Giants, Days of Noah, the days of Noah, Abomination of Desolation, and the Day of the Lord.
Part 10
Genesis 8:1-4 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of 150 days the waters had abated, and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.
Finally, the rain and flooding stopped and the ark came to rest. It took almost an entire year for the earth to dry out and all the waters to recede and return to the oceans, lakes, seas, and rivers. Cataclysmic changes took place during the flood and even after the waters stopped.
Genesis 8:14-19 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth had dried out.
Then God said to Noah, "Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons' wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—that they may swarm on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth." So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him. Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by families from the ark.
Noah waited for God to tell him when he could leave the ark. Noah must have been anxious to get out, ready to get out, and thought it was time to get out. But, obediently he waited for God to tell him it was time to get out. Too often, we become impatient with waiting for God. The Bible has many examples of the problems men face because they did not want to work on God’s timetable, which always seem later than we would have chosen.
Genesis 8:20-22 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease."
Worship is the only real response to God that is appropriate at times like these. We seldom take time to actually thank God for His deliverance, His mercy, and His protection. Noah did the right thing and God was pleased.
This chapter ends with a promise from God. Even though mankind will remain lost in sin, God promised never again to kill everyone and everything. The flood punished sin, but it did not eradicate sin. More in Part 11.
Giants, Days of Noah, the days of Noah, Abomination of Desolation, and the Day of the Lord.
Part 9
Genesis 7:10-24 It came about after the seven days, that the water of the flood came upon the earth. In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened. The rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights.
On the very same day Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark, they and every beast after its kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, all sorts of birds. So they went into the ark to Noah, by twos of all flesh in which was the breath of life. Gen Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him; and the LORD closed it behind him.
Then the flood came upon the earth for forty days, and the water increased and lifted up the ark, so that it rose above the earth. The water prevailed and increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. The water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered. The water prevailed fifteen cubits higher, and the mountains were covered.
All flesh that moved on the earth perished, birds and cattle and beasts and every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth, and all mankind; of all that was on the dry land, all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died. Thus He blotted out every living thing that was upon the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky, and they were blotted out from the earth; and only Noah was left, together with those that were with him in the ark. The water prevailed upon the earth one hundred and fifty days.
The flood was a world-wide disaster. The waters rose to 20-22 feet above the highest mountain top. All flesh perished. All the animals and all the people died in this flood. The entire earth was covered for 150 days, so all vegetation also died. What a global mess! What had been created in beauty and wonder and declared as good by God, was now rendered inhabitable and inhospitable.
The question keeps coming up, why did God do this? What was so terrible or evil to require such a drastic response from God? The other real question is did this flood rid the earth of all the evil, the giants, and the terrible destruction and manipulation of the gene pool of humans and animals? Did it accomplish all that we would understand as God’s reasons for the flood?
While all that God does, accomplishes all that He alone desires, we often fall short of this understanding.
Job came to this profound realization.
Job 42:1-6 Then Job answered the LORD and said, "I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' "Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know." 'Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.' "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes."
We too often think we know more than God or know better than God. We need to know what God has declared and be convinced that it is the absolute truth. We will study what God did next in Part 10.
Giants, Days of Noah, the days of Noah, Abomination of Desolation, and the Day of the Lord.
Part 8
Gen 7:17-24 Then the flood came upon the earth for forty days, and the water increased and lifted up the ark, so that it rose above the earth. The water prevailed and increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. The water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered. The water prevailed fifteen cubits higher, and the mountains were covered.
All flesh that moved on the earth perished, birds and cattle and beasts and every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth, and all mankind; of all that was on the dry land, all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died.
Thus He blotted out every living thing that was upon the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky, and they were blotted out from the earth; and only Noah was left, together with those that were with him in the ark. The water prevailed upon the earth one hundred and fifty days.
As mentioned earlier, a global flood is part of almost every cultural history in the world. It is an easy event to research on your own. Sane, rational people cannot disregard this event as myth or just a local flood. The wickedness that had developed through the evil plans of the fallen angels had corrupted mankind and even the animal kingdom.
