all of it.
The Lord tells us that the coming of the son of man will be just like the days of Noah and Lot. We are told that an event is coming where the Lord comes down with a shout and in the blink of an eye we are caught up into the clouds with Jesus. We know that an escape from all is coming. We can reasonably expect that the number of people who are counted worthy to escape will mirror the amount of people who make it through the narrow gate that leads to life, which is, few (Matt 7:14).
Here's something the Lord pointed out to me recently. If the coming of the Son of man is to be like the days of Noah and Lot, and the books of Daniel and Revelation work closely together to paint a picture for us of what's going to happen during the time of Jacob's trouble/tribulation period/Daniel's 70th week, then should'nt we see something in either the book of Daniel, or the book of Revelation that closely resembles the events in Noah and Lot's day? Yes, you should, but here's a question for you, can you find anything in the book of Daniel that even remotely relates to the days of Noah and Lot? No, you can't. Look at the book of Revelation. Ask yourself, if the mid-trib, pre-wrath, post-trib teachers are right, should'nt we see some kind of Noah and Lot event in the book of Revelation that proves their point relating to the coming of the Son of man? You should see that, but you don't see that.
Look for instance at the opening of the seals in Rev 6. It's become popular these days to tell us that we are going to eat all the seals right up through the 6th seal, then be raptured. Well, if they want to prove that, don't they have to line it up with the stories of Noah and Lot? Don't they have to show us being persecuted by the anti-christ, being chased down by death and hell on earth, and being killed off by famine and the beasts of the earth lines up with the stories of Noah and Lot? Yea, they do have to prove that, and they can't. They can't come even remotely close to proving that. These men tell us that we are the ones under the alter who were slain for the word of God and their testimony. I'll entertain their opinions as soon as they can prove that being slain for my testimony lines up with the experiences of Noah and Lot.
The stories of Noah and Lot must be found somewhere in the end times scenario because Jesus clearly tells us that the coming of the Son of man, will be just like the days of Noah and Lot. What possible scenario allows all the puzzle pieces to fit without leaving pieces of the puzzle out, or trying to jam pieces into the puzzle that don't fit? I'll tell you the scenario:
During a time of eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, during a time before the flood arrives, during a time before the fire and brimstone rains down, we are taken into the ark, we are led out of the city, we are told to "come up here," through an open door illustrated in Matt 25 in the parable of the virgins, and Rev 4 immediately after Jesus speaks specifically to the churches we are enabled to escape all thats about to happen. Would that explain redeemed and rewarded men in heaven (not on earth) in Rev 4 and 5 before the seals are opened? Yea, it would explain that perfectly. Would it explain how those not destined for wrath, never incur the wrath of God? Yes it would. Would it verify the fact that the sword and famine are expressions of the wrath of God as proven in Ezekiel and other places?
Ezekiel 6:12 "He who is far off will die by the plague,
... and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my wrath upon them.
Yep, that would fit perfectly. Anti-christ, sword and famine are the first seals to be opened. Use the bible to interpret the bible...
This world is staring at the sword and famine right now. It's in the lame stream media headlines almost every day now. The anti-christ is rising, the signs are everywhere. Seals 1,2,3 are in plain sight now, although at a short distance away. How much time will elapse before that short distance is closed and the seals are opened? The Spirit is speaking to the churches today, he who has ears to hear should be listening to what the Spirit says. Read Rev 2-3.
The view I see as a watchman on the wall is this: By the end of March something big is going to happen. By this summer, people on this earth will think that the gates of hell have opened. Sometime over the next month or two or three there will be food shortages. This is not prophesy, this is analysis. Jesus told us to watch over and over and over again. What's the purpose of watching? To see and understand...to be ready..to prepare in advance for what you see coming from your place on the wall.
What can you do to prepare? You can pray. You can purge your heart and mind from everything and anything that hinders your walk with the Master. You can do things that you know please him today. As an act of your will, you can forcefully engage your will to keep your eyes on Jesus and not on the storm so you too can walk on the water like Peter did. In a time of unprecedented evil and wickedness, our Lord's grace abounds more. Do you think the Lord is sitting back in an armchair watching "american idol" while all hell breaks loose on earth? Not a chance. He knows how to spare his people from temptations. He knows how to feed his people in a desert. He knows how to absolutely, utterly, completely destroy the nations of the world and all its satanic armies without breaking a sweat. Our God is not worried about what's coming. There's not a single event, that will happen in any minute of any day that our God has not already forseen and planned for. Who is in control, who has dominion, who sits above all principalities and powers with a name above any other name? Our Lord Jesus who loved us and died for us that we might not suffer his wrath.
Our Lord is our one stop shopping source for everything. If you have a need, he is the source of every good thing in this world and the world to come. Your faith is everything. Engage it today, build it today, ask the Lord for more faith today. Faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains, what can great faith do? The enemy comes to kill steal and destroy and the first thing he is after is your faith. If he can take that from you he has taken everything from you. Please pray for all the brothers, for my family and for me, that we may escape all that is coming and stand before the Son of man. Be assured that I am praying for you. You are dearly loved. grace and peace.
Be Anxious For Nothing
5 years ago