These are the words of Yeshua ha Mashiyach, as recorded by the apostle Matthew (chapter 24:37-39), when He spoke to His

disciples of what the last days would be like. We don't know a great deal about all the things people were doing in those days, nor everything that transpired before the flood; but there are several facts of which the reader should be aware that can be gathered from the Holy Scriptures. The first fact is that, according to the above passage, people were heavily into food and marriage. Of course, neither of these is, in and of itself, an evil thing; the point seems to be that they gave themselves over so to these things, and to the cares of this life, they completely forgot about seeking their Creator. The same can be said about this time in which we live. Indeed, Yeshua told us specifically that in the end, the inhabitants of the world would be snared by surfeiting/overindulgence), drunkenness, a n d ^ r e s of this life: "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. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth." (Luke 21:34,35) A quick glance at this "consumer society" should make us aware of how fully this prophecy is coming to pass before our eyes. When one considers the host of food chain restaurants, supermarkets, and general fullness of bread abounding on the one hand, and the multiple accounts of divorce and remarriage on the other, it becomes clear that this generation is indeed giving itself over unto these very things. A member of our fellowship recently met a man whose first marriage lasted five years, his second nine years, and whose third was now in its sixth year. It is increasingly common to find people in their fourth and fifth marriage. The second fact is that the people of Noah's day were corrupt. * In Genesis 6:12 we are told, "And Elohiym looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted

But as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
his way upon the earth/' Evidently the effect of seeking first the things of the flesh was corruption, even as the apostle Paul wrote, "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.ff (GaL 6:8) So it is today: most in this society are given over to sowing to the flesh, worshipping the body, and seeking to perfect their expertise in unrighteousness; and the fruit of this endeavor is the corruption that we see all about us a t s o m a n y i eve i St acceptably with reverence andchaseed [godly] Jcear" -Hebrews 12:28.) Both the prophet Ezekiel in the Old Testament, and the apostle Paul in the New Testament, made reference to Noah's righteousness (Ezek. 14:14; Heb. 11:7). Surely it was the grace of Elohiym that enabled him to withstand the corruption of his day.

THE DAYS OF NOAH

for man

The fifth fact k i h a t the world in general had no real interest in salvation. lt s e e m s their m i n d s w e r e on other things. Noah no doubt warned them and told them of what Yahveh was The third fact is that few were doing, but hardly anyone hearkened. saved: only Noah, his wife, his three Yeshua told us that they "knew not until sons, and their wives; a total of eight the flood came, and took them all persons. Even so in this time Yeshua away." (Matthew 24:39) They didn't has told us that few will find the narrow know Yahveh's judgment was coming way that leads to life. Most will fojjow (see Proverbs 28:5); they weren't the broad way to destructioa "Enterje aware of what was going on. If they in at the strait gate: for wide is thi gate, had listened to Noah, they would have and broad is the way, that leadeth to known and been prepared. But, again, destruction, and many there be which go they were too caught up in the cares and in thereat: because strait is the gate, and comjouon of their world to pay attention narrow is the way, which tEtteth unto toTHolSynrs message. life, and few there be that find it.11 (Matthew 7:13,14) "Then one said ^ sixth fact is the.world in unto Him, Adon (Lord), are there few Noah's time had become violent. In that be saved? And He said unto them, Genesis 6:11 it tells us, "The earth Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for also was corrupt before Elohiym, and many, I say unto you, will seek to enter tfie earth was fiUed with violence" in, and shall not be able" ( L u k e Evidently their corrupt state led them 13:23,24) into this violence. This, of course, is also true of the time in which we live. It The fourth fact is that Noah was a seems that in the beginning of the preacher of righteousness, even though twentieth century, some believed that ^ world was so corrupt (II P e t 2:5). modern technology and the human mind N o a h d i d n o t simply build an ark, but would bring about some sort of Utopia, Y years he spoke to the world However, what was actually produced about what was right. And not only did has been an age of godlessness and h e preach righteousness, but he lived it unprecedented viq)pf&e. Many today as well. In Genesis 6:8 we see that cannot deal with differences without "Noah found grace in the eyes of resorting to violenceand/or slanderous Yahveh" This is the first record we accusations. Ylars ago when many have of someone receiving grace, which children were raised with the Scriptures, exactly what one needs to live there was more understanding about righteously in a resha (ungodly) world, using a soft answer, as it says in ("For the grace of Elohiym that bringeth P r o v e r b s 1 5 : 1 , "A soft answer salvation hath appeared to all men, turneth away wrath: but grievous words teaching us that, denying rasha stir up anger" That sort of thing is [ungodliness] and worldly lusts, we mocked at today. should live soberly, righteously, and Of course there are those who will chaseed [godly], in this present world" answer these points by saying that there -Titus 2:11,12 "...Let us have grace, has always been evil, and that violence wherebty we may serve Elohiym and wrongdoing have only increased (4)

