Luke 17:26-30

DISCOURSE: 1554
SUDDENNESS OF CHRIST’S SECOND COMING

Luke 17:26. As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man. 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. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

WE cannot be too often reminded, that religion is not a matter of speculation, but of practice. The replies which our Lord constantly made to speculative or curious inquiries, leads us to this remark. He always endeavoured to turn the mind inwards, and to make every question that was put to him subservient to the spiritual welfare of his hearers. The Pharisees, ever deceiving themselves with the expectation of a temporal Messiah, asked him, “When the kingdom of God should come?” He told them, that the Messiah’s kingdom was not to be an outward and temporal one, such as they looked for, but an inward and spiritual kingdom, such as he himself was now establishing in the hearts of men. But as the nation at large would reject him, he warned his hearers, that the Son of Man should again come, even before that present generation should have passed away; that, when he did come, he would find them as supine and careless as they were at that moment; and that, unless they repented, his coming would issue in their utter destruction.

This seems to be the obvious import of the words. But, as the same expressions are used in a subsequent discourse, where they are blended with others relating to the day of judgment, we shall not confine them to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, but take them as declaring in general,

I. The state of mankind at large—

We are here told what was their state in the days of old—
[In the days of Noah and of Lot the great mass of mankind were in a state of carnal enjoyment, of criminal security, and of contemptuous unbelief.

Their business and their pleasures altogether engrossed their minds: ‘they ate and drank, and formed connexions, and got fortunes, and built houses, and planted grounds, and consulted their own happiness and comfort in the way they liked best.’ This was their entire employment, and the great object of their lives: if they could but make themselves happy and comfortable in their respective stations, it was all they cared for.
Had they pursued these things in subserviency to higher and better things, there would have been no blame imputed to them: for, the eating, and drinking, and marrying, and buying, and selling, and planting, and building, were not wrong in themselves: but the evil of this state consisted in its being their chief, if not their only, occupation. Had we been told, that, in addition to these things, they wept, they fasted, they prayed, they turned to God, and served the Lord with their whole hearts, we should not have grudged them one atom of their enjoyments, or have thought the worse of them for their worldly occupations. But God was not in all their thoughts; eternity was hid from their view; the things of time and sense engaged their whole attention: they took for granted that they had nothing to fear from the hands of God, and therefore they were under no anxiety to obtain his favour. In a word, they regarded their bodily welfare, but had no concern at all about their souls.
But this security of theirs did not proceed from ignorance: the antediluvians were taught by Noah, for one hundred and twenty years together, that God would punish their supineness, that he would punish it too by a deluge that should overwhelm the whole earth. Moreover, the ark was gradually prepared in their sight; so that at least they must see that the preacher believed his own declarations. In like manner, the inhabitants of Sodom were warned by Lot, who “vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.” But, as Noah was doubtless regarded as little better than a maniac, so, Lot’s words, we are told, appeared, even to his own relatives, as idle tales; “he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in-law.” This it was that chiefly aggravated the guilt of the persons referred to: they were called, but they would not answer; they were warned, but they would not hear: they cast God’s words behind them, and set at nought all his threatenings, and poured contempt upon all his messages of love and mercy. Such was their state in the days of old.]
And similar to it will be the state of the world at the last day—
[Should we attempt to describe the state of the world at this hour, where could we find words more proper to represent it than those in the text? We may appeal to all, whether the great mass of Christians, no less than of heathens, be not divided between the two pursuits of business and pleasure? Into how many companies may you go, before you will find a person that seriously inquires, “Where is God my Maker?” We might here speak of the open sins which are every where committed without shame and without remorse: but we purposely omit the mention of any gross sin whatever, and confine ourselves to the things specified in our text as characterizing the most inoffensive part of the antediluvian world, and of the inhabitants of Sodom; because it is to the more inoffensive part of the community that we now more especially address ourselves: and we ask whether the text be not a faithful picture of them? In particular, is not serious religion held up to scorn? and are not the promoters of it considered as “the troublers of Israel?” Blessed be God, the ark is rearing in the midst of you; and there are a few who boldly protest against the impiety that prevails: but how few improve the warnings that they hear, or set themselves in earnest to flee from the wrath to come!
Nor is this picture less descriptive of those who will be alive at the day of judgment. The same carnal enjoyments will be sought then as now; the same criminal security will obtain; and the same contemptuous unbelief will decry all need of vital godliness. The people of that generation will be warned, even as you have been; and they will regard the messages of God as the dreams of gloomy superstition, or the reveries of enthusiastic folly. This state of things will continue even to the very moment that Christ shall come to judgment, precisely as it did among the antediluvians, till the flood came, and, among the inhabitants of Sodom, till the fire came down from heaven to consume them.]
This melancholy prospect renders it necessary for me to point out,

II.

