we live in a world today filled with New Gods no they are not the carved Idols of wood or stone that we read about in ancient scriptures nor the mythological deities of old these gods are much more subtle more personal and infinitely more dangerous among these the most Insidious is the god of self this new God doesn't sit in temples or on altars it resides in the hearts and minds of people everywhere it the belief that we are the masters of our own destiny that we know best and that we don't need anyone or anything
not even God it's the exaltation of Pride Independence and self-sufficiency above all else but let me tell you something you are not self-sufficient you are not in control your heart cannot beat another beat without God's permission you cannot wake up and see another day without his grace we are in desperate need of God and the most tragic thing is that many of us don't even realize it the illusion of self-sufficiency pride is at the core of the worship of self it's the belief that we can handle everything on our own that we don't need God's
help or anyone else's we see this mindset everywhere today people walk with a sense of pride a sense that they know best that they can figure it all out on their own they carry an attitude of I don't need anyone I'm self-sufficient but do we really know best are we truly in control of Our Lives the truth is our lives are incredibly fragile and without God we are nothing Proverbs 16:18 warns us Pride goes Before Destruction a hoty spirit before a fall this scripture isn't just a warning it's a reality that plays out every day
in the lives of those who believe they are self-sufficient we may think we are strong but our strength is limited we may think we are wise but our wisdom is often flawed we may think we are in control but every heartbeat every breath is a gift from God the self-sufficient person doesn't see the need to Humble themselves before God they don't see the need to seek his guidance or lean on his strength they believe they can do it all on their own until life proves otherwise when the job is lost when the relationship falls apart
when the unexpected diagnosis comes suddenly the illusion of self-sufficiency crumbles it's in those moments of vulnerability that the desperate need for God becomes glaringly obvious but why wait until until everything falls apart why wait until the illusion is shattered the Bible tells us in James 4:10 humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up it is in humility that we find strength not in Pride it is in dependence on God that we find true Freedom not in the false sense of Independence that self- worship offers our society tells us to be self-made to
rely on no one but the Bible tells us to lean not on our own understanding but to trust in the Lord with all our hearts the choice is clear will you follow the path of self-sufficiency that leads to destruction or will you humble yourself and depend on the one who holds your very Life In His Hands the age of narcissism and self-promotion if you want to see the god of Self in action just look at the culture of narcissism and self-promotion that dominates social media we live in a world where people are constantly seeking validation
and recognition likes shares and comments have become the currency of our self-worth we present curated versions of Our Lives online showing only the highlights the filtered moments the carefully crafted images that project an illusion of perfection but let me tell you it's just that an ill illusion don't believe what you see on social media people lie they don't show their real lives they present fake lives behind every perfect post there's a reality that doesn't match the image we are living in an age of narcissism people complete Good Deeds not to glorify God but for the
Adoration of others they do it so that the world can see and applaud them Jesus warned us about this in Matthew 61 one be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them if you do you will have no reward from your father in Heaven yet here we are a generation more concerned with how we are perceived by others than with how we are perceived by God we've turned good deeds into a performance where it's about the appearance of goodness not the heart of goodness think about why divorce rates
are so high we are living in an age of narcissism it's difficult to live with a narcissist because to them the whole world revolves around their needs their wants and their desires but no marriage can survive if it's one-sided relationships require humility sacrifice and the willingness to put someone else's needs above your own yet narcissism erodes these foundational values leaving behind a trail of of broken relationships and broken hearts in a world where everyone is looking out for themselves where is the room for the sacrificial love that Christ demonstrated on the cross we are told
Mark 12:31 to love our neighbor as ourselves but narcissism flips that commandment on its head telling us to love ourselves above all others it's a perversion of what God intended for Human Relationships we were created for Community for connection for selfless love but the god of self teaches us to prioritize our own desires our own happiness our own image Above All Else and the result is a society that is increasingly lonely increasingly disconnected and increasingly lost another manifestation of the god of self is the obsession with self-expression and the concept of my truth we hear
