The Attitude of the Antediluvians (1) - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2025

Will you keep to the old way which wicked men have trod, who were cut down before their time, whose foundations were swept away by a flood? They said to God, “Depart from us! What can the Almighty do to them?” Yet He filled their houses with good things.
Job 22:15–18

The Attitude of the Antediluvians (1)
An interesting statement is found in the Book of Job concerning Noah’s flood. The prevailing attitude of the antediluvians—people who perished in the great flood—is described. The Book of Genesis describes how violence and corruption had filled the earth at that time (Gen. 6:11–13). However, our text today gives another view and focuses on the irreverent attitude of the antediluvians rather than their outward behavior before the flood.

How striking is their brazen and profane way of speaking to God and about God! They did not deny His existence, but boldly said, “Depart from us!” They emphatically did not want Him in their lives. But is this not the attitude that has prevailed down through time, even to our day? People profess “spirituality” but say, “We will not have this man to reign over us” (Lk. 19:14). What is even more shocking is that they tempted God to bring down judgment: “What can the Almighty do to them?” Man views God’s long-suffering to be evidence that He will not really judge as He said He will. Of course, it is obvious from this that they had listened to the voice of the serpent: “Has God indeed said?” and “You will not surely die” (Gen. 3:1, 4).

God’s response to their irreverence was, “Yet He filled their houses with good things.” God is good and does good (Ps. 119:68). But the time of His patience and long-suffering (2 Pet. 3:9) did come to an end, and the flood came, as warned. As we look around today, we see these very same attitudes in people. The Lord Jesus said it would be like the days of Noah prior to His second coming (Mt. 24:37).

Brian Reynolds