Bible Study – The Flood

June 12 – 18, 2022

Key Text

“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Hebrews 11:7

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 90–110

Introduction

“Before the Flood God sent Noah to warn the world, that the people might be led to repentance, and thus escape the threatened destruction.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 102

Sunday

1 INIQUITY ABOUNDED

1.a. What was the condition of the world in the days of Noah, and what message did God give this patriarch as wickedness increased on the earth? Genesis 6:5, 12–14, 17

Note: “After the Fall, men chose to follow their own sinful desires; and as the result, crime and wretchedness rapidly increased. Neither the marriage relation nor the rights of property were respected. Whoever coveted the wives or the possessions of his neighbor, took them by force, and men exulted in their deeds of violence. They delighted in destroying the life of animals; and the use of flesh for food rendered them still more cruel and bloodthirsty.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 92

1.b. Besides immorality and violence, what was the sin of the antediluvians? Matthew 24:38; Luke 17:27

Note: “The sin of the antediluvians was in perverting that which in itself was lawful. They corrupted God’s gifts by using them to minister to their selfish desires. The indulgence of appetite and base passion made their imaginations altogether corrupt. The antediluvians were slaves of Satan, led and controlled by him.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 19, 246, 247

Monday

2 A MAN OF FAITH

2.a. What did the Lord say of Noah’s character? Genesis 6:8; 7:1

Note: “What constituted the difference between Enoch and Noah, and those who were destroyed by the flood? Enoch and Noah were obedient to the law of God; the others walked in the imagination of their own hearts, and corrupted their ways before the Lord, disregarding all His requirements.” The Signs of the Times, February 11, 1897

“Noah stood like a rock amid the tempest. He was surrounded by every species of wickedness and moral corruption; but amid popular contempt and ridicule, amid universal wickedness and disobedience, he distinguished himself by his holy integrity and unwavering faithfulness.” Reflecting Christ, 322

2.b. What does the Bible say about the unflinching faith and work of Noah? Hebrews 11:7; 2 Peter 2:5

Note: “Noah was to preach to the people, and also to prepare an ark as God should direct him for the saving of himself and family. Not only was he to preach, but his example in building the ark was to be a continual testimony of warning to the world, showing that he believed what he preached. His simple, childlike faith, and his implicit obedience, notwithstanding the opposition he received, was an evidence to the world of his sincerity. He was firm as a rock to duty, directing the work of that singular building, under the guidance of the divine Architect. Every blow struck upon the ark was a witness to the people.” The Signs of the Times, February 27, 1879

“The ark was built upon dry land. Noah walked by faith, and when the time came and they [the people] saw the beasts two by two going into the ark, and the heavens darkened by the fowls that were going two by two into the ark, these were they that were obedient to God; but man was not obedient, but the beasts and fowls were finding a place of refuge. Yet notwithstanding this wonderful sight, still the people were unbelieving.

“At last God bade Noah and his family to go into the ark; and He shut them in. There they remained one week enclosed in the ark before it began to rain. How then did these wicked men mock and deride those in the ark! Was it not a trial of their faith to be shut in there for one week and yet have no rain? But after seven days it began to rain.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 19, 133

Tuesday

3 THE ARK OF NOAH

3.a. What were the dimensions of the ark, and what material was used for building it? Genesis 6:14–16

Note: “Human wisdom could not have devised a structure of so great strength and durability. God was the designer, and Noah the master builder. It was constructed like the hull of a ship, that it might float upon the water, but in some respects it more nearly resembled a house. It was three stories high, with but one door, which was in the side. The light was admitted at the top, and the different apartments were so arranged that all were lighted. The material employed in the construction of the ark was the cypress, or gopher wood, which would be untouched by decay for hundreds of years. The building of this immense structure was a slow and laborious process. On account of the great size of the trees and the nature of the wood, much more labor was required then than now to prepare timber, even with the greater strength which men then possessed. All that man could do was done to render the work perfect, yet the ark could not of itself have withstood the storm which was to come upon the earth. God alone could preserve His servants upon the tempestuous waters.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 92–95

3.b. How much time was given to finish the ark and for the wicked to repent? Genesis 6:3. Did anyone heed Noah’s warning?

Note: “A power attended his [Noah’s] words, for it was the voice of God to man through His servant. Connection with God made him strong in the strength of infinite power, while for one hundred and twenty years his solemn voice fell upon the ears of that generation.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 96

“Noah’s faith was mingled with fear; for it is written that Noah, being warned of God, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his house. His faith intensified his fear; for it was no cowardly fear that moved him. He dared not suppress the words of God for fear of men, or withhold his message in dread of the consequences that might result because of the opposition and hate of the wicked and unbelieving about him. He knew the power of God, and realized that God would fulfill His word.” The Signs of the Times, April 18, 1895

“Some of the carpenters he [Noah] employed in building the ark believed the message, but died before the flood; others of Noah’s converts backslid.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 504

Wednesday

4 THE FLOOD COVERED THE EARTH

4.a. Describe the phenomenon that took place among the living creatures that entered the ark with Noah. Genesis 7:7–9

Note: “The ark was finished in every part as the Lord had directed, and was stored with food for man and beast. And now the servant of God made his last solemn appeal to the people. With an agony of desire that words cannot express, he entreated them to seek a refuge while it might be found. Again they rejected his words, and raised their voices in jest and scoffing. Suddenly a silence fell upon the mocking throng. Beasts of every description, the fiercest as well as the most gentle, were seen coming from mountain and forest and quietly making their way toward the ark. … Animals obeyed the command of God, while men were disobedient.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 97, 98

“There were a class of very large animals which perished at the flood. God knew that the strength of man would decrease, and these mammoth animals could not be controlled by feeble man.” Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 4a, 121

4.b. After seven days in which the faith of Noah was tested once more, what took place? Genesis 7:17–24

Note: “For seven days after Noah and his family entered the ark, there appeared no sign of the coming storm. During this period their faith was tested. It was a time of triumph to the world without. The apparent delay confirmed them in the belief that Noah’s message was a delusion, and that the Flood would never come. Notwithstanding the solemn scenes which they had witnessed—the beasts and birds entering the ark, and the angel of God closing the door—they still continued their sport and revelry, even making a jest of these signal manifestations of God’s power. They gathered in crowds about the ark, deriding its inmates with a daring violence which they had never ventured upon before.

“But upon the eighth day dark clouds overspread the heavens. There followed the muttering of thunder and the flash of lightning. Soon large drops of rain began to fall. The world had never witnessed anything like this, and the hearts of men were struck with fear. …

“The [idol] worshipers were made to tremble at the power of the living God and to know that it was their corruption and idolatry which had called down their destruction.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 98, 99

Thursday

5 THE EARTH DURING AND AFTER THE FLOOD

5.a. What was the reaction of the wicked to Noah’s message? 1 Peter 3:20

Note: “Satan himself, who was compelled to remain in the midst of the warring elements, feared for his own existence. … Many of the people, like Satan, blasphemed God, and had they been able, they would have torn Him from the throne of power. Others were frantic with fear, stretching their hands toward the ark and pleading for admittance. But their entreaties were in vain. Conscience was at last aroused to know that there is a God who ruleth in the heavens. They called upon Him earnestly, but His ear was not open to their cry. In that terrible hour they saw that the transgression of God’s law had caused their ruin.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 99, 100

 5.b. What sign and promise were given to Noah and his family? Genesis 8:15–19; 9:8–16. What was the earth like after the Flood?

Note: “In the time of the Flood, the people, and the beasts also, gathered to the highest points of land, and as the waters disappeared, dead bodies were left upon the mountains and hills, as well as on the plains. The surface of the earth was strewn with the bodies of men and beasts. But God would not have these remain to decompose and pollute the atmosphere, therefore He made of the earth a vast burying ground. He caused a powerful wind to pass over it for the purpose of drying up the waters, which moved them with great force, in some instances carrying away the tops of the mountains like mighty avalanches, forming hills and mountains where there were none to be seen before, and burying the dead bodies with trees, stones, and earth.” The Signs of the Times, March 13, 1879

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    How are we in danger of repeating today the sin of the antediluvians?

2    Why can we be inspired by the example of Noah?

3    Describe the conditions under which Noah labored.

4    Why were some animals not preserved in the ark?

5    What evidences of the Flood remain on earth even today?

Copyright 2000, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Question – Did anyone accept Noah’s message?

Question:

Did anyone accept Noah’s message during the 120 years he built the ark?

Answer:

“More than one hundred years before the flood the Lord sent an angel to faithful Noah to make known to him that He would no longer have mercy upon the corrupt race. But He would not have them ignorant of His design. Noah was to preach to the people, and also to prepare an ark as God should direct him for the saving of himself and family. He was not only to preach, but his example in building the ark was to convince all that he believed what he preached.

“Noah and his family were not alone in fearing and obeying God. But Noah was the most pious and holy of any upon the earth, and was the one whose life God preserved to carry out His will in building the ark and warning the world of its coming doom. Methuselah, the grandfather of Noah, lived until the very year of the flood; and there were others who believed the preaching of Noah, and aided him in building the ark, who died before the flood of waters came upon the earth. …

“A multitude at first apparently received the warning of Noah, yet did not fully turn to God with true repentance. There was some time given them before the flood was to come, in which they were to be placed upon probation—to be proved and tried. They failed to endure the trial. The prevailing degeneracy overcame them, and they finally joined others who were corrupt … . They would not leave off their sins, but continued … in the indulgence of their corrupt passions.

“The period of their probation was drawing near its close. …

“Notwithstanding the solemn exhibition they had witnessed of God’s power … yet they hardened their hearts, and continued to revel and sport over the signal manifestations of divine power.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, 69–73

“There were many who at first received Noah’s message, but the fear of men was greater than the fear of God, and they turned away from the truth of God to believe a lie. As time passed on, and reproach and ridicule were heaped upon them, their hearts failed them, and they did not bear the test. It is the testing time that will measure professed faith and assurance in God. Courage and integrity cannot be estimated rightly by men until the day of trial puts them to the test.” The Signs of the Times, April 18, 1895

“The antediluvians were warned, but the record states that they knew not until the Flood came and took them all away. … They saw Noah and his wife and their sons and their wives passing into the ark; and the door was closed upon them. Only eight persons entered that refuge from the storm.” Christ Triumphant, 61

Question – How was the ark able to withstand the flood?

Question:

How was the ark able to withstand the flood? Was Noah just a really good builder?

Answer:

“The building of this immense structure was a slow and laborious process. On account of the great size of the trees and the nature of the wood, much more labor was required then than now to prepare timber, even with the greater strength which men then possessed. All that man could do was done to render the work perfect, yet the ark could not of itself have withstood the storm which was to come upon the earth. God alone could preserve His servants upon the tempestuous waters.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 95

“The massive ark trembled in every fiber as it was beaten by the merciless winds and flung from billow to billow. The cries of the beasts within expressed their fear and pain. But amid the warring elements it continued to ride safely. Angels that excel in strength were commissioned to preserve it.” Ibid., 100

“After Noah had done all in his power to make every part of the work correct, it was impossible that it could of itself withstand the violence of the storm which God in His fierce anger was to bring upon the earth. The work of completing the building was a slow process. Every piece of timber was closely fitted, and every seam covered with pitch. All that men could do was done to make the work perfect; yet, after all, God alone could preserve the building upon the angry, heaving billows, by His miraculous power.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, 71

How then are we to withstand the flood of evil, described to be “as in the days of Noah,” that is overwhelming our world today?

