Preparedness

But as the days of Noe (Noah) were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
(Mat 24:37)

We were warned by our Lord to learn the parable of the fig tree (Matt 24:32). Israel is being referenced here as the fig tree which was decreed to be a nation on 29th Nov 1947. He continues to say that generation will not pass till all that He has stated in Matt 24 are fulfilled. Psa 90:10 says the years of our days are 70 years and by virtue of strength 80. I won’t conclude what year or date of our Blessed Hope (Titus 2:13), but the time is very near. Are we prepared?

Noah’s name (rest from weariness) was given by his father as a comfort to our work and to the toils of a cursed land because of sin (Gen 5:29). His birth was like a relief for his father, Lamech, entering into rest from toils of labor. Heb 4 talks about entering into rest, ceasing from our own labor as God did (Heb 4:10). Man was created on the sixth day and his first full day was the seventh day of the Sabbath. Jesus also said that the Sabbath was made for man, not the other way around (Mark 2:27). We know the history about man’s disobedience that instead of the blessing of the Sabbath, curse was brought about.

Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
(Gen 6:22)

Noah was preacher of righteous (2 Pet 2:5) as he was building the ark for hundred odd years. He was also obedient in what God commanded him; similarly we see the same obedience in Moses in adhering to every detail pertaining to the making of various holy things for the tabernacle, the priesthood, etc including the Ark of the Covenant. Also interesting to note that Moses life was saved in an ark.

Heb 9 tells us that in the Ark of the Covenant were 3 items; the pot of manna, Aaron’s rod that budded and the 10 commandments. We know that the Ark represent the Presence of God and Paul tells us that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit; therefore the proof of our salvation is in the contents.

The pot of manna
Jesus quoted Deut 8:3 in the face of temptation, and moving on further to declare that He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and the beginning of the Gospel of John says that Jesus is the Word Himself. This shows the oneness of Christ with the Word of God so much so that He was the fulfillment of the Word of God. God will write His law in our heart, and we must be diligent to hide and engraft His Word in our heart. Our life must carry the oneness with His Word as did our Savior.

Aaron’s rod
It was a resurrected shepherd’s rod used by a priest. This tells us that there must be the rule and reign of the Great Shepherd who is at the right of God, Who makes intercession for us day and night. Christ has to have complete rule and reign. To just reign means He would be like a figure head, but to also rule means He takes control, direct and govern every area of our lives.

The 10 commandments
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
(Rom 13:10)

These are the Moral laws which Jesus taught the spirit of it in Matt 5. For many the challenge is not to love God but the true test is to love our enemies, our haters, those who curse us, those who spitefully use us and even our persecutors. John exposes our hypocrisy by saying how can we love God whom we have not seen, yet not loving our brother – such hypocrisy amounts to being a liar (1 John 4:20). Dare we ask Christ who is our neighbor and brother (Luke 10:29).

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.
(Heb 11:7)

We have heard the warning with regard to the parable of the fig tree, how prepared are we? After Matt 24 Jesus talks about the 10 virgins, all waiting for the bridegroom but only half were prepared. I don’t think Jesus was talking about unbelievers, but Christians who are suppose to anticipate His coming. Only half made it into His Kingdom at His coming. Similarly two are in the field and two grinding at the wheel, only half were taken. The statistics is staggering.

Are we prepared? Are we building into our lives the Word, the rule and reign of our Shepherd-Priest and fulfilling the Law by loving the un-loveable? We don’t have to be caught unprepared by being watchful over our lives by walking the light.

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
(1Th 5:1-8)