about proportionately with the population. This is dishonesty, however, and it is easily refuted by eyen a brief look at the records. For example, in 1900 the population of the U.S. was a little over 76 million, and yet during that year about 230 homicides were reported to have occurred. By 1960 the population had somewhat more than doubled to about 180 million; but the number of murders recorded in 1960 was about 8,500, an increase of over 36 times, between 1960 and 1980, the population rose by about another 26% to roughly 227 million; and yet the number of murders in 1980 was a\mosC:(riple that of 1960, accounts of rape and aggravated assault were Sbtmt quadrupled, and the amount of robberies had increased by more than five times. Consider also this bit of information: The seven top problems in public schools in 1940 were identified by teachers as talking out of turn, chewing gum, making noise, running in the halls, cutting in line, dress-code infractions and littering. By 1980, the seven top problems had been identified as

suicide, assault, robbery, rape, drug abuse, alcohol abuse and pregnancy. Only by an earnest exercise in willing ignorance could one compare this time with that of, say, three decades ago and not discern an alarming increase in evil on almost every front: drug use, child abuse, sodomy, divorce, occult practices, and on and on. The seventh fact is that the judgment of Elohiym did come, just as He promised. Seeing that the Word of Yahveh has always been correct in what it predicts, and that this time conforms so precisely to the state that the Scriptures have foretold, one can only wonder at people's efforts to be willingly ignorant of Elohiym's judgment to come* (See M a t t h e w 24:3-12, Luke 17:26-30, & II Timothy 3:1-5 for some examples of the prophecies of the world's end state; and M a t t h e w 24:29-39, II Peter 3:10-12, & Revelations 20:11-15 for promises of the judgment.) Surely a deep sleep has fallen upon people that they are able to live as the Scriptures sa)t they would in the end, to watch the

end time prophecies being fulfilled before their very eyes, and yet deny that it is happening. Instead, many folks make remarks to the effect that it's coincidental, or that the similarities are exaggerated. "Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." (II Peter 3:4) This scoffing attitude towards Elohiym's judgment was itself anticipated in the New Testament (see II Peter 3:3-7). Snuggled in their agnosticism, the world doesn't seem to realize that they are fulfilling end time prophecy even as they forsake faith in Elohiym (Please see Luke 18:8). Thus, it is important to awake to righteousness. The more numb this world becomes to their conscience, the further they will sink into corruption; and the more corrupt they become, the more their conscience will be seared. We must therefore seek to go the other way, getting our hearts right for Yeshua's coming, even as Noah prepared for the promise of judgment in his day.

TOttJ

IE

"When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: and before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.\ and He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me. Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Adon, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked', and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, yc have done it unto Me. Then shall He say also unto those on His left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not. Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Adon, when saw we Thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, andSiid not minister unto Thee? Tlxen shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous unto life eternal." Matthew.25:31-46 Imagine how glorious, how won- before His throne. Everyone will place of honor. Kings of old set derful and how dreadful this day will kneel before the King on that day to people on their right as a privileged be when all the world stands before give Him glory; and all will give place. It would be well to understand the great Elohiym to be judged. It is account for what they have done in what is required to partake of this evident this event is near to come. their lives. (For verses describing this honor, that we might enter into His Soon, it seems, we will be passing out event, please read: Daniel 7:9-10, rest and not into eternal punishment. of this world into a new one, a world Romans 14:10-12, II C o r i n t h i a n s Most of the things people are seeking after today will be manifested as in which we have never been, although 5:10, and Revelations 20:12-15.) we do through the Scriptures have The above prophecy relates that utterly profitless. The riches people some idea of what it will be like. Elohiym is going to place some on are now acquiring, for example, will Elohiym the Creator will be there, and His right hand when He returns. not help on that day, as that will have all nations will be gathered together Since ancient times this has been a been left far behind. (See I Timothy (5)