“It should be the first work … to be right before God … and then to stand in the strength of Christ, unaffected by the wrong influences to which they will be exposed. If they make the broad principles of the word of God the foundation of the character, they may stand wherever the Lord in His providence may call them, surrounded by any deleterious influence, and yet not be swayed from the path of right.” Counsels on Health, 405

Bible Study Guides – A Just Man And Perfect

April 15 – April 21, 2001

Memory Verse “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” Genesis 5:24.

Study Help: Maranatha, 65; Conflict and Courage, 28–31.

Introduction

“Enoch, we read, walked with God three hundred years. That was a long time to be in communion with Him.…He communed with God because it was agreeable to him,…and he loved the society of God. Enoch was a marked character. Many look upon his life as something above what the generality of mortals can ever reach. But Enoch’s life and character…represent what the lives and characters of all must be, if like Enoch, they are subjects to be translated when Christ shall come. His life was what the life of every individual may be if he closely connects with God. We should remember that Enoch was surrounded with influences so depraved that God brought a flood of waters on the world to destroy its inhabitants for their corruption.” Conflict and Courage, 29.

“Without Shedding of Blood Is No Remission”

  • In what way did the Lord cover the nakedness brought about by Adam’s sin? Genesis 3:21. (See Proverbs 28:13 and Psalm 32:1–5.)

note: “The white robe of innocence was worn by our first parents when they were placed by God in holy Eden. They lived in perfect conformity to the will of God. All the strength of their affections was given to their heavenly Father. A beautiful soft light, the light of God, enshrouded the holy pair. This robe of light was a symbol of their spiritual garments of heavenly innocence. Had they remained true to God it would ever have continued to enshroud them. But when sin entered, they severed their connection with God, and the light that had encircled them departed. Naked and ashamed, they tried to supply the place of the heavenly garments by sewing together fig leaves for a covering. This is what the transgressors of God’s law have done ever since the day of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. They have sewed together fig leaves to cover the nakedness caused by transgression. They have worn the garments of their own devising, by works of their own they have tried to cover their sins, and make themselves acceptable with God. But this they can never do. Nothing can man devise to supply the place of his lost robe of innocence. No fig-leaf garment, no worldly citizen dress, can be worn by those who sit down with Christ and angels at the marriage supper of the Lamb. Only the covering which Christ Himself has provided can make us meet to appear in God’s presence. This covering, the robe of His own righteousness, Christ will put upon every repenting, believing soul.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 310, 311.

  • What was the lesson taught by the deaths of the creatures whose skins covered the nakedness of Adam and Eve? John 1:29; 1 John 1:7.

note: “A system of sacrifices was then established, to keep before the fallen race that which the serpent made Eve disbelieve, that the penalty of disobedience is death. The transgression of God’s law made it necessary for Christ to die as a sacrifice; for only thus could He redeem man from the penalty of the broken law, and yet maintain the honor of the divine government. The sacrificial system was designed to teach man humility, in view of his fallen condition, and to lead him to repentance toward God and faith in the promised Redeemer for pardon of past transgressions. Had the law of God never been transgressed, there would have been no death, and hence no need of additional precepts to suit man’s fallen condition.” Signs of the Times, June 10, 1880.

“The Lord Had Respect Unto Abel And To His Offering”

  • How did Abel show his understanding of this truth and his faith in the coming Saviour? Genesis 4:4.

note: “Abel grasped the great principles of redemption. He saw himself a sinner, and he saw sin and its penalty, death, standing between his soul and communion with God. He brought the slain victim, the sacrificed life, thus acknowledging the claims of the law that had been transgressed. Through the shed blood he looked to the future sacrifice, Christ dying on the cross of Calvary; and trusting in the atonement that was there to be made, he had the witness that he was righteous, and his offering accepted.” Conflict and Courage, 24.

  • By contrast, what action did his brother Cain take? Genesis 4:3.

note: “His gift expressed no penitence for sin. He felt, as many now feel, that it would be an acknowledgement of weakness to follow the exact plan marked out by God, of trusting his salvation wholly to the atonement of the promised Saviour. He chose the course of selfdependence. He would come in his own merits. He would not bring the lamb, and mingle its blood with his offering, but would present his fruits, the products of his labor. He presented his offering as a favor done to God, through which he expected to secure the divine approval. Cain obeyed in building an altar, obeyed in bringing a sacrifice, but he rendered only a partial obedience. The essential part, the recognition of the need of a Redeemer, was left out.” Conflict and Courage, 25.

  • What was the essential difference between Cain and Abel? Hebrews 11:4.

note: “Cain and Abel represent two classes that will exist in the world till the close of time. One class avail themselves of the appointed sacrifice for sin; the other venture to depend upon their own merits; theirs is a sacrifice without the virtue of divine mediation, and thus it is not able to bring man into favor with God. It is only through the merits of Jesus that our transgressions can be pardoned.…It is claimed by some that the human race is in need, not of redemption, but of development—that it can refine, elevate, and regenerate itself. As Cain thought to secure the divine favor by an offering that lacked the blood of a sacrifice, so do these expect to exalt humanity to the divine standard, independent of the atonement. This history of Cain shows what must be the result. It shows what man will become apart from Christ. Humanity has no power to regenerate itself. It does not tend upward, toward the divine, but downward, toward the satanic. Christ is our only hope. ‘There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.’ ‘Neither is there salvation in any other’ (Acts 4:12).” Conflict and Courage, 25.

“Only Evil Continually”

  • To what state did the human race deteriorate? Genesis 6:5, 11, 12.

note: “In sparing the life of Cain the murderer, God gave the world an example of what would be the result of permitting the sinner to live to continue a course of unbridled iniquity. Through the influence of Cain’s teaching and example, multitudes of his descendants were led into sin, until ‘the wickedness of man was great in the earth’ and ‘every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.’ ‘The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.’ Genesis 6:5, 11. In mercy to the world, God blotted out its wicked inhabitants in Noah’s time. In mercy He destroyed the corrupt dwellers in Sodom. Through the deceptive power of Satan the workers of iniquity obtain sympathy and admiration, and are thus constantly leading others to rebellion. It was so in Cain’s and in Noah’s day, and in the time of Abraham and Lot; it is so in our time. It is in mercy to the universe that God will finally destroy the rejecters of His grace.” Great Controversy, 543.

  • In contrast to the prevailing evil, which people continued to live righteous lives? Genesis 5:24; Genesis 6:9.

note: “With the word of God in his hands, every human being, wherever his lot in life may be cast, may have such companionship as he shall choose. In its pages he may hold converse with the noblest and best of the human race, and may listen to the voice of the Eternal as He speaks with men.…He may dwell in this world in the atmosphere of heaven, imparting to earth’s sorrowing and tempted ones thoughts of hope and longings for holiness;…like him of old who walked with God, drawing nearer and nearer the threshold of the eternal world, until the portals shall open, and he shall enter there. He will find himself no stranger. The voices that will greet him are the voices of the holy ones, who, unseen, were on earth his companions—voices that here he learned to distinguish and to love. He who through the word of God has lived in fellowship with heaven, will find himself at home in heaven’s companionship.” Conflict and Courage, 31.

  • Does God take into account the circumstances into which people are born? Psalm 87:6.

note: “Consider Christ’s pity for man. He knows just how they were born. He knows just how they were surrounded in childhood. You don’t know what temptations came with their birth. You don’t know the conditions of their parents. Put away all judgment. Judgment belongs to the Son of God. He is the One who is to judge the world.” The Upward Look, 332.

“By Faith Enoch…”

  • What was the secret of Enoch’s walk with God? Hebrews 11:5, 6.

note: “When we learn to walk by faith and not by feeling, we shall have help from God just when we need it, and His peace will come into our hearts. It was this simple life of obedience and trust that Enoch lived. If we learn this lesson of simple trust, ours may be the testimony that he received, that he pleased God. In every phase of your character building you are to please God. This you may do; for Enoch pleased Him though living in a degenerate age. And there are Enochs in this our day.” Conflict and Courage, 31.

  • What glorious privilege was granted to Enoch? Hebrews 11:5, first part; Genesis 5:24, last part.

note: “Enoch had temptations as well as we. He was surrounded with society no more friendly to righteousness than is that which surrounds us. The atmosphere he breathed was tainted with sin and corruption, the same as ours; yet he lived a life of holiness. He was unsullied with the prevailing sins of the age in which he lived. So may we remain pure and uncorrupted. He was a representative of the saints who live amid the perils and corruptions of the last days. For his faithful obedience to God he was translated. So, also, the faithful, who are alive and remain, will be translated. They will be removed from a sinful and corrupt world to the pure joys of heaven. Our present work is to come out from the world and be separate. This is the only way we can walk with God, as did Enoch.” Conflict and Courage, 29.

“A Preacher Of Righteousness”

  • What was the work of witness that Noah was called to perform? 2 Peter 2:5.

note: “Before the Flood God sent Noah to warn the world, that the people might be led to repentance, and thus escape the threatened destruction. As the time of Christ’s second appearing draws near, the Lord sends His servants with a warning to the world to prepare for that great event. Multitudes have been living in transgression of God’s law, and now He in mercy calls them to obey its sacred precepts. All who will put away their sins by repentance toward God and faith in Christ are offered pardon. But many feel that it requires too great a sacrifice to put away sin. Because their life does not harmonize with the pure principles of God’s moral government, they reject His warnings and deny the authority of His law. Of the vast population of the earth before the Flood, only eight souls believed and obeyed God’s word through Noah. For a hundred and twenty years the preacher of righteousness warned the world of the coming destruction, but his message was rejected and despised. So it will be now.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 102.

  • What testimony is given of Noah’s life? Genesis 6:22.

note: “Those who are watching for the Lord, are purifying their souls by obedience to the truth. With vigilant watching they combine earnest working. Because they know that the Lord is at the door, their zeal is quickened to co-operate with the divine intelligences in working for the salvation of souls. These are the faithful and wise servants who give to the Lord’s household ‘their portion of meat in due season.’ Luke 12:42. They are declaring the truth that is now specially applicable. As Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses each declared the truth for his time, so will Christ’s servants now give the special warning for their generation.” Desire of Ages, 634.

“God Remembered Noah”

  • When the promised destruction engulfed the earth, what are we told concerning Noah? Genesis 8:1. (Compare Isaiah 43:2.)

note: “When the rain descended and the flood came, Noah and his family had entered the ark, and God had shut them in. Noah had faithfully warned the inhabitants of the antediluvian world, while they had mocked and derided him. And as the waters descended upon the earth, and one after another was drowning, they beheld that ark, of which they had made so much sport, riding safely upon the waters, preserving the faithful Noah and His family. So I saw that the people of God, who had faithfully warned the world of His coming wrath, would be delivered. God would not suffer the wicked to destroy those who were expecting translation and who would not bow to the decree of the beast or receive his mark. I saw that if the wicked were permitted to slay the saints, Satan and all his evil host, and all who hate God, would be gratified. And oh, what a triumph it would be for his satanic majesty to have power, in the last closing struggle, over those who had so long waited to behold Him whom they loved! Those who have mocked at the idea of the saints’ going up will witness the care of God for His people and behold their glorious deliverance.” Early Writings, 284.

