Anticipating God's Judgment: The Flood and Future Hope

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In reflecting on the profound truths of God's Word, we are reminded of the historical and spiritual significance of the flood during Noah's time. This event, often dismissed by modern science, serves as a testament to God's power and judgment. The flood reshaped the earth, creating geological formations like the Grand Canyon, which many scientists now acknowledge could not have been formed by the Colorado River alone. This acknowledgment points to a greater truth: the world as we know it is temporary and subject to God's sovereign will. [00:18:04]

Before the flood, the earth was a paradise, shielded by a water canopy that protected it from harmful radiation, fostering an environment where life thrived abundantly. This idyllic world was dramatically altered by the flood, a divine intervention that serves as a precursor to the future judgment by fire. The Bible assures us that just as God judged the earth with water, He will one day judge it with fire, purging it of sin and unrighteousness. [00:20:08]

Peter reminds us that God's timeline is not ours; a day is like a thousand years to Him. This perspective helps us understand the apparent delay in Christ's return. God's patience is an opportunity for more people to come to repentance and salvation. We are called to live in anticipation of His return, focusing on spiritual rather than material things, which will ultimately be dissolved. [00:27:06]

The coming of the Lord will be sudden, like a thief in the night, and will usher in a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells. This promise should inspire us to live holy and godly lives, detached from the material world and its fleeting pleasures. Our hope lies in the eternal kingdom of God, where we will dwell in His presence forever. [00:47:14]

The flood during Noah's time serves as a powerful reminder of God's ability to reshape the earth and execute judgment. It challenges us to acknowledge the temporality of the world and the certainty of divine intervention. God's timeline is vastly different from ours, with a day being like a thousand years. This understanding helps us grasp the patience of God, who delays His return to allow more people to come to repentance. [00:56:36]

We are called to live holy and godly lives, focusing on spiritual rather than material things. The material world will be dissolved, and our hope lies in the eternal kingdom of God. The Bible promises a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells. This future reality should inspire us to live in anticipation of God's kingdom and His righteous reign. [01:02:42]

As we await the Lord's return, we must remain steadfast in our faith, growing in grace and knowledge. This spiritual readiness ensures that we are prepared for the coming of the Lord. The Lord is not slack concerning His promises. Jesus said if I go away, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. [01:08:04]

The reason for the delay is to give an opportunity for more people to receive Jesus Christ as their savior, to be forgiven their sins, and to become a part of the glorious future that God has planned for those who have chosen to love Him and serve Him. So Peter tells us that God is just giving extra time for people to come into the kingdom. [01:12:40]

The day of the Lord will come. It has been a while, we've been waiting, but it will come. It will come, he said, as a thief in the night. Now Jesus mentioned His coming as a thief in the night. He said if the good man of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have been watching for him and his house would not have been broken up. [01:18:04]

The next major event from a biblical standpoint will be the Lord coming for His church, called often the rapture of the church. He will catch us up to be with Him in heaven for a period of probably seven years, the seven years in which He deals with the nation of Israel here on the earth. This is the beginning of what the scripture calls the day of the Lord. [01:22:40]

The material universe, all of the works, are going to be dissolved, destroyed, burned up. What manner of persons then ought we to be? Living holy lives, living godly lives. Have you noticed how easy it is to get attached to material things? A new car, a new home, new furniture. It's so easy to get attached to material things. [01:27:36]

We should live in anticipation of the coming of the Lord. Unto them that look for Him, the Bible said, shall He appear the second time apart from sin. The question is, are we really looking for the Lord? Are we living in the consciousness that these material things are soon going to burn, and thus put my value in things that are spiritual, not in things of the material world? [01:32:40]

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