AS IT WAS, SO SHALL IT BE

Mat 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38 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,
Mat 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Mat 24:41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Mat 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

TEXT: Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
Luke 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luke 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Luke 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
Luke 17:31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
Luke 17:32 Remember Lot's wife.
Luke 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
Luke 17:34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
Luke 17:35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Luke 17:36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Intro: Jesus plainly tells us that the conditions that prevailed before the flood of Noah would be the same as those preceding His second coming. Many questions about the time before the flood cannot be answered, such as; did Noah make any converts in his 120 years of preaching? If he did, we only know that they all died before the flood came.

In this lesson we shall consider TWO major judgments, the Flood and the destruction of Sodom. We shall examine three things about each of these.
1. The actions of the lost while judgment hung over them.
2. The actions of the saved as they waited.
3. The actions of God as the time drew near.

I. As the world waited.
A. Their thoughts were evil.
Gen 6:5 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.

Man uses every art form and every science to defy God. When man first began to notice the heavens, he devised the superstition called astrology as a means to deny the Creator His due.
Now he searches space for proof that God doesn’t exist, and examines rocks and ‘moon dust’ to try to prove God a liar.
The truth is ‘too unbelievable’ but the possibility that life on earth began as germs or bugs in garbage left by space travelers is greeted as ‘an intriguing possibility’!

B. Their actions were wicked. With no God to worry about, why be concerned with judgment?
1. Violence is again becoming a way of life.
Gen 6:13 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 with the earth.

2. Man hastens his own doom by removing the penalty for crimes, thus encouraging further lawlessness.

C. His attitude toward eternity was complacent. (This is the outstanding thing mentioned by Jesus.)
Luke 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luke 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Luke 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

1. Today-
2 Pet 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

2. It is not near--
Ezek 11:2 Then said he unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city:
Ezek 11:3 Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.

II. While the Saved wait—
A. Some were caught up in worldly desires and ways and mingled with the world.
Gen 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
When our desires become more important than God’s desire for us, we are headed for trouble.


1.Lot desired prosperity even if he had to pitch his tent toward Sodom to get it. Result? He lost everything but two daughters and they brought him shame. Their training in Sodom came through!

2. Abraham prayed and interceded. The fact that he was safe didn’t stop his concern.

3. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Gen 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
He had refused to go along with the ‘socially acceptable’ ideas of his day and taught his family God’s will. The blood line of Cain MUST NOT be allowed to pollute the lineage of the Messiah!

4. Noah witnessed to those around him.
2 Pet 2:5 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;

5. He prepared for the coming event.
Heb 11:7 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.

Here is the truth of:
Luke 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
The child of God who is willing to forgo the pleasures of this life, for the service of God, will enjoy the next, while those like Lot, will enter eternity empty handed. “Saved, so as by fire’ Like one who flees a burning building in his nightclothes.

III. While God waited.
A. He grieved over all.
Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

B. He waited with much long suffering.
1 Pet 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
He still does!
2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

C. He prepares the stage for the judgment to come.
1. Nations are moved into place for the final act of human rebellion.
2. Economic conditions move toward one world government.
3. Nature sets the scene as earthquakes and natural disasters abound.
4. Christ prepares the home for His bride!
5. He urges his people to work while it is yet day.
6. He still saves all who will come to Him on the terms of the Gospel.

What will YOU do while waiting for the shepherd to be crowned King?
(When the shepherd was coming to be crowned as King!)
1 Sam 16:11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.