When – Social And Moral Conditions At The Return Of Jesus Christ

Social And Moral Conditions Indicate that This Generation Will See

Jesus Christ Return To The Earth.

We will look at Three Passages that speak of the social-moral conditions that will exist on the earth at the time of Jesus Christ’s return.  They are:

1.     The time of Noah.

2.     The time of Lot – who lived in Sodom.

3.     The “last days” before Christ returns.

We will then look at,

 4.  A Comparison of Noah and the flood and Lot in Sodom WITH the return of Jesus Christ to the earth.

We have not been given the day and the hour (Matt 24:36) when Jesus Christ will return to the earth, but we have been given sufficient information to know the generation.

This is the generation.

1.  The Time Of Noah

Luke 17:24  For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.  25  But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.  26  And as it was in the days of Noe, [Noah] so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.  28  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;  29  But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

Christ used a similar statement in Matthew Chapter 24:32 ¶  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.  34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.  35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.  36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.  37  But as the days of Noe [Noah] were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  38  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

If we go back to Genesis Chapter 6 we can see the conditions on the earth before Noah’s Flood.

Genesis 6:5  And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  6 ¶  And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart….11 ¶  The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12  And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

 The word “corrupt” as used here according to Strong’s Concordance means among other things,

 1) to destroy,  corrupt,  go to ruin,  decay

1a) (Niphal) to be marred,  be spoiled,  be corrupted,  be corrupt, be injured,  be ruined,  be rotted

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to spoil,  ruin

1b2) to pervert,  corrupt,  deal corruptly (morally)

The worldwide society today is a clear reflection of the Noahic.

2.  The Time Of Lot – Who Lived In Sodom

Ge 13:13  But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

Genesis 19:1 ¶  And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;  2  And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.  3  And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.  4 ¶  But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5  And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.  6  And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7  And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.  8  Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.  9  And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.  10  But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.  11  And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.  12 ¶  And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: 13  For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.  14  And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.  15 ¶  And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.  16  And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.  17  And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed…Genesis 19:24 ¶  Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25  And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.  26 ¶  But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.  27 ¶  And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: 28  And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.

The world society now accepts homosexuals in a way similar to the way they were accepted in Sodom and Gomorrah.

This is the generation.

3.  The Condition Of The “Last Days” Before Christ Returns

2 Tim 3:1 ¶  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

The Revised Standard Version of the Bible translates the above passage thus:

2 Tim 3:1 ¶  But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress.  2  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3  inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, 4  treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5  holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people.

This is the generation.

4.  A Comparison of Noah And The Flood And Lot In Sodom WITH The Return Of Jesus Christ To The Earth.

Noah:  Due to the wickedness and violence God destroyed all the people from the earth except Noah and his family through the flood.

Lot:  Due to wickedness and immorality God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone.

The Return of Christ: Jesus Christ will return to the earth and set up a theocracy, called in the scriptures, “The Kingdom of God.”  It will begin with Armageddon and gradually all nations of the earth will be brought into subjection to his rule.

2 Thes 1:7  The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Isa 60:12  For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.

Isaiah 2:2  And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.  3  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.  4  And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

This is the generation. 

CY