The Days of Noah like the Days of the Son of Man.
The history of Noah bears a strong resemblance to the day of Christ. For "As it was in the days of Noah, so also shall the coming of the Son of Man be." Matt. xxiv, 37. The earth at that time became so defiled with sin, that God thought fit to wash it by the waters of a flood; and the seed of the serpent became so perverse, that the Judge of all the earth pronounces upon them the sentence of death. Previous, however, to the execution of the vengeance written, God sends a warning voice by Noah, and contrives at the same time for the preservation of the chosen few. By God's command, "Noah prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Heb. xi, 7. He preached, warned, builded, and finished. "The world of the ungodly," intent upon their pursuits, neglect the warning voice, and turn a deaf ear to the report of impending judgments; or, if they had observed the labors of the patriarch and prophet, it was with the smile of derision, at the undertakings of the fanatic. "They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah 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." Matt. xxiv, 38, 39. The Son of man, too, has prepared an ark of refuge, to the saving of his church; and, during his labor of love, "was despised and rejected of men." He has sent out the invitation to sinners to fly to him, and be saved from the wrath to come. With his gospel sent into all nations, as a witness unto all, he hath sent out the warning voice—"But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men." 2 Pet. iii, 6, 7. Though warned by judgments, signs and witnesses, the world shall be found as in the days of Noah. "Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Luke xviii, 8. When the appointed hour came, and all the guests were entered into the ark, the Lord shut them in. Then were the windows of heaven opened, and the fountains of the great deep broken up. The inhabitants of the earth perished; but Noah, in the ark, rode safely and securely on the top of the waves. So also, when the chosen people of God, whom he hath delivered from the wrath to come, are brought unto148Christ, during the present dispensation, the Lord shall shut them in, and make a display of his protecting and preserving power: for thus saith the Lord, "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place, to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain." Isa. xxvi, 20, 21. "Behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise, with healing in his wings." Mal. iv, 1, 2. To meet their coming Lord, shall all the church of God be caught up, both they who fell asleep from the beginning, and all who are alive and remain unto that day; and, under the shadow of his redeeming wings, they shall be preserved from the fiery deluge, which shall consume and sweep away all the earth's inhabitants. 1 Thess. iv, 15-17; Isa. xxx, 29, 30.