The longest teaching portion of the Gospel of Matthew is the Sermon on the Mount (111 verses). To get an idea of how important the teaching about being prepared is, there are 66 verses devoted to being ready for Jesus’ return.
After teaching in the courtyard of the temple, Jesus informed His followers about events surrounding the end of the age. He cautioned people who wanted to predict the consummation of the kingdom of God, and He warned them to stay prepared.
“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so, too, will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:36-39)
I had a pastor friend who was deeply interested in the second coming of Jesus. He knew more about that subject than I ever will. It was the only thing he taught, and people were happy to listen.
But here is what is interesting. Even though people learned from his teaching, the church did not evangelize, reach out to the community, or grow. It remained stagnant.
It is important to understand Christ’s return, and I can learn from those who have studied it more than I have. But it is even more important to trust that the Father knows, and He will bring His kingdom in His own time.
Days of Noah
Let’s pay close attention to what Jesus said about the days of Noah. People enjoyed pleasure, eating, and drinking. They also continued normal traditions, such as marriage. But they did not understand what God was doing. Jesus said they “knew nothing until the flood came.”
In the days of Noah, during Jesus’ time, and even today, people perish because they lack knowledge. Hosea said it well: this is not simply a failure to know something. It is a failure to know God.
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge! Because you have rejected knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6)
The Bible describes intimacy between a man and a woman as knowing one another.
“Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, ‘I have produced a man with the help of the Lord.'” (Genesis 4:1)
Today, amazing scientific discoveries are made every day, and they are truly astounding. But what is missing is a basic knowledge of God that comes through intimacy with Him.
The fatal mistake people made in Noah’s day can happen in our time too. Our minds may be filled with the knowledge of social media influencers, sports figures, and celebrities. We may be valued professionals in our jobs and industries, yet fail to have a close relationship with God. When the end comes, we could be like the people in Noah’s day, completely unprepared.
Getting and Staying Prepared
Rudy Ross estimates that Noah spent a hundred years building the ark. He was the crazy man building an ark when people had never even seen rain.
People likely passed by the construction site, looked at him, laughed, shook their heads, and went on with their lives, eating, drinking, and doing all the usual things.
The Bible does not record this, but we can imagine people stopping and asking, “Noah, what are you doing?”
I like to think Noah told them to get to know God, walk with Him personally, and discover the plan He has for their lives. He may have also warned them about the coming rain God told him was on the way.
Let’s apply this scene to our own lives. Most people reading my blog likely believe that God’s kingdom will be fully established in the end. They also believe Jesus told us that we do not know the day or hour, so we must be ready.
But are we preparing? Are we pursuing a close relationship with God? Do we meet with Him in prayer, read His Word so He can speak to us, and follow His direction when He gives it?
These are three simple things we can do to stay ready for the Lord’s return. We do not know when that time will come, but Jesus reminds us again and again to be prepared.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed Matthew 24:35-39 today on YouTube.
Real Voices 