AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH AND LOT

Luke 17:26-30 (ESV):

“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be the same on the day the Son of Man is revealed.”

Jesus clearly links the moral and social behavior of humanity in the days of Noah and Lot to what will occur just before His second coming. These passages reveal patterns of sin that provoke God’s judgment. There are four key activities mentioned, which were prevalent before God’s judgment in those times—and which will reappear shortly before Christ’s return:

1. Eating and Drinking
2. Marrying and Being Given in Marriage
3. Buying and Selling
4. Planting and Building

Let’s examine each of these, with theological insights and practical application.

1) Eating and Drinking

Eating and drinking are natural and good when done with thanksgiving to God (1 Timothy 4:4-5). But in Noah’s and Lot’s days, these activities symbolized gluttony, indulgence, and moral corruption.

• People consumed substances that defiled the body and spirit, including drugs and alcohol used for lust or immorality.
• Today, similar excesses are widespread, and modern technology makes sinful indulgence easier than ever.

Application: Christians are called to self-control and sobriety (Galatians 5:22-23), avoiding anything that leads to sin or harms the body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

2) Marrying and Being Given in Marriage

Marriage is ordained by God between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24). However, Jesus highlights sinful and corrupt unions in Noah’s and Lot’s days:

• Same-sex relationships—contrary to God’s design (Romans 1:26-27).
• Polygamy or polyandry—marrying multiple spouses for selfish reasons (Genesis 4:19).
• Bestiality—sexual relations with animals, condemned in the Law (Leviticus 18:23).
• Greed- or lust-driven marriages—young girls marrying older men, or men marrying older women for material gain.
• Believer and unbeliever unions—leading to spiritual compromise (2 Corinthians 6:14).

These were sinful practices that provoked God’s judgment in the past and are increasingly seen today, fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy that “people will marry and be given in marriage” in ways contrary to His will.

3) Buying and Selling

Commerce itself is neutral. Even Noah and Lot lived in societies where trade existed. The problem arises when buying and selling promotes sin or exploits others.

• Selling items that encourage immorality—immodest clothing, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or deceptive cosmetics.
• Exploitation for profit—selling one’s own body or body parts, or trafficking in harmful substances.

Scripture: Jesus warned that even ordinary activities, like buying and selling, can reflect a sinful heart if misused (Matthew 6:24). In the last days, commerce will be so corrupt that the Antichrist will control all buying and selling (Revelation 13:16-17).

4) Planting and Building

Planting crops or building structures are inherently good (Genesis 1:28; Proverbs 24:27). But in Noah’s and Lot’s days, these actions were misused for selfish and sinful purposes:

• Planting harmful or illegal crops (like drugs) or cultivating sin.
• Building dens of immorality—bars, casinos, brothels, massage parlors—rather than honoring God.
• Constructing homes without dedicating them to God, turning them into centers of sin (Matthew 6:33).

Jesus’ point: even ordinary human activity can hide a corrupt heart. God judges not the activity itself, but the intent behind it (Proverbs 21:2).

Conclusion

Jesus said: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man.”

Looking at today’s world, we see gluttony, sinful marriages, corrupt commerce, and selfish building projects becoming commonplace. These are signs that we are living in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

Practical takeaway: Believers must pursue holiness, exercise self-control, honor God in marriage, business, and work, and avoid participation in the sin that provokes God’s judgment.

Maranatha!

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