Welcome to Focus on God's Word. 00:00:28.06\00:00:31.06 We are here today beginning a brand new series 00:00:31.09\00:00:34.33 focusing on the incredible true story of Noah 00:00:34.36\00:00:38.03 found in the book of beginnings, 00:00:38.07\00:00:39.70 the book of Genesis. 00:00:39.73\00:00:41.47 Our series title is "Noah, Another Storm is Coming." 00:00:41.50\00:00:46.27 And today's message is finding God's grace. 00:00:46.31\00:00:50.85 Lockdown, that word we are all well familiar with, aren't we? 00:00:50.88\00:00:55.62 The word lockdown, 00:00:55.65\00:00:57.19 especially in the last little while 00:00:57.22\00:00:59.32 ever since COVID-19 00:00:59.35\00:01:00.96 came to town or came to our world 00:01:00.99\00:01:03.53 from that city of Wuhan there in Central China, 00:01:03.56\00:01:07.00 spread throughout the world. 00:01:07.03\00:01:08.50 And ever since then, 00:01:08.53\00:01:09.86 we have come to terms 00:01:09.90\00:01:11.73 and become well familiar with that word, lockdown. 00:01:11.77\00:01:15.77 Well, today, we want to begin 00:01:15.80\00:01:17.34 by going to the first ever lockdown, 00:01:17.37\00:01:20.71 the first family to experience lockdown 00:01:20.74\00:01:23.41 some 4,500 years ago, 00:01:23.45\00:01:26.45 the family of Noah 00:01:26.48\00:01:28.28 and the things that we can learn. 00:01:28.32\00:01:29.75 As I've been unpacking these four chapters 00:01:29.78\00:01:32.39 in the Book of Genesis, 00:01:32.42\00:01:33.76 I have discovered some incredible things 00:01:33.79\00:01:37.03 that, oh, we'd just love to share with you. 00:01:37.06\00:01:38.76 It's an incredible story that teaches us 00:01:38.79\00:01:41.26 about the coming of Jesus 00:01:41.30\00:01:43.13 and how we can be ready for the coming of Jesus. 00:01:43.16\00:01:45.53 Speaking of the coming of Jesus, 00:01:45.57\00:01:47.27 toward the end of His ministry, 00:01:47.30\00:01:50.11 Jesus just before His crucifixion 00:01:50.14\00:01:52.84 was on the Mount of Olives. 00:01:52.87\00:01:55.21 And I've had the opportunity of going to ancient Jerusalem 00:01:55.24\00:01:58.31 and I have a photo there that I took 00:01:58.35\00:02:01.75 whilst standing on the Mount of Olives 00:02:01.78\00:02:04.02 overlooking the city of Jerusalem. 00:02:04.05\00:02:06.09 And there is that famous Dome of the Rock 00:02:06.12\00:02:09.12 on the Temple Mount, 00:02:09.16\00:02:10.49 one of the most sacred sites in Islam, 00:02:10.53\00:02:13.03 where the Temple of Jerusalem once stood 00:02:13.06\00:02:16.03 and Jesus there as He looked out at the temple, 00:02:16.06\00:02:19.33 He gave an incredible prophecy, 00:02:19.37\00:02:21.84 signs that would date, predate His return 00:02:21.87\00:02:26.37 as well as signs 00:02:26.41\00:02:27.94 before the destruction of Jerusalem. 00:02:27.98\00:02:30.95 Now Jesus gave a number of signs 00:02:30.98\00:02:32.61 there in Matthew 24, 00:02:32.65\00:02:33.98 Luke 21, and Mark Chapter 13. 00:02:34.02\00:02:37.19 Apart from the greatest of all the signs, 00:02:37.22\00:02:39.55 which is the gospel going to all the world, 00:02:39.59\00:02:42.02 the greatest sign that we are on the eve 00:02:42.06\00:02:45.16 of the coming of Jesus that He gave 00:02:45.19\00:02:47.46 was the sign of Noah, 00:02:47.50\00:02:49.93 and the days of Noah. 00:02:49.96\00:02:52.17 So together, we're going to unpack 00:02:52.20\00:02:54.40 and explore this incredible subject, 00:02:54.44\00:02:57.14 because I believe is extremely relevant, 00:02:57.17\00:03:00.24 extremely challenging, 00:03:00.28\00:03:01.81 and extremely encouraging to all those 00:03:01.84\00:03:04.45 that are living on the eve of Christ's second coming. 00:03:04.48\00:03:07.82 So before we open up God's Word, 00:03:07.85\00:03:09.22 and before we open up to the words of Jesus 00:03:09.25\00:03:11.05 and discover how important this message is, 00:03:11.09\00:03:13.56 we're going to pause and we're going to pray. 00:03:13.59\00:03:15.39 So I invite you 00:03:15.42\00:03:16.76 to bow your heads with me as we pray. 00:03:16.79\00:03:19.26 Father in heaven, 00:03:19.29\00:03:20.63 we're about to open up Your Holy Word. 00:03:20.66\00:03:22.46 And we ask and pray that as we open up Your Word 00:03:22.50\00:03:25.30 that You will open up our hearts and our minds 00:03:25.33\00:03:27.20 that we may be able to understand 00:03:27.24\00:03:29.90 how important this subject indeed is, 00:03:29.94\00:03:33.58 for those of us that are living on the very edge of eternity, 00:03:33.61\00:03:37.78 the very eve of Your soon return. 00:03:37.81\00:03:39.95 So bless us as we open Your Word, 00:03:39.98\00:03:41.78 open our hearts and our minds. 00:03:41.82\00:03:43.15 And we pray this in Jesus' name. 00:03:43.18\00:03:45.15 Amen, and amen. 00:03:45.19\00:03:47.52 Well, we're going to go to the words of Jesus 00:03:47.56\00:03:50.16 as they are found in Matthew Chapter 24. 00:03:50.19\00:03:52.76 So I'm going to be opening in my Bible to Matthew 24. 00:03:52.79\00:03:55.80 The words will be up on the screen for you 00:03:55.83\00:03:58.37 to follow along. 00:03:58.40\00:03:59.73 Matthew 24, 00:03:59.77\00:04:01.10 and toward the end of Jesus' message 00:04:01.14\00:04:03.84 on the signs of His coming, 00:04:03.87\00:04:05.77 He shares these words, 00:04:05.81\00:04:07.14 and I'm beginning in verse 36, 00:04:07.18\00:04:08.88 Matthew 24:36. 00:04:08.91\00:04:12.98 "But of that day and hour no one knows, 00:04:13.01\00:04:15.48 not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." 00:04:15.52\00:04:17.99 Jesus here is speaking of His second coming. 00:04:18.02\00:04:21.72 He goes on, 00:04:21.76\00:04:23.09 "But as the days of Noah were, 00:04:23.12\00:04:24.66 so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 00:04:24.69\00:04:27.66 For as in the days before the flood, 00:04:27.70\00:04:30.77 they were eating and drinking, 00:04:30.80\00:04:32.33 marrying and giving in marriage, 00:04:32.37\00:04:34.00 until the day that Noah entered the ark, 00:04:34.04\00:04:36.47 and did not know until the flood came 00:04:36.50\00:04:38.64 and took them all away, 00:04:38.67\00:04:40.01 so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." 00:04:40.04\00:04:43.51 So Jesus here makes it very clear 00:04:43.55\00:04:45.51 that as it was in the days of Noah, 00:04:45.55\00:04:47.28 so it will be before He returns. 00:04:47.32\00:04:50.12 He goes on 00:04:50.15\00:04:51.49 and it gives some more important information. 00:04:51.52\00:04:54.36 Verse 40, 00:04:54.39\00:04:55.92 "Then two men will be in the field: 00:04:55.96\00:04:57.89 one will be taken and the other left. 00:04:57.93\00:05:00.06 Two women will be grinding at the mill: 00:05:00.10\00:05:02.20 one will be taken and the other will be left. 00:05:02.23\00:05:04.93 Watch therefore," 00:05:04.97\00:05:06.30 says Jesus, He concludes, 00:05:06.33\00:05:08.10 "For you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 00:05:08.14\00:05:11.47 But know this, 00:05:11.51\00:05:12.84 that if the master of the house had known 00:05:12.87\00:05:14.21 what hour the thief would come, he would have watched 00:05:14.24\00:05:17.18 and not allowed his house to be broken into. 00:05:17.21\00:05:19.95 Therefore you also be," what? 00:05:19.98\00:05:23.28 "Be ready, for the Son of Man 00:05:23.32\00:05:25.32 is coming at an hour you do not expect." 00:05:25.35\00:05:27.76 So here Jesus makes it crystal clear 00:05:27.79\00:05:29.89 that we need to be ready. 00:05:29.92\00:05:32.09 Life will be going on as normal just before Jesus comes. 00:05:32.13\00:05:36.70 Jesus here is describing life as normal. 00:05:36.73\00:05:41.50 And so He says, "Watch, and be ready." 00:05:41.54\00:05:44.97 Watch and be ready. 00:05:45.01\00:05:46.78 I want to repeat the all-important truth 00:05:46.81\00:05:48.98 apart from the gospel going to all the world, 00:05:49.01\00:05:52.11 the most important sign that Jesus gave, 00:05:52.15\00:05:55.28 that would help us understand 00:05:55.32\00:05:57.39 when His coming was near even at the doors, 00:05:57.42\00:06:00.66 even though we cannot know the day or the hour. 00:06:00.69\00:06:02.96 But when His coming was near even at the doors, 00:06:02.99\00:06:05.26 that sign is the sign of Noah. 00:06:05.29\00:06:09.30 Now in the Book of Luke, 00:06:09.33\00:06:10.70 Jesus adds to the sign of Noah by giving us another sign, 00:06:10.73\00:06:16.00 another very similar sign 00:06:16.04\00:06:18.34 and we go to the Book of Luke 00:06:18.37\00:06:20.04 and in Luke Chapter 17, 00:06:20.08\00:06:22.24 Luke there records the words of Jesus, 00:06:22.28\00:06:26.51 but he adds a detail that Matthew omits. 00:06:26.55\00:06:29.45 And I'm beginning in verse 26, Luke 17:26. 00:06:29.48\00:06:34.72 "And as it was in the days of Noah, 00:06:34.76\00:06:36.39 so it will be also in the days before the Son of Man." 00:06:36.42\00:06:40.93 Verse 27, 00:06:40.96\00:06:42.30 "They ate, they drank, 00:06:42.33\00:06:43.67 they married wives, they were given in marriage, 00:06:43.70\00:06:45.83 until the day that Noah entered the ark, 00:06:45.87\00:06:48.34 and the Lord came and destroyed them all. 00:06:48.37\00:06:50.97 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot." 00:06:51.01\00:06:54.14 So here Jesus adds the experience 00:06:54.18\00:06:57.25 in the days of the Lot, 00:06:57.28\00:06:58.95 "They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, 00:06:58.98\00:07:01.68 they planted, they built, 00:07:01.72\00:07:03.45 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom 00:07:03.49\00:07:05.95 it rained fire and brimstone from heaven 00:07:05.99\00:07:08.32 and destroyed them all. 00:07:08.36\00:07:09.79 Even so will it be in the day 00:07:09.82\00:07:12.29 when the Son of Man is revealed." 