The Last Days Of Man Before The Flood

by Geo. Richardson | Category: Lessons From The Last Days | Feb 1962

The state of man in the days of Noah was such as to call forth the sad statements of Genesis 6.6,

"It repented the LORD that He had made man an the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart."

Only about fifteen and a half centuries had passed since God created man in His own image, and now

"The earth was corrupt before God ... for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth."

In an effort to get a little understanding of the condition of things that prevailed prior to the flood let us look at it from two points of view,

(1)The grievous state of the world before the flood, and

(2)The salvation of Noah.

(1) No doubt, in the early days, men made great progress (Genesis 4.16-22). A city was built, and city life was introduced. Pastoral life was also maintained, and many dwelt in tents, the materials of which would need to be woven. They had wind and string instruments, with their music and musicians; and Tubal-cain was the forger of every cutting instrument of brass and iron. It is evident that civilization had reached a high standard in those antediluvian days; but God judges not according to the material state and progress, but rather according to the moral and spiritual state and progress of mankind.

The first chapter of the epistle to the Romans throws a great deal of light on things that prevailed in those far-off days.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold down the truth in unrighteousness"

(Romans 1. 18). It is worthy of note that the wrath of God and the holding down of the truth are conjoined. They dishonoured God by holding down the truth in unrighteousness. They had a knowledge of God's eternal power and divinity from the visible created things; they had also a knowledge of God from what was handed down to them from their forebears. Cain had dealings with God, Seth also knew God, and no doubt Adam would speak to his family circle, and to many others, of his time in Eden's garden, of his transgression, and of his consequent expulsion from the garden, and of the Cherubim with the flame of a sword at the east of Eden. To their great loss they desired not the knowledge of God, and they exchanged the truth of God for a lie. They gave God up, and God gave them up. The Spirit of God did strive long with them, but the time of the striving ceased. The moral condition of men and women soon deteriorated when there was no fear of God before their eyes, so followed that appalling list of evil things recorded in Romans 1.28-32.

The sons of God, although for a time maintaining a measure of separation, failed to continue to walk by faith. They "saw the daughters of men... and they took them wives of all that they chose" (Genesis 6.1, 2). It is a serious thing when the wall of separation breaks down. At this point the Spirit of God seems to have ceased striving with men, and God said, "I will destroy man whom I have created."

(2) In all this scene of corruption and wickedness and violence Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. He is one of the two men we read of who, in antediluvian days, walked with God; the other was Enoch, of whom we read in Genesis 5.24.

"Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him."

Enoch was translated before the awful judgement fell. In this he is a type of the saints who will be translated when the Lord comes to the air for His Church. Noah, left upon the earth, having been preserved with seven others from the awful deluge, might be viewed as a picture of the Jewish remnant which will be preserved during the tribulation from the awful judgements of that day, and who will emerge safely into the peaceful reign of Israel's great Messiah. God revealed to Noah His purpose, saying, "The end of all flesh is come before Me", but God would not destroy the righteous with the wicked, and thus He said to Noah, "Make thee an ark ... pitch it within and without with pitch." In Hebrews 11.7, we read,

"By faith Noah, being warned of Gad concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house."

Whilst Noah worked, he also preached. He was a preacher of righteousness, and he must have had great faith. God spoke to him when he was about 500 years old, and the flood came when Noah was 600 years old. In all those years of preaching only seven others were saved. Judgement came, but all that were inside the ark were safe; outside all perished. The pitch kept out the waters of judgement. The root of the Hebrew word "to pitch" is elsewhere translated "atonement." The ark is a type of Christ and it is the atonement that He has wrought that will preserve all in Christ from the coming judgement that will engulf all that die out of Christ, being Christ rejectors.

While in many respects the material state of the world has improved, for men have made great progress in scientific discoveries in many fields, yet it is also evident that the moral standard of the peoples is getting very low indeed. Wickedness and lawlessness are rampant on every hand. We need to cleave unto God, and to the word of His grace. Let us in our day honour Him by honouring His word. Let us maintain our separated character, and our sanctified position in the truth. May we ever be thankful to God for what He has done for us! Let us also witness for Him in this scene which is fast ripening

for judgement.

Geo. Richardson | Feb 1962
Lessons From The Last Days