it everywhere today Speak Your Truth live Your Truth as if personal experience and individual perspective are the ultimate Authority but here's the problem what happens when my truth conflicts with God's truth what happens when personal beliefs and experiences are elevated above the absolute truth of God's word we live in a a time where the line between right and wrong is increasingly blurred people are walking away from the higher authority which is the word of God and looking to themselves as the highest Authority the result is a society where anything goes where the only sin is
to challenge someone's personal truth but listen carefully your truth is not the truth if it contradicts God's word Jesus said in John 14:6 I am the way and the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through me there is no other truth there is no other way but the god of self has led many to believe otherwise the most heartbreaking part is that many don't realize that the truth they hold so dear will ultimately lead them to destruction they are being deceived into believing that their personal TR truth is all that
matters when in reality it's leading them away from the very source of life this is why the god of self is so dangerous it blinds people to the reality of their need for a savior it convinces them that they are enough on their own when in truth we are all desperately in need of God's grace and mercy we see this deception play out in so many ways people reject the teachings of the Bible because it doesn't align with their personal beliefs they cherry-pick scriptures that support their lifestyle while ignoring those that challenge them they elevate
their feelings above God's commands allowing emotions to dictate their decisions rather than the unchanging truth of God's word but feelings are fleeting they are unreliable God's word however stands firm forever the question is where will you place your trust in the fleeting whims of your heart or in the Eternal truth of God the greatest tragedy of the worship of self is that it blinds us to our desperate need for God we are not self-sufficient and we never will be every breath we take every beat of our heart every new day we wake up is because
of God's grace acts 17:28 reminds us for in him we live and move and have our being without God we are nothing without his presence his guidance and his love we are lost yet the god of self tells us that we are enough on our own it tells us that we can find fulfillment peace and happiness within ourselves but it's a lie the self cannot save us the self cannot sustain us the self cannot provide what only God can provide we live in a society that has tried to push God out of the picture replacing
him with self-help self-care and self-improvement but these are all empty substitutes for the real thing we cannot improve ourselves enough to be worthy of God's love we cannot care for ourselves enough to find true peace we cannot help ourselves enough to save our souls only God can do that only God can fill the emptiness that self worship leaves be kind let's be real we need God in every moment in every decision in every aspect of Our Lives we need his wisdom when we are confused we need his strength when we are weak we need his
love when we feel unworthy we need his grace when we fall short the god of self promises Independence but it delivers isolation it promises empowerment but it delivers emptiness it promises fulfillment but it delivers frustration because we were not made to worship ourselves we were made to worship God the new God of self is a false god it offers a counterfeit version of what only God can truly give it tells us that we are enough on our own but the reality is without God we are nothing we were created to depend on him to walk
with him and to find our identity in him not in ourselves if you have been caught in the Trap Of self- Worship if you have been placing your trust in your own abilities your own wisdom your own truth I urge you to turn back to God recognize your need for him humble yourself before him surrender your pride your Independence your self-sufficiency and acknowledge that without him you are nothing this world of self- worship cannot offer you the peace the purpose or the Salvation that you are searching for only God can do that only God can
give you the Fulfillment that your soul Longs for let us not be a generation that worships the self but let us be a generation that worships the one true God let us live not for the glory of self but for the glory of God let us recognize our desperate need for him in every moment of every day because without him we can do nothing but with him all things are possible remember the Journey of Faith is not about finding ourselves it's about finding God it's about recognizing that our true worth our true identity and our
true purpose are found not in self-fulfillment but in God's fulfillment of his promises in our lives so let us turn away from from the empty promises of the god of self and turn towards the Living God who gives life abundantly anticipation surrounding the days of Noah is surrounded with Tales of Nephilim angels that forsook their Heavenly realm the sons of God Mighty Men and overwhelming wickedness the days of Noah were not just of torrential Reigns and an ark they witnessed the emergence of the Nephilim begotten from Celestial beings Union with Earthly women this extraordinary occurrence