00:07:12.33\00:07:14.86 Jesus here is crystal clear. 00:07:14.90\00:07:17.57 "Make no mistake," 00:07:17.60\00:07:18.93 he says, 00:07:18.97\00:07:20.30 "as it was in the days of Noah, 00:07:20.34\00:07:22.04 as it was in the days of Lot, 00:07:22.07\00:07:24.91 so it will be just before He comes." 00:07:24.94\00:07:28.78 So the question you and I need to ask is, 00:07:28.81\00:07:31.28 are we indeed living in the time of Noah, 00:07:31.31\00:07:35.98 in the time of Lot. 00:07:36.02\00:07:38.29 In this series, we're going to be focusing 00:07:38.32\00:07:39.95 mainly on the days of Noah. 00:07:39.99\00:07:41.82 However, based on the words of Christ, 00:07:41.86\00:07:44.33 we will also be taking a look 00:07:44.36\00:07:46.03 at some of those connecting points 00:07:46.06\00:07:48.13 from the days of Lot 00:07:48.16\00:07:49.63 because these two stories have so many, 00:07:49.66\00:07:52.83 so many similar instances, and so many similar examples 00:07:52.87\00:07:58.11 of what it was like in the days of Noah 00:07:58.14\00:08:00.28 and in the days of Lot. 00:08:00.31\00:08:02.91 So what must I do to be ready? 00:08:02.94\00:08:06.05 Another storm is coming indeed. 00:08:06.08\00:08:10.52 Well, to begin with, 00:08:10.55\00:08:12.59 we want to take a look at three key points 00:08:12.62\00:08:14.72 that I have discovered, 00:08:14.76\00:08:16.09 as I've been going through the story of Noah and Lot. 00:08:16.12\00:08:20.00 And here are the three all important points Firstly, 00:08:20.03\00:08:22.63 the story of Noah 00:08:22.66\00:08:24.57 clearly identifies earth's final generation. 00:08:24.60\00:08:28.20 Secondly, it enables us to know and understand 00:08:28.24\00:08:32.01 how we can be ready when the Son of Man returns. 00:08:32.04\00:08:35.21 And thirdly, it provides instruction 00:08:35.24\00:08:37.95 on how we can prepare others for Jesus' soon return. 00:08:37.98\00:08:43.45 These are three key points 00:08:43.49\00:08:44.89 and we're going to be unpacking these 00:08:44.92\00:08:47.39 over the next six messages together 00:08:47.42\00:08:50.33 from the story of Noah, 00:08:50.36\00:08:51.69 these four chapters in Genesis 00:08:51.73\00:08:55.40 from Genesis 6 to Genesis Chapter 9 00:08:55.43\00:08:59.07 are filled with everything that you and I need to know 00:08:59.10\00:09:02.97 about the times that we are living in, 00:09:03.00\00:09:04.64 and more importantly, 00:09:04.67\00:09:06.24 how we can prepare ourselves as well as others 00:09:06.27\00:09:10.25 for the soon return of Jesus. 00:09:10.28\00:09:13.11 So let's go to the story of Noah. 00:09:13.15\00:09:16.58 We're going to go to the Book of Genesis 00:09:16.62\00:09:18.75 to the book of beginnings. 00:09:18.79\00:09:20.12 And we're going to go to Genesis 6:1, 00:09:20.16\00:09:24.96 where the story begins. 00:09:24.99\00:09:26.53 Genesis 6:1, Now it came to pass, 00:09:26.56\00:09:32.20 when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, 00:09:32.23\00:09:35.80 and daughters were born to them." 00:09:35.84\00:09:38.81 Here is a huge clue, a huge titanic clue 00:09:38.84\00:09:42.74 that helps us to know right from the get go, 00:09:42.78\00:09:45.18 that we are indeed living in the days of Noah. 00:09:45.21\00:09:48.92 The Bible says 00:09:48.95\00:09:50.69 that there was a multiplication of the human race 00:09:50.72\00:09:54.69 on the face of the earth 00:09:54.72\00:09:56.06 during the time of Noah. 00:09:56.09\00:09:57.43 I looked up that word multiply. 00:09:57.46\00:10:00.00 And the word multiply, 00:10:00.03\00:10:02.56 the Hebrew word in Strong's Concordance 00:10:02.60\00:10:05.27 is defined as to multiply by the myriad. 00:10:05.30\00:10:09.10 Now I scratched my head 00:10:09.14\00:10:10.91 as some of you may be scratching your head, 00:10:10.94\00:10:12.67 what does that word myriad mean? 00:10:12.71\00:10:15.21 And so I looked up that word in the dictionary. 00:10:15.24\00:10:18.18 And notice the dictionary.com definition of myriad, 00:10:18.21\00:10:22.32 "A countless or extremely great number of people or things." 00:10:22.35\00:10:27.22 Now does that describe our world today? 00:10:27.26\00:10:30.66 Is our world exploding 00:10:30.69\00:10:32.86 when it comes to its population? 00:10:32.89\00:10:34.36 Indeed, it is. Have a look at this graph. 00:10:34.40\00:10:37.57 Here we have the world's population 00:10:37.60\00:10:40.44 over the last 1,000 years. 00:10:40.47\00:10:43.51 And you can see it, 00:10:43.54\00:10:45.57 it was only up until about 200 years ago, 00:10:45.61\00:10:48.91 that we finally reached 1 billion people 00:10:48.94\00:10:52.45 from the time of the flood. 00:10:52.48\00:10:53.82 We don't exactly know how many people were around 00:10:53.85\00:10:56.85 at the time of the flood. 00:10:56.89\00:10:58.22 But we certainly know that from the flood 00:10:58.25\00:11:00.49 to up until 200 years ago, it took us 00:11:00.52\00:11:03.66 all that time to get to 1 billion people, 00:11:03.69\00:11:05.96 and then have a look at the chart. 00:11:05.99\00:11:07.46 It's just going, 00:11:07.50\00:11:08.83 it's just going up exponentially. 00:11:08.86\00:11:10.77 And we're almost up to 8 billion people. 00:11:10.80\00:11:13.40 So right from the very beginning, 00:11:13.44\00:11:15.00 God says there will be a population explosion 00:11:15.04\00:11:18.74 just before I return again. 00:11:18.77\00:11:22.71 Now, not only was the population explosion, 00:11:22.74\00:11:26.05 not only did the people multiply, 00:11:26.08\00:11:28.12 but in Noah's day, God blessed the people, 00:11:28.15\00:11:31.22 that antediluvian race 00:11:31.25\00:11:33.49 as it's became known were blessed by God 00:11:33.52\00:11:36.32 in ways that you and I cannot imagine. 00:11:36.36\00:11:37.93 They almost live for 1,000 years. 00:11:37.96\00:11:40.10 Their intellect was beyond what we can imagine. 00:11:40.13\00:11:43.87 They had health and strength that once again, 00:11:43.90\00:11:47.27 we cannot imagine, 00:11:47.30\00:11:49.27 they had the blessings and the resources 00:11:49.30\00:11:52.51 that God provided here on this earth 00:11:52.54\00:11:54.98 that was almost perfect. 00:11:55.01\00:11:56.48 It was almost perfect. 00:11:56.51\00:11:57.85 Yes, sin had invaded this world ever since Adam and Eve sinned. 00:11:57.88\00:12:02.25 But this world was in such a beautiful sight, 00:12:02.28\00:12:05.05 it never rained. 00:12:05.09\00:12:06.42 Instead, there was a beautiful mist 00:12:06.45\00:12:08.66 that came up that watered the earth and this world 00:12:08.69\00:12:11.79 was filled with great blessings. 00:12:11.83\00:12:14.50 I just want to go to our classic 00:12:14.53\00:12:18.37 on the story on Noah. 00:12:18.40\00:12:20.17 It's the book Patriarchs and Prophets, 00:12:20.20\00:12:22.50 written by the Christian, 00:12:22.54\00:12:24.34 the inspired Christian author, Ellen White 00:12:24.37\00:12:26.54 more than a century ago, 00:12:26.57\00:12:27.91 and she gives us some insight 00:12:27.94\00:12:30.05 as to the kind of world that existed before the flood. 00:12:30.08\00:12:33.75 Notice these words, she writes, 00:12:33.78\00:12:36.55 "There were evident tokens of decay, 00:12:36.58\00:12:39.15 but the earth was still rich and beautiful 00:12:39.19\00:12:41.89 in the gifts of God's providence. 00:12:41.92\00:12:44.03 The hills were crowned with majestic trees 00:12:44.06\00:12:46.73 supporting the fruit-laden branches of the vine. 00:12:46.76\00:12:49.93 The vast gardenlike plains were clothed with verdure, 00:12:49.96\00:12:53.34 and sweet with the fragrance of a thousand flowers. 00:12:53.37\00:12:56.47 The fruits of the earth were in great variety 00:12:56.50\00:12:58.74 and almost without limit. 00:12:58.77\00:13:00.58 The trees far surpassed in size, beauty 00:13:00.61\00:13:03.71 and perfect proportion any now to be found, 00:13:03.75\00:13:06.61 their wood," notice these words, 00:13:06.65\00:13:08.38 "their wood was of fine grain and hard substance, 00:13:08.42\00:13:12.32 closely resembling that of stone, 00:13:12.35\00:13:14.86 and hardly less enduring. 00:13:14.89\00:13:16.89 Gold, silver and precious stones 00:13:16.93\00:13:19.19 existed in abundance. 00:13:19.23\00:13:21.13 The human race yet retained much of its early vigor 00:13:21.16\00:13:25.43 Had that long-lived people, 00:13:25.47\00:13:27.10 with their rare powers to plan and execute, 00:13:27.14\00:13:29.80 devoted themselves to the service of God, 00:13:29.84\00:13:32.24 they would have made their Creator's name 00:13:32.27\00:13:34.64 a praise in the earth, 00:13:34.68\00:13:36.08 and would have answered the purpose 00:13:36.11\00:13:37.81 for which He gave them life. 00:13:37.85\00:13:39.71 But sadly, they failed to do this." 00:13:39.75\00:13:43.85 So here we have a description 00:13:43.89\00:13:45.99 of what life was like before the flood. 00:13:46.02\00:13:49.86 God poured out His blessings. 