God preserved Noah and his sons, as well as all the animal He brought into the ark. People have such a shallow and false view of sin that they cannot believe that God would actually punish anyone. They take comfort in their false belief of being good enough to be saved from God’s pending wrath. They are just as wrong today as were all who perished from the flood.
What happened next?
Giants, Days of Noah, the days of Noah, Abomination of Desolation, and the Day of the Lord.
Part 7 The Ark and the Flood.
Just how big was the ark built by Noah. The Ark Encounter in KY has recently completed a life size replica of the ark. The picture doesn’t really reveal just how large it was. It was 450-500 feet long, 75-80 feet wide, and 45-50 feet tall. It included nearly 1.5 million cubic feet of interior space and could easily hold the equivalent of over 500 rail cars. It took over 100 years for Noah to complete it.
Gen 7:6-16 Now Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of water came upon the earth. Then Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him entered the ark because of the water of the flood. Of clean animals and animals that are not clean and birds and everything that creeps on the ground, there went into the ark to Noah by twos, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. It came about after the seven days, that the water of the flood came upon the earth.
In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened. The rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights.
On the very same day Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark, they and every beast after its kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, all sorts of birds. So they went into the ark to Noah, by twos of all flesh in which was the breath of life.
Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him; and the LORD closed it behind him.
The water from above the earth and from below the earth combined with the rain to produce this global flood. Only eight people were saved from this devastation. Only eight people were considered righteous or clean. Only those in the ark were saved. Notice, that the Lord closed the door on the ark of salvation. As mentioned before, a global flood is part of almost all cultures history. God said he would destroy all flesh in the world with a flood and He did.
Giants, Days of Noah, the days of Noah, Abomination of Desolation, and the Day of the Lord.
Part 6
Genesis 7:1-5 Then the LORD said to Noah, "Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time.
"You shall take with you of every clean animal by sevens, a male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean two, a male and his female; also of the birds of the sky, by sevens, male and female, to keep offspring alive on the face of all the earth.
"For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will blot out from the face of the land every living thing that I have made."
Noah did according to all that the LORD had commanded him.
God repeated His declaration that Noah alone was righteous before Him. Noah was instructed to take two of every type or species of animal and bird onto the ark, but to take seven of every clean animal. This identification of clean and unclean animals was known to Noah before God instructed Moses to write it all down in Exodus. Why seven of the clean animals? What role or purpose did these clean animals fulfill?
Many people scoff at this account as fable or myth. They refuse to believe that Noah could build such a large vessel, that it could hold all the animals, and that a world-wide flood actually occurred. God did not create myths. He instructed His chosen authors to record His truth,
What do you believe happened and why?
Giants, Days of Noah, the days of Noah, Abomination of Desolation, and the Day of the Lord.
Part 5 What was God’s response to this sinfulness?
Genesis 6:14-18 "Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch. "This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. "You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.
"Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. "But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife, and your sons' wives with you.
God revealed to Noah, the only righteous man still on earth, that He would destroy all humans and animals by a flood, an universal, world-wide flood. Only Noah and his immediate family would survive, along with the animals of God’s own choosing.
Genesis 6:19-20 "And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. "Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive.
Noah had a job to due and he obeyed, even though he had never experienced rain or a flood before in his life. He had never built a boat or ark before either. In order to escape the coming wrath of God, Noah had to obey.
Noah believed God and obeyed God. Mankind doesn’t understand God’s holiness or His condemnation of sin anymore today than in the days of Noah. Jesus warnings about the coming of the terrible day of the Lord aren’t believed, understood, or given thoughtful consideration.
God was starting over in the world, as Satan and his fallen ones had almost succeeded in corrupting all of mankind and all the animals as well. This is a preview of the coming judgment of the world.
What happened next?
Giants, Days of Noah, the days of Noah, Abomination of Desolation, and the Day of the Lord.