  • What precious promises will those who walk with God rely on? Psalm 91:9, 10, 14; Psalm 27:5.

note: “God ever commends obedience. For their obedience Enoch was translated to heaven, and Noah was saved from the flood that deluged the earth. ‘Behold,’ writes the psalmist, ‘the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.’ ‘I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace.’” Signs of the Times, February 11, 1897.

Bible Study Guides – “They Shall Perish But Thou Remainest”

July 24, 1999 – July 30, 1999

MEMORY VERSE: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11.

STUDY HELP: Testimonies, vol. 3, 138–140.

Introduction

“The infidel supposition, that the events of the first week required seven vast, indefinite periods for their accomplishment, strikes directly at the foundation of the Sabbath of the Fourth Commandment. It makes indefinite and obscure that which God has made very plain. It is the worst kind of infidelity; for with many who profess to believe the record of creation, it is infidelity in disguise. It charges God with commanding men to observe the week of seven literal days in commemoration of seven indefinite periods, which is unlike His dealings with mortals, and is an impeachment of His wisdom.” Signs of the Times, March 20, 1879.

“The Earth Shall Wax Old Like a Garment”

  1. How are we shown that the world is not now as it was created to be? Romans 8:22.

NOTE: “As the ‘whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together’
(Romans 8:26, 22), the heart of the infinite Father is pained in sympathy. Our world is a vast lazar house, a scene of misery that we dare not allow even our thoughts to dwell upon. Did we realize it as it is, the burden would be too terrible. Yet God feels it all. In order to destroy sin and its results He gave His best Beloved, and He has put it in our power, through co-operation with Him, to bring this scene of misery to an end. ‘This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.’ Matthew 24:14.” Education, 263–264.

  1. What promise do we have that God will make all things new? Isaiah 65:17.

NOTE: The literal meaning for “come into mind,” found in the margins of some Bibles, is “come upon the heart.”( See Prophets and Kings, 731, 732.)

“Scoffers Walking After Their Own Lusts”

  1. What warning did Peter give of skepticism regarding the creation and flood? 2 Peter 3:3–6.

NOTE: “Geologists claim to find evidence from the earth itself that it is very much older than the Mosaic record teaches. Bones of men and animals, as well as instruments of warfare, petrified trees, etc., much larger than any that now exist, or that have existed for thousands of years, have been discovered, and from this it is inferred that the earth was populated long before the time brought to view in the record of creation, and by a race of beings vastly superior in size to any men now living. Such reasoning has led many professed Bible believers to adopt the position that the days of creation were vast, indefinite periods.

“But apart from Bible history, geology can prove nothing. Those who reason so confidently upon its discoveries have no adequate conception of the size of men, animals, and trees before the flood, or of the great changes which then took place. Relics found in the earth do give evidence of conditions differing in many respects from the present; but the time when these conditions existed can be learned only from the Inspired Record. In the history of the flood, inspiration has explained that which geology alone could never fathom. In the days of Noah, men, animals, and trees, many times larger than now exist, were buried, and thus preserved as an evidence to later generations that the antediluvians perished by a flood. God designed that the discovery of these things should establish faith in inspired history; but men, with their vain reasoning, fall into the same error as did the people before the flood, the things which God gave them as a benefit, they turn into a curse by making a wrong use of them.” Christian Education, 191, 192.

  1. What should the evidence of creation lead men to see and understand clearly? Romans 1:20–21.

NOTE: “Cold, philosophical speculations and scientific research in which God is not acknowledged are a positive injury. And the evil is aggravated when, as is often the case, books placed in the hands of the young, accepted as authority and depended upon in their education, are from authors avowedly infidel. Through all the thoughts presented by these men, their poisonous sentiments are interwoven. The study of such books is like handling black coals; a student cannot be undefiled in mind who thinks along the line of skepticism. The authors of these books, which have sown the seeds of doubt and infidelity broadcast over the world, have been under the training of the great enemy of God and man, the acknowledged head of principalities and powers, the ruler of the darkness of this world. The word that God has spoken concerning them is, ‘They…became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools; because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful.’ Romans 1:21, 22. They rejected divine truth in its simplicity and purity for the wisdom of this world. Whenever books by these infidel authors are given the precedence, and the word of God is made secondary, there will be sent out of the schools a class of students no better fitted for the service of God than they were before they received their education.” Counsels to Teachers, Parents and Students, 423–424.

  1. What counsel is especially applicable to those ordained to preach the Word? 1 Timothy 6:20–21.

NOTE: “It is because of a neglect of prayer and of searching the Bible that the multitudes accept men-made theories, vain philosophies, or the flashing speculations of the human mind. God never designed that the soul should be nourished with the traditions and speculations of human invention. The imagination must plume for a higher flight than human ability can originate; for the mind must ascend to the Source of all wisdom. Souls all about us are starving for the bread of life, famishing for the living water, clear as crystal, that flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb. But the bread of life is denied these poor souls, and even from the pulpits discourses on science and vain philosophy are substituted for the word of God. It is the word of God that is as pure provender, thoroughly winnowed from all the chaff of human uncertainties and suppositions.” Signs of the Times, July 31, 1893.

  1. How does the Bible record the early history of mankind? Genesis 5:1–32; 11:10–32.

NOTE: “Without Bible history, geology can prove nothing. Relics found in the earth do give evidence of a state of things differing in many respects from the present. But the time of their existence can be learned only from the inspired record. It may be innocent to conjecture beyond this, if our suppositions do not contradict the facts found in the sacred Scriptures. But when men leave the word of God, and seek to account for His creative works upon natural principles, they are upon a boundless ocean of uncertainty. Just how God accomplished the work of creation in six literal days, He has never revealed to mortals. His creative works are as incomprehensible as His existence.” Signs of the Times, March 20, 1879.

“Giants in the Earth in Those Days”

  1. What evidence do we have that the early inhabitants of the world were intelligent and accomplished? Genesis 4:2, 17, 21–22.

NOTE: See Patriarchs and Prophets, 82–83.

  1. What are we told about the physical size of the men before the flood? Genesis 6:4, first part.

NOTE: “As Adam came forth from the hand of his Creator, he was of noble height, and of beautiful symmetry. He was more than twice as tall as men now living upon earth, and was well proportioned. His features were perfect and beautiful. His complexion was neither white, nor sallow, but ruddy, glowing with the rich tint of health. Eve was not quite as tall as Adam. Her head reached a little above his shoulders. She, too, was noble, perfect in symmetry, and very beautiful.” Last Day Events, 291–292.

  1. What are we told about the life span of early men? Genesis 5:5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, 31.

NOTE: “The book of Genesis gives quite a definite account of social and individual life, and yet we have no record of an infant’s being born blind, deaf, crippled, deformed, or imbecile. There is not an instance upon record of a natural death in infancy, childhood, or early manhood. There is no account of men and women dying of disease. Obituary notices in the book of Genesis run thus: ‘And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.’ ‘And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.’ Concerning others, the record states: He lived to a good old age; and he died. It was so rare for a son to die before the father that such an occurrence was considered worthy of record: ‘And Haran died before his father Terah.’ Haran was a father of children before his death.

“God endowed man with so great vital force that he has withstood the accumulation of disease brought upon the race in consequence of perverted habits, and has continued for six thousand years. This fact of itself is enough to evidence to us the strength and electrical energy that God gave to man at his creation.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 138.

  1. What evidence is there that God had faithful witnesses before the Flood? Hebrews 11:4–7, 2 Peter 2:5, Jude 14–15.

NOTE: See Patriarchs and Prophets, 85, 86.

“Enoch instructed his family in regard to the flood. Methuselah, the son of Enoch, listened to the preaching of his grandson Noah, who faithfully warned the inhabitants of the old world that a flood of waters was coming upon the earth. Methuselah and his sons and his grandsons lived in the time of the building of the ark. They, with some others, received instruction from Noah, and assisted him in his work.” Signs of the Times, February 20, 1879.

“The Whole Creation Groaneth”

  1. Why is sickness so prevalent today that few people now die of old age? Deuteronomy 28:58–61.

NOTE: See Testimonies, vol. 3, 491.

  1. What promise are we given that, though the creation is wearing out, God does not change? Hebrews 1:10–12. Compare Isaiah 51:6–8.

NOTE: “The whole of the fifty-first chapter of Isaiah is worthy of close, earnest study, and we would do well to commit it to memory. It has a special application to those who are living in the last days.” Review and Herald, December 1, 1896.

Bible Study Guides – “THE WORLD THAT THEN PERISHED”

August 21, 1999 – August 27, 1999

MEMORY VERSE: “God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.” 2 Peter 2:4, 5.

STUDY HELP: Testimonies, vol. 4, 306–313.

INTRODUCTION

“The world’s Redeemer had many hearers, but few followers. Noah preached one hundred and twenty years to the people before the Flood, and yet there were few who appreciated this precious, probationary time. Save Noah and his family, not one was numbered with the believers and entered into the ark. Of all the inhabitants of the earth, only eight souls received the message; but that message condemned the world. The light was given in order that they might believe; their rejection of the light proved their ruin. Our message to the world will be a savor of life unto life to all who accept it, and of condemnation to all who reject it.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 36.

“MY SPIRIT WILL NOT ALWAYS STRIVE WITH MAN”

  1. What was the state of the world before the Flood? Genesis 6:5.

NOTE: “How was it in Noah’s day? ‘God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.’ Genesis 6:5. The inhabitants of the antediluvian world turned from Jehovah, refusing to do His holy will. They followed their own unholy imagination and perverted ideas. It was because of their wickedness that they were destroyed; and today the world is following the same way. It presents no flattering signs of millennial glory. The transgressors of God’s law are filling the earth with wickedness.” Desire of Ages, 633.

  1. What decision did the Lord make regarding those who lived before the Flood? Genesis 6:6, 7.

NOTE: “God became weary of this people whose thoughts were only of sinful pleasure and indulgence. They sought not the counsel of God who had created them, nor cared to do His will. The rebuke of God was upon them because they followed the imagination of their own hearts; and there was violence in the land. ‘And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth . . . and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them from the earth.’” Review and Herald, November 1, 1906.

  1. What period of probation did the Lord in His mercy grant to the wicked inhabitants of the earth before the Flood came? Genesis 6:3.

NOTE: “Before the Flood God sent Noah to warn the world, that the people might be led to repentance, and thus escape the threatened destruction. As the time of Christ’s second appearing draws near, the Lord sends His servants with a warning to the world to prepare for that great event. Multitudes have been living in transgression of God’s law, and now He in mercy calls them to obey its sacred precepts. All who will put away their sins by repentance toward God and faith in Christ are offered pardon. But many feel that it requires too great a sacrifice to put away sin. Because their life does not harmonize with the pure principles of God’s moral government, they reject His warnings and deny the authority of His law. Of the vast population of the earth before the Flood, only eight souls believed and obeyed God’s word through Noah. For a hundred and twenty years the preacher of righteousness warned the world of the coming destruction, but his message was rejected and despised.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 102.

