I came across this quote years ago that really resonated with me at the time. I’ve used it as a ‘tag line-signature’ in my emails ever since. It reads: 

 “You can get by on charm for about 15 minutes. After that, you better know something.” 

 When I first read that, it struck a nerve in me as I felt like around that time, God was conveying to me in only the way He can through His word that we can tend to be big on symbolism, yet often come up short on substance. 

 In other words, we can ‘talk a good game’, but don’t always carry through with what we say we will. Jesus described it this way: “These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.” He was quoting Isaiah there, in Matt. 15:8. 

 Paul would later write speaking of a day when many would profess to know Him, but by their actions they would deny Him. (Tit. 1:16) 

 Folks can be so moved by shedding tears at an altar after a convicting sermon, or excited by how many pews someone jumps during a good old fashioned ‘Holy Ghost Church Service’. But it is what happens after we leave that environment that God is more interested in, and often disappointed by. Hosea used this word picture: 

 “Your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, and like the early dew, it goes away.” (6:4) 

 Jesus described it this way in the Parable of the Sower how one can hear the word of God and receive it immediately with joy...but it only endures for a while. Because once the sun comes up, it is ‘scorched and it withers away. In other words, it bears no fruit; and fruit matters. (Matt. 13:6,20-21) And we know what God does with fruitless branches that wither up – (John 15:6) 

 So when we talk about ‘symbolism vs. substance’, take the symbol of the cross for example. We love to sing about the cross and how we love that old rugged cross. We build, erect, construct, and wear a wide assortment of crosses; crosses that we hang in our churches, wear on our ears or around our neck in the form of jewelry; and if really serious about it, we get it tattooed on our bodies. And who doesn’t love a good, fiery sermon on the ‘power of the cross’? 

 Yet God looks down and keeps waiting for us to 'take up our cross' and follow Him like Jesus instructed us to do. “IF anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matt. 16:24) 

 The real life application to that familiar passage we will give a loud ‘amen’ to, is the call to surrender our will and desires to Him so that He can lead us to put to death all that is within us that is not like Him so that we can in turn, be conformed to His image and likeness (Rom. 8:28; John 3:30). That is why we are commanded to ‘put to death...all the deeds of the sinful nature’. (Rom. 8:13; Col. 3:5-9; Rom. 6:2-8; Gal. 5:24). I sure hope you look up all these passages that I include. 

 Religion has a way of bypassing all this sobering talk about ‘dying/denying self’ and ‘taking up crosses’ and such. Let’s face it, our flesh really is not fond of that theme and is much more comfortable walking in a ‘form of godliness, but denying the power of that cross’. (2 Tim. 3:5) 

 Do you remember when the Pharisees asked Jesus why His disciples “transgressed the traditions of the elders”? Jesus in turn asked them...”why do you transgress the commandments of God?” oof. (Matt. 15:2-3) 

 But there is another symbol we are familiar with that I want to point out as I ‘change lanes and direction’ here this morning. It’s the symbol of the rainbow. How about that picture I posted here today as well? Was that not an amazing double rainbow I captured about a month ago with my camera? That was a ‘God Wink’ for sure. ;- ) 

 Seems a lot of well-meaning Christians get all up in arms because that beloved ‘symbol’ was "hijacked" by a certain group who clearly have opposing views on certain issues. I keep waiting for somebody to introduce legislation to ban that group’s use of it and restore it to its rightful owner...all for the glory of God. (A little tongue and cheek there for those who might ‘get it’) 

 But we all know where the first mention of the rainbow shows up in our bibles. It comes after the great flood that we read about back in Genesis 6-9. It really is a very dark story of judgement and destruction and loss of life as God reached a point where He actually admits to regretting creating man, given his inclination was to do evil continually. (6:5-6). 

 And while it may be difficult for some to see that total annihilation as an act of mercy, it was in a way, just that. To let man continually spiral downward, each generation would only grow more evil and distance themselves further away from God and what His original desire and plan was for them. At some point, you have to ‘pull the plug’ and end the darkness and evil. And God did that back then...yet Noah...found grace in the eyes of the Lord. (6:8). You probably are familiar with the story of the ark and all the animals and the eventual flood that came and wiped out every living creature with the exception of those who found refuge in the ark. 