Part 4
What were the elements of God’s sovereign plan to rid the earth of this demonic presence?
Genesis 6:11-13 Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence.
God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.
Then God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.”
All flesh had corrupted and descended into such unholy, immoral, evil, wickedness that God told Noah that it was all going to be destroyed.
How could such sinfulness come to permeate every facet of life? It is hard to imagine that there was more sin in the world at that time, then there is today.
What made this sin and this corruption so evil and detestable in the sight of God? All the people on the earth had not only been corrupted by these fallen angels, but so had all the animals.
Of course, we believe that gene manipulation is a highly skilled and technical accomplishment only possible due to an every evolving society. Clearly, these fallen angels knew more about everything than we have ever imagined. When men and women turn their eyes from God, they inevitably fall into one of the traps of Satan.
Many histories from around the world talk about the ‘gods’ that fell from the sky. They had the ‘powers’ of a ‘god’, but the morality of a demon. Modern, western man would rather classify them as myths and mythology. These societies and cultures,however, treat them as history.
How did God deal with this evil?
Part Three God's Plan
What was God’s response or better said plan for Satan’s plan to destroy mankind through demonic means? First, Satan’s plans are all known by God but God’s plans are not all known by Satan.
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."
This is God’s judgment on Satan and Adam and Eve. Clearly, Satan will have seed, i.e., living beings conforming to his image and evil desires. The ‘sons of God’ were his servants to destroy the seed of mankind, who are made in God’s image.
What did God do?
Genesis 6:7-8 The LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them." But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
Here we have our first introduction to Noah.
Genesis 6:9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.
Blameless in the Hebrew includes the meanings of unblemished and pure, much like the commandments later given to Moses for sacrifices. This implies that Noah had not been tainted or contaminated by Satan’s evil desire to destroy the gene pool of mankind. Noah had escaped or better said, been protected and preserved by God.
How was God going to preserve mankind from this demonic onslaught? Would a remnant remain pure to produce the Messiah? Why would God destroy animals as well?
Part Four will begin to reveal the next step in God’s sovereign plan.
Part Two What happened?
What happened after the ‘sons of God’ took the daughters of men as wives?
Genesis 6:3-5 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Right after the ‘sons of God’ came to earth, the wickedness of man increased exponentially. God’s summary of this astounding condition of the world clearly connects the two. Fallen angels, now demons and unclean spirits, created a new humanity or better said an inhumanity. The Nephilim have come into existence and this term refers to fallen one, giants and tyrants.
The corruption of the God-given genome had not only begun, but it had nearly totally erased the human race. It had been replaced by these part demon giants and tyrants. Historical records indicate that there were few moral or sexual boundaries remaining in the world.
Giants are part of almost every known cultural history. Skeletons have been found in every continent, most of which have been hidden away by the Smithsonian Museum and its international co-conspirators. Giants don’t fit into any evolutionary theory and provide another proof of the Bible’s inerrancy.
Nevertheless, this is not the last time giants are mentioned in the Bible. Angels, fallen or not, are more intelligent and powerful than can be imagined. Mankind has not evolved into higher intelligence, it has fallen to greater depravity and ignorance. However, Adam’s fall pales in comparison to the fall of mankind through these demonic forces.
Satan’s plan to corrupt the human race, made in the very image of God, would also remove the incarnate birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. With every human now possessing demonic DNA, there would be no pure or unblemished human to fulfill God’s promise and give birth to the only Savior.
Did Satan’s plan succeed? Part three to come.
Part One the Days of Noah
To begin a serious discussion of Jesus’ end times prophecy, we must go back to the original days of Noah to gain a contextural understanding. The Bible provides the answers to the questions it generates. The Bible also help us to gain understanding in areas of difficulty.
When did Noah live? What did he do? What was the world like during his day? Let us go to Genesis to see what God has recorded. Genesis 5 records all of the genealogy from Adam to Noah. Noah was the 9th generation from Adam. In fact, Adam died just 126 years before Noah’s birth.
