Students of prophecy often refer to the prediction Jesus made in the Olivet Discourse called “Days of Noah”. The Olivet Discourse is the lengthy answer Jesus gave to the Disciples who had asked what will be the signs of the end of the age and of His coming. (Matthew 24:3). Often misinterpreted as a treatise of the signs presaging the rapture of the church, it is in fact a discussion of God’s plan for the Jews/Nation Israel and His judgment on the unbelieving world. The Church will have been raptured before the events that the Olivet Discourse discusses begin.Anyway, Jesus said that the Tribulation will be like it was in the Days of Noah.
“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the
flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.” (Matthew 24:37-39).
Even though the condition of the world as Jesus described there won’t be present in full for Christians, it is still helpful to take a look. Anyone over the age of 50 can see the change over the last 30 years in society. It is much more godless, more brutal, violent and rebellious. We are not in the Days of Noah but we can certainly see the days coming.
Genesis 6:5-8 describes the Days of Noah more specifically.
“The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”Look closely and ponder the phrases used in the verse to describe the days of Noah.
--The wickedness of man was ‘great’
--‘Every’ intention of the thoughts of his heart was ‘only’ evil ‘continually’
--Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD
In Old Testament times, the Holy Spirit did not dwell inside a person for life after salvation like He does with us now in the Church Age. (Ephesians 1:13-14, 2 Corinthians 1:22). There were a few exceptions. John the Baptist had the Spirit in him since before birth (Luke 1:15). 1 Samuel 16:13 shows how He came upon David ‘from that day on’.
But more usually in Old Testament times, the Spirit was given for a specific period of time for a specific task. Some examples of this are the Spirit the workmen for building the temple (Ex. 28:3, Ex. 31:3) and given to the Judges for wisdom (Numbers 27:18; Judges 3:10).
So, think about how it was on earth when the earth was populated by men without the Spirit. Every man did and thought evil, completely, all the time. Humans were SO evil that God determined to wipe them out! Noah was the only one who did right. Wow.
We are so fortunate to be living in the Church Age with the Spirit actually inside us post-salvation for all our lives. He grows us in sanctification and helps us resist sin. Can you imagine what it will be like when He, the Restrainer (of sin) is removed? (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7). Wow again. It will be just like the Days of Noah!
