By: Undre Griggs, Jr.
We do not know the day or the hour of His return, but we know enough. Of the things we know, the most interesting detail may be the fact that Jesus Himself is unaware of the day of His return.
Matthew 24:36 (NIV): But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
This is interesting because Jehovah provided His Son all authority over the heavens and the earth (Matthew 28:18). We should look at this passage as a reminder of where Jesus’ power and authority comes from. While the church is His bride, and He will judge the world on the Last Day, Christ is still in submission to His Father. Similarly, we pray to the Father, but we must pray through His Son as He is our authority.
John 14:6 (ESV): Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
It is likewise interesting that Jesus compares His return to the flood of Noah. Just as Noah, the servants of God should be warning the world a day is coming that we need to be prepared for. Like Noah building the ark, servants of Christ must also take the time to prepare themselves for His return. Identical to the flood, we may not know the day, but we know Christ is coming and we cannot start preparing the moment we see the first rain drops.
Matthew 24:37-39 (NIV): As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
To show a genuine faith, we should be prepared at any moment for the return of Christ. It would be easier if we knew the day or the hour, but it would not be as rewarding. Preparation is a lesson within itself, and if we do not live each day like today could be the day… we could lose our sense of urgency. If we were made aware of the day and time, we would likely have a false sense of comfort; though we still do not know whether we will make it to that day. Similar to being prepared for a criminal if we knew the day the criminal was attacking… what happens if another criminal attacks us the day before? We should find comfort not knowing the day of His return, as it will have us well prepared for anything.
Matthew 24:42-44 (NKJV): Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
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