00:13:49.89\00:13:52.83 But sadly, the more God poured out His blessings, 00:13:52.86\00:13:55.96 the more His people created in Him, 00:13:56.00\00:13:58.80 His image turned away from Him. 00:13:58.83\00:14:02.54 I can't help but think of the world that I live in, 00:14:02.57\00:14:07.34 our western world, 00:14:07.38\00:14:08.98 compared to the third world. 00:14:09.01\00:14:10.65 The western world has no time for God 00:14:10.68\00:14:13.25 and the things of God's kingdom. 00:14:13.28\00:14:15.65 And yet those who are poor in the things of this world 00:14:15.68\00:14:18.95 seem to have more time for the things of God 00:14:18.99\00:14:22.46 and His kingdom. 00:14:22.49\00:14:24.33 Let's continue reading. 00:14:24.36\00:14:25.69 Let's continue reading the story. 00:14:25.73\00:14:28.06 Back to Genesis Chapter 6. 00:14:28.10\00:14:29.43 And we'll begin in verse 1, once again. 00:14:29.46\00:14:31.33 "Now it came to pass, 00:14:31.37\00:14:32.70 when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, 00:14:32.73\00:14:35.40 and daughters were born to them, 00:14:35.44\00:14:37.01 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, 00:14:37.04\00:14:40.44 that they were beautiful, 00:14:40.48\00:14:41.81 and they took wives for themselves 00:14:41.84\00:14:43.85 of all whom they chose." 00:14:43.88\00:14:45.95 Now, the Bible here says that, 00:14:45.98\00:14:48.65 at this time the sons of God 00:14:48.68\00:14:51.89 came into the daughters of men, 00:14:51.92\00:14:54.52 and they had children. 00:14:54.56\00:14:56.66 Now there are many who mistakenly believe 00:14:56.69\00:14:58.96 that the sons of God referenced here is to angels, 00:14:58.99\00:15:02.46 that fallen angels somehow came together 00:15:02.50\00:15:05.90 and they formed unions with human beings. 00:15:05.93\00:15:10.14 And through that they, they had children. 00:15:10.17\00:15:15.18 That's not what the Bible here is teaching at all. 00:15:15.21\00:15:17.75 The sons of God here is simply a reference 00:15:17.78\00:15:20.62 to those that chose to be faithful to God. 00:15:20.65\00:15:24.42 The daughters of men is a reference to the opposite, 00:15:24.45\00:15:27.32 those who chose not to be faithful to God. 00:15:27.36\00:15:30.53 Throughout Scripture, God is dealing with opposites. 00:15:30.56\00:15:32.99 You can go through the entire scriptures 00:15:33.03\00:15:34.73 and you're dealing with opposites, 00:15:34.76\00:15:36.67 truth and error, light and darkness. 00:15:36.70\00:15:38.83 The Book of Revelation is a classic example of that. 00:15:38.87\00:15:43.17 So how do we know what this reference is, 00:15:43.20\00:15:46.54 in regards to the sons of God and the daughters of men? 00:15:46.57\00:15:50.21 It's actually quite simple. 00:15:50.25\00:15:51.58 All you need to do is you need to go back 00:15:51.61\00:15:52.95 to the previous two chapters, Chapter 4 and Chapter 5. 00:15:52.98\00:15:56.42 And in Chapter 4, there we have Adam and Eve 00:15:56.45\00:15:58.99 who have two sons, and what were their names? 00:15:59.02\00:16:01.72 Cain and Abel. 00:16:01.76\00:16:03.39 Cain and Abel. 00:16:03.43\00:16:05.56 Cain killed his brother Abel. 00:16:05.59\00:16:07.96 And sadly, 00:16:08.00\00:16:09.33 that was the first murder on this planet. 00:16:09.36\00:16:12.97 But to replace Abel, 00:16:13.00\00:16:15.10 God provided another son for Adam and Eve, 00:16:15.14\00:16:18.47 and they named him Seth. 00:16:18.51\00:16:20.48 And so in Genesis Chapter 4 and Genesis Chapter 5, 00:16:20.51\00:16:23.51 you have the lines of Cain. 00:16:23.55\00:16:25.55 Firstly, the line of Cain is described, 00:16:25.58\00:16:27.88 then you have the line of Seth. 00:16:27.92\00:16:30.42 The line of Cain 00:16:30.45\00:16:33.56 is the reference to the daughters of men. 00:16:33.59\00:16:36.32 The line of Seth 00:16:36.36\00:16:37.83 is the reference to the sons of God. 00:16:37.86\00:16:40.10 In fact that that term sons of God appears 00:16:40.13\00:16:42.43 throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament 00:16:42.46\00:16:45.20 in relation to God's children, 00:16:45.23\00:16:47.04 sometimes children of God is used in that way. 00:16:47.07\00:16:52.77 When we take a look at these two different lines, 00:16:52.81\00:16:55.91 we discover that there are very clear differences 00:16:55.94\00:16:59.81 between the two lines. 00:16:59.85\00:17:02.02 If we take a look at Cain's line, 00:17:02.05\00:17:04.69 let's firstly go to Cain's line. 00:17:04.72\00:17:08.29 In Genesis 4:16, 00:17:08.32\00:17:12.56 Genesis 4:16, 00:17:12.59\00:17:16.13 we read these words regarding Cain. 00:17:16.16\00:17:18.73 "Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord 00:17:18.77\00:17:22.20 and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden." 00:17:22.24\00:17:26.51 Before we go any further, 00:17:26.54\00:17:30.41 the reference here to Cain, 00:17:30.45\00:17:32.51 by the way Cain, do you know what his name means? 00:17:32.55\00:17:35.05 His name means 00:17:35.08\00:17:36.45 one who has been given to me by the Lord, 00:17:36.48\00:17:39.52 you know, the Lord has provided, 00:17:39.55\00:17:41.86 the Lord has provided. 00:17:41.89\00:17:43.22 You can read about that in Genesis 4:1, 00:17:43.26\00:17:46.90 where after Eve bore Cain, she said, 00:17:46.93\00:17:50.10 "I have acquired a man from the Lord." 00:17:50.13\00:17:52.67 In fact, the original is, 00:17:52.70\00:17:54.34 "I have acquired a man, 00:17:54.37\00:17:57.14 the Lord, the Lord." 00:17:57.17\00:17:59.14 Eve believed, according to the name of Cain 00:17:59.17\00:18:02.61 that she gave to her firstborn son, 00:18:02.64\00:18:04.61 that he was to be the Promised Messiah, 00:18:04.65\00:18:07.12 the Promised Messiah, the Lord. 00:18:07.15\00:18:09.58 And so that's how she named him. 00:18:09.62\00:18:11.89 But that was to be sadly 00:18:11.92\00:18:14.32 the greatest disappointment of her life. 00:18:14.36\00:18:16.73 And it says, 00:18:16.76\00:18:18.26 that Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, 00:18:18.29\00:18:21.13 he left the presence of the Lord. 00:18:21.16\00:18:24.87 And he went, and dwelt in the land of Nod. 00:18:24.90\00:18:29.14 That word Nod means wandering. 00:18:29.17\00:18:33.71 And it really is the message. 00:18:33.74\00:18:37.98 When we leave the presence of the Lord, 00:18:38.01\00:18:40.42 we go what? 00:18:40.45\00:18:41.78 Wandering. 00:18:41.82\00:18:43.15 We go wandering. 00:18:43.18\00:18:44.52 And that's exactly what happened with Cain. 00:18:44.55\00:18:47.02 The Bible goes on in verse 17. 00:18:47.06\00:18:48.72 "And Cain knew his wife, 00:18:48.76\00:18:51.69 and she conceived and bore Enoch. 00:18:51.73\00:18:56.53 And he built a city, 00:18:56.56\00:18:57.97 and called the name of the city 00:18:58.00\00:18:59.90 after the name of his son, Enoch." 00:18:59.93\00:19:02.70 So, Cain has a son. 00:19:02.74\00:19:05.24 He calls him Enoch, and he builds a city, 00:19:05.27\00:19:08.08 and he names the city after his son. 00:19:08.11\00:19:13.25 In opposition to what God said, 00:19:13.28\00:19:15.65 which was to be fruitful 00:19:15.68\00:19:17.19 and multiply and fill the earth 00:19:17.22\00:19:19.19 to spread out over all the earth. 00:19:19.22\00:19:23.46 Also, in Cain's line, we discover 00:19:23.49\00:19:27.03 that they were involved in polygamy 00:19:27.06\00:19:32.10 against God's original plan in Genesis 6:2, 00:19:32.13\00:19:35.74 in fact, it says, as we read earlier, 00:19:35.77\00:19:38.11 that the daughters of men so that the... 00:19:38.14\00:19:42.11 Sorry, "The sons of God saw that the daughters of men, 00:19:42.14\00:19:44.41 that they were beautiful, 00:19:44.45\00:19:45.78 and they took wives for themselves." 00:19:45.81\00:19:47.58 Polygamy. 00:19:47.62\00:19:48.95 God's plan was one man and one woman. 00:19:48.98\00:19:51.42 If God wanted Eve to have more than one, 00:19:51.45\00:19:54.62 sorry, if God wanted Adam to have more than one wife, 00:19:54.66\00:19:57.86 He would have taken two ribs out. 00:19:57.89\00:19:59.29 Isn't that right? 00:19:59.33\00:20:00.66 Rather than one rib. 00:20:00.70\00:20:03.83 In Genesis 4:19, 00:20:03.87\00:20:06.30 as part of Cain's line, 00:20:06.33\00:20:08.44 we find an individual called Lamech. 00:20:08.47\00:20:11.21 And this is what it says. 00:20:11.24\00:20:12.71 "Then Lamech took for himself two wives: 00:20:12.74\00:20:16.18 the name of one was Adah, 00:20:16.21\00:20:17.95 and the name of the second was Zillah." 00:20:17.98\00:20:21.35 This is fascinating. 00:20:21.38\00:20:23.25 Not only that, we have polygamy here 00:20:23.28\00:20:25.52 for the first time in Scripture 00:20:25.55\00:20:27.72 in Cain's line, 00:20:27.76\00:20:29.69 which was against God's plan. 00:20:29.72\00:20:31.29 But we have two women named. 00:20:31.33\00:20:32.69 In fact, there's another woman that's named in Cain's line, 00:20:32.73\00:20:35.66 you won't find any women named in the line of Seth. 00:20:35.70\00:20:39.50 Now that's very significant, 00:20:39.53\00:20:40.87 which we're going to get to in just a moment. 00:20:40.90\00:20:43.54 But we also discovered this individual Lamech, 00:20:43.57\00:20:46.31 he was someone who was, 00:20:46.34\00:20:48.61 he was someone who is described as violent, 00:20:48.64\00:20:51.41 revengeful, boastful, and a law unto himself. 00:20:51.45\00:20:57.15 Jesus says that they married wives, 00:20:57.19\00:21:00.39 if you read about that in Luke 17:27. 