The Last Days

Genesis 6 v. 1 – 13 & ch 7 v. 21 – 24

1. THE LAST DAYS – Luke 17 v. 26 & 27 “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.”

(a) Days of Confusion + compromise – Genesis 6 v. 2 – Sons of God (Sethites) saw the daughters of men

1. Lack of supplication (prayer) – saw & took as they chose – “lust of the eyes”

2. Lack of separation – sons of God & daughters of men – unequal yoke

3. Lack of sanctification – i.e. holiness – v. 3 “My spirit shall not always strive with man”

(b) Days of Conflict – 6 v. 13 “The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence”

1. The reason for violence – Godlessness – turned away from seeking God

2. The range of violence – limitless – “the earth was filled with violence”

3. The result of violence – judgment – “I will destroy them with the earth” Note – God’s verdict, based on God’s vision, backed by God’s virtue

(c) Days of Corruption – 6 v. 5 “God saw that the wickedness of man was great”

1. Man’s wickedness was great – sinfulness of sin before a holy God

2. Man’s willfulness was great – “every imagination” – only evil continually

3. Man’s wantonness was great – v. 6 “it repented the Lord”, it grieved him at his heart

(a) The hindrance of sin (seeking God)

(b) The hardness of sin (slighting God)

(c) The hurtfulness of sin (saddening God) – it grieved him at his heart – Why? Man was a created being – v. 7 “I have created” – a corrupted being – v. 5 wickedness great – a corrupted being – v. 7 both men and beast – influence on creation

(d) Days of Condemnation – v. 7 “And the Lord said, I will destroy man”

1. Source of judgment - “I will destroy”

2. The subjects of judgment – man

3. Severity of judgment – destroy

4. Solemnity of judgment – which I have created

5. Soverignity of judgment – “for it repenteth me that I have made them”

2. THE LONGSUFFERING GOD 6 v. 3 “And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man” 1 Peter 3 v. 20” when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.” – God is not slack

1. The divine resolve – v. 7 “I will destroy man”

(a) Judgment decreed by God

(b) Declared by Noah – “preacher of righteousness”

(c) Denied by world – despite warnings

(d) Delivered by God – He promised it, proclaimed it (to Noah) prepared for it (ark) & performed it” God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness”

2. The divine reason – 6 v. 3 “for that he also is flesh” – temporal & transient but also thoughtless & totally depraved -v. 5 “every imagination of his heart”

3. The divine revelation – v. 6 “My spirit shall not always strive with man”

(a) The revelation of a person “my spirit” – The Holy Spirit

(b) The revelation of a process – striving – because of sin, salvation, judgment Acts 24 v. 25 “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” – wasn’t rejecting Paul – but the Holy Ghost

(c) The revelation of a privilege i.e. God striving with man for man’s own salvation

(d) The revelation of a peril – “shall not always strive” – resist, grieve, quench the Spirit

4. The divine restraint – “Yet his days shall be 120 years”

(a) The reason for restraint – repentance – Revelation2 v. 21” And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.”

(b) The riches of restraint - opportunity to prepare – day of grace

(c) The removal of restraint – after 120 years – judgment fell

5. The divine redemption – v. 8 “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord”

(a) He sought it

(b) He got it & (knew it)

(c) He taught it

The lost opportunity 7 v. 21 “And all flesh died that moved upon the earth”

1. A terrible destruction v. 21 “all flesh died”

2. A total destruction v. 23 “and every living substance was destroyed and Noah only remained alive and they that were wit him in the ark”