“WATERS ON THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH”

  1. What was the extent of the Flood? Genesis 7:19, 20.

NOTE: “From the highest peaks men looked abroad upon a shoreless ocean. The solemn warnings of God’s servant no longer seemed a subject for ridicule and scorning. How those doomed sinners longed for the opportunities which they had slighted! How they pleaded for one hour’s probation, one more privilege of mercy, one call from the lips of Noah! But the sweet voice of mercy was no more to be heard by them. Love, no less than justice, demanded that God’s judgments should put a check on sin. The avenging waters swept over the last retreat, and the despisers of God perished in the black depths. ‘By the word of God . . . the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 100, 101.

  1. What was the effect of the Flood on life on earth? Genesis 6:7, 13; 7:4, 21.

NOTE: “The entire surface of the earth was changed at the Flood. A third dreadful curse rested upon it in consequence of sin. As the water began to subside, the hills and mountains were surrounded by a vast, turbid sea, Everywhere were strewn the dead bodies of men and beasts. The Lord would not permit these to remain to decompose and pollute the air, therefore He made of the earth a vast burial ground. A violent wind which was caused to blow for the purpose of drying up the waters, moved them with great force, in some instances even carrying away the tops of the mountains and heaping up trees, rocks, and earth above the bodies of the dead.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 107.

  1. How long did the Flood last? Genesis 7:24. (See Genesis 7:11, 12. Compare with Genesis 8:13, 14.)

NOTE: “For five long months their boat was tossed about, apparently at the mercy of wind and wave. It was a trying ordeal; but Noah’s faith did not waver, for he had the assurance that the divine hand was upon the helm. As the waters began to subside, the Lord caused the ark to drift into a spot protected by a group of mountains that had been preserved by His power. These mountains were but a little distance apart, and the ark moved about in this quiet haven, and was no longer driven upon the boundless ocean. This gave great relief to the weary, tempest-tossed voyagers. Noah and his family anxiously waited for the decrease of the waters, for they longed to go forth again upon the earth. Forty days after the tops of the mountains became visible, they sent out a raven, a bird of quick scent, to discover whether the earth had become dry. This bird, finding nothing but water, continued to fly to and from the ark. Seven days later a dove was sent forth, which, finding no footing, returned to the ark. Noah waited seven days longer, and again sent forth the dove. When she returned at evening with an olive leaf in her mouth, there was great rejoicing. Later ‘Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.’ Still he waited patiently within the ark. As he had entered at God’s command, he waited for special directions to depart.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 105.

“AN OLIVE LEAF PLUCKED OFF”

  1. What sign was given to Noah that vegetation had begun to grow once more? Genesis 8:11.

NOTE: “The beautiful trees and flowering shrubbery were destroyed, but Noah preserved seed and took it with him into the ark, and God by His miraculous power preserved a few of the different kinds of trees and shrubs alive for future generations. Soon after the flood, trees and plants seemed to spring out of the very rocks. In God’s providence, seeds had been scattered and driven into the crevices of the rocks, and there securely hidden for the future use of man.” Signs of the Times, March 13, 1879.

  1. What change in man’s diet did God sanction after the Flood? Genesis 9:3, 4.

NOTE: “Remember that when you eat flesh meat, you are but eating grains and vegetables second-hand; for the animal receives from these things the nutrition that makes it grow and prepares it for market. The life that was in the grains and vegetables passes into the animal, and becomes part of its life, and then human beings eat the animal. Why are they so willing to eat their food second-hand? In the beginning, fruit was pronounced by God as ‘good for food.’ The permission to eat flesh meat was a consequence of the fall. Not till after the flood was man given permission to eat the flesh of animals. Why then need we eat flesh meat? Few who eat this know how full it is of disease. Flesh meat never was the best food, and now it is cursed by disease. The thought of killing animals to be eaten is in itself revolting. If man’s natural sense had not been perverted by the indulgence of appetite, human beings would not think of eating the flesh of animals.” Notebook Leaflets, 114.

  1. What was one consequence of this change in man’s diet? Compare Genesis 9:29 with Genesis 11:10, 25.

NOTE: “The flesh of dead animals was not the original food for man. Man was permitted to eat it after the flood because all vegetation had been destroyed. But the curse pronounced upon man and the earth and every living thing has made strange and wonderful changes. Since the flood the human race has been shortening its period of existence.” Paulson Collection, 160.

“The patriarchs from Adam to Noah, with but few exceptions, lived nearly a thousand years. Since the days of Noah, the length of life has been tapering.” Christian Education, 10.

“SCOFFERS WALKING AFTER THEIR OWN LUSTS”

  1. What attitude to the Bible’s account of early history did Peter warn against? 2 Peter 3:3, 4.

NOTE: “Apart from Bible history, geology can prove nothing. Those who reason so confidently upon its discoveries, have no adequate conception of the size of men, animals and trees before the flood, or of the great changes which then took place. . . . In the history of the flood, inspiration has explained that which geology alone could never fathom. In the days of Noah, men, animals, and trees, many times larger than now exist, were buried, and thus preserved as an evidence to later generations that the antediluvians perished by a flood. God designed that the discovery of these things should establish faith in inspired history; but men, with their vain reasoning, fall into the same error as did the people before the flood, the things which God gave them as a benefit, they turn into a curse by making a wrong use of them.” Christian Education, 191, 192.

  1. Of what event in particular did Peter prophesy that men would be “willingly ignorant”? 2 Peter 3:5, 6.

NOTE: “Before the Flood the development of vegetable and animal life was immeasurably superior to that which has since been known. At the Flood the surface of the earth was broken up, marked changes took place, and in the re-formation of the earth’s crust were preserved many evidences of the life previously existing. The vast forests buried in the earth at the time of the Flood, and since changed to coal, form the extensive coal fields, and yield the supplies of oil that minister to our comfort and convenience today. These things, as they are brought to light, are so many witnesses mutely testifying to the truth of the word of God.” Education, 129.

“AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH”

  1. What comparison did Jesus make between the days of Noah and the closing days of the world’s history? Luke 17:26, 27.

NOTE: “The same sins exist in our day which brought the wrath of God upon the world in the days of Noah. Men and women now carry their eating and drinking to gluttony and drunkenness. This prevailing sin, the indulgence of perverted appetite, inflamed the passions of men in the days of Noah and led to general corruption, until their violence and crimes reached to heaven, and God washed the earth of its moral pollution by a flood.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 163.

  1. What promises are given to the godly at times of widespread moral depravity? 2 Peter 2:4–9.

NOTE: “God has always given men warning of coming judgments. Those who had faith in His message for their time, and who acted out their faith, in obedience to His commandments, escaped the judgments that fell upon the disobedient and unbelieving. The word came to Noah, ‘Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me.’ Noah obeyed and was saved. The message came to Lot, ‘Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city.’ Genesis 7:1; 19:14. . . . So Christ’s disciples were given warning of the destruction of Jerusalem. Those who watched for the sign of the coming ruin, and fled from the city, escaped the destruction. So now we are given warning of Christ’s Second Coming and of the destruction to fall upon the world. Those who heed the warning will be saved.” Desire of Ages, 634.

The Last Days of Noah

The world is in gross darkness. The people know not what truth is. We are indeed living in the last days, the remnant portion of the history of this world. There are biblical, biographical parallels from which we can learn lessons. They help us see what we must be and can be, in this day and age, as God’s people. Ellen White wrote, “History will repeat itself.” The Signs of the Times, February 22, 1910. Those are no idle words. Those words have been inspired, and they were for you and me.

As we look back over the past, we see how men and women reacted to similar circumstances that we find ourselves in today, and the way they reacted is the way that we can react in harmony with God’s will. We can learn lessons; we can become strengthened and inspired by looking at their lives.

Without Him, We can do Nothing

Jesus made a statement that we should never forget. On the way to Gethsemane, He said to His disciples, “I am the vine, [ye are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5.

Jesus is the source of all true reform. If we are seeking to reform without Jesus or by merely making a profession in Jesus, we will be on the road to fanaticism. It is as simple as that. If we are going to have our lives transformed and reformed to harmonize with the light that He has given to us, we are going to have to be walking in full agreement with Him. We are going to have to know Him as a personal Saviour. We are going to have to know His voice speaking to our hearts. We are going to have to receive the grace that He wants to give to us, individually. We are going to have to know that experience. Without Jesus, no amount of knowing what we must be or can be is worth anything.

It will lead us into either the road of fanaticism or of presumption, one of the two. We do not want to be fanatical. We surely do not want to presume upon our God who has been so gracious to give to us such wonderful light in which to walk.

Jesus said, “Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28–30.

Invitation Still Extended

Jesus Christ is giving this invitation at this very moment, at this very hour. You see, the door of probation has not yet closed; this invitation is still extended. It is the voice of Jesus from the Most Holy Place, and He says, “Come unto Me.”

Some day, this invitation will no longer be given. Men and women will seek to hear it, but it will no longer be spoken. God is very earnest with us, because He sees in the near future that the door is going to close.

God inspired Ezekiel to write the following words for the children of Israel, the professed people of God in his day. “Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it [the land], they should deliver [but] their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God.” Ezekiel 14:14. It is amazing how God can zoom in and focus on the individual. Has God changed? No, He has not changed. The same holds true for us within His professed body that we call the church today.

Noah’s Day

Ezekiel refers to Noah, Daniel, and then Job. In this article we will concentrate on Noah. We will look at what God expects of us today and what He expected of men and women in Noah’s time. As we look at Noah’s experience, we see what we can become, by the grace of God. What Noah was in his day, we can be in our day.

By the sixth chapter of Genesis, approximately 2,000 years of mankind’s history had transpired. At this point, we come to Noah’s time. “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also [is] flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare [children] to them, the same [became] mighty men which [were] of old, men of renown.” Genesis 6:1–4.

The time in which Noah lived revealed only two classes of people, the sons of God and the daughters of men. God had a professed people in that day. A mingling began to take place between these two classes. An apostasy was taking place among God’s people. When we have an intermingling, we lose Bible truth; we experience a compromise of truth. Eventually we compromise the truth so much that we do not understand what is truth anymore. That is what we see happening today.

Paul says, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.” Romans 1:21, 25.

Denying the Power

The antediluvians were people who lived before the flood. These people turned from God to serve themselves, but they continued to profess to be Christians, believers in God.

We know that the days in which Noah lived were evil. But let us draw a parallel to our day. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof . . . .” 11 Timothy 3:1–5.

About whom was this speaking? The people in the church, the professed Christians in the last days. It says they have a form of godliness. The world does not have a form of godliness. Why has this happened in these last days? They have become just like the people in Noah’s day. It happened the same way! When they intermingled they became just like the world.

The Parallel to Our Day

“And God saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5. Not only did God see this in the unbelieving world, but also He began to see it constantly among His professed people.