00:21:00.42\00:21:03.93 So let's take a look at the line of Seth, 00:21:03.96\00:21:08.30 the line of Seth. 00:21:08.33\00:21:09.96 But before we do the line of Seth, 00:21:10.00\00:21:11.57 I do need to add one more point. 00:21:11.60\00:21:13.27 When you take a look at the line of Cain, 00:21:13.30\00:21:14.94 you discover that in the line of Cain there, 00:21:14.97\00:21:18.14 the focus is on the here and now 00:21:18.17\00:21:20.51 and the temporary. 00:21:20.54\00:21:22.38 There is a city that is built. 00:21:22.41\00:21:24.75 Okay. 00:21:24.78\00:21:26.11 There's also animal husbandry, nothing wrong with that, 00:21:26.15\00:21:28.75 but the focus is on the here and now. 00:21:28.78\00:21:30.39 There is musical instruments. 00:21:30.42\00:21:32.65 There's metal work, 00:21:32.69\00:21:35.22 and there's the things of the here and now. 00:21:35.26\00:21:37.83 We'll discover that in the line of Seth, 00:21:37.86\00:21:39.96 it is very different. 00:21:40.00\00:21:41.33 So let's go to the line of Seth, 00:21:41.36\00:21:43.50 in Genesis 4:25 and 26. 00:21:43.53\00:21:47.57 And notice the significant difference here. 00:21:47.60\00:21:51.87 "And Adam knew his wife again, 00:21:51.91\00:21:54.21 and she bore a son and named him Seth, 00:21:54.24\00:21:57.71 'For God has appointed another seed for me 00:21:57.75\00:22:01.82 instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.'" 00:22:01.85\00:22:03.65 So that's what the word Seth means, 00:22:03.69\00:22:05.29 God has appointed another seed. 00:22:05.32\00:22:08.36 Verse 26, 00:22:08.39\00:22:10.03 "And as for Seth, to him also a son was born, 00:22:10.06\00:22:14.10 and he named him Enosh. 00:22:14.13\00:22:17.37 Then men began to call on the name of the Lord." 00:22:17.40\00:22:20.04 Wow. 00:22:20.07\00:22:21.40 So we have Cain described as 00:22:21.44\00:22:23.67 he, his first son is named after a city 00:22:23.71\00:22:28.08 that he builds for himself, 00:22:28.11\00:22:29.54 it reminds us of the Tower of Babel 00:22:29.58\00:22:31.31 and the builders who wanted to make a name for themselves. 00:22:31.35\00:22:34.15 Whereas Seth, here he has a son, called Enosh. 00:22:34.18\00:22:38.82 And I looked up that word, 00:22:38.85\00:22:40.62 and the word Enosh means frail and mortal man, 00:22:40.66\00:22:45.53 frail and mortal man. 00:22:45.56\00:22:47.30 So we have, we have the message of dependence upon God, 00:22:47.33\00:22:51.90 frailty, Enoch, 00:22:51.93\00:22:56.00 Enosh. 00:22:56.04\00:22:58.24 We also discover here that the people begin to call 00:22:58.27\00:23:03.71 on the name of the Lord. 00:23:03.75\00:23:05.08 Seth's line are calling on the name of the Lord. 00:23:05.11\00:23:08.88 In Scripture to call on the name of the Lord 00:23:08.92\00:23:11.42 is often associated with a sacrifice for the Lord. 00:23:11.45\00:23:15.89 It's associated with building an altar to the Lord. 00:23:15.92\00:23:19.46 So what is the focus? 00:23:19.49\00:23:21.06 The focus is on God and the things of God, 00:23:21.10\00:23:23.23 not the temporary things of the here and now 00:23:23.26\00:23:25.40 as in the line of Cain, 00:23:25.43\00:23:26.94 but the things of God. 00:23:26.97\00:23:29.17 And as you go through the genealogy of Seth, 00:23:29.20\00:23:33.38 you discover, it begins with Adam, 00:23:33.41\00:23:36.34 in the following verses, 00:23:36.38\00:23:37.78 and the image of God is coming through, 00:23:37.81\00:23:40.55 the image of one man and one woman, 00:23:40.58\00:23:42.95 and marriage and the families coming through. 00:23:42.98\00:23:45.35 And there are two individuals that have descriptions 00:23:45.39\00:23:49.16 associated with them. 00:23:49.19\00:23:50.53 One is Enoch, who walked with the Lord. 00:23:50.56\00:23:53.43 And the other one is Noah, 00:23:53.46\00:23:55.36 who the Lord brought into this world as a comfort. 00:23:55.40\00:23:58.87 And we'll look at that later on. 00:23:58.90\00:24:00.34 So we have these two very different lines. 00:24:00.37\00:24:03.41 So what was it 00:24:07.01\00:24:08.34 that brought about the downfall 00:24:08.38\00:24:09.94 of the sons of God, 00:24:09.98\00:24:11.98 and the descendants of Seth? 00:24:12.01\00:24:14.32 Chapter 6, verse 2. 00:24:14.35\00:24:16.82 Notice what it says. 00:24:16.85\00:24:18.29 It says, 00:24:18.32\00:24:19.65 "That the sons of God saw the daughters of men, 00:24:19.69\00:24:21.26 that they were beautiful, 00:24:21.29\00:24:23.76 and they took wives for themselves 00:24:23.79\00:24:25.23 of all whom they chose." 00:24:25.26\00:24:27.40 They entered into polygamous marriages and relationships, 00:24:27.43\00:24:32.10 and they were caught up in the beauty 00:24:32.13\00:24:37.41 of the daughters of men. 00:24:37.44\00:24:39.87 That word there beauty 00:24:39.91\00:24:41.78 is the same word that is used to describe Eve 00:24:41.81\00:24:44.81 when she sees the tree 00:24:44.85\00:24:47.02 that God said don't eat from this tree, 00:24:47.05\00:24:50.39 but it was pleasant to the eyes. 00:24:50.42\00:24:51.75 That's the same word there that is used. 00:24:51.79\00:24:55.09 It's interesting that the three women 00:24:55.12\00:24:57.29 in Cain's line 00:24:57.33\00:24:59.63 they all their names are descriptors 00:24:59.66\00:25:03.47 of outward beauty. 00:25:03.50\00:25:05.03 All three of those women, 00:25:05.07\00:25:06.40 I don't have time to unpack that right now. 00:25:06.43\00:25:08.24 But all three women, 00:25:08.27\00:25:09.60 their names are descriptors of beauty, 00:25:09.64\00:25:12.31 outward beauty. 00:25:12.34\00:25:15.24 So what's taking place here? 00:25:15.28\00:25:17.71 God is watching the ultimate crisis unfold 00:25:17.75\00:25:20.95 before His very eyes. 00:25:20.98\00:25:23.18 And what's the ultimate crisis? 00:25:23.22\00:25:24.55 The ultimate crisis is 00:25:24.59\00:25:25.95 these two lines that were to remain separate, 00:25:25.99\00:25:29.99 the sons of God that were to remain separate 00:25:30.03\00:25:32.86 and faithful to God 00:25:32.89\00:25:35.63 are now mixing and mingling 00:25:35.66\00:25:38.00 with the daughters of men. 00:25:38.03\00:25:40.77 They are intermarrying and God's royal line 00:25:40.80\00:25:45.97 through whom He would bring forth the Promised Messiah 00:25:46.01\00:25:49.21 is about to get snuffed out. 00:25:49.24\00:25:51.85 And God literally waits to the very last moment 00:25:51.88\00:25:55.28 where there is one man, his name is Noah, 00:25:55.32\00:25:59.42 and his family that he has influenced 00:25:59.45\00:26:03.36 to be faithful to God that are left on planet earth. 00:26:03.39\00:26:07.73 Yes, there were others who live before the flood, 00:26:07.76\00:26:10.40 that were also faithful to God and they died before the flood, 00:26:10.43\00:26:13.50 but we're looking at a fraction of the world's population 00:26:13.54\00:26:16.50 that are faithful to God. 00:26:16.54\00:26:19.37 In Genesis 6:3, we keep reading. 00:26:19.41\00:26:23.35 In Genesis 6:3, it says, 00:26:23.38\00:26:24.85 "And the Lord said, 00:26:24.88\00:26:26.21 'My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, 00:26:26.25\00:26:29.02 for he is indeed flesh, 00:26:29.05\00:26:30.62 yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.'" 00:26:30.65\00:26:33.29 The final straw, the final straw 00:26:33.32\00:26:37.13 was the mixing of truth and error, 00:26:37.16\00:26:39.79 the mingling of light and darkness, 00:26:39.83\00:26:42.70 the sons of God and the daughters of men 00:26:42.73\00:26:44.63 coming together. 00:26:44.67\00:26:47.14 Compromise was about to destroy 00:26:47.17\00:26:51.14 the Promised Messiah. 00:26:51.17\00:26:53.84 And so God had to intervene. 00:26:53.88\00:26:55.91 God had to intervene. 00:26:55.94\00:26:57.95 In fact, Noah preached as we have just read 00:26:57.98\00:27:00.25 for 120 years, from 2418 BC 00:27:00.28\00:27:04.59 to 2298 BC. 00:27:04.62\00:27:10.59 Let's keep reading in verse 4, 00:27:10.63\00:27:14.60 in verse 4 of Genesis Chapter 6, 00:27:14.63\00:27:18.97 "There were giants on the earth in those days, 00:27:19.00\00:27:23.84 also afterward, 00:27:23.87\00:27:25.21 when the sons of God came into the daughters of men..." 00:27:25.24\00:27:28.68 There we have a repetition. 00:27:28.71\00:27:30.95 Every time you find a repetition in Scripture, 00:27:30.98\00:27:35.68 it's for emphasis. 00:27:35.72\00:27:37.49 It's for emphasis. 00:27:37.52\00:27:39.15 God is saying that this brought about the flood. 00:27:39.19\00:27:44.89 The final straw was 00:27:44.93\00:27:46.66 when God's people mixed and mingled, 00:27:46.70\00:27:51.00 and took on board the principles 00:27:51.03\00:27:52.63 and the kingdom principles of this world found in 00:27:52.67\00:27:56.50 the people of this world, or the daughters of men. 00:27:56.54\00:27:59.04 Verse 4, 00:27:59.07\00:28:00.64 "There were giants on the earth in those days, 00:28:00.68\00:28:02.84 and also afterward, 00:28:02.88\00:28:04.21 when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men 00:28:04.25\00:28:06.98 and they bore children to them. 00:28:07.02\00:28:09.45 Those were the mighty men 00:28:09.48\00:28:11.35 who were of old, men of renown." 00:28:11.39\00:28:14.42 Now, what does it mean by giants? 00:28:14.46\00:28:16.62 I looked up that word giants. 00:28:16.66\00:28:19.59 And the word literally means extraordinary ones, 00:28:19.63\00:28:23.57 mighty ones, or ones that have fallen, 00:28:23.60\00:28:28.17 ones that have fallen. 