Days of Noah, Yeshua's Coming, and Kingdom Transformation

As in the days of Noah, there were wars, rumors of wars, and the coming of the Son of Man. The primary scriptures for this are in Matthew 24. Now, we move from Yeshua's teaching about forgiveness to his prophetic discourse concerning his second coming. In Matthew 24, the disciples ask Yeshua about the sign of his coming and the end of the age. Yeshua warns about deception, wars, rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, persecution, and lawlessness—those who do not follow the Torah. Matthew 24:12 describes lawlessness abounding as the love of many grows cold, which is evident today.

Later in the chapter, Yeshua makes a direct connection to Noah in Matthew 24:37: "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." This takes us directly back to Genesis 6. What characterized Noah's generation? Corruption, wickedness, and violence, just as you are seeing today: corrupt politicians in every government, wickedness among mankind, and violence from both governments and people.

In Matthew 24:38-39, Yeshua specifically emphasizes that people were continuing their ordinary lives—eating, drinking, and marrying—without recognizing the approaching judgment. Both truths should be held together. Genesis describes the corruption of Noah's generation, while Matthew emphasizes the unexpected arrival of judgment upon an unprepared world, just as Noah's generation was unprepared and drowned in the flood.

The application to our present world, as we observe warfare, terrorism, persecution, injustice, and the suffering of innocent people globally, including in the Middle East and North Africa, reminds us of the destructive consequences of human sin and violence. We can see how cycles of retaliation and violence resemble the pattern associated with Lamech. The warning of Noah's days is both a warning about coming judgment and a call to examine our heart postures and how we live before God.

It is amazing how many people are focused on retaliation. If you listen to the leaders of the Middle East, including Benjamin Netanyahu, it is always about retaliation and revenge: "You hit me, so I have to hit you." When will it ever end? It will not end until Yeshua comes to judge everyone for this. The spirit of Lamech is evident in the Middle East, driven by the need to retaliate and appear strong in the flesh. But Yeshua tells us it is not by might nor by power, but by his Spirit.

Yeshua brought a message of forgiveness and told us to reverse the curse of Lamech in our heart posture, to love people, and to show them grace. So, we can see how these cycles of retaliation and violence in the Middle East and North Africa especially resemble the pattern associated with Lamech. The warning of Noah's days is both a warning about coming judgment and a call to examine how we live our lives before our Creator.

The Son of Man comes to judge the nations because of the violence on this earth. Remember, Noah's world was destroyed by the flood. This time, he will bring the sword and the fire because of violence. Just as in the days of Noah, so will be the days of the Son of Man. Genesis 6 states twice that the world's violence was the primary reason for its destruction, along with corruption and wickedness. And just as in the days of Noah, look where we are now at the end of the age: mankind is again filled with violence.

Everyone can justify it by pulling out their scriptures, the Torah, or whatever they choose. But you cannot justify a violent heart, a heart full of violence and revenge. Jacob tells you that, God tells you that, and Yeshua says that. God the Father, Yeshua the Son, and the patriarch Jacob all said, "None of that. Let my heart not enter into that stuff."

Matthew 25 continues the broader teaching about the coming of the Son of Man. Yeshua describes himself coming in glory with his angels, and the nations are gathered before him. He separates them as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The judgment described highlights how people have treated his brothers: feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, and caring for those in need. This is significant considering the earlier passages. Cain asked if he was his brother's keeper, Lamech boasted about retaliation and violence, and Noah's generation became filled with violence. But Yeshua describes a kingdom where mercy, righteousness, and faithful treatment of others matter profoundly. However, the Son of Man comes as the righteous judge, and humanity is accountable before him.

Now, let's look at the promised Messiah and the restoration of peace in Isaiah 11. Isaiah 11 introduces the righteous branch from the roots of Jesse, pointing to Yeshua, the descendant of David. The Spirit of the Lord rests upon him, characterized by wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of Adonai. His government is not established upon selfish ambition, uncontrolled revenge, or retaliation; it is characterized by divine wisdom, judgment, and righteousness. He judges with righteousness.

In Isaiah 11:3-5, the Messiah does not judge merely by what his eyes see or his ears hear. He judges the poor with righteousness and decides with equity for the meek. Here is the contrast with Lamech, who claimed vengeance according to his own injuries. The Messiah exercises judgment according to his righteousness and truth. He does not abolish justice; he establishes it.

We find the restoration of creation in Isaiah 11:6-9. Isaiah describes an extraordinary picture of peace: the wolf dwells with the lamb, the leopard lies down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion are together, and a little child leads them. Even the relationship between animals and humanity is depicted as transformed. Then comes one of the most important verses: "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain." Why? Because "the earth will be filled full of the knowledge of the Lord."

This is the great contrast between Genesis 6 and Isaiah 11. In Genesis 6, the days of Noah, the earth was filled with violence. In Isaiah 11:9, the messianic kingdom, the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord. What does Yeshua say? "The kingdom of God is within all of us." So, if the messianic kingdom is to be full of the knowledge of the Lord, which will not include violence, and the kingdom is within us, why are we involved in violence?

We must get in alignment with this. Violence is all over the place. We even allow our children to play video games where they are chopping heads off and killing people, programming them to be insensitive to murder and killing. We have done this to our children with video games and movies filled with violence. And then we wonder why we have a problem with violence. We can blame ourselves for what we allow our children to play with. This programming makes them insensitive to violence.

Again, this is something we can all clean up. In America, and I can only speak for the country I live in, we are programming and indoctrinating our children. They are not even sensitive to what is going on in the world anymore because they are used to it. They are programmed to it, see it on television, and we allow them to play video games with it. So, of course, we have a problem with it because we have allowed that to go on.

Again, I will start with the great contrast from Genesis 6 to Isaiah 11. The days of Noah: the earth was filled with violence. The messianic kingdom, and the kingdom is within us: now the earth shall be filled full of the knowledge of the Lord. No violence is in our hearts or in our body of Christ. This is the transformation at the center of the teaching. The earth, once characterized by violence, will be characterized by the knowledge of Yah, and that will not include violence or revenge. The creation, once subjected to corruption, is pictured in extraordinary peace.