The danger of that state—

We have before observed, that the text primarily refers to the coming of Christ to destroy Jerusalem, but has a further reference also to his coming to judge the world. Agreeably to this view of it, shall be our consideration of the danger that attends the state therein described.
Consider then its danger,

1. To the nation—

[There is a time when Christ comes to punish nations, just as he did to punish Jerusalem. And how shall we judge of the time that he will come? I answer, then is he most likely to come, when a nation is in the state before described. That he is visiting the nations now, is a fact so clear, that no thoughtful man can entertain a doubt of it. Hitherto the showers of his wrath, which have deluged other lands, have but just sprinkled ours: but the clouds are black, and gathering thick around us: and the darkest symptom is, that, “though his hand is lifted up, we will not see it.” Consult the Scriptures, and see whether this security be not the surest forerunner of his judgments? See what was the state of Jerusalem previous to the Babylonish captivity, and say whether, whilst our state so precisely accords with it, we have not reason to tremble at the prospect of her judgments [Note: Isaiah 47:8.]? or let the predicted fall of the mystical Babylon be taken as a ground of your decision [Note: Revelation 18:7.]. The truth is, that, amidst all the advantages which we possess for superior piety, we take the lead in an idolatrous attachment to wealth and pleasure, and in a presumptuous confidence in an arm of flesh: we may well therefore expect, that the cup which others have drunk of, shall be put into our hands [Note: Jeremiah 25:15; Jeremiah 25:28.]; and that our superior guilt will issue in more aggravated calamities [Note: Amos 6:3 and Isaiah 22:12.]

2. To individuals—

[The Lord Jesus may not in any signal manner visit men in this life; but he will infallibly call them to judgment in the world to come. For this end he will come to them, as soon as they shall have filled up the measure of their iniquities; and the same criterion which we have used in estimating the ripeness of nations for judgment, will serve us to judge of the state of individuals. God has told us, that “as fishes are taken in an evil net, and as birds are caught in a snare, so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them [Note: Ecclesiastes 9:12.].” Moreover, to impress this the more strongly on our minds, he has represented a man, who, having succeeded in his temporal pursuits, congratulates himself on the prospect of many years of pleasurable enjoyment: and then he addresses that man in terms suited to the occasion; “Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee [Note: Luke 12:45.].” Here then we see a lively example of the state which is described in our text, and of the visit which the sinner receives from his offended Lord. May this awful representation never be realized in us! But let us tremble lest it should: for we are taught to expect, that “our Lord will come in a time that we look not for him, and at an hour that we are not aware [Note: Luke 12:19.]:” nay more, we are assured, that, when we begin to say, “I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart, then will God’s anger and jealousy smoke against us, and he will blot out our name from under heaven [Note: Deuteronomy 29:19.].”]