 When the waters receded, God had done, in effect, what we today know as a ‘reboot’. So God established a new covenant with Noah and we read there in Gen. 9:12-17 that God ‘set His rainbow in the cloud’ as a ‘promise’ that He would ‘never again allow the waters to come and become a flood to destroy all flesh’. 

 Now here is where the ‘lane change’ comes in this study today. God did not promise that He would never bring or allow a flood to come as judgment again. He just promised He would not use ‘water’. 

 Let’s fast-forward centuries later when Jesus was on the earth and reaching out to ‘save’ humanity. Paul would later write how once again, man’s ways continued to spiral downward and because of this, the ‘wrath of God was then, being revealed from heaven against all...ungodliness and unrighteousness of men’. And he did not say ‘was going to be revealed, but ‘IS’ revealed. (Rom. 1:18). He gives quite the detailed list of all these wicked traits being manifested by mankind ranging from gossip... to murder, as well as those who boast and are disobedient to parents and unforgiving, etc. He even adds there at the end of that chapter that ‘we know those who practice such things are deserving of death’ according to God’s holy law and standards (29-32). And yet, so many Christians today point to that chapter as if it was only directed to those in the homosexual community. Go figure. 

 And let’s not forget John the Baptist’s opening bravado fired off to the religious leaders of his day when he asked them ‘who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matt. 3:7)  That was the same wrath that Jesus would later confirm in regards to what happens to 'fruitless trees'. (3:10; 7:19)

 So where am I going with all this today? Well, to put it bluntly, there is another flood coming, and is here already. 

 Countless professing believers today will tell you with great conviction that they believe the return of the Lord is going to happen any day now. I’ve even seen some suggest at ‘any minute’. Most are looking for a ‘rapture’ to occur where they, the professing believers’ will be miraculously swept out of here before all hell breaks loose. I beg to differ on that scenario, but that is another conversation for another day. Let’s just examine what Jesus talked about would happen just prior to His return. 

 In Matthew 24, we read quite the exposé on all that will be happening in the world leading up to this event, His return, that is. And interestingly, He brings up that ancient account of Noah and how just as it was back in those days, ...”So also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”(24:37). He describes how people will just be coming and going, eating and drinking, marrying, and building and planting and buying and selling (Luke 17:28) and then...came the ‘flood’ and it ‘took them all away’...and ‘destroyed them all’. (Matt. 24:39; Luke 17:27) 

 You might want to underline vs. 39 there in Matt. 24 where it says how they “did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also...will the coming of the Son of Man be.” 

 There are two questions here that need to be addressed. The first one is: How...could they have not known it until it was too late? They were clueless. They never saw it coming...in spite of...the ark being built and hearing what Noah had to say. But make no mistake about it, the flood God sent (Gen. 6:17) was judgment. And have you ever read what God spoke through Jeremiah? He said this: “My people do not know the judgement of the Lord.” (8:7)  I mean, think about it: Did they even recognize the Messiah when He was staring them right in the face?  How can that even be?

 Isaiah offered up a similar assessment as well when he wrote how God’s fury was poured out in anger and set fire all around...yet...they did not know and as it burned them, they did not take it to heart’. (42:25). Why even Daniel joins in with the chorus stating how the ‘end will come with a flood’ (9:26) and then is told by God how during this time at the end, many will be purified and refined...but the wicked shall continue to do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand....but the wise shall understand. (Dan.12:9-10). You might also go read over Jeremiah 23:16-20, noting that last line that says: “in the latter days you will understand it perfectly.” 

 Oh, and the second question I said bears worth being asked has to do with this ‘flood’ itself that Jesus alludes to. Remember now - the rainbow promises no more flood waters will destroy the earth. But a ‘flood’ of sorts is definitely coming.  So just what is...this ‘flood’? 

 Join me tomorrow?