Keep watch!

[for_his_glory]

Jesus explained all things to watch for before His glorious return as outlined in Matthew 24:1-8 as He gave answer to the three questions the Disciples asked Him:
1. Tell us, when shall these things be?
2. and what shall be the sign of thy coming
3. and of the end of the world?

Look at the first thing Jesus told them, Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

We are to keep watch that no man can deceive us as Jesus already gave us the signs of His coming to look for, but no one knows when that will happen. Instead of mans speculations we need to just be prepared to be caught up to Jesus when He returns for us.

Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Mat 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mat 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Mat 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

 

[miamited]

for_his_glory

Do you think Noah didn't know the flood was coming before it happened? How about his wife? I mean, I really can't imagine something that important being made known to someone by God, they would be able to keep it from their wife? What about the three sons and ultimately their wives. Did Noah just run in and grab them up like the angels did to Lot as the rain began around them? Not having the slightest inkling of this fantasmic cataclysmic event ever having been told to them by their father?

So, I'm not sure your understanding of the point you are trying to make that no one knows the hour or day is well taken. But their actually is Scriptural evidence that He does allow warnings of the times to be understood. I'm certainly not proclaiming any hour, and if you believe I have please show me. I haven't written any date down on anyone's calendar... as yet. But I think that even Paul offers us warnings by which he would surely expect God's children, those who are of the same Spirit, to understand the area of time that we live in according to the account of God's timeline in the Scriptures. Surely no one can deny that we do hear of wars and 'rumors of war' pretty much every day. And it's not going to get better with this bully attitude that we're showing the other nations of the earth.

So, I read the Scriptures, just as I imagine those wise men from the East had done in their day. I have been counting out the seven seventies and come to understand that the Messiah that Daniel wrote to his people about was due. "Let's go find him." Said some wise, according to God's description, men who lived far in the East where Daniel had actually written the words and they were likely included as a part of many of their libraries. Remember that Cyrus, who sent Daniel back home, knew the God of Daniel. Daniel was considered a very, very wise man in all of Babylon. He was honored to be the only Jew to have had any position so high in the government. So Daniel wrote some time while in Babylon that there would be 7 seventies to start counting after some decree, "Oh yea, that was the decree that was given to Nehemiah to go and rebuild Jerusalem." Some "wise" men, according to God's understanding of their wisdom, saw to it that they understood the prophecy and were sent by God to gently prod His people into remembering the time it was. Ahhh, but alas, their hearts were too hard.

A baby is born in the middle of nowhere and the likes of great people come from a very, very long distance to recognize his birth and proclaim who he is. "saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."" These wise men from the east knew the season that Jesus the Messiah that Daniel had written of, was due to be born. They understood that a virgin shall be with child was a direct reference to Jesus and no one else. Mary walked around for nine months as a virgin with child. God has given us all great and powerful signs of His work among us and I believe He has always expected those who are His, as both Paul and the other writers seem to often express in the Scriptures, to understand the work that He has revealed to us. Now we may not be expected to know things like, what will we be walking on in heaven, but I think that God's use of prophecy throughout His words to us are intended for those who have His Spirit to understand.

I do understand that God's word speaks a lot about the last days. He tells us what they will be like and He tells us through His prophecies written to us at least a thousand years ago, some of the signs that will precede and likely even the working of His very hands to know the season when things will happen. That's what the wise men from the East knew. They knew the season to be looking for the promise. I desire that kind of understanding of God's word. That He has not left us without a true account of how this realm of His creating is going to end. In that true account He has also sprinkles liberally a lot of prophecies that we can understand as they unfold. Just like Daniel's prophecy of the 70 sevens. Apparently very, very few people understood 'the moment' that prophecy was pointing to. But God did leave the sign from Daniel and it was forgotten or ignored or misunderstood. But three wise men from the East understood it.

 

[for_his_glory]

for_his_glory

Do you think Noah didn't know the flood was coming before it happened? How about his wife? I mean, I really can't imagine something that important being made known to someone by God, they would be able to keep it from their wife? What about the three sons and ultimately their wives. Did Noah just run in and grab them up like the angels did to Lot as the rain began around them? Not having the slightest inkling of this fantasmic cataclysmic event ever having been told to them by their father?

So, I'm not sure your understanding of the point you are trying to make that no one knows the hour or day is well taken. But their actually is Scriptural evidence that He does allow warnings of the times to be understood. I'm certainly not proclaiming any hour, and if you believe I have please show me. I haven't written any date down on anyone's calendar... as yet. But I think that even Paul offers us warnings by which he would surely expect God's children, those who are of the same Spirit, to understand the area of time that we live in according to the account of God's timeline in the Scriptures. Surely no one can deny that we do hear of wars and 'rumors of war' pretty much every day. And it's not going to get better with this bully attitude that we're showing the other nations of the earth.

So, I read the Scriptures, just as I imagine those wise men from the East had done in their day. I have been counting out the seven seventies and come to understand that the Messiah that Daniel wrote to his people about was due. "Let's go find him." Said some wise, according to God's description, men who lived far in the East where Daniel had actually written the words and they were likely included as a part of many of their libraries. Remember that Cyrus, who sent Daniel back home, knew the God of Daniel. Daniel was considered a very, very wise man in all of Babylon. He was honored to be the only Jew to have had any position so high in the government. So Daniel wrote some time while in Babylon that there would be 7 seventies to start counting after some decree, "Oh yea, that was the decree that was given to Nehemiah to go and rebuild Jerusalem." Some "wise" men, according to God's understanding of their wisdom, saw to it that they understood the prophecy and were sent by God to gently prod His people into remembering the time it was. Ahhh, but alas, their hearts were too hard.