“And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” Verse 6.

Sin touches the heart of our heavenly Father—not just a whole world of sin, but one man in sin grieves our Father’s heart. That is what is being revealed here. Tremendous sorrow is here brought to view. Jesus is grieving over the sin of men—not only a world, but also one man.

We see that wickedness continually grew. It was a wicked world, a wicked time. It became so bad that even God repented that He had created man. Those were the times, as we just read in 11 Timothy 3, that parallel with our day. The world has become exceedingly wicked.

A Perfect Man

What was Noah’s experience? Singular to say the least. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:8. We know that grace is unmerited favor. Noah did not earn this grace, but he walked in it.

“Noah was a just man.” Verse 9. He was a just man in an unjust world. What does just mean? Righteous. He was a righteous man in an unrighteous world.

“Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he [speaking of Jesus] is righteous.” 1 John 3:7. To be righteous is to do righteousness—right doing, doing what is right for the right reason at the right time.

Noah, living in a world of injustice, was just. Living in a world of unrighteousness, was righteous. Why? Because he chose to do what was right as God revealed it to him. What else was his experience? Noah was “perfect in his generations.” Genesis 6:9. He was a perfect man.

The word perfect means wholeness. To be holy is to be whole, wholehearted. That is perfection. A perfect man is a wholehearted man, 100 percent consistent. In a world that was totally inconsistent with God, Noah was 100 percent consistent.

As we look at the life of this man—living in a similar time and under similar conditions as do we—it should encourage us to know we can live the life that God has set before us today. If God helped Noah live like that, He can help us live like that.

“And Noah walked with God.” Verse 9. He walked with God! How did Noah walk with God? “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3. The inference is that if you are going to walk together, you are going to be in perfect agreement. Agreement is another word for covenant. What was in the ark in the most holy place? The Law of God. God’s Law is His covenant. If we are walking in perfect agreement with Him, we are in perfect harmony with His Law.

Condemning the World

Noah was a commandment-keeper. Paul talks about Noah. Remember, this man lived this kind of experience in a very polluted and contaminated environment. “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” Hebrews 11:7.

Noah condemned the world. How do we condemn the world? Do we condemn the world by going to them and saying, You are not doing what God says and cursed be you? That is how some Christians believe that you condemn the world. How did Noah condemn the world in his day? He simply did what God told him to do.

Noah walked with God by faith! “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 11 Corinthians 5:7. He did not see God; God did not talk to him audibly. God did talk to him in visions and dreams; but Noah did not see Him.

Another parallel that we have with Noah is that he was given a warning message to give to the world. Notice how Noah gave his message. “While Noah was giving his warning message to the world, his works testified of his sincerity. It was thus that his faith was perfected and made evident. He gave the world an example of believing just what God says.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 95. He gave an example. That means that he lived everything that God told him.

If you were to walk over to the ark back in Noah’s day and look at the workmanship that Noah was doing on the ark, what would you see? Carelessness? No! Noah was very careful in what he did. He was working for God, and everything that he did, he did in an excellent manner. Everything was in its place. Everything was done carefully and thoroughly.

But here is something more interesting. When you left the ark and went back home to eat lunch at Noah’s place, what do you think you found? Neatness and orderliness. Noah was walking with God constantly! Wholeness, wholeheartedly! That means everywhere, all the time.

Called by God

Noah was everything God intended for him to be at all times, and God is calling us to be such a people. He honored God’s truth everywhere and in everything he did. Are we living up to the truth in all that we do everywhere? “Belief in the near coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven will not cause the true Christian to become neglectful and careless of the ordinary business of life.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 309.

That entails everything that we do around our houses. “Their work will not be done carelessly and dishonestly, but with fidelity, promptness, and thoroughness. Those who flatter themselves that careless inattention to the things of this life is an evidence of their spirituality and of their separation from the world are under a great deception. Their veracity, faithfulness, and integrity are tested and proved in temporal things. If they are faithful in that which is least they will be faithful in much. I have been shown that here is where many will fail to bear the test. They develop their true character in the management of temporal concerns.” Ibid.

That is called practical godliness. You allow God to work in your hearts, and the truth becomes everywhere evident in your life—not only when in church or out witnessing to others, but if someone comes into our home, they would see the truth everywhere evident. If we are going to walk with God, we are going to be like God. He is a God of order. He is a God of carefulness, a God of thoroughness.

Standing Alone

Noah stood alone, and there is coming a day when you and I will have to stand alone. “It was not multitudes or majorities that were on the side of right. The world was arrayed against God’s justice and His laws, and Noah was regarded as a fanatic.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 96.

We have already found that, if we are walking with Jesus, we are not a fanatic. If we are a reformed Christian walking with Jesus, we will look, from the world’s standpoint, like a fanatic, but from heaven’s standpoint we are walking with God.

“But Noah stood like a rock amid the tempest. Surrounded by popular contempt and ridicule, he distinguished himself by his holy integrity and unwavering faithfulness.” Ibid. Wholeheartedness is revealed here, though he stood alone.

Let us look at the parallel of Noah’s time and our time. Jesus spoke the words, “But as the days of Noe [Noah] [were], so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe 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.” Matthew 24:37–39.

In these verses, Jesus makes the parallel with our day. He says, What it was in Noah’s day, it will be in the last days just before I come. And we saw the wickedness there, the apostasy, the compromise, the presumption, the rebellion, the injustice, and the violence—all of it to the point that it grieved God that He had even created man on the face of this earth. Jesus said, Before I come again, the world will be exactly like it was in the days of Noah.

Message of Warning for the World

This is where the parallel takes on reality. In Revelation 14:6–12 we find a message of warning that God gives to this world. We know this message as the Three Angels’ Messages. Noah had a message of warning, and we have one. Do our lives warn people? If this message is not only being given but also being lived, our lives will be a warning to people.

Two classes of people are brought to view in Revelation 14:11, 12. There are those who receive the mark of the beast and those who keep the commandments of God. We just saw that Noah, in his day, was walking with God and keeping God’s Law. He was in harmony with God’s will. God is going to have a people on the face of this earth in the last days who are going to be walking in harmony with His Law. They are going to be contrasted against those who rebel against God’s Law, who rebel against God’s light. Let us never forget that in Noah’s day there were professed followers of God who were taken in the flood. There will be professed Seventh-day Adventists who receive the last plagues. There is a correlation here that should alarm us.

The center of controversy in Noah’s day was the Law of God. We know that the fourth commandment especially is going to be one of the outstanding features of the controversy of the last days.

In Revelation 14, we are told of a small remnant, a little company who choose to follow God. In fact, Ellen White uses the phrase “little company.” (See Testimonies, vol. 9, 231.) That should alarm a denomination of nine million members! A little company in Noah’s day was one little household of eight persons. It is hard to understand. But God says, As in the days of Noah, so shall it also be in the days of the coming of the Son of man.

History Repeated

History is going to be repeated. God said it would be just like it was in the days of Noah. As you survey the world, you can see that history has repeated itself; we indeed live in a world just like Noah’s world. We have a church just like Noah’s professed church.

On one hand you have a small company that chooses to follow God, and on the other hand you have the rest of the world, following one another. Just like it was in the days of Noah—the little company, the ones that are in the ark, will be saved. That is all that God reveals to us. It is sad, yet it can be joyous, because we can be a part of the little company.

Serving God Wholeheartedly

God wants us to be like Noah. “Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.” Genesis 6:22.

Noah was wholehearted, not only in regard to the building of the ark, but in all that God asked him to do. When God revealed light to him on a subject, he walked right into that light, and he kept going in the light. That is how Noah walked with God, and that is how Noah found grace in the sight of God. “And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.” Genesis 7:1.

God is looking at what we are doing with the light. Do we acknowledge the light? Are we walking in it? God sees us. He sees us as we really are. If we are not living the message, we cannot be giving the message, because, if we are giving a message but not living it, we would be giving a wrong message. The only way we can live the message is to have it in our hearts and in our lives.

Do You Know Him?

Are there things that you need to put in order in your heart and in your home to measure up to Noah’s experience? The days of Noah were a solemn period of history, but the time in which we live is even more solemn, because it is the end of everything. In Noah’s time, there was a continuation, a second chance for the little company. This time there is no continuation; the door of mercy will be forever closed.

“We are living in the most solemn period of this world’s history. The destiny of earth’s teeming multitudes is about to be decided. Our own future well-being and also the salvation of other souls depend upon the course which we now pursue. We need to be guided by the Spirit of truth.” The Great Controversy, 601.

Craig Meeker directs the Bible Correspondence School for Steps to Life Ministry. He may be contacted by e-mail at: craigmeeker@stepstolife.org.

Sound an Alarm! Build an Ark!

Friend, maybe it is said too much. Maybe you have grown weary with hearing it or reading about it, but when the Bible speaks of sounding an alarm or blowing a trumpet, there is a reason for it. We hear it from the pulpit and in Sabbath School class. We read it in our own studies, and we feel conviction from the Holy Spirit that there needs to be an awakening among God’s children.

The awakening is necessary because we have grown accustomed to the world and the things of the world, and we are somewhat asleep. That is very, very sad. It is not pleasant to be told repeatedly that we are in a sleepy state, but friend, we need to be reminded that an alarm must be sounded and preparation needs to be made. We need to be building an ark, because a flood is coming. Destruction is coming upon this earth.

As we reflect upon the Flood in Genesis, I am overwhelmed with what those people must have experienced, and what they must have witnessed. We have not seen anything like what they saw. If it is this message that applies to God’s last day people, then we need to be sounding an alarm as never before, and we need to be building an ark.

There may be an alarm being sounded to a certain degree, but I wonder if there are any arks being built. We can sound the alarm all we want, but unless we are building an ark—an ark of safety, an ark of faith, an ark of refuge—we are not going to be preserved. How many of us are building that kind of ark? Noah could have preached his 120 years and not have built the ark. What good would all that preaching have done him? It did very little good anyway. Today, we need to be preparing.

Ark of Safety

Contemplate some important facts in Genesis 7 to see whether or not you are building an ark in your life. You are either building an ark or you are destroying the one that was made to preserve you. This is the ark of safety. In Genesis 7:1, it says, “And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.” How sad that was, in the sense that, as God looked over the face of the whole world, He looked at Noah and said, “In thee I see the righteousness.” Of all that He had done and all that He had provided for His children, He could not find any righteous.

I guarantee you, friend, that there were many that were professing. I guarantee that there were many that were saying, “We are Christians. Yes, we are prepared. We are a part of the family of God, and we understand things are going to happen.” I hear all the time, “I am doing the very best I can do.” The best you can do on your own is to be totally lost! The very best that you can do is as filthy rags. (See Isaiah 64:6.)

You and Your House, Come

I like what the Lord said to Noah before destruction came. As He looked at Noah, He said, “I want you and all your house to come.” That would be wonderful to hear today! Oh, friend, if God said to you, “You and your entire house, come,” do you realize what a blessing that would be?