00:28:28.20\00:28:31.41 So here we have the Bible describing 00:28:31.44\00:28:35.78 what is taking place immediately before the flood. 00:28:35.81\00:28:40.62 And what were the consequences? 00:28:40.65\00:28:43.89 This is so important, don't miss this. 00:28:43.92\00:28:46.29 What are the consequences 00:28:46.32\00:28:47.89 when light and darkness come together? 00:28:47.92\00:28:51.49 What are the consequences 00:28:51.53\00:28:52.89 when we sit on the fence? 00:28:52.93\00:28:54.50 What are the consequences when, when those who are hot, 00:28:54.53\00:28:58.63 mixed together with those who are cold 00:28:58.67\00:29:01.14 and they end up lukewarm? 00:29:01.17\00:29:02.80 What are the consequences, 00:29:02.84\00:29:04.17 and I'm quoting Revelation Chapter 3. 00:29:04.21\00:29:07.01 And the message to Laodicea. 00:29:07.04\00:29:08.98 Notice what the consequences are. 00:29:09.01\00:29:10.88 We read in verses 5 and onwards. 00:29:10.91\00:29:13.28 Here we go. 00:29:13.31\00:29:15.58 Verse 5, 00:29:15.62\00:29:16.95 "Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man 00:29:16.99\00:29:21.59 was great in the earth, 00:29:21.62\00:29:23.22 and that every intent 00:29:23.26\00:29:24.86 of the thoughts of his heart was only evil," what? 00:29:24.89\00:29:28.46 "Continually." We keep reading. 00:29:28.50\00:29:31.47 "And the Lord was sorry 00:29:31.50\00:29:33.00 that He had made man on the earth, 00:29:33.03\00:29:35.04 and He was grieved in His heart. 00:29:35.07\00:29:37.37 So the Lord said, 00:29:37.41\00:29:40.24 "I will destroy man 00:29:40.28\00:29:41.81 whom I have created from the face of the earth, 00:29:41.84\00:29:45.21 both man and beast, 00:29:45.25\00:29:46.65 creeping thing and birds of the air, 00:29:46.68\00:29:48.95 for I am sorry that I have made them." 00:29:48.98\00:29:51.45 Wow. 00:29:51.49\00:29:52.82 Some of the most, some of the most sad words 00:29:52.85\00:29:56.12 that you will ever read in all of Scripture 00:29:56.16\00:29:57.63 where God is grieved, 00:29:57.66\00:29:58.99 and He is sorry that He created man. 00:29:59.03\00:30:03.03 This is man that He created in His own image 00:30:03.06\00:30:05.83 according to His own likeness. 00:30:05.87\00:30:08.04 We keep reading and in verse 11, 00:30:08.07\00:30:12.04 the sad consequences of mixing truth and error 00:30:12.07\00:30:15.71 of commingling light with darkness. 00:30:15.74\00:30:18.58 Verse 11, 00:30:18.61\00:30:19.95 "The earth also was corrupt before God, 00:30:19.98\00:30:23.02 and the earth was filled with," what? 00:30:23.05\00:30:25.45 "With violence." 00:30:25.49\00:30:26.82 Verse 12, 00:30:26.86\00:30:28.19 "So God looked upon the earth, 00:30:28.22\00:30:29.56 and indeed it was corrupt, 00:30:29.59\00:30:30.93 for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 00:30:30.96\00:30:33.93 And God said to Noah, 00:30:33.96\00:30:35.30 'The end of all flesh has come before Me, 00:30:35.33\00:30:37.97 for the earth is filled with violence through them, 00:30:38.00\00:30:41.44 and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.'" 00:30:41.47\00:30:45.61 Here we have what God sees, 00:30:45.64\00:30:48.44 just over 1,500 years 00:30:48.48\00:30:50.75 from when God created this perfect world, 00:30:50.78\00:30:53.75 we have this world in a place where, 00:30:53.78\00:30:56.32 where there is evil, 00:30:56.35\00:30:58.55 wickedness of violence and corruption, 00:30:58.59\00:31:01.99 right across this world, 00:31:02.02\00:31:03.96 except for a handful of people. 00:31:03.99\00:31:07.73 The human race has chosen, has chosen 00:31:07.76\00:31:11.63 to turn their backs on God, 00:31:11.67\00:31:13.90 to walk away from the presence of God, 00:31:13.94\00:31:16.60 to wander 00:31:16.64\00:31:17.97 on an earth called Nod. 00:31:21.08\00:31:22.94 And that is the sad and sorry situation of planet earth 00:31:26.51\00:31:32.25 that brought about the flood. 00:31:32.29\00:31:34.59 And God's only solution to this cancer 00:31:34.62\00:31:38.89 was to destroy this world, 00:31:38.93\00:31:40.56 and to save those who are willing to be saved. 00:31:40.60\00:31:44.57 I think back to my own experience 00:31:44.60\00:31:48.47 of the malignant melanoma 00:31:48.50\00:31:51.27 that was diagnosed in my right shoulder, 00:31:51.31\00:31:53.91 back in 2007. 00:31:53.94\00:31:55.34 So that's many moons ago. 00:31:55.38\00:31:58.01 And I remember what I had to face. 00:31:58.05\00:32:02.98 This cancer had to be taken out completely, 00:32:03.02\00:32:07.89 roots and all 00:32:07.92\00:32:09.29 in order for my life potentially to be preserved. 00:32:09.32\00:32:13.06 If it hadn't spread, and thank God it hadn't spread. 00:32:13.09\00:32:16.93 We all know what cancer does. 00:32:16.97\00:32:19.63 We've all experienced cancer. 00:32:19.67\00:32:21.84 I have experienced that on more than one occasion. 00:32:21.87\00:32:24.74 It's taken my precious mother's life 00:32:24.77\00:32:28.68 much too soon. 00:32:28.71\00:32:30.31 I know cancer firsthand. 00:32:30.35\00:32:33.45 We know that with cancer 00:32:33.48\00:32:34.88 unless it is completely eradicated. 00:32:34.92\00:32:39.29 It will ultimately destroy the entire person 00:32:39.32\00:32:43.79 and separate loved ones and bring great heartache 00:32:43.83\00:32:46.63 and pain and grief. 00:32:46.66\00:32:49.30 And that's exactly 00:32:49.33\00:32:50.67 what God's heart was experiencing grief, 00:32:50.70\00:32:53.54 heartache, pain, 00:32:53.57\00:32:55.34 grief. 00:32:59.07\00:33:01.91 God was sorry, He was grieved. 00:33:01.94\00:33:06.31 But was the seed of God completely extinguished? 00:33:06.35\00:33:11.49 Have a look at what verse 8 says of Genesis Chapter 6. 00:33:11.52\00:33:14.96 Genesis 6:8. 00:33:14.99\00:33:17.53 We read these words, 00:33:17.56\00:33:20.03 "But Noah found," what? 00:33:20.06\00:33:22.86 "Grace, in the eyes of the Lord." 00:33:22.90\00:33:27.34 Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 00:33:27.37\00:33:32.44 That's a powerful word grace, a powerful word. 00:33:32.47\00:33:36.31 Notice what the word means grace. 00:33:36.34\00:33:39.65 It means to receive kindness and favor, acceptance, 00:33:39.68\00:33:43.65 something pleasant or precious. 00:33:43.69\00:33:47.19 Something we don't deserve. 00:33:47.22\00:33:48.82 That's what grace is. 00:33:48.86\00:33:50.59 As someone put it, grace, you could use it as an acronym, 00:33:50.63\00:33:56.06 God's reward at Christ's expense. 00:33:56.10\00:33:59.43 That's grace, that's grace. 00:33:59.47\00:34:03.14 Notice it says 00:34:03.17\00:34:04.51 that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 00:34:04.54\00:34:08.64 It mentions the eyes of the Lord. 00:34:08.68\00:34:11.41 That's a significant phrase, 00:34:11.45\00:34:13.05 because that phrase appears over and over again 00:34:13.08\00:34:15.88 in Scripture associated with God's grace. 00:34:15.92\00:34:20.19 I'm going to take you to another situation 00:34:20.22\00:34:23.83 where God's grace was lavishly poured out 00:34:23.86\00:34:26.49 upon his rebellious and stiff-necked people. 00:34:26.53\00:34:31.50 At the foot of Mount Sinai after God had given 00:34:31.53\00:34:34.97 His covenant of love to His people, 00:34:35.00\00:34:37.64 His chosen ambassadors to the world 00:34:37.67\00:34:39.94 to share the gospel to whole, to the whole world, Israel, 00:34:39.97\00:34:43.28 whilst Moses is up on Mount Sinai collecting 00:34:43.31\00:34:46.45 the Ten Commandments 00:34:46.48\00:34:47.82 written by God's very own finger 00:34:47.85\00:34:49.28 from two tablets of stone 00:34:49.32\00:34:50.95 from God's very own throne room. 00:34:50.99\00:34:54.62 The people down below have broken the covenant, 00:34:54.66\00:34:58.39 they smashed the covenant, they destroyed the covenant 00:34:58.43\00:35:01.70 by erecting a golden calf. 00:35:01.73\00:35:04.53 And so Moses goes and He pleads, 00:35:08.40\00:35:10.77 pleads with God, 00:35:10.81\00:35:12.27 and he goes to God's soft spot. 00:35:12.31\00:35:15.34 And you know what God's soft spot is? 00:35:15.38\00:35:19.35 It's grace. 00:35:19.38\00:35:21.32 It's grace. 00:35:21.35\00:35:22.68 And notice what we read. 00:35:22.72\00:35:25.09 We read Moses interaction with God. 00:35:25.12\00:35:29.82 And we read these words in Exodus Chapter 33. 00:35:29.86\00:35:33.16 Follow along with me, Exodus 33:12. 00:35:33.19\00:35:36.83 "Then Moses said to the Lord, 00:35:36.87\00:35:38.47 'See, You say to me, 'Bring up this people.' 00:35:38.50\00:35:40.74 But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. 00:35:40.77\00:35:43.74 Yet You have said, 00:35:43.77\00:35:45.11 'I know you by name, 00:35:45.14\00:35:46.57 and you have also found," what? 00:35:46.61\00:35:48.84 "Grace in My sight.'" 00:35:48.88\00:35:50.21 Notice how many times this phrase appears 00:35:50.25\00:35:51.81 in the next few verses. 00:35:51.85\00:35:53.18 We keep reading, verse 13. 00:35:53.21\00:35:54.92 "Now therefore, I pray, 00:35:54.95\00:35:56.28 if I have found grace in Your sight, 00:35:56.32\00:35:58.59 show me now Your way, 00:35:58.62\00:35:59.95 that I may know You and that I may find," what? 00:35:59.99\00:36:02.66 "Grace in Your sight. 00:36:02.69\00:36:04.43 And consider that this nation is Your people." 00:36:04.46\00:36:07.40 Verse 14. 