Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/79



The terror  of  God’s  judgment. Picture  to  yourself  the  horror  of this  terrible  judgment  of  God. In sixteen  hundred  years  the  human race had  increased  to  millions  of  beings,  and  now  all  were  destroyed! Many of  them  were  drowned  when  the  Flood  first  began,  while  others saved themselves  for  a time  in  high  trees  or  on  the  roofs  of  houses. But the  houses  were  swept  away  and  the  trees  uprooted,  and  all  who were on  them  were  swallowed  up  in  the  waters. Many fled  to  the mountains, but  the  flood  followed  them  there. With deadly  fear  they watched the  waters  rising  higher  and  higher,  till  the  very  mountaintops  were’  swallowed  up,  and  one  by  one  those  who  had  sought  safety on them  were  engulfed  in  the  roaring  waves. Mothers saw  their  children, brothers their  sisters,  husbands  their  wives,  drowning  before  their  eyes, and were  powerless  to  help  them. Black clouds  covered  the  sky,  and the earth  was  wrapped  in  darkness. Beasts roared,  and  men  wailed and cried  aloud  to  heaven  for  mercy. But the  day  of  mercy  was past; the  day  of  retribution  had  come. And, behold,  while  the  storm raged fiercer  and  fiercer,  and  the  waters  rose  above  the  highest  mountains, burying  all  mankind  in  a watery  grave,  the  ark  floated  securely on the  top  of  the  horrible  flood,  protected  by  the  hand  of  God,  neither injured by  the  fallen  trees  which  were  hurled  against  it,  nor  dashed to pieces  against  the  sunken  rocks.

The four  last  things. The  patriarchs  lived  to  a great  age,  but they had  to  die  at  last. Of each  one,  with  the  exception  of  Henoch, it is  said  that  he  lived  to  such  and  such  an  age,  and  then  died. By this they  fulfilled  the  words  of  God: “Dust  thou  art,  and  into  dust  thou shalt return.”  So  it  is  with  man  still,  and  so  it  will  be  till  the  end  of the  world: all  men  must  die,  because  they  are  the  inheritors  of  Adam’s curse. “It is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die,  and  after  this  the  judgment” (Hebr.  9,  27). The four  last  things  are  death,  judgment, heaven, hell.

The sons  of  God  and  the  sons  of  men. The  opposition  between the sons  of  God  and  the  sons  of  men  continues  to  this  day,  and  will continue to  the  end  of  the  world. The children  of  men  are  those  who either have  no  faith,  or  who  do  not  live  up  to  their  faith,  but  follow the desires  of  their  own  corrupt  hearts,  and  without  shame  transgress God’s commandments. They love  the  world  above  all  things,  as  if  it were  their  God. They struggle  after  the  honours,  pleasures,  and  riches of this  life,  and  do  not  trouble  themselves  about  eternal  life. But who are the  children  of  God? They are  those  who  do  God’s  will,  who  live in the  grace  and  love  of  God,  and  who  strive  after  heavenly  things. As Christians,  we  are  all  children  of  God. Let us  live  as  such,  and try to  do  the  will  of  our  Father,  who  is  in  heaven.

The long  life  of  the  Patriarchs.  As  the  earth  before  the  Flood produced larger  plants  and  larger  beasts  than  it  does  now,  so  men  in