At the time of the Flood, I do not believe God took any into the ark that were not ready, were not willing, or did not believe. He did not take unbelievers into the ark. The people who were in the ark wanted to be there. They believed what dad was preaching! Today, children often do not believe what their parents are teaching or what they stand for in the home. They have their own thoughts and their own ways. But it was a real blessing for Noah’s family to have believed their dad. As Noah preached, they did not grow weary; they stayed right in there with him.

So God told Noah, “Come on, all your house, come on into the ark.” Verse 13 says, “In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark.”

No Youth

Did you notice that there were no children, no youth, and no teenagers who went into the ark? There were only adults. Of all the people on the face of the earth, there were no young people who went into the ark.

I do not claim to have an answer for this, but I was astounded as I thought of it. Was it possible that the parents had not instilled within the youth reverence and respect for God? Were others too young to make the choice on their own to go into the ark? Did mom and dad, through their witnesses, influence what the children did or did not do? Can you possibly think of all those babies—the little ones in the arms of the moms and the grandmas and grandpas? Were the parents asleep, or dead in trespasses and sins, losing all sense of their accountability to God?

Oh, friend, where were the young people? Were they out partying and having a “good time”? Something was going on, because they did not show up. But then, Scripture tells us that they lived in a time of partying. The young always wanted to be active—interacting with people of their own age, having fun, going places and doing things. None of them were ready to go into the ark. After all, that was a dismal, old place. Who wanted to go on an old boat where there was only one, little window? Who was going in some stinky ark with all those smelly animals? They would rather be with their friends.

You can weigh that however you want to today, but we need to look at it closely. It is very difficult to blame the children, because training and accountability start in the home with mom and dad. Ellen White wrote, referring to the sins of Eli’s sons (1 Samuel 3:11–14): “Such is the fearful reaping of the harvest sown when parents neglect their God-given responsibilities,—when they allow Satan to pre-occupy the field which they themselves should carefully have sown with precious seed of virtue, truth, and righteousness. If but one parent is neglectful of duty, the result will be seen in the character of the children; if both fail, how great will be their accountability before God! How can they escape the doom of those who destroy their children’s souls?” Review and Herald, August 30, 1881.

Yes, children may stray, go their own way and make their own decisions as they become older, but “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6. He or she may stray, but if you have fulfilled your responsibility as a parent, praise God! Your child has that truth. “Our first work is to bring our families to understand their accountability to God.” The Signs of the Times, December 3, 1885.

Prison or a Haven?

Noah and his family entered the ark that same day, and when it began to rain, the waters rose “fifteen cubits upward,” above the highest mountain peaks on the earth at that time. (Genesis 7:20.) Verse 24 says, “And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.” That does not mean that the experience was over. Genesis 8:13 tells us that “it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first [month], the first [day] of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth,” and verse 14 says, “in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.” From this we can calculate that Noah was shut in the ark 365 days, for he entered the ark the seventeenth day of the second month, in the six hundredth year of his life. (Genesis 7:11, 13.) A year! For a year Noah and his family were in the ark. Who would want to be in there for that long?

Who wants to go through what you are going through today? If you are preparing for heaven, you are going to have to go through some things. It will be very uncomfortable at times and, may I say, stinky at times.

It may have seemed they were imprisoned, because they had not shut the door, and they could not open it. The unbelievers looking at it from the outside probably considered it somewhat of a prison, but the believers inside looked at it as a haven. They were thanking God the door was shut, because they believed it was going to rain, and if the door was open, the ark would flood and they would drown. “And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.” Genesis 7:18.

Do you realize that after it began to rain, it was too late to have started building a shelter? Many tried to build their own little boat while there was a deluge coming down; it did not work. Many tried to beat and bang and saw and hack their way into the ark; their efforts were in vain. I can only imagine the screams and the pleadings for help, as the water was rising. The bodies of little ones began to float on the water, as their parents lost their grasps on them and they drowned. The people began to climb up the highest peaks in an attempt to save themselves.

Ellen White wrote: “Some clung to the ark until they were borne away by the surging waters, or their hold was broken by collision with rocks and trees. . . .

“The beasts, exposed to the tempest, rushed toward man, as though expecting help from him. Some of the people bound their children and themselves upon powerful animals, knowing that these were tenacious of life, and would climb to the highest points
to escape the rising waters. Some fastened themselves to lofty trees on the summit of hills or mountains; but the trees were uprooted, and with their burden of living beings were hurled into the seething billows. One spot after another that promised safety was abandoned. As the waters rose higher and higher, the people fled for refuge to the loftiest mountains. Often man and beast would struggle together for a foothold, until both were swept away.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 100.

Oh, friend, we do not realize the magnitude of what went on at that time. The earth was literally torn apart. Many of the people wanted to find salvation, but they were searching for it with a wrong motive. How are your motives today? Why do you serve Jesus? Are you looking for Him today?

Genesis 8:4 says, “And the ark rested.” That is wonderful to know. Inspiration and the Bible tell us that that boat was beaten violently in the wind and the rain. “The massive ark trembled in every fiber as it was beaten by the merciless winds and flung from billow to billow. The cries of the beasts within expressed their fear and pain. But amid the warring elements it continued to ride safely. Angels that excel in strength were commissioned to preserve it.” Ibid.

Test of Faith

God preserved that ark, but for five months, day in and day out, 24 hours a day, it was twisting, rocking, and creaking. You know there had to have been creaks! How would those creaks have affected you? Would some doubt have started creeping into your mind? Would you have begun to wonder if it was going to sink, if something was going to give way, if it was really made the way God wanted it to be made? Or would you have said, “I know it is going to hold up. This ark was built exactly the way God said to build it. We did the very best we knew how to do, and God will do the rest.” I wonder; where would our faith be?

Five months! We have a problem if we experience rough waters in our lives for an hour or two, but five months! God’s watchful eye and hand were on that ark. “As the waters began to subside, the Lord caused the ark to drift into a spot protected by a group of mountains that had been preserved by His power. These mountains were but a little distance apart, and the ark moved about in this quiet haven, and was no longer driven upon the boundless ocean. This gave great relief to the weary, tempest-tossed voyagers.” Ibid., 105.

When the drying up period began, God called up the wind to blow on the face of the earth. “[God] caused a powerful wind to pass over the earth for the purpose of drying up the waters, which moved them with great force—in some instances carrying away the tops of the mountains like mighty avalanches, forming huge hills and high mountains where there were none to be seen before, and burying the dead bodies with trees, stones, and earth. These mountains and hills increased in size and became more irregular in shape by collections of stones, ledges, trees, and earth, which were driven upon and around them.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, 80, 81. I cannot even imagine such a forceful wind. How frightening that would have been, but Noah and his family were safe in the ark, resting in the protected area God had provided for them. Do you think God does not care?

The Animals

Have you ever thought about all those animals that came into the ark? We generally consider it to be a children’s story, but it is awesome. God sent out angels to collect the animals and gather them into the ark. The people who were around the ark heard and saw the animals. They thought that it was the strangest thing they had ever seen, and they knew something miraculous was taking place. The animals came in such an orderly fashion—by twos and by sevens. They appeared in pairs, a male and a female of every species.

During the time before the Flood, there was an occurrence called amalgamation that we find in the world today. Of all the animals in the ark, not one of them was “man-made.” God was preserving His own creations. Inspiration tells us that “Every species of animals which God had created was preserved in the ark. The confused species which God did not create, which were the result of amalgamation, were destroyed by the Flood. Since the Flood, there has been amalgamation of man and beast, as may be seen in the almost endless varieties of species of animals, and in certain races of men.” Ibid., 78. The angels were not sent for the “confused species,” because such were not of God.

As the people saw this miraculous loading of the animals for seven days, they could not understand it, but it did not change their minds. “Philosophers were called upon to account for the singular occurrence, but in vain. It was a mystery which they could not fathom. But men had become so hardened by their persistent rejection of light that even this scene produced but a momentary impression.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 98. Can you comprehend how many animals were loading for seven days into a boat that was three stories high? But still the people did not believe.

Seven days before the rain began, the people witnessed the glory of the angel closing the door of the ark. They saw that massive door being closed and locked and still they tried to reason it away. They did not want to believe. Then it was too late.

Patience a Virtue

“And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made.” “But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters [were] on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.” Genesis 8:6, 9. After seven days, Noah sent out the dove again. That time she returned with an olive leaf. No one in the ark knew that the waters were abated off of the earth.

Imagine not being able to look out and see what was going on. What faith that must have taken.
I would have wanted to peek! I would have wanted to get out of that place! But God had told Noah when to go into the ark, and Noah was going to wait on God to tell him when to go out of the ark. What a lesson for us today!

Compare the experience of these eight individuals to your own Christian experience. What we sometimes think is brutal and a curse, friend, can actually be a haven. They considered the ark to be a haven, a protection. They understood what was going on out in the elements. It was awful out there, and they were afraid to be out there. They wanted to be under the care of the Lord.

Waiting on the Lord

What joy for the ark occupants to know that the water was abated, but verse 12 says that they stayed yet another seven days. I would have been ready to get out as soon as I saw the olive leaf, but they patiently waited seven more days. “And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first [month], the first [day] of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.” Verse 13.

I would say, “Come on, let’s go,” but not Noah. He waited almost the entire next month (verse 14)—almost two months after he saw the ground—before he left the ark. Do you realize how long those two months must have seemed?

What was Noah doing? In Genesis 7:1, we read, “And the Lord said unto Noah, come into the ark.” In Genesis 8:15, 16, we read, “And God spake unto Noah, saying, Go forth of the ark . . . .” Noah was waiting on God’s instruction and direction. When God says to you, “Go and do,” do not do anything different until God tells you to do something different—not even if you see the ground and it looks dry. Noah never questioned God nor, evidently, did any of his family.

Thank You

“And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord . . . .” Verse 20. The Bible continues that the burnt offering was a sweet smell, a welcome fragrance, as it were, in the nostrils of God. There is something exceedingly beautiful and interesting to know that the first act of this devout patriarch was to return thanks for the signal instance of mercy and goodness, which he and his family had experienced. He was grateful to the Lord for preserving their lives.

Friend, how many of us, when we have come through a terribly difficult situation, first give God praise and honor and glory? Many times we do not. How many times has God shown mercy to you over the years? If it were not for His mercy, none of us would be here. The devil is beating at us with a tempest that we could not endure if it was not for God’s hand over us. The psalmist tells us to “give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy [endureth] for ever.” Psalm 136:2. Mrs. White wrote: “Every manifestation of His mercy and love toward us should be gratefully acknowledged, both by acts of devotion and by gifts to His cause.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 106.

Devotion is prayer time, piety in our hearts. Loyalty is what it really means or, in other words, deep affection. We want to give God deep affection, and we want to give Him our hearts and our minds. We want to spend more time with Him. Every blessing that we receive means we need to spend time on our knees, thanking God.

Then Mrs. White said we need to do one more thing. We need to deny self and show that we are really grateful by giving a gift to His cause. Friend, if we did that every day, the coffers would be full. For every act of His love, His graciousness, and His goodness, these two things—devotion and a gift—are to be given. One will not suffice.

