“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
OLD AS METHUSELAH
Have you ever heard someone describe an elderly person by saying, “He’s as old as Methuselah!” We smile when we hear that expression because everyone knows Methuselah was the oldest man who ever lived. Genesis 5:27 tells us he lived an incredible 969 years! But have you ever wondered why God allowed one man to live that long? The name Methuselah in the Hebrew language literally means, “when he dies, it shall come.”
Most Bible commentators agree that Methuselah’s long life was more than just an amazing fact. It was a beautiful picture of the mercy of God. According to the genealogy in Genesis, the very year Methuselah died, the Flood came. Think about that for a moment. “When he dies, it shall come.” As long as Methuselah lived, God’s judgment on the world was held back. Year after year…decade after decade…century after century…God delayed His judgment. Every sunrise was another invitation to repent. Every passing year was another opportunity to get on the ark. Every day Methuselah was still alive was another reminder that God’s mercy was still reaching out.
Then one day, Methuselah died…and the worldwide flood came. That helps us better understand the words of Peter in our verse for today. In Peter’s day, people were asking, “Where is the promise of His coming?” They mocked the idea that Jesus would ever return. Sound familiar? People are still asking the same question today. “If Jesus is really coming back, why has it taken so long?” Peter gives us the answer. God isn’t late or forgetful. God isn’t breaking His promise. He’s being merciful. The only reason Jesus hasn’t returned yet is because God is giving people another opportunity to repent and trust Christ. He’s giving another year…another month…another week…another day…another hour.
What some people call a delay, God calls longsuffering. But don’t miss this truth: *Just as Methuselah’s life eventually came to an end, God’s long suffering and mercy will one day end as well. The Flood finally came. God told Noah and his family to get in the ark and He shut the door. One day Jesus Christ will return exactly as He promised, and mercy will give way to judgment.
I heard about a man who kept putting off a doctor’s appointment because he felt “pretty good.” Every time his wife urged him to go, he’d say, “I’ve got plenty of time.” Finally, after months of putting it off, he went and discovered the illness that could have been treated early had reached an advanced stage. His greatest mistake wasn’t refusing help. It was assuming there would always be more time. And, friend, that’s exactly how many people treat God’s mercy. They keep saying, ‘I’ll get serious about God later. I’ll trust Jesus someday. But ‘someday’ is one of Satan’s favorite words because it keeps people from trusting Jesus today. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed to any of us.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
If you’ve never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, don’t mistake God’s patience for God’s approval. His delay is not because He is unconcerned. It’s because He loves you and wants you to be saved. But one day, just as surely as Methuselah died and the Flood came, the door of mercy will close. Don’t assume you have time just because God has been patient. Even someone “old as Methuselah” reached the end. And when he did, judgment came. If God’s mercy is still holding the door open today, don’t wait another day to walk through it. Why not bow your head right now and ask the Lord to forgive you, cleanse you of sin and come into your heart today (1John 1:9).
Think it over…
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