Five generations were recorded that were still alive at Noah’s birth and up to his age of around 100, including Jared, his great grandfather, and Methuselah, his grandfather. The flood occurred just 1656 years after Adam’s recorded life began. All of Noah’s relatives died before the flood came. So what was the situation on earth that caused God to destroy the earth with a worldwide flood.
Genesis 6:1-2 Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.
Who were the ‘sons of God’? While there has been much disagreement over the years, it has been clearly shown that this term does not apply to normal men. It’s only use in the Bible is in direct reference to angels. In this example, these are fallen angels, demons. So the only conclusion can be that demons co-habituated with women to produce hybrid off-springs.
Jude 1:6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day,
So these fallen angels, demons, gave up Heaven to follow Satan. Some were so evil, that God has already condemned them, sentenced them, and imprisoned them. While angels are spiritual beings, they can take on human appearances when they come to earth to do God’s will. What this means to Genesis 6 and the degrading sinfulness of the entire earth, will be covered in Part 2.
Giants, Days of Noah, the days of Noah, Abomination of Desolation, and the Day of the Lord.
What do all these things have in common? They are all in the Bible and Jesus warned of there soon coming. Many people believe the end of the world is coming; many think man is ruining the environment and is responsible for the end of the world.
In a manner of speaking, mankind is responsible. Sinful men are one of the reasons for Jesus’ second return or coming. He will come to bring His kingdom to earth, but before that there will be many signs and terrible judgments poured out upon the earth and mankind.
Matthew 24:15 "Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place.
We will embark on a study of all of these events and realities over the next few months. More importantly we will discover the truth of God’s revelation and declaration.
Matthew 24:37 "For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
Coliform, Chlorine, and UV Lights
We live out in the county and have a well for all of our water needs. We have never had a problem with our water until recently. We needed a new well pump. After we had a new one installed, we had our water tested. This is where the problems began. We had it tested 4 times over about 6 months and it failed the coliform test all 4 times.
In between these tests, we had to shock our well with granulated bleach. Our well is over 300’ deep, so we needed 1 lb of bleach. After recycling the water in the well for a few hours, we then had to run every faucet, shower, toilet, ice maker, clothes washer, and dishwasher until we smelled bleach out of both the hot and cold faucets. We then shut everything off and waited 24 hours. Then we tried to get rid of all that bleach in all the lines, which took another day or two. After waiting 2 weeks, we had the water retested and it failed every time.
The last attempt included adding 16 ounces of liquid detergent to the bleach to foam the inside of the well casing all the way to the top. Hence the foaming picture. We still failed. So I relented and installed a whole house UV light system and I believe my coliform problems are now behind me.
What did this teach me about sin and salvation?
Jesus repeatedly told everyone that He was the only way to eternal life. He was the only way to salvation and the forgiveness of sins. He also referred to Himself as the Light of the World.
John 14:6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Darkness and light were used by Jesus to compare the vast differences in His kingdom and the kingdom of Satan.
John 8:12Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."
Jesus also described Himself as being able to provide living, eternal water.
John 4:10Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."
John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."
My well example fits these verses. Man is always trying to feel good about himself. He thinks he is basically a good person. He can take care of his needs, cover his sins, and can do it all by himself. This is my example of trying to use bleach to clean my water. It did not work. I needed a totally different solution; the old ways did not work. Many just try to clean up their act, but that doesn’t work either in the sight of God
I needed a solution that went deeper than just bleach on dirty water. I needed living water. The light of Jesus Christ is the only light that can forgive sins, remove our sins, or make us white as snow.
Psalms 51:7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psalms 103:11-12 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His loving kindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
What have you been trying to cleanse yourself? How is it working? Only Christ can lift the burden and remove the penalty for your sins.
Rat Poison, Cancer, and Sin
While many of you may know just how dangerous and life threatening cancer is, not many may know just how dangerous sin is to everyone. Rat poison is 99.995% harmless filler and only.005% dangerous, deadly poison. That is how they trick or trap the rat into eating this poison. Who can detect this small amount of poison? Who can detect the first two cancer cells that form in your body?
