Everyone is familiar with the story of Noah. God told him to build an ark because He was going to destroy the world with a mighty flood. Noah obeyed God without question or hesitation and he spent 120 years building the Ark. Not a single day passed during those 120 years in which Noah did not preach repentance to the people. 43,800 days and 43,800 consecutive invitations that he presented to the people to be saved....and 43,800 consecutive refusals. The people were so completely consumed with sin that nothing else mattered to them. Then one day the flood came, the water rose, and every single person outside the safety of the Ark perished.
Sin is again rampant throughout our world today. The Bible warns that "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it also be in the day of the coming of the Son of man" (Matthew 24: 37-38). Every person who is living outside the protective walls of the atoning blood of Jesus Christ is going to be destroyed. Many argue that "times have changed, the world has changed, and we need to change with it." Such reasoning is both foolish and deadly for the Bible says "be ye NOT conformed to the world or its ways" (Romans 12:2). The world may change but almighty God NEVER changes - "He is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). As well, the penalty for un-repented sin has not changed. But God in His infinite grace and mercy has once again provided an Ark of Safety for each and every one of us through the sacrificial death of His only Son upon the Cross for our redemption. And the only way to enter God’s sacrificial Ark of safety is through the blood-stained Cross of Jesus Christ. There is no other way that exists - there is no other door. Nor can we simply just wait for the "next" Ark or "ship" of safety to come along because there will BE no next ship....this is the final boarding call. Our Ark of safety is in Christ and in Him alone.
In this Old Testament story we see three things.
FIRST: - ALL of mankind is lost. SECOND: - All of mankind is given many opportunities to be saved. THIRD: - For all of mankind there is only one way to be saved.
People are lost today in the same way they were lost in Noah’s day. Man lives in a condemned world because of its sin and rejection of Jesus Christ. Satan is still the prince of this world. He rules the hearts of men and nations just as he always has and therefore this age will end in judgment just as it did in Noah’s day. On that day the Bible says "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (II Thessalonians 1: 7-8).
In Orson Wells’ famous radio broadcast "War of the worlds" people truly believed that the world was under attack from space aliens, even though throughout the broadcast numerous announcements had been made that the broadcast was only a "play" and the events were not real. Man is easily convinced of many things that are not true such as: there are many ways to God, or peace and hope can be found apart from Christ. The one great truth that all men must be prepared for is the return of Jesus Christ. God is holding the door open for you. Don’t put off entering in only to suddenly realize that you waited to long to enter the Ark of safety (Jesus Christ). Don't wait only to find yourself standing on the wrong side of the door, pounding begging and pleading to be let in, with no hope. For Jesus shall answer from within and say, "Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me."
God bless you,
Mark Shutts
