Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 24:37-39

"And as [were] the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man." — Matthew 24:37-39 (ASV)

Though the King did not reveal the time of the coming of the Son of man, He declared plainly that history would repeat itself and that that day would be as the days of Noah were. When He comes, He will find many unprepared, even as the antediluvians were when the flood came, and took them all away.

Yet in both cases, sinners will have had ample warning. Noah was a preacher of righteousness to the men of his day, and this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come (Matthew 24:14).

Christ’s coming, like the flood, will be sudden, unexpected, universal in its effects, and terrible to the ungodly, although they will be utterly unconcerned, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day.

That which is lawful and right under other circumstances becomes a positive evil when it takes the place of preparation for the coming of the Son of man. Woe to those whose eating and drinking do not include the bread and the water of life and who marry or are given in marriage, but not to the heavenly Bridegroom! That Dies Irae will be a dreadful day for sinners.

“Day of judgment, day of wonders!
Hark, the trumpet’s awful sound,
Louder than a thousand thunders,
Shakes the vast creation round!
How the summons will
The sinner’s heart confound!”