a union that led to the rise of the powerful Nephilim set the stage for a world teetering on spiritual and moral Decay The Book of Matthew specifically CH 24: 37-39 touches upon this age of Noah emphasizing a cautionary parallel between those times and the second coming Matthew 24: 37-39 but as the days of Noah were so shall also the coming of the son of man be for as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the Ark and knew not
until the flood came and took them all away so shall also the coming of the son of man be this passage of scripture has been the subject of many interpretations and debates among theologians and Bible scholars when analyzing the different interpretations of biblical theologians I came to the conclusion that more than one of these in fact multiple interpretations can all be correct several of these interpretations can coexist without negating another or taking away the validity of another I personally believe that several of these interpretations are true in this sermon I will present these different interpretations
and also highlight their implications for the current world interpret ation one the suddenness of judgment this interpretation carries with it a deep sense of urgency and a sobering reminder of the unpredictable nature of the divine intervention drawing parallels between the days of Noah and the eventual return of Jesus it underscores the fact that despite being forwarned Humanity has a tendency to become complacent often getting entangled in the routine and pleasures of daily life in the days leading up to the flood Noah was a beacon of righteousness tirelessly warning his contemporaries about the impending catastrophe but
his caution fell on deaf ears the society then was deeply entrenched in worldly Pursuits and Marts they scoffed at Noah's admonitions regarding him as an alarmist or even a Madman but when the rains began and the waters Rose their laughter turned to cries of Despair by then it was too late proponents of this interpretation highlight that Jesus when teaching about the end times draws from this narrative indicating that history has a way of repeating itself as in the days of Noah there will be those who dismiss the signs those who choose to remain blind to
the impending judgment the return of Christ much like the flood will be sudden catching many off guard it's a poignant reminder that spiritual vigilance is not just recommended but essential for in an unexpected moment history will once again witness the undeniable manifestation of divine judgment interpretation 2 the rise in demonic activity interpretation this interpretation focuses on the rise of the Nephilim The Narrative of Genesis 6: 1-4 stands as a stark reminder of a world overwhelmed by wickedness so much so that it warranted divine intervention on an precedented scale the involvement of the quote sons of
God with human women and the subsequent rise of the Nephilim has remained a topic of intense debate and study among theologians and biblical Scholars for centuries the very concept that Celestial beings or Spirit entities could directly interfere in human Affairs resulting in the birth of a hybrid race is as intriguing as it is alarming proponents of this interpretation highlight that the account of the rise of the Nephilim does not merely serve as a historical account but it may carry prophetic undertones about the state of the world leading up to significant Divine interventions such as the
return of Christ just as the pre flood World witnessed a surge in Supernatural activity and evil some argue that the end times will experience a similar increase in demonic influences and actions other places in Scripture that support this interpretation also speak of a surge in Supernatural activity and evil in the last days 1 Timothy 4:1 now the spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils the truth is right now on this Earth and in our nation we are seeing the spirit
world affecting this world like never before there is a clear and visible flow of demonic power being emptied upon this Earth there are real demon Spirits at play in this world it's in different institutions it is in different establishments it's even in some TV shows and movies it's in music like never before have you noticed a shift in modern music modern secular music is more and more demonically fueled than ever before award shows practically perform Satanic rituals on stage in front of the world to see that is not an accident even musicians are embracing demonic
spirits and Dem demonic Powers nowhere in the Bible are we told that the operations of demonic spirits have ceased to exist I remember on one occasion a minister was preaching on the increase in demonic activity and he spoke of how after preaching a sermon on this subject a police officer approached him the officer said pastor what you are saying is so true I'm a police officer and the things I see on duty would blow your mind I'm the first to respond to emergencies and some of the things that I have witnessed and some of the
situations I have encountered can only be explained by the fact that a demon Spirit was involved I have seen objects literally move when no one was there to move them I have seen flies swarm one specific room in people's houses hundreds of flies I have seen people do things with their body that defy the very laws of physics there are a lot of strange things happening in this world during the days of Noah Spirit beings had an influence on the world at that time and they gave the rise to the Nephilim and the world of
