The last days of history – Part 8

The Certainty Of Christ’s Return Cont.
We don’t know the day or the hour, but Jesus is coming soon and unexpectedly. This is good news to those who trust Him, but a terrible message for those who have rejected Him and stand under judgment. “Quickly” means at any moment, and we must be ready for Him, always prepared for His return. Would Jesus’ sudden appearance catch you off guard?

“Come, Lord Jesus.” The Bible ends with Jesus’ promise that He is coming soon, to which John responds, “Come, Lord Jesus.” This longing is shared by all true Christians. (1) This prayer is a confession that, until He comes, our redemption remains incomplete, evil and sin are not yet overthrown, and this world is not yet renewed. (2) We have every reason to believe that the day is fast approaching when He Who is called “the Word of God” (19:13) and “the bright and morning star” (22:16) will come from heaven to take His faithful bride away from the earth to His Father’s house (Jn14:1-3; 1Thes 4:16-18), after which He will triumphantly return in glory to reign forever as “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (19:16). This is our unfailing hope and joyful expectation (2Pet1: 19).

(5) The Day And The Hour No One Knows
Even on the day of His ascension to heaven, they asked Him about the timing of things to come. “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.” (Acts 1:6,7)

Jesus’ reply was that God had not given them the timetable of His future works. During the years of Jesus’ ministry on earth, the disciples continually wondered about His kingdom. When would it come? What would their role be? In the traditional view, the Messiah would be an earthly conqueror, who would free Israel from Rome. But the kingdom Jesus spoke about was first of all a spiritual kingdom established in the hearts and lives of believers (Luke17: 21). God’s presence and power dwell in believers in the person of the Holy Spirit. Like other Jews, the disciples chafed under their Roman rulers. They wanted Jesus to free Israel from Roman power and then become their king. Jesus replied that God the Father sets the timetable for all events—worldwide, national, and personal. If you want changes that God isn’t making immediately, don’t become impatient. Instead, trust God’s timetable.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:32)

“My Father only.” This verse speaks of only the Father knowing the time of Christ’s return. We must understand this as referring to the time Christ was on earth. Certainly, now Jesus, Who has returned to His former glory (John17: 5), has knowledge of His future return. Tribulation saints can also know the time of His final return by observing the signs of the tribulation that Christ described (see article on The Great Tribulation). When Jesus said that even He did not know the time of the end, He was affirming His humanity. Of course, God the Father knows the time, and Jesus and the Father are one (Jn10: 30). But when Jesus became a man, He voluntarily gave up the unlimited use of His divine attributes (Jn1: 14; Phil 2:5-9). The emphasis of this verse is not on Jesus’ lack of knowledge, but rather on the fact that no one knows. It is God the Father’s secret to be revealed when He wills.
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