EIGHT SOULS – As in the Days of Noah - by Paul M Hanssen
Many Christians have stuck their head in the sand, as it were, and do not wish to face the fact that the end-times, the end of days, are upon us. Many, refuse to accept that the coming of the Lord is imminent. Many pastors have even decided to teach that there is no such thing as a rapture, even stating that the actual word ‘rapture’ is not found in the Bible. (Mind you, most of these teachers believe in the Trinity. Yet, the word ‘trinity’ is also not found in the Bible; even though the doctrine of both the rapture and the trinity are very boldly recorded in God’s Word.)
The Church, in general, has become immune to the teaching of the Lord’s coming. It is like water on a duck’s back. The message of His return has little or no impact and produces no fear of God or spiritual awakening. Instead of our pulpits being full of broken vessels who humbly, yet boldly proclaim the Lord’s soon return, the pulpits of mainstream churches are full of ‘self-help’, ‘feel-good-about-yourself’ sermons that are tickling the ears of the people and are further lullabying the spirits of the audience into deeper spiritual slumber and sleep. Sin is no longer condemned. Anything goes and all is accepted. A carnal, ungodly, “Woodstock” kind of love has risen in the Church and is tolerant of anything and everything that is ungodly and unclean. This is a fleshly love that does not condemn sin, but rather condones, accepts, and even encourages all manner of ungodly and sinful practices within the Church.
Church platforms have been turned into theaters. What once used to be an altar of repentance has now become a stage of performance. Upon these stages of performance, ‘the world’ is displayed in full view, all in the Name of God. Flashing lights, smoky dry-ice, music, singers, and all manner of entertaining performances fill ‘church’ platforms whilst making sure to please the pallet of the lukewarm ‘Christian’ sitting in the pew. Skimpily attired dancers perform all manner of ‘moves’ to please the lustful eyes of those who supposedly have come to ‘worship God’. The focus in the modern-day church worship service is no longer the worship of God, rather it is the satisfying of the carnal appetites and senses of humanity. As a matter of fact, ‘church’ is no longer about God. Church has become a social club where humans connect with each other rather than connecting with the voice and the Spirit of God. The disrespect for God, His presence, and His house is clearly obvious as people file into church sanctuaries with their coffee cups, dressed as if they were going to a ball game, and behaving themselves as if they were attending a party.
Those who boldly proclaim the Truth are labeled as religious, legalistic, and harsh. The few who dare to stand out of the crowd and scream the end-time word of awakening are criticized, damned, and labeled as ones who give ‘hate speech’. Those who dare to sound the alarm like the prophets and apostles of old are attacked with verbal stoning by those who are bound and dead in their slothful, worldly, lukewarm ways. Is there any wonder that the present Laodicean Church Age is the period of church history to whom Jesus said, ‘I will spew you out of my mouth’ unless you repent? (Revelation 3:16.19)
Jesus Himself warned us that the ‘last-days’ would be like the days of Noah.
But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:37)
So much could be said about the days of Noah. In the days of Noah, the imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was evil continuously (Genesis 6:5). In the days of Noah, the earth was corrupt before God and was filled with violence (Genesis 6:11). In the days of Noah, mankind continued engulfing himself with the cares of this life whilst paying no attention to the call of God to repentance that was loudly being proclaimed in their ears (Matthew 24:38-39). In the days of Noah, God warned that His Spirit would not always strive with man (Genesis 6:3). In the days of Noah, the heart of the LORD was grieved with mankind whom He had made (Genesis 6:6). However, in the midst of all of the spiritual and moral decline which had overtaken the inhabitants of the earth, someone found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8)
The name Noah means ‘rest and resting place’. Noah found grace, or favor, in the eyes of the LORD because his life had become a resting place for the Ark of God’s throne and Kingly authority. Noah walked with God and had a perfect heart toward Him (Genesis 6:9). Noah’s life was untainted by the world that surrounded him. His heart was upright, sincere, without spot, full of truth and integrity, and was morally clean before the LORD God whom he served. Noah’s life was a living habitation and residence for God’s abiding glory presence. Is there any wonder, therefore, that he found favor in the eyes of the LORD?
God chose Noah as His voice among a people that had no ears to hear. For one hundred and twenty years, Noah proclaimed the Word of the LORD. For one hundred and twenty years, he was mocked, scorned, and reviled by those to whom he was sent to minister (Genesis 6:3, 1 Peter 3:20, 2 Peter 2:5). Not only did God choose Noah to speak His Word, He also chose him to build an ark according to the blueprint that had been given to him by God. Noah, God’s resting place, simultaneously built and declared God’s will and purpose to a generation that was self-absorbed and to a people that had no time for God. Noah obeyed God and did that which was required of him in the midst of a generation that was apostate, fallen away from the things of God, breakers of God’s moral laws, deaf to God’s Word, and indifferent to God’s call to repentance.
Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. (Genesis 6:22)
After all of Noah’s efforts, work, surrenders, ministry, and obedience to God’s will, only seven people came under the covering of the God ordained purpose of Noah’s calling and ministry. Only eight people (Noah included) upon the entire planet entered into the ‘place prepared’ as the haven of safety in the midst of the raging storm. Imagine, only eight people responded to the Word of God.
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. (1 Peter 3:20)
As in the days of Noah! Allow those six words to sink into your soul for a moment. AS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH! Today, we are facing the same lack of response to God’s call for an awakening as in the days of Noah. Is the fact that only eight people were ‘caught up’ in the ark of safety in the days of Noah any indication of how few will take heed in the last days? This alarming truth, which is plainly and openly declared in God’s Word, should jolt any sincere believer into an awareness of the seriousness of the season in which we stand. And yet, few are hearing this warning. Few will listen. Few will hear. Few will obey. Few will prepare themselves to become a modern-day Noah, a living, resting place for the Ark of God’s abiding glory presence. Few will therefore find favor in the eyes of the Lord on that great day. That great day is coming soon as a thief in the night when the trumpet of God will sound and the dead in Christ will arise and those who are ‘alive’ (quickened), and ‘remain’ (who have left all that surrounds them and who have survived) will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Are you one of ‘the few’? Or does the awakening cry from the voice of the Spirit of God offend you? Would you rather turn over in your sleepy condition and slumber on? Are you going to hurl stones at the prophetic voice that is crying in the wilderness ‘prepare ye the way of the Lord’? Or, are you going to respond by falling on your knees whilst asking the Lord to show you your condition, not as you would prefer to see it, but as He sees it?
There is no time to play games with God. This is not the season to be caught up in arrogance and pride. These are serious days and it’s time to get serious with God! How are you going to respond? The ball is in your court. As in the days of Noah – one man found favor with God, while seven others came under the umbrella of that favor and responded to God’s call. Eight souls were saved!
He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20)
-Paul M Hanssen