00:36:07.43\00:36:09.13 "And He said, 00:36:09.16\00:36:10.50 'My Presence will go with you, 00:36:10.53\00:36:11.87 and I will give you rest." 00:36:11.90\00:36:13.74 By the way, the name Noah means rest. 00:36:13.77\00:36:18.31 That means rest. 00:36:18.34\00:36:20.21 Let's keep reading. 00:36:20.24\00:36:22.11 Verse 15, 00:36:22.14\00:36:23.48 "Then he said to Him, 00:36:23.51\00:36:24.85 'If Your Presence does not go with us, 00:36:24.88\00:36:27.18 do not bring us up from here." 00:36:27.22\00:36:28.68 Hang on a minute, hang on a minute, 00:36:28.72\00:36:30.82 what did we read earlier about Cain? 00:36:30.85\00:36:33.02 Cain walked away from the presence of God 00:36:33.05\00:36:35.96 and Moses is saying that 00:36:35.99\00:36:37.39 unless Your presence is with us, 00:36:37.43\00:36:39.86 we are not going anywhere. 00:36:39.89\00:36:41.40 We're not going anywhere. We need Your presence. 00:36:44.43\00:36:47.40 We keep reading. 00:36:47.44\00:36:49.47 "For how then will it be known that Your people 00:36:49.50\00:36:51.64 and I have found grace in Your sight, 00:36:51.67\00:36:53.54 except You go with us? 00:36:53.58\00:36:55.61 So we shall be separate, 00:36:55.64\00:36:57.48 Your people and I, from all the people 00:36:57.51\00:37:00.12 who are upon the face of the earth." 00:37:00.15\00:37:01.58 And then verse 17, we read. 00:37:01.62\00:37:03.62 "So the Lord said to Moses, 00:37:03.65\00:37:05.45 'I will also do this thing 00:37:05.49\00:37:06.92 that you have spoken, for you have found," what? 00:37:06.96\00:37:10.13 "Grace in My sight, and I know you by," what? 00:37:10.16\00:37:14.10 "I know you by name." 00:37:14.13\00:37:15.46 And name in the Bible is more than just the name. 00:37:15.50\00:37:18.67 Name in the Bible represents character, 00:37:18.70\00:37:20.67 it represents what? 00:37:20.70\00:37:22.20 Character. 00:37:22.24\00:37:24.44 And God says to Moses, 00:37:24.47\00:37:26.54 "You love your people. 00:37:26.57\00:37:29.44 You have my character 00:37:29.48\00:37:31.18 because I love this stiff-necked, 00:37:31.21\00:37:33.58 rebellious people. 00:37:33.62\00:37:36.02 And yes, I will provide My grace. 00:37:36.05\00:37:41.56 They too will find grace in My sight." 00:37:41.59\00:37:44.99 What does the Bible say about Noah? 00:37:45.03\00:37:47.10 Noah found grace 00:37:47.13\00:37:50.37 in the sight of the Lord. 00:37:50.40\00:37:53.74 Noah not only found grace, 00:37:53.77\00:37:56.81 Noah was a man of grace. 00:37:56.84\00:38:00.04 Notice what it says about Noah in Genesis 6:9. 00:38:00.08\00:38:05.01 It says, 00:38:05.05\00:38:06.38 "This is the genealogy of Noah. 00:38:06.41\00:38:08.42 Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. 00:38:08.45\00:38:11.82 Noah walked with God." 00:38:11.85\00:38:13.19 That word there just 00:38:13.22\00:38:14.56 can also be translated righteous, righteous. 00:38:14.59\00:38:17.83 In fact, in Genesis 7:1, 00:38:17.86\00:38:20.50 that's exactly how that word is translated. 00:38:20.53\00:38:22.46 Notice Genesis 7:1. 00:38:22.50\00:38:24.20 It says, 00:38:24.23\00:38:25.57 "Then the Lord said to Noah, 00:38:25.60\00:38:26.94 'Come into the ark, you and all your household, 00:38:26.97\00:38:28.40 because I have seen that you are," what? 00:38:28.44\00:38:31.07 "Righteous before Me in this generation." 00:38:31.11\00:38:34.94 Noah was a man of righteousness, 00:38:34.98\00:38:38.51 who preached a message of grace 00:38:38.55\00:38:41.12 based on the righteousness of God. 00:38:41.15\00:38:43.89 Notice what we read in Hebrews 11:7, 00:38:43.92\00:38:48.32 Hebrews 11:7. 00:38:48.36\00:38:49.69 It says, 00:38:49.72\00:38:53.06 "By faith Noah, 00:38:53.09\00:38:54.43 when warned about the things not yet seen, 00:38:54.46\00:38:56.87 in holy fear, built an ark to save his family, 00:38:56.90\00:39:00.04 by his faith he condemned the world 00:39:00.07\00:39:02.20 and became heir of the righteousness 00:39:02.24\00:39:04.71 that is in keeping with faith." 00:39:04.74\00:39:06.88 It was a message of righteousness by faith, 00:39:06.91\00:39:10.28 make no mistake about that. 00:39:10.31\00:39:13.01 Noah preached a message of righteousness by faith 00:39:13.05\00:39:16.38 based on God's grace. 00:39:16.42\00:39:19.05 And this is the message that God has 00:39:19.09\00:39:22.39 for the final end time generation 00:39:22.42\00:39:25.06 that will live on the eve of Jesus' Second Coming. 00:39:25.09\00:39:28.00 So you and I, my friends, those of you who are watching, 00:39:28.03\00:39:32.27 you and I, we have, we have been blessed by God 00:39:32.30\00:39:35.67 to receive His grace. 00:39:35.70\00:39:38.44 We have been blessed by God 00:39:38.47\00:39:41.61 to share His grace with those around us. 00:39:41.64\00:39:44.81 The greatest privilege in the entire universe 00:39:44.85\00:39:47.95 has been entrusted to this sin sick, fallen planet 00:39:47.98\00:39:51.89 and its inhabitants to share the message of grace 00:39:51.92\00:39:55.66 that they have received from God 00:39:55.69\00:39:58.63 through His incredible grace. 00:39:58.66\00:40:02.63 In 2 Peter 2:5, we read these words, 00:40:02.66\00:40:07.40 "And did not spare the ancient world, 00:40:07.44\00:40:09.37 but saved Noah, one of eight people, 00:40:09.40\00:40:11.74 a preacher of righteousness." 00:40:11.77\00:40:14.84 Noah was a preacher of righteousness. 00:40:14.88\00:40:18.95 Those who are saved by God's grace, 00:40:18.98\00:40:21.32 those who experienced the righteousness of God 00:40:21.35\00:40:25.49 will share that message far and wide. 00:40:25.52\00:40:30.23 That is why Noah invested his entire life, 00:40:30.26\00:40:34.53 he invested his entire resources 00:40:34.56\00:40:38.87 in the salvation of souls. 00:40:38.90\00:40:43.27 In Romans 1:16 and 17, we read these words. 00:40:43.30\00:40:48.04 The Apostle Paul here unpacks the gospel of Christ, 00:40:48.08\00:40:52.05 and he uses these words, 00:40:52.08\00:40:53.42 "For I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, 00:40:53.45\00:40:56.05 for it is the power of God 00:40:56.08\00:40:57.42 to salvation for everyone who believes, 00:40:57.45\00:40:59.49 for the Jew first, and also for the Greek." 00:40:59.52\00:41:02.16 And notice, 00:41:02.19\00:41:03.63 what the gospel of Christ is, "For in it," 00:41:03.66\00:41:06.33 that is in the gospel of Christ, 00:41:06.36\00:41:08.76 "the righteousness of God is," what? 00:41:08.80\00:41:11.63 "Revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, 00:41:11.67\00:41:14.60 'The just shall live by faith.'" 00:41:14.64\00:41:17.21 So what is the gospel of Christ? 00:41:17.24\00:41:19.87 The Apostle Paul tells us, 00:41:19.91\00:41:21.64 he is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, 00:41:21.68\00:41:23.81 because it is the righteousness of God 00:41:23.85\00:41:27.48 that is revealed by faith. 00:41:27.52\00:41:29.78 And Noah was a man of faith, 00:41:29.82\00:41:34.19 a man of faith. 00:41:34.22\00:41:35.86 And in the context of the story of Noah, 00:41:35.89\00:41:40.10 Peter makes an appeal to those that will be living, 00:41:40.13\00:41:45.13 especially at the end of time and notice the words of Peter, 00:41:45.17\00:41:48.27 in 2 Peter 3:9, 00:41:48.30\00:41:50.24 the context is the second coming, 00:41:50.27\00:41:54.64 and the days of Noah. 00:41:54.68\00:41:56.01 And we're going to look at that on another occasion. 00:41:56.04\00:41:57.75 But notice this verse, in verse 9, it says, 00:41:57.78\00:42:00.12 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, 00:42:00.15\00:42:03.32 as some count slackness, 00:42:03.35\00:42:04.69 but is longsuffering toward us all, 00:42:04.72\00:42:06.39 not willing that any should perish, 00:42:06.42\00:42:08.46 but that all should come to repentance." 00:42:08.49\00:42:12.66 So what's God's plan for you and I? 00:42:12.69\00:42:16.00 It's to receive what? 00:42:16.03\00:42:17.37 God's grace 00:42:17.40\00:42:20.64 and to share it with those around us, 00:42:20.67\00:42:22.94 for God is not willing that any should perish, 00:42:22.97\00:42:25.51 but that all should come to repentance. 00:42:25.54\00:42:28.21 So the question is, how can I receive God's grace? 00:42:28.24\00:42:32.95 How can I receive God's grace? 00:42:32.98\00:42:34.58 How can I find God's grace? 00:42:34.62\00:42:36.45 It's there. 00:42:36.48\00:42:37.82 How can I? 00:42:37.85\00:42:39.49 Genesis 6:9 00:42:39.52\00:42:40.86 back to the story of Noah, it says, 00:42:40.89\00:42:43.06 "This is the genealogy of Noah. 00:42:43.09\00:42:44.96 Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. 00:42:44.99\00:42:48.86 Noah did what? 00:42:48.90\00:42:50.50 He walked with God, he walked with God. 00:42:50.53\00:42:54.17 That's the focus that I want to focus in on right now. 00:42:54.20\00:42:58.34 He walked with God. 00:42:58.37\00:42:59.87 There is one other individual in the line of Seth, 00:42:59.91\00:43:03.85 that you read about in Genesis Chapter 5, 00:43:03.88\00:43:06.28 that also walked with God. 00:43:06.31\00:43:07.75 And it's mentioned not once, but twice. 00:43:07.78\00:43:09.65 And his name was what? 00:43:09.68\00:43:11.25 Enoch. 00:43:11.29\00:43:12.62 Enoch walked with God. 00:43:12.65\00:43:14.02 There are others like Abraham that walked with God, 00:43:14.06\00:43:18.06 and others in scriptures. 