the Nephilim was one of spiritual Decay and moral degradation their presence may have further accelerated that decline with their actions and the cultures they influenced steering Humanity even further away from God in our contemporary era one cannot ignore the various signs and manifestations of increased spiritual warfare reports of demonic possessions intense spiritual battles and the pervasive influence of negative spiritual entities in popular culture seem to Echo the pre flood environment interpretation three the literal historical comparison interpretation this perspective is grounded in the belief that Jesus in his profound wisdom was Illuminating the parallels between two
significant ages in human history the era of Noah and the end times the essence of this interpretation lies in understanding the depths of human degradation and moral decline during Noah's time and comparing it to the predicated state of humanity as the end times approach the world of Noah was characterized by moral decadence where Humanity had drifted far from its Creator's original design scripture paints a vivid picture of this era detailing a world immersed in wickedness where every thought of the human heart was continually evil we see the days of Noah as marked by a unique
and pervasive wickedness that mirrors the conditions in our world today this belief is rooted in scripture and airm by the alarming events unfolding in our time in Genesis 6:5 we read God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually this verse highlights the extent of Humanity's depravity during Noah's time it was a period when every thought and intention of the human heart was corrupt and filled with evil continually this wasn't merely about people living their lives without heed it
was about profound moral and spiritual Decay that permeated every aspect of society every thought was sin focused every desire was sinful and every Endeavor was driven by sin we must draw a parallel to our own times as evidenced by the recent Olympic Games in France an event meant to celebrate Sports and athleticism was turned into a demonic ritual before the eyes of the world do not take what you witnessed lightly the the Olympic Games have long symbolized human achievement celebrating the Pinnacle of athletic ability and the spirit of competition it is where the best of
the best face off against each other however what we witnessed in France transcended mere sporting events and entered the realm of the profane and the Wicked the organizers had the opportunity to showcase the best of humanity our dedication hard work and unity instead they chose to mock one of the most sacred events in Christian history the Last Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ this act was not just an affront to Christians but a glaring indicator of the moral state of our world the ceremony filled with Blasphemous and satanic imagery was a deliberate Choice out of
all the themes and Inspirations available they chose to mock the sacred and blaspheme the holy this is a clear sign that we are living in times akin to the days of Noah where the imagination of the thoughts of man's heart is only evil continually there was no need for such mockery and while we may attribute some of it to the influence of the devil what we witnessed was also a reflection of the level of sin in Our Generation Now allow me to share my opinion and we are all entitled to our views the level of
sin and immorality in this generation is unprecedented sin is more accessible now than ever before we know of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah the great wickedness of Noah's generation and the idolatry Pride arrogance debauchery and excess of Babylon listen to this the age we live in has collected all the sins prevalent in these Infamous cities and combined them to create our society today the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah Noah's time and Babylon are all present in this generation the world of Noah was characterized by moral decadence where Humanity had drifted far from its Creator's
original design scripture paints a vivid picture of this era detailing a world immersed in wickedness where every thought of the human heart was continually evil violence was not just an occasional occurrence but was woven into the fabric of daily life the Earth was filled with corruption and God's grief over his creation was palpable fast forward to the prophecies regarding the end times and the parallels become starkly evident just as in the days of Noah the latter days will witness an exponential increase in moral ruin and look at the world around you can you not see
it happening before your very eyes the sanctity of Life the sacredness of marriage and the inherent value of truth will be Concepts eroding away replaced by self-gratification deceit and a pervasive disregard for God Almighty however Beyond just the moral decline this interpretation also underscores the accompanying spiritual apathy that will pervade society as in Noah's time when the majority ignored the Divine warnings and continued in their ways oblivious to the impending judgment the end times will see Humanity largely dismissive of God's Redemptive call many will be consumed by the Pursuits of worldly pleasures paying no heed
