Unpacking Matthew 24:37-39: Watch, Because He Comes

Understanding the Days of Noah and the Coming of the Son of Man

Jesus speaks to His disciples on the Mount of Olives, days before His crucifixion, answering their question about when He will return and what signs to watch for.

He refers to the story of Noah in Genesis 6 - 8, where people lived their daily lives - eating, drinking, marrying - completely unaware of the coming flood until it suddenly swept them away, even though Noah had been warning them for years while building the ark. The phrase 'the coming of the Son of Man' means Jesus’ future return in power and glory, a moment no one can predict. The flood came unexpectedly in Noah’s day; Jesus says His return will catch most people off guard.

This comparison warns us not to get so caught up in everyday routines that we forget God’s coming judgment and the need to stay spiritually awake.

The Suddenness of Judgment and the Call to Watchfulness

Jesus’ comparison to Noah’s day is about more than timing; it shows how ordinary life can mask spiritual danger.

In Noah’s time, people were eating, drinking, and marrying - normal, everyday things - but their routines blinded them to the coming judgment. The phrase 'eating and drinking' might sound harmless, but in biblical language it can carry a deeper meaning. For example, Isaiah 22:13 records God rebuking people who say, 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die,' showing how feasting can become a sign of ignoring God’s warnings. Marrying itself wasn’t wrong, but the fact that it continued without pause suggests a society focused only on the present, unaware of the storm ahead. Jesus is not condemning daily life but warning that when life becomes only about routine and comfort, we can easily miss God’s voice.

The title 'Son of Man' that Jesus uses is loaded with meaning - it comes from Daniel 7:13, where 'one like a son of man' comes on the clouds of heaven to receive eternal dominion from God. By calling Himself this, Jesus is claiming divine authority and a role in the final judgment. This is not a simple return. It is the moment when heaven breaks into history and everything changes instantly. The flood came after long warnings that were ignored; likewise, Jesus’ return will follow a time of preaching and grace but will culminate in sudden, irreversible judgment.

Other Gospels like Luke 17:26-27 repeat this teaching, but Matthew’s version emphasizes the 'coming of the Son of Man' more clearly, linking it to Daniel’s vision. The key word here is 'unaware' - they didn’t see it coming, not because there were no signs, but because their hearts were hardened by routine and unbelief.

They were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

The lesson isn’t to fear disaster but to live wide awake - to honor God in the everyday, so we’re never caught off guard when He returns.

Living Ready in the Midst of the Ordinary

The story of Noah is more than a warning from the past; it is a mirror held up to our own lives today.

Matthew includes this teaching as part of Jesus’ final sermon before the cross, a Gospel that often emphasizes readiness and faithful living. While people were doing normal things - eating, drinking, marrying - they grew indifferent to God’s call through Noah, as many today live unaware of eternity. The lesson isn’t to stop living, but to live with awareness - because judgment came suddenly in Noah’s day, and Jesus says it will be the same when He returns.

The timeless truth is this: God honors faith that stays awake, even when the world carries on as if nothing is wrong.

We see the same call in Jeremiah 4:23: 'I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; I looked at the heavens, and their light was gone.' This picture of divine reversal follows human rebellion, much like the flood. Noah’s faith stood out in a careless world; we are called to live with quiet readiness, not swept along by the flow of indifference.

How This Fits the Whole Bible Story

Jesus’ warning in Matthew 24 connects deeply with other parts of Scripture that speak of sudden judgment and the need to stay alert.

In Luke 17:26-27, Jesus says the same thing: 'As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.' This shows how Jesus’ return will interrupt life like the flood did. Paul echoes this in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, saying, 'Now about times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When people say, 'Peace and safety,' then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.'

The title 'Son of Man' that Jesus uses points back to Daniel 7:13-14, where one 'like a son of man' comes on the clouds to receive everlasting kingdom and authority from God - showing Jesus is that promised ruler.

So from Noah to Daniel to Jesus’ own words, the Bible tells a consistent story: God will act suddenly, and only those who listen and live with eternity in mind will be ready.

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