In those days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
The flood was God's judgment on the earth, which had become corrupt, its people filled with violence (see Genesis 6:11-12). The waters of the flood would take everyone except those left in the ark, the means of salvation which God himself provided through Noah. But what if the ark was a prophetic sign, one which demanded that the wickedness that had come to define the earth be recognized? Even if there were such a sign it would one avail for an individual if he were willing to recognize it.
The ark did not seem to suffer from a lack of capacity. Even unclean animals found room for themselves in its holds. Might it not have saved more members of Noah's generation? It seems that the status quo acted as a lulling anesthetic that actually held hostage the attention of the majority of those who then lived. The spirit of the age insisted that the thinking of those individuals be bounded by ideas of normalcy, which prohibited a broader spiritual understanding of the circumstances. They idea was that they should preoccupy themselves with eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, to avoid and ignore the genuine spiritual crisis that was overtaking the earth. They were not to be 'those crazy religious people' of whom, to them, Noah must have seemed to be one. They were to focus on the practical, the here and now, even to the point of ignoring the corruption and violence that marked their society. For if they looked too deeply there they would find that violence even in their own hearts, and, having found it, might begin to repent and to look toward the ark with hope.
They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.
So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.
Those who are united with the ark of God's Church will experience spiritual protection, and not be taken as the flood covers the field and sweeps away the mill. This is the purpose of our baptism by which we are united to the ark who is Christ Jesus himself (see First Peter 3:20-21). Yet our baptism is not an automatic assurance of our salvation against the waters of this flood. We must yet stay awake and choose to rely on the protection of the ark to which we have been united when the time of trial comes upon us.
The Lord then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation" (see Genesis 7:1)
God does not delight to judge his creation, nor to destroy creatures created in his image. But if his creatures willing elect corruption and violence over and against the offered ark of salvation he will not force them onboard. Unlike the clean and unclean animals, women and men must decide for themselves to accept his invitation. Though he doesn't delight in judgment, he will nevertheless not give creation up to violence and war forever, nor forever allow his plans for his elect to be frustrated. Those who cling to such things will be swept away with the old order in order to make way for a new world of peace, a place where righteousness will dwell (see Second Peter 3:13).
They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.
Great news for us, then, right? We who are united to the ark by baptism have nothing to worry about, then. Right? Not so fast. Although baptism is a good place to begin we must activate the potential of our baptism by remaining awake, or, if we have fallen asleep, by waking up.
You know the time;
it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.
For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;
Even having been baptized we still face the same temptations from the world around us, which will attempt to lull us into a complacency in which we can't see beyond the immediacies of daily life. We must be willing to attend to God's word even before the rain starts falling, and continue to trust it as the waters rise. Otherwise we may find them so high that we have no time to reconsider. Paul expresses this readiness by the metaphor of spiritual armor.
the night is advanced, the day is at hand.
Let us then throw off the works of darkness
and put on the armor of light;
We must conduct ourselves properly as in the day, because the world to come has no room for "orgies and drunkenness", "promiscuity and lust" or "rivalry and jealous". We have seen that it possible to choose such works of darkness over and against God's proposed rescue mission, even for we who have been baptized. So, then, let us wake up and live out our baptism. Let us "put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh". May our concern and compassion for those under the spell of the spirit of the age grow and grow. The desires of the flesh lead to death (see Romans 8:13). Jesus himself is the only way to life. Let us rejoice that we have been called to follow this way.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
"We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
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