In the days of Noah the world became so depraved and wicked women had sex with angels and bore them children (Genesis 6:4-6). The Lord’s response to this unparalleled debauchery was to Flood the earth, wiping away the wicked in the waves. Only Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives were spared. Eight people total. If it weren’t for them, who feared the Lord, mankind would cease to exist. In many ways we may feel the days are drifting towards Noah, were there seeks to be less and less believers. We can be twmpted like Elijah to say, “Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the LORD's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets” (1 King 18:22). It may seem bleak and like lots of people are forsaking Christ to be prophets of Baal, but we must stay steadfast even if we become the minority, because just like Noah’s family was the only survivors of The Flood, we will be the only survivrs of The Fire that is coming, “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” (2 Peter 3:3-18).
Our Lord Jesus Christ said the days would return to those of Noah, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:37). When Christ returns it shall be like the days up to the Flood, which means there could be very few believers left, just as Noah’s family was only eight. For Christ says elsewhere, “I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth” (Luke 18:8), and “And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:10-13). This paints a similar picture to Noah’s day, that there will be many wicked and very few righteous believers left. I don’t know about you, but I want to be part of eight who waits for Christ to come with His Ark to rescue us. I want to be one of twelve disciples who stayed when many fell away, “At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:66-69). Its not going to be a world where Christians are popular, people will look at us like we are nuts just as they did at Noah building the Ark. But when the fire comes and Christ descends they will panic, “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen,” (Revelation 1:7) and “And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.” (Revelation 6:16).
If we are all that is left clinging to faith in Christ, then let us stand. It may be hard to believe we are the minority, especially with the boom of converts in Iran. But in Europe the Church has dwindled, in America its eroding, the new generation of Nones are 70% of their generation who believe nothing. Then there is the wars, plagues, and angels who will cut the numbers of mankind down to a small group, with the angels killing one third of humans, “It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates, Then the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were turned loose to kill one-third of all the people on earth [approximately 2,500,000,000 or 2.5 Billion people].” (Revelation 9:14-15). These people will be wicked because it says armies of antichrist and Satan are as numerious as the sands of the sea (Revelation 20:8).
The point is if we feel our numbers lowering, if we feel alone, remember Jesus foretold this was going to happen (Luke 18:8), a return to the Days of Noah when only eight stood firm in the faith. Lets be that eight, eight hundred or eight thousand persevering to the end, even if no one else does. Because one day Christ will appear in the sky and the world’s populace will shudder because “they chose poorly.” Amen.
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