[Darris McNeely] This is a photo that I took recently on a trip to the Ark Encounter which is a full-scale replica of Noah's Ark that has been built by an evangelical ministry in Northern Kentucky near where I live. I recently took two of my grandchildren to see this ark and to go through it, look at all the exhibits. It is an impressive sight. You drive up to it on a bus that they take you. And here is a full-scale replica of the ark that is described in the Book of Genesis built by Noah at the command of God prior to God sending a flood upon the world.

As I said, it was a very interesting day that we spent there, and it got me to thinking about exactly what the scriptures do say about the flood, Noah's time, the ark, and all of that story which is a wonderful story both in the Old Testament where it is told in Genesis and the references of Christ and others in the New Testament to that event.

In fact, the one comment that I was drawn to was by Jesus Christ in Matthew Chapter 24 beginning in verse 36 when he was talking in this major prophecy about the time of the end, of the day and the hour, he said, "No one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my father only. But as in the days of Noah, also will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark."

So, of course, Jesus puts his seal of authenticity upon the fact that there was a Noah, there was a flood, there was a time of judgment upon the world of that day. When you look back at what Genesis tells us about that, there are several things that we can learn. In fact, it truly is today like those days in Noah. When you go back to Genesis Chapter 6 and you read the description of the world that God judged and what was taking place in verse 5 of Genesis 6, "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And he was sorry that he had made man upon the earth." And then, of course, he said in verse 7, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping things, and birds of the air for I'm sorry that I have made it." But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. It goes on in verse 11 and says, "The earth was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence."And God looked upon this scene and this is where He made his decision.

When you look at the description of the world at that time and then you look at our world today, there are a lot of parallels. God saw that there was sin, there was a great deal of corruption. The thoughts continually upon man before that. And God then brought about a time of judgment. Now, if we just stop there and consider what the description is, Jesus said it will be the same in the days prior to his coming, as in the days of Noah. Then there is an immediacy, there is an urgency for us to consider that time, our time, the message of the scriptures and draw some conclusions.

We live today in a world that doesn't fear God as if there's a judgment for actions. No consequences for any moral judgment or actions that people take. We live in a world that is continually filled with a great deal of violence in many different forms. I don't have to tell you that.

I have talked on Beyond Today Dailys in the past about the rush to abortion legislation that is going on in America right now and even in the days that I was visiting the ark here. Recently, other states such as the state of Illinois enacted a law that allows for the taking of the life of a child even as it is being born and does not recognize that as a viable life within the womb of the mother for any time during that nine months. And you think about that and you think about the mind of legislators, a culture that will sanction that and allow that. And then you compare that with what is described of the time in the days of Noah of violence and of corruption. And Christ said, "It will be the same in the days leading to my appearance, the same as in the days of Noah." 

It's sobering. It was a good day that I was there at the ark with my grandchildren. The flowers were out, blue skies, no rain. A very interesting replica and visit and education. But it drew me back to the Bible. And maybe that's a witness. Maybe that served a very valuable purpose. And so I bring it to you for you to consider as the days of Noah, so shall it be the days before the coming of Son of Man.

That's BT Daily. Join us next time.