Noah Wasn't Crazy
2 Peter 3:8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
When we partake in communion at church, we are in remembrance of what Christ did on the cross as payment for our sins as well as posturing ourselves to anticipate His second coming. But I’m sure as many of you have noticed, Jesus has yet to return even after two thousand years. Peter explains that this “slowness” is not God being slow to fulfill His promise of returning, but rather, his delay is a display of His patience to the world by giving time for more people to reach repentance and obtain forgiveness of their sins.
This delay (if you even can call it that, as God does everything in perfect timing) is similar to the time in which Noah built the ark. Noah was instructed to build a giant ark in order to save himself and his family from a devastating flood that would wipe out all mankind. As it took him most likely decades to gather the materials and build this giant ship, the people around him mocked him and called him a fool. As Noah told his neighbors about the upcoming destruction, they found his preaching to be the rantings of an insane man.
But looking at the perspective of the people hearing Noah’s warnings, Noah seemed crazy because he was building an ark on dry ground! The world also looks at the church as crazy because we are anticipating the return of Christ, a man who lived and died over two thousand years ago.
Being a Christian in an ever secular world can feel at times as lonely as Noah must have felt. Noah knew that the Lord called him to build an ark to save his family, and yet his neighbors thought that he had lost his mind. But remember that God did indeed keep His word to Noah, and because Noah was faithful, his family was saved from the flood. Similarly, those that believe in Christ (who in ways is our ark of salvation) will be saved from the day of judgment. The world might ridicule us, but we must hold fast to the promise of God.
So what is our response? We are called to live lives of holiness and godliness. We are called to fixate our attention on the Lord, knowing that He will renew the earth according to His promise. We are called to spread the good news of Christ to all those who would hear.
This delay (if you even can call it that, as God does everything in perfect timing) is similar to the time in which Noah built the ark. Noah was instructed to build a giant ark in order to save himself and his family from a devastating flood that would wipe out all mankind. As it took him most likely decades to gather the materials and build this giant ship, the people around him mocked him and called him a fool. As Noah told his neighbors about the upcoming destruction, they found his preaching to be the rantings of an insane man.
But looking at the perspective of the people hearing Noah’s warnings, Noah seemed crazy because he was building an ark on dry ground! The world also looks at the church as crazy because we are anticipating the return of Christ, a man who lived and died over two thousand years ago.
Being a Christian in an ever secular world can feel at times as lonely as Noah must have felt. Noah knew that the Lord called him to build an ark to save his family, and yet his neighbors thought that he had lost his mind. But remember that God did indeed keep His word to Noah, and because Noah was faithful, his family was saved from the flood. Similarly, those that believe in Christ (who in ways is our ark of salvation) will be saved from the day of judgment. The world might ridicule us, but we must hold fast to the promise of God.
So what is our response? We are called to live lives of holiness and godliness. We are called to fixate our attention on the Lord, knowing that He will renew the earth according to His promise. We are called to spread the good news of Christ to all those who would hear.
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