00:43:18.09\00:43:20.50 What does it mean to walk with God? 00:43:20.53\00:43:22.50 It means to be faithful to God. 00:43:22.53\00:43:24.07 It means to honor God. 00:43:24.10\00:43:25.43 It means to love God with all your heart, 00:43:25.47\00:43:27.40 with all your soul, with all your strength, 00:43:27.44\00:43:29.20 with all your might, 00:43:29.24\00:43:31.07 as Jesus put it. 00:43:31.11\00:43:34.11 To walk with God means that you make a decision 00:43:34.14\00:43:39.41 that you want to live your life in harmony 00:43:39.45\00:43:42.22 with the principles of God's kingdom, 00:43:42.25\00:43:45.05 and you will turn your back on the principles 00:43:45.09\00:43:47.99 of this world, this fallen world 00:43:48.02\00:43:50.06 that is coming to destruction. 00:43:50.09\00:43:51.56 Another storm is coming. 00:43:54.73\00:43:57.70 Another storm is coming. 00:43:57.73\00:43:59.87 Jesus told us that, 00:43:59.90\00:44:01.24 the whole of Scripture tells us that. 00:44:01.27\00:44:04.17 The only way to be ready for the storm 00:44:04.21\00:44:07.41 that is on the horizon, 00:44:07.44\00:44:08.78 and I believe that it will be here sooner than we think 00:44:08.81\00:44:13.45 is to fully put our faith and trust in God. 00:44:13.48\00:44:17.82 There is no other way. 00:44:17.85\00:44:19.55 There is no other way. 00:44:19.59\00:44:22.49 Noah put his full faith and trust in the Word of God. 00:44:22.52\00:44:25.09 It says in Genesis 6:22, 00:44:25.13\00:44:28.36 "Thus Noah did, 00:44:28.40\00:44:29.73 according to all that God commanded him, so he did in." 00:44:29.76\00:44:32.60 In Genesis 7:5 it repeats. 00:44:32.63\00:44:34.97 "And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him." 00:44:35.00\00:44:38.84 God said build a boat. 00:44:38.87\00:44:40.41 And God told Noah how to build this boat, 00:44:40.44\00:44:42.44 450 feet long, 00:44:42.48\00:44:46.11 some 75 feet wide, some 45 feet high, 00:44:46.15\00:44:50.55 three stories, one door in the side. 00:44:50.59\00:44:54.19 You know, cover it with pitch 00:44:54.22\00:44:56.52 outside and inside make it of gopher wood, 00:44:56.56\00:44:59.86 ensure that there are, 00:44:59.89\00:45:01.33 there is one pair of every unclean animal 00:45:01.36\00:45:04.50 and there are seven pairs of every clean animal. 00:45:04.53\00:45:07.60 You can all read that in the story. 00:45:07.64\00:45:09.30 And Noah did according to everything that God said. 00:45:09.34\00:45:13.81 He followed God in every aspect. 00:45:13.84\00:45:17.85 He was faithful to God. 00:45:17.88\00:45:19.58 So the question is, 00:45:19.61\00:45:21.18 "Will God have a people 00:45:21.22\00:45:23.02 just like Noah at the end of time? 00:45:23.05\00:45:26.15 Will God have a people just like Noah, 00:45:26.19\00:45:28.62 who are saved by grace, 00:45:28.66\00:45:31.96 and choose by their power of God's grace 00:45:31.99\00:45:35.73 and through the power of the Holy Spirit, 00:45:35.76\00:45:37.40 to live their lives wholly consecrated to God, 00:45:37.43\00:45:41.90 and to do everything that God invites them to do 00:45:41.94\00:45:44.47 not to be saved, 00:45:44.51\00:45:45.84 but because they have been saved by grace, 00:45:45.87\00:45:47.91 which always precedes whatever God asks you to do? 00:45:47.94\00:45:50.85 Don't ever forget that? 00:45:50.88\00:45:52.21 Will God have such a people? 00:45:52.25\00:45:54.25 If we go to the Book of Revelation, 00:45:54.28\00:45:55.62 the answer is there. 00:45:55.65\00:45:56.99 God describes His end-time people, 00:45:57.02\00:45:58.35 Revelation 14:4-5. 00:45:58.39\00:46:00.66 Notice these words, these are the ones, 00:46:00.69\00:46:03.49 speaking of God's end time people, 00:46:03.53\00:46:05.06 those who are faithful to God at the end of time. 00:46:05.09\00:46:07.26 "These are the ones 00:46:07.30\00:46:08.63 who were not defiled with women, 00:46:08.66\00:46:10.00 for they are virgins. 00:46:10.03\00:46:11.37 These are the ones who do. 00:46:11.40\00:46:13.10 They follow the Lamb wherever he goes, 00:46:13.13\00:46:15.64 they walk with God, they walked with Christ. 00:46:15.67\00:46:18.34 These were redeemed from among men 00:46:18.37\00:46:20.14 being firstfruits to God and to the lamb." 00:46:20.18\00:46:23.21 Verse 5, 00:46:23.24\00:46:24.95 "And in their mouth was found," what? 00:46:24.98\00:46:27.48 "No deceit or no guile, 00:46:27.52\00:46:29.25 for they are without fault before the throne of God. 00:46:29.28\00:46:32.22 Well, if we had time, I would love to, 00:46:32.25\00:46:34.46 I'd love to park myself right here 00:46:34.49\00:46:37.13 and unpack these words. 00:46:37.16\00:46:38.49 In fact, we could spend a whole hour or two 00:46:38.53\00:46:40.40 just on these words, 00:46:40.43\00:46:42.10 comparing him to Noah 00:46:42.13\00:46:43.47 who is described in exactly the same way, 00:46:43.50\00:46:47.30 as a man who was just a man who was righteous, 00:46:47.34\00:46:50.57 a man who was perfect or blameless, 00:46:50.61\00:46:52.34 or one who was filled with integrity. 00:46:52.37\00:46:54.71 That's what that word literally means 00:46:54.74\00:46:56.54 perfect, blameless, filled with integrity. 00:46:56.58\00:47:00.45 And a man who walked with God, 00:47:00.48\00:47:02.58 a man who followed God and His ways. 00:47:02.62\00:47:06.72 Jesus asked this question 00:47:06.76\00:47:10.49 for those who would be living at the end of time 00:47:10.53\00:47:12.23 in Luke 18:8, 00:47:12.26\00:47:14.36 Jesus asked the question, 00:47:14.40\00:47:15.73 "When the Son of Man comes, 00:47:15.76\00:47:17.50 will He really find faith on the earth? 00:47:17.53\00:47:20.70 Will Jesus really find faith on the earth 00:47:20.74\00:47:23.07 when He comes? 00:47:23.10\00:47:24.74 It's gonna be like the days of Noah. 00:47:24.77\00:47:27.98 Were they many faithful in the days of Noah 00:47:28.01\00:47:29.54 before the flood? 00:47:29.58\00:47:30.91 How many? Eight people. 00:47:30.95\00:47:32.65 That's all, eight people. 00:47:32.68\00:47:34.52 And so Jesus said as it was in the days of Noah, 00:47:34.55\00:47:37.62 so it will be before I come. 00:47:37.65\00:47:40.06 So the question when I come, will there be any faith, 00:47:40.09\00:47:44.86 real faith on the earth? 00:47:44.89\00:47:47.80 That's a real question, isn't it? 00:47:47.83\00:47:51.93 Will God have a faithful people at the end 00:47:51.97\00:47:54.27 even though they will be in the minority? 00:47:54.30\00:47:58.04 Yes, He will. 00:47:58.07\00:47:59.41 Notice the answer from Revelation 14, 00:47:59.44\00:48:01.71 Revelation 14:12. 00:48:01.74\00:48:03.24 Here is the answer to Jesus question. 00:48:03.28\00:48:05.78 "Here is the patience of the saints, 00:48:05.81\00:48:07.68 here are those who keep the," what? 00:48:07.72\00:48:10.09 "The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." 00:48:10.12\00:48:13.49 Yes, God will have a people on planet earth 00:48:13.52\00:48:16.93 at the end of time just like Noah, 00:48:16.96\00:48:21.33 who are faithful to God, no matter what anyone says. 00:48:21.36\00:48:25.40 They don't care what the world says. 00:48:25.43\00:48:27.17 All they care is what God says and what God's Word says. 00:48:27.20\00:48:30.67 Faithful to God, no matter what, 00:48:30.71\00:48:33.71 though the heavens fall, as one author said. 00:48:33.74\00:48:36.38 True to the needle, as to the pole, 00:48:36.41\00:48:40.65 or something along those lines, 00:48:40.68\00:48:42.58 but faithful to God. 00:48:42.62\00:48:44.15 God will have a people like that. 00:48:44.19\00:48:45.92 In fact, in Revelation 22:11, 00:48:45.95\00:48:48.86 we have here in the final chapter 00:48:48.89\00:48:50.79 of the Book of Revelation, 00:48:50.83\00:48:52.69 two groups at the end of time, 00:48:52.73\00:48:54.43 and here they are described 00:48:54.46\00:48:56.03 as they were in the days of Noah, 00:48:56.06\00:48:57.67 Revelation 22:11. 00:48:57.70\00:48:59.47 God says, 00:48:59.50\00:49:00.84 "At the end of time, when all is said and done 00:49:00.87\00:49:02.87 when everyone's made their decision, 00:49:02.90\00:49:04.94 God says from His throne room, 00:49:04.97\00:49:06.91 "He who is unjust, let him be unjust still, 00:49:06.94\00:49:09.94 he who is filthy, let him be filthy still, 00:49:09.98\00:49:12.65 he who is righteous, let him be righteous still, 00:49:12.68\00:49:15.58 he who is holy, let him be holy still." 00:49:15.62\00:49:20.59 God is looking for a faithful people today. 00:49:20.62\00:49:23.99 He is inviting you, my dear friend, 00:49:24.03\00:49:26.33 from wherever you are watching to be faithful to Him. 00:49:26.36\00:49:31.37 Are you willing to take on board the challenge? 00:49:31.40\00:49:33.84 Are you willing to take on board 00:49:33.87\00:49:35.30 this wonderful privilege? 00:49:35.34\00:49:36.81 There is no greater privilege 00:49:36.84\00:49:39.21 than to be an ambassador of God 00:49:39.24\00:49:42.04 at the end of time 00:49:42.08\00:49:43.45 sharing God's grace to a sin sick, 00:49:43.48\00:49:46.55 lost planet inviting people 00:49:46.58\00:49:48.82 to come into the ark, God's salvation. 00:49:48.85\00:49:52.65 And by the way, by the way, the word ark, 00:49:52.69\00:49:55.69 the word ark only appears twice in all of Scripture. 00:49:55.72\00:49:59.49 Once here in the story of Noah, 00:49:59.53\00:50:01.36 and the second time to describe 00:50:01.40\00:50:03.37 that basket as we refer to it, 00:50:03.40\00:50:05.83 then Moses was placed in and protected by God, 00:50:05.87\00:50:09.87 that was an ark, in the original language. 