On one day in June the world witnessed two of the clearest signs that the Lord Jesus Christ gave to indicate his imminent return.
Friday 26th June 2015 was a day of violence in several places.

In France, there was an explosion and a beheading. See
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-33287095
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33297607
In Tunisia, there was slaughter on the beach. See
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-33304897
In Kuwait there was a deadly attack on a mosque. See
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-33302244
The same day the USA Supreme Court, in an unprecedented move, extended national law, overruling some state laws, in ruling that same-sex marriage was included in constitutional rights. See
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-33287079
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-33290341
There were mixed reactions, not only to the moral and social implications of the ruling, but also to the constitutional aspect.
One reaction was “This is only the latest example of an activist  court ignoring its constitutional duty to say what the law is and not  what the law should be.”
We have highlighted the words of the Lord Jesus Christ before because of their increasing relevance to our own age.
And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
Luke 17:26-30
These words do not make reference to the Old Testament descriptions of conditions at the times, but emphasise a materialistic society in which morals are deemed to be of minimal relevance. In Noah’s time people were described as continually eating and drinking, repeatedly marrying and giving in marriage, as modern versions indicate more clearly. In Jesus’ description of Sodom there is no mention of marriage, such was the decline there which led to the city’s name being perpetuated by associated practices long after the city was destroyed.
We read God’s assessment of Sodom.
But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
Genesis 13:13
And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
Genesis 18:20-21
¶  And the men [angels in the form of men] said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:
For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
Genesis 19:12-13
And so the angels did.
One of the characteristics of Noah’s day was violence.
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
¶  And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Genesis 6:11-13
While we grieve at the suffering of victims and their families, we long for the time when the Son of Man shall be revealed and eventually put an end to all suffering and death.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Revelation 21:2-4
We can ignore God’s Word, the Bible, and the advice and warnings it contains, but if we do so we have only ourselves to blame when we are discarded as worthless like Noah’s neighbours, and destroyed like Lot’s neighbours and even some of his own family.
God is not cruel and vindictive, but seeks the good of His people, on His terms.
¶  But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
¶  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 3:8-9
For those who respond, there is the prospect of peace, security, health and immortality with the Lord Jesus Christ when he returns. The signs indicate this cannot be far in the future.