Evening, November 1, edited from Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

“And they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” — Matthew 24:39

The doom was universal, neither rich nor poor escaped; the learned and the illiterate, the admired and the abhorred, the religious and the profane, the old and the young, all sank in one common devastation. Some had doubtless ridiculed the patriarch–where now their merry jests? Others had threatened him for his passion which they had counted madness–where now their boastfulness and resolved speeches? The critic who judged the old man’s work is drowned in the same sea which covers his contemptuous companions. Those who spoke patronizingly of the good man’s faithfulness to his convictions, but did not share in them, have sunk to rise no more, and the workers who, for pay, helped to build the wondrous ark are all lost also. The flood swept them all away, and made no single exception. Even so, outside of Christ, final destruction is sure to every man of woman born; no rank, possession, or character, shall suffice to save a single soul who has not believed in the Lord Jesus. Oh, my soul, behold this wide-spread judgment and tremble at it.

How amazing was the general apathy! They were all eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, till the awful morning dawned. There was not one wise man upon earth outside of the ark. Foolishness duped the whole race, foolishness as to self-preservation–the most foolish of all follies. Foolishness in doubting the most true God–the most malignant of madnesses. Strange, my soul, is it not? All men are negligent of their souls till grace gives them reason, then they leave their madness and act like rational beings, but not till then.

All were safe in the ark, no ruin entered there, blessed be God. From the huge elephant down to the tiny mouse all were safe. The timid hare was equally secure with the courageous lion, the helpless rabbit as safe as the laborious ox. All are safe in Jesus. My soul, are you safe in him?