00:50:09.90\00:50:14.21 Protection, love from God. 00:50:14.24\00:50:18.25 So as we seek to land, let's summarize. 00:50:18.28\00:50:22.35 Noah walked with God, 00:50:22.38\00:50:26.35 lived and preached 00:50:26.39\00:50:27.82 the message of righteousness by faith. 00:50:27.86\00:50:29.86 Noah believed by faith in the Word of God. 00:50:29.89\00:50:33.36 Noah was a man who proclaimed the coming judgment. 00:50:33.40\00:50:36.73 Noah did all he could 00:50:36.77\00:50:38.90 to prepare the people of his generation 00:50:38.93\00:50:40.87 for the coming storm. 00:50:40.90\00:50:42.30 This in a nutshell was the experience of Noah, 00:50:42.34\00:50:46.14 and this is what God is calling you and I too today, 00:50:46.17\00:50:50.28 for Jesus said, 00:50:50.31\00:50:51.65 "As it was in the days of Noah, 00:50:51.68\00:50:54.42 so it will be when the Son of Man returns." 00:50:54.45\00:50:57.92 God is calling us, He's calling you, my friend, 00:50:57.95\00:51:01.66 to join Him. 00:51:01.69\00:51:04.33 In being an ambassador, filled with the Holy Spirit, 00:51:04.36\00:51:07.40 sharing this message of hope and love with people, 00:51:07.43\00:51:11.57 preparing them for the soon return of Jesus. 00:51:11.60\00:51:15.34 Sadly, there were only eight individuals 00:51:15.37\00:51:19.91 that were saved. 00:51:19.94\00:51:22.28 Eight out of, we don't know how many. 00:51:22.31\00:51:25.78 But I'm assuming there were millions of people 00:51:25.81\00:51:27.88 at the very least. 00:51:27.92\00:51:30.22 At that time in history after 15, 00:51:30.25\00:51:32.35 after more than 1,500 years of history 00:51:32.39\00:51:35.89 and people living for almost 1,000 years, 00:51:35.92\00:51:38.16 you can imagine how many children you can have ladies, 00:51:38.19\00:51:41.86 in 1,000 years. 00:51:41.90\00:51:43.43 Maybe you don't want to imagine that 00:51:43.47\00:51:44.80 maybe you don't want to imagine 00:51:44.83\00:51:46.37 how many children you gonna have. 00:51:46.40\00:51:47.74 But notice what the author again, 00:51:50.74\00:51:53.38 Ellen White has to say about Noah's faithfulness, 00:51:53.41\00:51:56.38 although only his family was saved. 00:51:56.41\00:52:00.52 "Noah's warnings had been rejected by the world, 00:52:00.55\00:52:03.35 but his influence and example resulted in blessings 00:52:03.39\00:52:07.16 to his family. 00:52:07.19\00:52:08.52 As a reward for his faithfulness and integrity, 00:52:08.56\00:52:11.23 God saved all the members of his family with him. 00:52:11.26\00:52:14.73 What encouragement to parental fidelity!" 00:52:14.76\00:52:18.73 What encouragement to parental fidelity. 00:52:18.77\00:52:21.54 That word fidelity, in case you're wondering, 00:52:21.57\00:52:23.24 it means allegiance, it means loyalty, 00:52:23.27\00:52:25.77 it means devotion, it means faithfulness. 00:52:25.81\00:52:28.71 What an example to parental faithfulness. 00:52:28.74\00:52:31.65 I've got a picture up here of my mother, my dear mother, 00:52:31.68\00:52:35.48 who now rests awaiting the sound of the trumpet. 00:52:35.52\00:52:39.35 And here is a picture of my mother 00:52:39.39\00:52:41.89 when we came to Australia, back in the 1970, 00:52:41.92\00:52:47.46 I think it was 1971, actually, no, early 1971 00:52:47.50\00:52:51.10 is when my mum and dad came from Macedonia to Australia. 00:52:51.13\00:52:54.64 And I was born six months later. 00:52:54.67\00:52:56.10 So my mum was three months pregnant, 00:52:56.14\00:52:57.94 when she made that journey from Macedonia to Australia. 00:52:57.97\00:53:03.11 And this is one of my favorite pictures with my mum, 00:53:03.14\00:53:07.35 and there in the background is the church. 00:53:07.38\00:53:10.22 The Sedan Church there in Melbourne, in Melbourne. 00:53:10.25\00:53:15.12 And there is my mom with the bottle in her hand, 00:53:15.16\00:53:18.83 and she's teaching me to do what? 00:53:18.86\00:53:20.86 She's teaching me to pray. 00:53:20.90\00:53:23.87 And to thank God for where that milk came from. 00:53:23.90\00:53:27.74 It didn't just come out of nowhere. 00:53:27.77\00:53:29.77 It came from the Creator God who loves me, 00:53:29.80\00:53:32.61 and who made this milk for me so that I could grow. 00:53:32.64\00:53:37.71 My mother was a great blessing in my life, 00:53:37.75\00:53:41.28 the greatest blessing in my life. 00:53:41.32\00:53:44.35 Although I wandered away from God, 00:53:44.39\00:53:46.89 although I wandered through the land of Nod, 00:53:46.92\00:53:51.13 the land of wanderings, 00:53:51.16\00:53:53.63 but because of my mother's influence, 00:53:53.66\00:53:56.43 because of my mother's fidelity, 00:53:56.46\00:53:58.77 I stand here before you today, experiencing the grace of God 00:53:58.80\00:54:04.24 and the privilege of being an ambassador for God 00:54:04.27\00:54:07.61 to share the message of His grace 00:54:07.64\00:54:10.98 with those around me. 00:54:11.01\00:54:13.15 So, parents, I want to encourage you, 00:54:13.18\00:54:15.95 I want to encourage you, 00:54:15.98\00:54:17.69 if your children are wandering in the land of Nod, 00:54:17.72\00:54:22.49 don't give up. 00:54:22.52\00:54:23.96 Keep praying, keep being an example. 00:54:23.99\00:54:28.00 That one day, like my mother's prodigal son, 00:54:28.03\00:54:33.03 that your children too will come back to the Lord 00:54:33.07\00:54:35.74 and be ready for the soon return of Jesus. 00:54:35.77\00:54:38.24 Keep praying, be faithful. 00:54:38.27\00:54:40.48 Don't give up. 00:54:40.51\00:54:41.84 Don't give up. 00:54:41.88\00:54:43.21 Keep praying and be an example. 00:54:43.24\00:54:45.48 And I believe God will answer your prayers. 00:54:45.51\00:54:49.95 Today God is inviting us to choose 00:54:49.98\00:54:51.65 to be part of His end time Noah generation. 00:54:51.69\00:54:56.46 In Genesis 7:1, 00:54:56.49\00:55:00.43 "God says to Noah, 00:55:00.46\00:55:02.90 'Come into the ark, 00:55:02.93\00:55:05.50 you and all your household, 00:55:05.53\00:55:07.57 because I have seen that you are righteous 00:55:07.60\00:55:10.21 before Me in this generation.'" 00:55:10.24\00:55:11.67 Come, come, Jesus in Matthew 11:28. 00:55:11.71\00:55:15.58 He says, 00:55:15.61\00:55:16.95 "Come unto Me, 00:55:16.98\00:55:18.31 all you who labor and are heavy laden, 00:55:18.35\00:55:19.68 and I will do," what, 00:55:19.71\00:55:21.05 "I will give you rest." 00:55:21.08\00:55:23.02 And the final invitation in all of Scripture 00:55:23.05\00:55:27.06 by God is in Revelation 22:17, 00:55:27.09\00:55:30.83 the final invitation and notice the final invitation of God, 00:55:30.86\00:55:34.63 and the Spirit and the bride say what? 00:55:34.66\00:55:36.87 "Come! 00:55:36.90\00:55:38.23 And let him who hears say, 'Come!'. 00:55:38.27\00:55:41.14 And let him who thirsts come. 00:55:41.17\00:55:43.71 Whoever desires, let him take the water of life," what? 00:55:43.74\00:55:47.21 "Freely.'" 00:55:47.24\00:55:48.78 Come, come, come, 00:55:48.81\00:55:51.08 God is inviting you to come. 00:55:51.11\00:55:56.35 There is only one way to be saved at the end of time. 00:55:56.38\00:55:59.05 There is only one ark. 00:55:59.09\00:56:00.69 There was only one ark 4,500 years ago. 00:56:00.72\00:56:03.39 And there is only one ark today and that ark is Jesus Christ. 00:56:03.43\00:56:07.66 Make no mistake, that ark is Jesus Christ. 00:56:07.70\00:56:10.80 There is salvation alone in Jesus Christ. 00:56:10.83\00:56:13.44 He is inviting you today to come, come, come, 00:56:13.47\00:56:18.87 the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, 00:56:18.91\00:56:20.64 all of heaven say, 00:56:20.68\00:56:22.44 "Come, come, come." 00:56:22.48\00:56:25.05 So wherever you are in your journey, 00:56:25.08\00:56:26.98 it matters not, God is inviting you 00:56:27.02\00:56:29.42 to give your heart and life to Him. 00:56:29.45\00:56:30.92 Jesus coming soon, He really is coming soon. 00:56:30.95\00:56:34.12 I believe that with all my heart 00:56:34.16\00:56:35.49 and as we continue to unpack the story of Noah, 00:56:35.52\00:56:37.89 you'll discover how close indeed 00:56:37.93\00:56:40.00 we are to the coming of Jesus, He wants you to be ready. 00:56:40.03\00:56:43.10 He wants all of us to be ready. 00:56:43.13\00:56:44.70 And He wants us to be His ambassadors 00:56:44.73\00:56:46.94 filled with His Holy Spirit 00:56:46.97\00:56:48.40 to prepare others for the soon return of Jesus. 00:56:48.44\00:56:51.17 Why don't you come? 00:56:51.21\00:56:52.54 Why don't you come? Let's pray together. 00:56:52.57\00:56:54.61 Father in heaven, 00:56:54.64\00:56:55.98 we want to thank You so much for the blessings of Jesus. 00:56:56.01\00:56:58.68 We want to thank You so much 00:56:58.71\00:57:00.05 that Jesus gave us words of encouragement 00:57:00.08\00:57:03.05 that He said that as it was in days of Noah, 00:57:03.08\00:57:05.25 so it will be before I come. 00:57:05.29\00:57:06.92 If there was grace to be found in the days of Noah, 00:57:06.96\00:57:10.03 there will be grace to be found in the days before I come. 00:57:10.06\00:57:14.50 Father, today we come. 00:57:14.53\00:57:16.46 We don't deserve grace, 00:57:16.50\00:57:17.83 but we come asking and pleading for it, 00:57:17.87\00:57:20.30 because of Your great love and mercy. 00:57:20.34\00:57:22.34 We pray that You will bless us and fill us with Your grace. 00:57:22.37\00:57:25.07 In Jesus' name we pray and everybody say 00:57:25.11\00:57:27.44 amen and amen and amen. 00:57:27.48\00:57:29.08