3. To the world at large—

[The precise season of the general judgment is not known to men or angels; nor was Christ himself, as man, informed of it, at least not so informed as to have it within his commission to declare it. But we have already seen in what state the world will be at its arrival. They will be expecting the period as little as we at present are. They will have been warned respecting it by the faithful ministers of Christ; but they will not regard the admonitions that are given them: they will rather scoff, as the antediluvians and the inhabitants of Sodom did, “Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation [Note: 2 Peter 3:3.]. But, in the midst of all their occupations, enjoyments, projects, the trumpet shall sound, and the Judge appear in his glory. This will take place “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye [Note: 1 Corinthians 15:52.].” “As the lightning that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven shineth unto the other part under heaven, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be [Note: ver. 24.].” Alas! in what a condition will millions of the human race be found! some in the commission of the grossest crimes; some ridiculing the supposed weakness of their faithful monitors; and the more innocent among them occupied in nothing better than “eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, marrying and giving in marriage.” How terrible to be called to judgment in a state so unprepared! Will the suddenness of the event be any excuse for them in that day? or will it be any reason for averting or mitigating their punishment? No: it will be with them as with those mentioned in our text: “As soon as Noah entered into the ark, the flood came and destroyed them all;” and, “as soon as Lot went out of Sodom, the fire and brimstone descended and consumed them all:” so will all, that are unprepared to meet their God, be utterly and eternally destroyed. Hence the day of judgment is called, “the day of the perdition of ungodly men [Note: 2 Peter 2:7. The Greek.].” As long as we are in this world, it is “a day of acceptance, a day of salvation. [Note: 2 Corinthians 6:2.]” Yes, even to the eleventh hour we are warranted to invite men to return to God, and to assure them of a favourable reception: but when death or judgment arrive, there is an end of the day of grace, and then commences the day of everlasting perdition.]

Address—
1.

The congregation in general—

[We would entreat every one of you to inquire, whether you are prepared to meet your God? This is no trifling question, no enthusiastic question, no party question; it is a question in which all are equally interested, the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the learned and the unlearned. And we beg leave to remind you all, that an inoffensive conduct is not sufficient to secure happiness for you in the last day. You will observe, that no gross sin is imputed to the antediluvian world, or to the inhabitants of Sodom; many of them doubtless were guilty of heinous transgressions: but the universal sin, the sin that destroyed them all, was carelessness. Say then, brethren, whether this do not characterize your state? and whether you have not reason to tremble for the judgments that shall come upon you? You are apt to promise yourselves a more convenient season for turning to God: but how many are disappointed in that hope! Suppose that, at the deluge, there were some so far wrought upon by the ministry of Noah, that they determined to follow his advice as soon as they should have finished their present business, and got more time for spiritual employments: suppose them surprised by the flood, witnessing the destruction of thousands around them, and, from an eminence to which they had fled, seeing the ark borne up by the waves in which they were shortly to be immersed; how would they wish that they had improved the day of their visitation, and fled to the ark for refuge! Thus pungent, thus fruitless, will be the remorse of millions in the day of judgment. But, blessed be God! the ark is not yet closed: it is open for all who will flee unto it: the Lord Jesus Christ never did, nor ever will, close the door against a repenting sinner: he came to seek and to save the lost; yea, he shed his blood upon the cross to save them. To every one of you then would we say, “Come my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut the door about thee, and hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast [Note: Isaiah 26:20.].” But, if you will not hear, know of a certainty, that “your judgment lingereth not, and your damnation slumbereth not [Note: 2 Peter 2:3.]:” for, “if God spared not the angels that sinned …nor the old world …nor Sodom; but saved Noah …and delivered Lot, he knows at this time how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished [Note: 2 Peter 2:4.].”]

2. Those amongst you who make a profession of vital godliness—

[This subject may appear to some of you to be calculated to awaken sinners, but not very well suited to the edification of saints. This conceit appears to have entered into the mind of Christ’s Disciples; and to have been justly reproved by him: for, who is he that needs not such an admonition [Note: Matthew 24:44.]? We grant, that here are no new truths brought to our view: “you know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night;” and that when men shall say, ‘Peace and safety,’ then destruction shall come upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. Ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night nor of darkness [Note: 1 Thessalonians 5:2.].” But is this subject therefore uninstructive to you? Hear how the Apostle continues his address to the very persons whom he has thus described: “Therefore let us not sleep as do others; but let us watch and be sober: let us who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breast-plate of faith and love, and, for an helmet, the hope of salvation [Note: 1 Thessalonians 5:6.].” Hear also how another Apostle addresses the whole Christian Church: “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night …Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness; looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God? …Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless [Note: 2 Peter 3:10.].” As we said to others, that an inoffensive conduct will not suffice; so we must say to you, that a religious profession will not suffice. You know full well in what a state men ought to die; (how penitent, how believing, how devout in their minds, how subdued in their tempers, how superior to the world, how intent on heavenly things:) this then is the state in which you ought to live: that, when Jesus shall say to you, “Surely I come quickly;” you may be ready at all times to answer, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus [Note: Revelation 22:20.].”]