Lesson #1: THE DAYS OF NOAH
The Lord Jesus said that the days of the Son of Man would be like the days of Noah. The Son of Man is the Lord Jesus Himself and the days of the Son of Man are the days before He is revealed in His second coming. What were the days of Noah like? Those days seemed to be normal like any other day. People ate, drank, married wives, and were given in marriage. But, when everything seemed to be normal, suddenly the flood came and destroyed them all. Why did the flood come suddenly and destroy all men in the days of Noah? The flood came as the judgment of God because, "the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually, so much so that the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart." (Genesis 6:5-6)
Lesson #2: THE CORRUPTION OF THE EARTH
In the days of Noah the Lord was so grieved in His heart that He was sorry that He had made man on the earth. Therefore, He decided to destroy man together with the earth. What made the Lord feel so grieved with man? "So, God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth." (Genesis 6:12) God was so grieved with man because every intent of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil continually and the earth was filled with violence by man's wickedness. In other words, all men had become so corrupt with evil that they had become like the devil himself.
Lesson #3: MARRIAGE BETWEEN ANGELS AND DAUGHTERS OF MEN
The reason God was sorry in the days of Noah that He had made man is man was so corrupt with evil, so much so that man had become like the devil himself. How did this thing happen? "There were giants 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." (Genesis 6:4) Who were the sons of God? They were angels (Job 1:6). Some angels who did not keep their proper domain left their own abode and took wives for themselves from the daughters of men on the earth. This intermarriage opened the door for men to enter the realms of the spirit which were forbidden for them. Men began to learn knowledge and powers from these angels. They also bore children and their children were giants. They filled the earth with violence. By this both the earth and man’s seed were corrupted with evil.
Lesson #4: THE GRIEVING OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD
“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So, God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” (Genesis 6:11-12) When God looked upon the earth in the days of Noah, it was so corrupt and filled with violence. Angels married the daughters of men and lived among men, causing all flesh to be corrupted in their ways. Moreover, their children were half angel and half man. They were giants and corrupted seeds. They filled the earth with violence. This condition made God feel sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. He said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh.” (Genesis 6:3) The Spirit of God became so grieved by man’s corruption that He would no longer strive with him to convict him of his sin and error.
Lesson #5: THE CONVICTION OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD
The Spirit of God always brings conviction of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. The Lord Jesus said, “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” (John 16:8) He will always strive with man to convict him of his sin, of the righteousness of God, and of the judgment of sin. With divine longsuffering He will always try to bring man to repentance then help him walk in righteousness, so that he will not have to receive judgment. Nevertheless, if man continues to harden his heart and sin willfully, there is a time when the Spirit of God will be so grieved that He will no longer strive with him. He will leave him and he will be judged very soon.
Lesson #6: PERILIOUS TIMES IN THE DAYS OF THE SON OF MAN
The days before the Lord Jesus is revealed in His second coming will be like the days of Noah. On the surface these days will be normal like any other day. People will eat, drink, marry wives, and be given in marriage. However, these days will actually be perilous times. Paul the apostle wrote, “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:2-5) The wickedness of men will be great and every intent of the thoughts of men’s hearts will only be evil continually, as in the days of Noah.
Lesson #7: ABOUNDING LAWLESSNESS AND DEMONIC MANIFESTATION
The Lord Jesus said that the days of the Son of Man would be like the days of Noah. It means what happened in the days of Noah will happen again before the Lord Jesus’ second coming. Lawlessness will abound, causing the love of many grow cold (Matthew 24:12). This condition will give place for the devil to work more freely on the earth, with all powers, signs, and lying wonders. Some fallen angels will be able to manifest themselves physically and live among men. Some of them will have sexual intercourse with men and bear children. Their children will be hybrids of humans and demons. They are monsters and they will fill the earth with great violence, like the giants filled the earth with violence in the days of Noah.
Lesson #8: THE CHILD OF THE DEVIL AND A WITCH
Before the Lord Jesus is revealed in His second coming, the Antichrist will be revealed to the world. Who is the Antichrist? He is the man of sin who will exalt himself and proclaim that he is God. Paul the apostle wrote, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4) But, what is he? Is he a man who is completely possessed by the devil or is he more than a man? If the Antichrist is just a man who is completely possessed by the devil, it is unlikely that he will not be powerful enough to be healed of his deadly wound and make all the world marvel, follow him and worship him as God (Revelation 13:3-4,12). So, most likely he is a hybrid of the devil and human, the child of the devil and a witch.
Lesson #9: THE RESTRAINER AND HIS DEPARTURE
Paul the apostle wrote, “And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7) The Antichrist will not be revealed to the world until He who restrains is taken out of the way. Who is this restrainer? The Spirit of God. He has been in the world to restrain lawlessness and its consequence, which is God’s judgment. He will continue to do so until He is so grieved because of the falling away of the church and the great wickedness of man on the earth. Then, God will finally say, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh.” (Genesis 6:3) God will not let His Spirit be grieved any longer. He will take His Spirit away from the earth. What will happen next? The mystery of lawlessness will be revealed and the Antichrist will show himself to the world. But, he will only do so for a short time because God’s judgment will immediately come. Paul the apostle wrote, “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” (2 Thessalonians 2:8)