to the prophetic voices echoing the truths of scripture yet amidst this Bleak scenario there is a glimmer of hope just as Noah stood as a beacon of righteousness a Remnant will persist in the end times holding on to faith and righteousness these are the individuals who against the tide of popular culture and societal Norms will remain steadfast in their commitment to God serving as living testimonies of his enduring Grace and love in drawing these parallels Jesus not only offers a warning but also an invitation to be part of this faithful Remnant urging Humanity to seek
refuge in him before the storms of judgment arrive interpretation four social normalis interpretation this interpretation takes the view that here our Lord compared his second coming to the days of Noah giving us insight into what to expect Jesus explained that life would continue with its usual routines eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage though these activities may seem ordinary we must delve deeper into their implications and understand what it means for us in our walk with God this interpretation believes that when Jesus spoke of Life continuing as it was in the days of Noah
he was is emphasizing the concept of business as usual in those times people carried on with their daily routines consumed by the normal Affairs of Life they were focused on their immediate needs and desires oblivious to the impending judgment that was about to befall them similarly Jesus warns us that when he returns many will be engaged in the ordinary Pursuits of Life oblivious to the spiritual reality unfolding around them along with this we can use this to the parallel of of death there are people who are living their daily lives today not knowing that this
is their last day in this world they are completely oblivious to the reality that they are going to stand before their maker within the next 24 hours business is going on as usual for them for no one knows when they will leave this world and step into eternity just like the people of the world will not know how close the coming of the son of man is business will be going on as usual in the days of Noah Humanity made a conscious choice to turn away from God's righteous ways they indulged in sin embraced moral
relativism and personal gratification Above All Else the pursuit of pleasure and self-centered desires became the primary focus leading them further from the truth and goodness of God this departure from God's commands caused a spiritual and moral Decay to permeate Society with devastating consequences for the generations that followed what is deeply unsettling is that amidst the moral Decay life appeared to continue as usual people went about their daily routines seemingly oblivious to the spiritual darkness that surrounded them the world functioned marriages took place and meals were shared as if nothing was a miss it is a
poignant reminder that the appearance of normaly can be deceiving lulling us into complacency and blinding us to the reality of our spiritual condition and our world is full of people like this people who are spiritually blind unaware of their desperate need for a savior yet they are enjoying life going on Hikes and enjoying the scenery going on dates with their love interests going to the cinema to watch a film they have waited months to be released falling in love for the very first time with the man or woman of their dreams going to the gym
pumping some iron and watching their body transform buying new cars celebrating occasions not knowing that judgment is coming not knowing knowing how fast approaching judgment is coming yet they are living normal lives spiritually blind yet living their normal lives the sobering truth is that many were spiritually blind during Noah's time they were unable or unwilling to see the true state of their souls and the impending judgment that awaited them they were captivated by the Allure of sin and the pursuit of personal desires forsaking the Divine truth this spiritual blindness prevented them from recognizing the desperate
need for repentance and reconciliation with God in the days of Noah Humanity made a conscious choice to turn away from God's righteous ways they indulged in sin embracing in moral relativism and personal gratification Above All Else the pursuit of pleasure and self-centered desires became their primary focus leading them further from the truth and goodness of God this departure from God's commands caused a spiritual and moral Decay to permeate Society with devastating consequences for the generations that followed this interpretation believes that when Jesus spoke of Life continuing as it was in the days of Noah he
was emphasizing the concept of business as usual for in an unexpected moment history will once again witness the undeniable manifestation of divine judgment interpretations of Matthew 24: 37-39 reveal insights into Humanity's spiritual journey and pivotal choices these views range from emphasizing sudden judgment exploring spiritual Decay from demonic influences to historical parallels in the dangers of routine complacency each perspective complements the others forming a multifaceted understanding accepting one interpretation doesn't diminish the other multiple truths can coexist Illuminating various facets of the scripture for believers the challenge is to stay Discerning and receptive to God's diverse messages
these interpretations underscore the scriptures depth urging us to connect deeper with the Divine given the strength of these different interpretations which one or several do you believe is correct comment below