Sin is just as deceptive as rat poison and just as deadly as cancer. It is not the size of the sin or frequency of the sin, it is just sin. We all are filled with it and it can go undetected for years before its deadly consequences become known to us. Some never come to realize the deadly affects of sin before they die, which is too late for them to do anything about it.
Romans 3:23 …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Many think, erroneously, that a little sin can’t kill you. They are wrong. The Bible has no category for labeling any sin as little or letting anyone think any sin is okay with God, because it is not.
James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
Sin is not relegated only to the things you do, it also covers the things you don’t do, but should do.
James 4:17Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
It the world of retail and products, the consumer is often warned by labels. These labels are intended to be a real warning as to use, danger, risks, or side effects. Companies are regularly sued for failing to give adequate, clear warnings of these dangers.
God cannot be admonished for not providing either the warnings or the remedies. His Word is very complete, easy to understand, and available to everyone. No one can claim ignorance of this truth. Everyone is responsible for knowing the risks, rewards, and remedies for sin. The only anecdote for the deadly effects of sin is Jesus Christ.
Galatians 2:16nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
Black Snakes and the Entanglement of Sin
This black snaked did not know the truth of his dire entanglement, when I discovered him in the bird netting surrounding my garden. It may be hard to see in this picture but he was so wrapped up that it was cutting off his circulation. I don't know how long he had been there before I came back to do something in my garden.
Several truths come to mind.
The more he tried on his own the more entangled he became.
None of his friends could help him, they didn’t know how to either.
He couldn’t get out on his own.
He was dying in his entanglement, it was serious.
In summary, he could not save himself, but he did need to be saved or he would die.
This is a very clear picture of the human predicament of sin.
Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Only someone not like him could save him.
Romans 5:6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
Someone who could see the extent of his entanglement. Someone who would have compassion on him.
Romans 6:22-23 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Someone who had the means to save him and the will or desire to save him.
John 1:29 The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
It would not be easy, it would not be without work. I had to one by one cut away every strand of netting to finally free him.
But would he find himself entangled again?
2 Peter 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
What have you tried, to free yourself from your sins? Who have you gone to for help?
There is only one Savior and He alone can remove the deadly entanglement of your sin.
John 14:6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
John 8:36 "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
What a difference a day makes at NC State!
So often we live each day the same. We assume that what we have planned or what we expect to happen will come to fruition. Days tend to blend together and become somewhat indistinguishable from each other as time marches on.
I sadly remember the news story some years back about two young men enjoying an NC State tailgate party. Unfortunately, an altercation was started and both of these young men were killed. They had not planned on that. The very thought that they would die that day had never entered into their thoughts or plans.
What is the difference from one day to another? According to God, we should not take any day for granted.
Hebrews 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
The time for this to occur can happen at any time.
People die every minute of every day. The cemetery is full of people who had other plans for the day they died. No one knows their individual appointed time.
Since judgment comes right after death, everyone should take some very careful and prayerful time to reconsider what will happen to them when they die.
James 4:13-14 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
We should never take any day for granted but, we do.
1 Peter 1:24-25 For, "ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF,
BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." And this is the word which was preached to you.
How have you prepared for that day?
Have you made any plans for that day?
Horseshoes and the Gospel
Horseshoes is one of the only game where close enough actually earns some points. I don't know if there is any other game that has that scoring anomaly.
Unfortunately, many people go through life as if close enough or good enough will gain entry into heaven. God's Word tells us differently.
Romans 3:10-12 as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.
So God clearly tells us that no one can be good enough because no one does any good at all. In fact, all are sinners and fall short of being able to do any good.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Many of you may take exception to that fact. You try to do good deeds all the time. God says even those deeds are not good or good enough.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Salvation is the gift from God. It is free to you but it wasn't free to Jesus Christ, it cost Him a painful death on a cross. You have to make a choice, do you want death or life?