“As it was in the days of Noah.” We have seen how the Lord was emphasising the ordinariness of everyday life at the time of His return. But should we begin thinking beyond that to find further parallels between Noah’s day and our own? This could be construed as a positive venture as we shall see.
First of all, Genesis 6:11-12. “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.”
Corruption and violence. We are assailed daily with news reports of violence, especially now that the world has become an electronic village. The average decent-living person is traumatised by such meaningless brutality. And if we refuse to allow ourselves unnecessary grief by turning off the TV, we are branded as ostriches with heads in the sand. Yes, today is a day of increasing violence, and it is being experienced world-wide, as in Noah’s day according to the words of Genesis.
But what about corruption? What does the Hebrew word indicate? We use the word in a variety of ways, often in connection with morality and bribes. But Biblically it is wider. Look at Deuteronomy 13:13. “Corrupt men have gone out from among you and enticed the inhabitants of their city, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods.’” Then the words of the Psalmist, “They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.” Psalm 11:32. Paul quoted it in Romans. Daniel speaks about “Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” Daniel 14:3. From these three examples we can see how widely the word “corruption” is used. Once again, we can see in our own day various forms of corruption operating throughout the earth, whether it be militant humanism and atheism, militant denial of creation, or militant sexual deviation, to mention but three things being forced on us by corrupt legislation.
If the Lord only mentioned the ordinariness of everyday life in His warning, we certainly find His apostles receiving further evidence of the similarity between life in Noah’s day and our own. Peter tells us “that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to 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 creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.” 2 Peter 3:3-6.
The Apostle Paul had a similar message. “In the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a semblance of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” 2 Timothy 3:1-5
Someone may say, “Hasn’t it always been like this? Why pick on today’s news as if it is something new?” Yes, there has always been such corruption in human behaviour. But with the advent of electronic marvels of communication, the dissemination of all that is corrupt is magnified beyond anything known just a hundred and fifty years ago.
So we are not looking for “corruption” and “violence” as signs of the Lord’s coming, but noticing the modern parallels with life in Noah’s day. This theme needs further investigation.
