Troublesome Topic: PHASE 5.4 WHAT ABOUT MATTHEW 24:38 -39?

Lesson 16 of 20

Matthew 24:37

Translation

For as were the days of Noah, so will be

the coming

of THE SON OF MAN.

Paraphrase

As it was in the days just prior to the flood of Noah’s day, so it will be in the days prior to the glorious arrival of GOD’S ANSWER TO MAN’S PROBLEM.

Matthew 24:38

Translation

For as they were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking,

marrying and giving in marriage,

until that day

when Noah entered the ark,

Paraphrase

This is how things were in the days before the flood: people were going about their daily routines as if everything was normal, and they were making long-term plans and establishing long-term relationships as if everything would be normal for a long time; they refused to heed the warnings of THE COMFORT OF REST until the day he was no longer available to warn them;

Matthew 24:39

Translation

and they knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away; the coming

of the Son of Man will also be like that.

Paraphrase

they were clueless about the danger until the flood came upon them and swept them all away. The glorious arrival of GOD’S ANSWER TO MAN’S PROBLEM will be just like that.

WHAT IS THE INTENT OF THIS PASSAGE?

In Matthew 24:38, the statement “until the day when Noah entered the ark” can possibly make us think that the wicked people of the earth were wiped out in very short order when the flood event began. However, I now see that verse from a different perspective.

I think the intent of this passage is to communicate that the people refused to listen to the warning being given by Noah, so they kept on living their lives as if judgment was never coming. Even after the one giving them the warning was taken out of the way and unable to keep warning them, which should have been a sign of the immediacy of the impending doom, they did not change their ways.

The words “they knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away” indicate that they remained rebellious until the end, whenever that was. Notice that passage does not clearly state that they were taken away on the same day that Noah entered the ark. In fact, we know that Noah was in the ark for 7 days before the rain even started (Gen 7:4 & 10).

The secret to understanding this passage is to realize that it is not intended as a clear description of the timing of the flood, but as a clear description of the condition of the hearts of the people before the flood. When we take it as a description of people’s hearts, it fits perfectly with the rock layers left behind by the Genesis flood.

The next lesson in this study is PHASE 6.1 THE WATERS RECEDED

Footnotes

1

Here Jesus used the word for “coming” which was usually used for “a king arriving on the scene to do what only he can do because only he has the proper authority.” It is sometimes translated “appearing or appearance.” It was a reference to Jesus showing His true power and glory. There are two words for “come” used in this passage. The other one is more ordinary meaning “come”, but can also refer to “an authority figure showing up to punish or reward.” While the context of this passage indicates that they were both pointing in the same direction, this is the stronger of the two words.

2: “the coming”

Once again this is the word for when a king shows up to do what no one else can do.