God daily preserves our lives in His ark of safety. There is still opportunity for others to enter into this ark. The door is still open, but soon it will shut forever. That day is just upon us. “The picture which Inspiration has given of the antediluvian world represents too truly the condition to which modern society is fast hastening.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 102. The world has become so vile and so violent. It is worse than it was at the time before the Flood. We need to daily show our devotion to God and acknowledge His goodness by giving a gift to His cause.

We have all passed through violent storms—loss of health, of material goods, of businesses, of dear friends and loved ones—but we still have numerous blessings to count. God still loves us and cares for us, and He has prepared a haven for us. We need only to follow His instruction, to wait upon His direction and obey it.

Pastor Kenny Shelton is speaker for the television ministry of Behold the Lamb in Herrin, Illinois. He may be contacted by e-mail at BTLM@GTE.net or by telephone at 1-800-238-2856.

Bible Study Guides – The Past and The Present

August 26, 2007 – September 1, 2007

Key Text

“When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8.

Study Help: Conflict and Courage, 41; Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 74-76.

Introduction

“These words of Christ should sink into the hearts of all who believe present truth: ‘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.’ [Luke 21:34.] Our danger is presented before us by Christ Himself. He knew the perils we should meet in these last days, and would have us prepare for them. ‘As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.’ [Luke 17:26.] They were eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying and giving in marriage, and knew not until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the Flood came and swept them all away. The day of God will find men absorbed in like manner in the business and pleasures of the world, in feasting and gluttony, and in indulging perverted appetite in the defiling use of liquor and the narcotic tobacco. This is already the condition of our world, and these indulgences are found even among God’s professed people, some of whom are following the customs and partaking of the sins of the world.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 309.

1 To what time of the past are the days immediately preceding the Second Coming of the Lord compared? Luke 17:26, 28.

note: “The inhabitants of the Noachian world were destroyed because they were corrupted through the indulgence of perverted appetite. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed through the gratification of unnatural appetite, which so benumbed the intellect that they could not discern the difference between the sacred claims of God and the clamor of appetite. The latter enslaved them, and they became so ferocious and bold in their detestable abominations that God would not tolerate them upon the earth.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 162.

2 What is said of the time of Noah? Luke 17:27.

note: “To the long-lived, antediluvian race, only a step from paradise, God gave rich gifts, and they possessed a strength of body and mind of which men now have but a faint idea; but they used His bounties, and the strength and skill He gave them, for selfish purposes, to minister to unlawful appetites, and to gratify pride. They expelled God from their thoughts; they despised His law; trampled His standard of character in the dust. They reveled in sinful pleasure, corrupting their ways before God, and corrupting one another. Violence and crime filled the earth. Neither the marriage relation nor the rights of property were respected; and the cries of the oppressed entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. By beholding evil, men became changed into its image, until God could bear with their wickedness no longer, and they were swept away by the flood.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 421, 422.

3 What instruction is given in regard to eating and drinking? 1 Corinthians 10:31. What is the real danger in the last days in regard to eating and drinking? Luke 21:34.

note: “Intemperance of any kind is the worst sort of selfishness. Those who truly fear God and keep His commandments look upon these things in the light of reason and religion. How can any man or woman keep the law of God, which requires man to love his neighbor as himself, and indulge intemperate appetite, which benumbs the brain, weakens the intellect, and fills the body with disease? Intemperance inflames the passions and gives loose rein to lust. And reason and conscience are blinded by the lower passions.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 31.

4 To what time did the antediluvians keep up this excessive debauchery? Luke 17:27.

note: “The indulgence of perverted appetite inflamed the passions of men in the days of Noah, and led to widespread corruption. Violence and sin reached to heaven. This moral pollution was finally swept from the earth by means of the Flood.” Counsels on Health, 23.

5 What warning was being given at the time of Noah? 1 Peter 3:18-20; 11 Peter 2:5. How long was the warning given? Genesis 6:3. What effect did the message have on the great mass of the world? Hebrews 11:7.

note: “Remember how soon after the transgression of Adam the apostasy of his posterity became so marked that God repented that He had made man. They followed the imaginations of their evil hearts, and the strivings of the Spirit were not heeded. They refused to be admonished. They had an abundance of blessings for their own enjoyment, and they soon forgot that they had forfeited immortality.

“God granted them one hundred and twenty years of probation, and during that time preached to them through Methuselah, Noah, and many others of His servants. Had they listened to the testimony of these faithful witnesses, had they repented and returned to their loyalty, God would not have destroyed them.” Review and Herald, April 23, 1901.

“Men cannot with impunity reject the warning which God in mercy sends them. A message was sent from heaven to the world in Noah’s day, and their salvation depended upon the manner in which they treated that message. Because they rejected the warning, the Spirit of God was withdrawn from the sinful race, and they perished in the waters of the Flood.” The Great Controversy, 431.

6 What is said of the condition of the world at that time? Genesis 6:5,6. What brought them to this low state? Do we see any of these excesses at the present time?

note: “God bestowed upon these antediluvians many and rich gifts; but they used His bounties to glorify themselves, and turned them into a curse by fixing their affections upon the gifts instead of the Giver. They employed the gold and silver, the precious stones and the choice wood, in the construction of habitations for themselves, and endeavored to excel one another in beautifying their dwellings with the most skillful workmanship. They sought only to gratify the desires of their own proud hearts, and reveled in scenes of pleasure and wickedness. Not desiring to retain God in their knowledge, they soon came to deny His existence. They adored nature in place of the God of nature. They glorified human genius, worshiped the works of their own hands, and taught their children to bow down to graven images.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 90, 91.

“God has given us laws whereby to live, but now, as in the Noachic age, the imagination of men’s hearts is evil and only evil continually; men walk after the desire and devices of their own hearts, and so accomplish their own ruin. God would have men stand in their God-given manhood, free from the slavery of appetite.” Temperance, 281.

“Our large cities are fast reaching the condition represented by the condition of the world before the flood, when [Genesis 6:5 quoted] God-dishonoring sins are practiced by people living in lordly homes . . . .” Evangelism, 567.

7 What did the Saviour say in regard to the days of Lot? Luke 17:28.

note: “The same sins of gluttony and drunkenness [that brought the wrath of God upon the world in the days of Noah] benumbed the moral sensibilities of the inhabitants of Sodom, so that crimes seemed to be the delight of the men and women of that wicked city.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 60, 61.

8 What were the sins of Sodom? Ezekiel 16:49, 50. How did the people of this wicked city employ their time?

note: “In Sodom there was mirth and revelry, feasting and drunkenness. The vilest and most brutal passions were unrestrained. The people openly defied God and His law and delighted in deeds of violence. Though they had before them the example of the antediluvian world, and knew how the wrath of God had been manifested in their destruction, yet they followed the same course of wickedness.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 157.

“Fairest among the cities of the Jordan Valley was Sodom, set in a plain which was ‘as the garden of the Lord’ [Genesis 13:10] in its fertility and beauty. Here the luxuriant vegetation of the tropics flourished. Here was the home of the palm tree, the olive, and the vine; and flowers shed their fragrance throughout the year. Rich harvests clothed the fields, and flocks and herds covered the encircling hills. Art and commerce contributed to enrich the proud city of the plain. The treasures of the East adorned her palaces, and the caravans of the desert brought their stores of precious things to supply her marts of trade. With little thought or labor, every want of life could be supplied, and the whole year seemed one round of festivity.

“The profusion reigning everywhere gave birth to luxury and pride. Idleness and riches make the heart hard that has never been oppressed by want or burdened by sorrow. The love of pleasure was fostered by wealth and leisure, and the people gave themselves up to sensual indulgence.” Ibid., 156.

9 What righteous man was living in this city? Genesis 13:12, 13; 19:1. Had the Sodomites been informed in regard to the true faith?

note: “When iniquity abounds in a nation, there is always to be heard some voice giving warning and instruction, as the voice of Lot was heard in Sodom. Yet Lot could have preserved his family from many evils had he not made his home in this wicked, polluted city. All that Lot and his family did in Sodom could have been done by them, even if they had lived in a place some distance away from the city.” Evangelism, 78.

10 What effect did the lives of this people have on Lot? 11 Peter 2:7, 8.

note: “Lot chose Sodom for his home because he saw that there were advantages to be gained there from a worldly point of view. But after he had established himself, and grown rich in earthly treasure, he was convinced that he had made a mistake in not taking into consideration the moral standing of the community in which he was to make his home.

“The dwellers in Sodom were corrupt; vile conversation greeted his ears daily, and his righteous soul was vexed by the violence and crime he was powerless to prevent. His children were becoming like these wicked people, for association with them had perverted their morals. Taking all these things into consideration, the worldly riches he had gained seemed small and not worth the price he had paid for them.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 110.

11 Did God find faith on the earth in those days? Hebrews 11:7; 11 Peter 2:8.

note: “More than one hundred years before the Flood the Lord sent an angel to faithful Noah to make known to him that He would no longer have mercy upon the corrupt race. But He would not have them ignorant of His design. He would instruct Noah and make him a faithful preacher to warn the world of its coming destruction, that the inhabitants of the earth might be left without excuse. . . .

“Noah and his family were not alone in fearing and obeying God. But Noah was the most pious and holy of any upon the earth, and was the one whose life God preserved to carry out His will in building the ark and warning the world of its coming doom.” The Story of Redemption, 62, 63.

“Lot, not desiring to flee to the mountains, had pleaded with the Lord to spare a smaller city a few miles from Sodom to which he could flee. What unbelief he manifested! His faith was very weak. But God in his mercy spared Zoar, in answer to Lot’s petitions.” Southern Union Worker, October 16, 1913.

12 Will the Lord find faith when He comes the second time? Luke 18:8.

note: “We must cherish a living, active faith. The permanence of our faith is the condition of our union.

“A union with Christ by living faith is enduring; every other union must perish. Christ first chose us, paying an infinite price for our redemption; and the true believer chooses Christ as first and last and best in everything. But this union costs us something. It is a union of utter dependence, to be entered into by a proud being. All who form this union must feel their need of the atoning blood of Christ. They must have a change of heart. They must submit their own will to the will of God. There will be a struggle with outward and internal obstacles. There must be a painful work of detachment as well as a work of attachment. Pride, selfishness, vanity, worldliness–sin in all its forms–must be overcome if we would enter into a union with Christ. The reason why many find the Christian life so deplorably hard, why they are so fickle, so variable, is that they try to attach themselves to Christ without first detaching themselves from these cherished idols.

“After the union with Christ has been formed, it can be preserved only by earnest prayer and untiring effort. We must resist, we must deny, we must conquer self. Through the grace of Christ, by courage, by faith, by watchfulness, we may gain the victory.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 231.

The Three Angels’ Messages

 

Today, we can see in God’s merciful messages that which parallels the messages in the days of Noah. The Bible says, “As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be in the last days.” (Luke 17:26.)

The first angel’s message calls us to forsake worldly-mindedness and to dedicate our lives fully to the God of heaven. (See Revelation 14:6, 7.)

