Rearranging Deck Chairs On The Titanic

We are studying Noah in our Tuesday night Bible study. In our text, the Apostle Peter tells us that God is sending a day of judgment upon this world, just like He judged the world with a flood in the time of Noah, and just like he judged Sodom and Gomorrah by fire. Peter said there would be scoffers in the last days. They will not want to hear the message. They will not want to hear the warnings. As we taught in our study of Noah, Jesus said as in the days of Noah, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man. People were marrying and giving in marriage, living busy lives up to the very moment the floods came. They could not believe the world that had always been there for them was about to be destroyed. Noah had warned them. Enoch had warned them, but they did not want to hear. I wonder how many told him in so many words, “shut up! Shut up! I am busy.” They were rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. That’s what they were doing. Only one thing mattered in Noah’s day, and that was the life boat Noah was building for them.

That paints a picture of our world today, doesn’t it? You see, terrible judgment is coming upon this world. God has messengers warning of the danger. But most do not want to hear the warnings. They want to be left alone. They want to live their lives in blissful ignorance. They are giving in marriage, taking in marriage, building businesses, going to work, watching football, or the latest television show. They are doing everything but the important thing. They should be getting on the life boat God prepared for them. They are rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The judgment is coming, regardless of what the scoffers say.

Peter tells us the people who perished in the flood, and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are an example to us.

Sodom was a beautiful city. It was a jewel of that day. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, lived there with his wife and two daughters. A tour of Sodom in that day would have really been something, I am sure. You see, Lot had been living with Abraham in tents, but now he had moved to the city. But, more than that, he was deeply involved with the city. He sat in the gates of Sodom. In that time, that meant he was a judge. He was part of the judicial system, a prominent member of the society. Oh, yes. He was doing well in Sodom. And I am sure Lot’s wife was living it up. As a judge’s wife, she was part of the in-crowd. She was invited to all the parties. She rubbed shoulders with the finest Sodomites of that great city. They were living their lives, unaware that God was about to judge that city. I mean, how bad was Sodom, really? Sure, most of them lived an “alternative lifestyle,” or approved of those who did. Sure, they even celebrated their “alternative lifestyle” by parading it down the boulevard. But, really, what did that hurt? Mrs. Lot did not take much notice of that. She loved the city of Sodom. Lot was doing just great. Why he was heavily invested in the local real estate. Mrs. Lot was a member of the country club.