[Jesus] was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah. 1 Peter 3:18-20 (NIV)
Why did Noah preach to the people? What motivated him? Noah knew that God’s judgment was coming.
How did he know? God told him: “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark” (Gen. 6:13-14).
There will only ever be two occasions in the history of the world when a judgment from God will fall on the whole world. The first was in the time of Noah, when God sent the flood. The second will begin when Jesus comes in power and glory to wind up human history as we know it.
The task of declaring God’s truth before the first judgment was given to Noah. The task of declaring God’s truth before the second judgment is given to us. Don’t underestimate the importance of the message. Sometimes we may wonder, Does it really matter? Yes, it does.
What motivates you to share the gospel with other people? What role does God’s coming judgment play in your motivations?