The area of flight indicates the worldwide nature of the three angels’ work and the proclamation of their messages to the sight and hearing of all mankind. “I [Ellen White] saw that God was in the proclamation of the time in 1843. It was his design to arouse the people, and bring them to a testing point where they should decide [for or against the truth].” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, 133. That is why He sent the Three Angels’ Messages. Every believer is called to have a personal part in the worldwide witness of the Breath of Life.

First Angel

The first angel’s message is the very foundation of the Advent faith. Therefore, it cannot be ignored. It is designed to prepare men and women to make the proper choice and to stand firm in the time of crisis. The time is now to prepare our lives for what is ahead and to look forward to His glorious coming.

Today, God is making His final appeal through the Three Angels’ Messages—there will not be another appeal. “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:6, 7. We are to give God reverence and loyalty and give full surrender to His will.

We are living in a wretched and sordid condition because of our unbelief, worldliness, unconsecrated lives, and strife that have kept us in this world of sin for so many years. It is time to educate our minds and thoughts to believe in God’s Word and to prepare for the future trials ahead.

We are encouraged to remain firm in our beliefs, allowing nothing to distort us. “When the testing time shall come, those who have made God’s word their rule of life will be revealed. In summer there is no noticeable difference between evergreens and other trees; but when the blasts of winter come, the evergreens remain unchanged, while other trees are stripped of their foliage. So the falsehearted professor may not now be distinguished from the real Christian, but the time is just upon us when the difference will be apparent. Let opposition arise, let bigotry and intolerance again bear sway, let persecution be kindled, and the halfhearted and hypocritical will waver and yield the faith; but the true Christian will stand firm as a rock, his faith stronger, his hope brighter, than in days of prosperity.” The Great Controversy, 602. Our finite minds can never comprehend what Christ has in store for us—it is beyond our imagination.

Jesus died to make atonement for our sins and rose triumphantly from the grave to bring the good news of our salvation. Salvation is a continuous holding fast to the Truth and the absolute conviction of believing which leads to faith. Hebrews 2:17 calls Jesus a “faithful High Priest.”

Several examples in the Bible provide us with a clear picture of what God’s last day people will be like.

“Elijah was a type of the saints who will be living on the earth at the time of the second advent of Christ.” Prophets and Kings, 227.

Paul was an example of true repentance—turning away from persecutor to disciple, a complete reversal. “He himself [Paul], when he saw his true condition, exercised repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 5, 255. He was not able to completely forget the past. He was bothered by it, but it humbled him, and what he achieved thereafter he attributed to God’s amazing grace and power, and what he accomplished far exceeded any other prophet. No one man carried more impressive credentials than the direct authorization Paul had as an apostle. Paul was not one of the twelve, but Christ directly called him.

The children of Israel are also an example to us of how God’s last day people should not be. We should not forget the 40 years of Israel pursuant to disobedience, unbelief, and rebellion that shut out Israel from the Promised Land of Canaan. Although they were left out as a nation and experienced the judgment, they were not left out as individuals.

We who remain faithful and true to our Lord and Saviour can look forward to our salvation. Remember, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” II Corinthians 5:7.

In talking with His disciples before His crucifixion and ascent to heaven, Christ encouraged them with these words: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.” John 14:1–3. He forewarned them of His departure from them, so that when it occurred, their faith would be strengthened. (See verse 29.) While Jesus was building a mansion for them in heaven, they were to build characters after the Divine similitude, as they were taught by the Holy Ghost. (See verse 26.)

The Bible indicates that as we draw nearer to the end of this earth’s history our loyalty to God will become more pronounced and more important, as found in Revelation 14. Therein lies the anchor to God’s people in the last days—our Anchor, Jesus Christ.

The Lord in His great mercy sent this precious message to His people in the last days. Because there will not be another, it must be brought to the sight and hearing of all people. In these last messages it is our duty to ascertain and acknowledge the full meaning of the three messages as revealed in Revelation 14:6–12, for therein lies the perfect chain of truth.

Many have seen the perfect chain of truth in the Three Angels’ Messages and gladly received them in their order, followed Jesus by faith, and have been kept from being swept away by Satan’s delusions. This glorious gospel will continue as long as there are men and women to be saved. There are still men and women yet to be saved, and that is why our Saviour has not come.

God in His mercy is giving extra time for people to make their most important and final decision in accepting truth. He does not want anyone to be left out; that is how important everyone is to God. God wants to give everyone a fair chance to inherit eternal life.

The year 1844 marks the beginning of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and the work of judgment. The reference here is not to execute the judgment of Christ—that is yet to come when all will receive their reward. “Before the final reward is given, it must be decided who are fitted to share the inheritance of the righteous. This decision must be made prior to the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven; for when He comes, His reward is with Him, ‘to give every man according as his work shall be.’ Revelation 22:12. Before His coming, then, the character of every man’s work will have been determined, and to every one of Christ’s followers the reward will have been apportioned according to his deeds.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 310.

The Three Angels’ Messages precede the Second Coming of Christ and reveal that the day of salvation has not passed. There is still time to turn to God and escape the coming wrath.

The Three Angels’ Messages are designed to prepare a people to stand through the time of crisis just before the second coming of Christ.

Remember! These messages are the very foundation of our faith and our belief!

Noah

What parallels can we learn or draw from the story of Noah that are applicable to our time and the Three Angels’ Messages?

Noah’s experience sets a noble example for Christians who are living in these end times and who are preparing themselves for translation to heaven and a new and glorious home in the new earth.

The world conditions at the time of Noah were almost a universal apostasy.

What message did God give the people at that time? We are told that Noah preached for 120 years giving warnings, but to no avail.

“Inspiration declares that when the antediluvians rejected Noah’s words, the Spirit of God ceased to strive with them. So when men now despise the warnings which God in mercy sends them, his Spirit after a time ceases to arouse conviction in their hearts. God gives light to be cherished and obeyed, not to be despised and rejected. The light which he sends becomes darkness to those who disregard it. When the Spirit of God ceases to impress the truth upon the hearts of men, all hearing is vain, and all preaching also is vain.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 232.

There were ten generations of increased corruption that reached a climax in Noah’s day. Even God’s longsuffering had to end. The Divine influence was complete; hence, the Spirit of God had to be withdrawn.

Man cannot without impunity (punishment) reject the warnings which God in His mercy sends them. A message was sent from heaven to the world in Noah’s day. The people rejected it, and because they rejected the warning, the Spirit of God was withdrawn. His notice of Divine intent was to destroy the earth. God announced His plan through Noah.

Noah lived a good life that was in harmony with God’s will. He was a just man “perfect in his ways.” Genesis 6:9. He stood fearlessly and steadfastly against vile mockery while building the ark as God had instructed him to do.

He was not void of judgment or willpower but was strong in conviction and action. This testifies to the consistency of his religion amid the miasma (defilement) of iniquity in which he lived. To be sure, he was of pure descent in that respect, distinct from his contemporaries—men who were of the promiscuous type between the godly and the ungodly.

Not much is known of Noah till he was 500 years old. The Bible tells us that he begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Noah’s life resembled that of his pious ancestors. He walked with God and lived a life in harmony with God’s will. (Genesis 6:9, 10.)

God instructed Noah to build an ark of gopher wood, wood that was light and durable for building a vessel. It was pitch-coated inside and out. There were rooms on all three floors with a window on top. Genesis 6:15 tells us it was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high (at 18 inches to the cubit). It was larger than the largest British Man-of-War ship. However, the ark had no mast, sail, or rudder to guide it.

And Noah walked with the Lord.

Second Angel

“And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Revelation 14:8. Who once was pure has become corrupt. Since this message follows the warning of the judgment, it must be given in the last days.

The first angel continues his ministry when the second angel joins him. In this sense, the second angel’s message accompanies that of the first angel.

“The grand judgment is taking place, and has been going on for some time. Now the Lord says, Measure the temple and the worshipers thereof. Remember when you are walking the streets about your business, God is measuring you; when you are attending your household duties, when you engage in conversation, God is measuring you. Remember that your words and actions are being daguerreotyped [photographed] in the books of heaven, as the face is reproduced by the artist on the polished plate. …

“Here is the work going on, measuring the temple and its worshipers to see who will stand in the last day. [See Revelation 11:1.]” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 972.

We must remember to present ourselves as servants of the living God, because we are being measured.

It is believed that Nimrod founded Babylon. (See Genesis 10:8–12.) From the beginning, the city was emblematic of disbelief in the true God and defiance of His will. Its towers were a monument of apostasy, a citadel of rebellion against God.

The prophet Isaiah identifies Lucifer as the invisible king of Babylon. Prophesying of Him during the millenium, he says: “It shall come to pass in the day that Jehovah shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy trouble, and from the hard service wherein thou wast made to serve, that thou shalt take up this parable against the king of Babylon [here representing Satan], and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! … Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers; that smote the peoples in wrath with a continual stroke, that ruled the nations in anger, with a persecution that none restrained.” Isaiah 14:3–6, r.v. (See The Great Controversy, 660.) In fact, it would appear that Satan designed to make Babylon the center of his master plan in order to control the human race, even as God proposed to work through the city of Jerusalem. These two cities typified the forces of evil and good in the world. Had God not intervened, Babylon would have succeeded in banishing righteousness from the earth. For this reason, God saw fit to destroy the tower of Babel and to scatter its builders. (Genesis 11:3–9.)

Ever since the fall of ancient Babylon, Satan has sought, through one world power after another, to control the world. Without a doubt, Satan’s most audacious and nearly complete success has been through the papacy during the Middle Ages. But God intervened again, and nations have never been able to cleave together, because they were confounded and confused.

Both literal and mystical Babylon have been recognized as traditional enemies of God’s truth and people.

This message is the last that will ever be given to the world, and it will accomplish its work. “Revelation 18 points to the time when, as the result of rejecting the threefold warning of Revelation 14:6–12, the church will have fully reached the condition foretold by the second angel, and the people of God still in Babylon will be called upon to separate from her communion. This message is the last that will ever be given to the world; and it will accomplish its work. When those that ‘believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness’ (II Thessalonians 2:12), shall be left to receive strong delusion and to believe a lie, then the light of truth will shine upon all whose hearts are open to receive it, and all the children of the Lord that remain in Babylon will heed the call: ‘Come out of her, My people’ (Revelation 18:4).” The Great Controversy, 390. “Men cannot with impunity reject the warnings that God in mercy sends them. From those who persist in turning from these warnings, God withdraws His Spirit, leaving them to the deceptions that they love.” The Acts of the Apostles, 266.

Third Angel

As the ministration of Jesus closed in the Holy Place and he passed into the Holiest, He stood before the Ark of the Covenant containing the Law of God, and He sent another mighty angel with a parchment placed in his hands. As he descended to the earth in power and majesty, he proclaimed a fearful warning with the most terrible threatening ever borne to man.

This message was designed to put the children of God on their guard, showing them the hour of temptation and anguish that was before them. They will be brought into close combat with the beast and his image. Their only hope of eternal life is to remain steadfast. Although their lives are at stake, they must hold fast to the truth.

“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” Revelation 14:9–11.

The third angel closes his message thus: “Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Verse 12.

Ken Benjaminsen is a retired hospital administrator living in La Crescent, Minnesota. E-mails may be sent to him at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.