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The Flood In The Bible: The Truth About Parousia
by Ken Kalis | Aug 18, 2022 | Scripture and Theology | 0 comments
The Flood in The Bible: The Truth About Parousia
Jesus drew the parallel Himself:
For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. – Matthew 24:37
(Parousia –παρουσία,–is the Greek word used to describe Jesus’ Second Coming.)
The Flood narrative begins in Genesis 6:19 and ends in 9:17.
The Flood was the most important event in the Old Testament. Noah*, the righteous man of God offering salvation in the ark, is a beautiful foreshadowing of Jesus.*
(*means there is a bio of this person in my book SPIRITUAL LIVES.)
Both men came to be saviors of the world.
Both were sent by God and had divine knowledge of impending danger.
The Flood in the Old Testament, and Fire in the New.
God called Noah* to provide a means of escape by building the Ark. He built it with his sons as God instructed. St. Peter* tells us he was “a preacher of righteousness,” but there is no record of anyone being saved from the flood.
Why not? Jesus* says,
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. – Jesus in Matthew 24:38-39
The Flood is not a children’s story.
Gustave Doré’s illustration above shows the horror of it graphically.
Horrible as those millions of deaths were, some may have been saved, either by innocence or by calling on the name of the Lord.
This will NOT be an option at the second coming:
So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire:
there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. – Jesus in Matthew 13:49-50
This sounds like a similar scene to the Flood, but then the disaster fell impersonally, and everyone died although God would have saved the innocent from Hell. But Jesus is personally involved in the Parousia:
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand,
Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: – Jesus in Matthew 25:41
What more terrible and frightening words can one hear than those? Only the reality of Hell and its eternal horrors.
Long before the Flood, God had prepared Hell for Satan* and his angels.
Those who reject the Lord wind up there too.
But God IS Love, the apostle tells us. (1 John 4:8)
That is why He prepared salvation for His people, in the Ark for the Flood, and in His only Son for the fires of Judgment Day.
So why does anyone refuse the great salvation? Jesus tells us,
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.
People do not set out to reject Jesus,
they are just too busy eating, drinking, and enjoying life to pay serious attention to something that has never happened before. It was so in St. Peter’s day:
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 Peter 3:4
The Flood had never happened before either,
and God waited, but no one came during all that time Noah was building the Ark. And when the Flood came, it was too late.
It came suddenly and washed away the world. Jesus’ second coming will be sudden too:
Watch, therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. – Jesus in Matthew 24: 42 & 44
St. Paul uses this language, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, (1Co_15:52), and Jesus’ last words in Revelation are: Surely I come quickly. – Revelation 22:20
These words are directed to us, His people, for unlike the Flood, the Parousia has a glorious aspect. To those who have been faithful, Jesus will say:
Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: – Matthew 25:34
What a contrast to the horrors of damnation! Instead of doom, glory, instead of agony, joy. And the greatest joy of all to be with Jesus as He has promised. Listen to these words recorded by John, the disciple Jesus loved:
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 14:2-3
He loves us too and is coming back to take us home with Him, Hallelujah!
Both the Flood and the Parousia warn of sudden danger
and of our need for Jesus and His great salvation He died on the cross to win. I trust you have already Believed on the Son of God and entered eternal life. If not, take time to receive His salvation today. Jesus is calling and is preparing a place for you:
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. – Jesus in John 6:37
When the apostle Paul told King Agrippa about Jesus, the king said:
Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. – Acts 26:28-29
It is easy to put off our decision, like those in the days of the Flood, to be caught up in eating, drinking, and giving in marriage until disaster suddenly comes. I pray that many will receive the warnings and promises the Bible gives us in these two momentous events.
Listen! This is the hour to receive God’s favor; today is the day to be saved! – St. Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:2
Almost Persuaded
1 “Almost persuaded” now to believe;
“Almost persuaded” Christ to receive;
Seems now some soul to say,
“Go, Spirit, go Thy way,
Some more convenient day
on Thee I’ll call.”
2 “Almost persuaded,” come, come today;
“Almost persuaded,” turn not away;
Jesus invites you here,
Angels are ling’ring near,
Prayers rise from hearts so dear;
O wand’rer, come!
3 Oh, be persuaded! Christ never fails—
Oh, be persuaded! His blood avails—
Can save from every sin,
Cleanse you without, within—
Will you not let Him in?
Open the door!
4 “Almost persuaded,” harvest is past!
“Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last;
“Almost” cannot avail;
“Almost” is but to fail!
Sad, sad that bitter wail—
“Almost—but lost!”
5 Be now persuaded, oh, sinner, hear!
Be now persuaded, Jesus is near;
His voice is pleading still,
Turn now with heart and will,
Peace will your spirit fill—
Oh, turn today!
Philip Paul Bliss (1838-1876)
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