A baby is born in the middle of nowhere and the likes of great people come from a very, very long distance to recognize his birth and proclaim who he is. "saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."" These wise men from the east knew the season that Jesus the Messiah that Daniel had written of, was due to be born. They understood that a virgin shall be with child was a direct reference to Jesus and no one else. Mary walked around for nine months as a virgin with child. God has given us all great and powerful signs of His work among us and I believe He has always expected those who are His, as both Paul and the other writers seem to often express in the Scriptures, to understand the work that He has revealed to us. Now we may not be expected to know things like, what will we be walking on in heaven, but I think that God's use of prophecy throughout His words to us are intended for those who have His Spirit to understand.

I do understand that God's word speaks a lot about the last days. He tells us what they will be like and He tells us through His prophecies written to us at least a thousand years ago, some of the signs that will precede and likely even the working of His very hands to know the season when things will happen. That's what the wise men from the East knew. They knew the season to be looking for the promise. I desire that kind of understanding of God's word. That He has not left us without a true account of how this realm of His creating is going to end. In that true account He has also sprinkles liberally a lot of prophecies that we can understand as they unfold. Just like Daniel's prophecy of the 70 sevens. Apparently very, very few people understood 'the moment' that prophecy was pointing to. But God did leave the sign from Daniel and it was forgotten or ignored or misunderstood. But three wise men from the East understood it.

God does give us warnings like that of Matthew 24 as Noah preparing for the impending flood as he knew a flood was coming as God told him so, but yet like the return of Christ, no one knows the day or the hour, Matthew 24:36-39, but that we need to be prepared for when He does return. We can only assume Noah told his wife and children as scripture is silent on this and they would not understand what rain was as it never rained before that day.

In Genesis 6:9-20, especially verse 17, God told Noah that He was about to destroy the people and the earth with a flood of water as all became wicked in the eyes of God, except for Noah who was found righteous in the eyes of God. Genesis 1:6-7 and Genesis 2:5 shows that it never rained on Earth before that of the flood in Noah's day, but yet Noah having great faith in God believed in what God told him about the flood and prepared himself and his family. There is no mention in scripture about Noah telling his wife and children about the impending flood as none of them, including Noah, would understand what a flood would be, but scripture only mentions that Noah was obedient to God's command to build an ark and save his family.

The same will be as in the days of Noah of the impending return of Christ as know one knows when this will happen, but to be obedient to God's commands as we prepare to be caught up to Him when He returns, 1Corinthians 15:50-58; 1Thessalonians 4:13-18.

Mat 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mat 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

 

[miamited]

God does give us warnings like that of Matthew 24 as Noah preparing for the impending flood as he knew a flood was coming as God told him so, but yet like the return of Christ, no one knows the day or the hour, Matthew 24:36-39, but that we need to be prepared for when He does return.

That's correct and if you ever see me writing or saying a day or hour of Jesus' return, then you can quote this verse to me. But knowing seasons is a completely different matter and I find evidence that God does want us to know the timing of some future events merely in the account of Daniel and his writing to us of an angel that told him about future kingdoms and the exact time of the Messiah's visitation to us. God revealed to Daniel the timing of the 70 sevens and it would seem that only a few people from Babylon (?) had figured it out.

Even Jesus rebuked God's people for not knowing the time of his visitation.

“If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Jesus seems to have expected Israel to 'know the time of your visitation'. I believe that Jesus was specifically referring to Daniel's prophecy of the seventy sevens. He was also referring to their lack of knowledge and understanding of the virgin with child. He was also referring to God's word telling us what the Messiah would be doing as he lived among us that Jesus himself quoted standing in the synagogue where he pretty much began his public ministry of God's salvation available through him.

God gives His children signs as warnings and confirmation of the things that He is doing. Now, we can be like Israel and refuse to understand these warnings and signs, but Jesus didn't seem to think that was a particularly good thing that they didn't know the time of his visitation after his Father had left all of those 'roadsigns' for them to watch for and understand. I don't think He's particular proud of our not knowing and understanding the signs of the end of the age that God has also given us clear warning and advance notice of.

 

[for_his_glory]

That's correct and if you ever see me writing or saying a day or hour of Jesus' return, then you can quote this verse to me. But knowing seasons is a completely different matter and I find evidence that God does want us to know the timing of some future events merely in the account of Daniel and his writing to us of an angel that told him about future kingdoms and the exact time of the Messiah's visitation to us. God revealed to Daniel the timing of the 70 sevens and it would seem that only a few people from Babylon (?) had figured it out.

Even Jesus rebuked God's people for not knowing the time of his visitation.

“If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Jesus seems to have expected Israel to 'know the time of your visitation'. I believe that Jesus was specifically referring to Daniel's prophecy of the seventy sevens. He was also referring to their lack of knowledge and understanding of the virgin with child. He was also referring to God's word telling us what the Messiah would be doing as he lived among us that Jesus himself quoted standing in the synagogue where he pretty much began his public ministry of God's salvation available through him.

God gives His children signs as warnings and confirmation of the things that He is doing. Now, we can be like Israel and refuse to understand these warnings and signs, but Jesus didn't seem to think that was a particularly good thing that they didn't know the time of his visitation after his Father had left all of those 'roadsigns' for them to watch for and understand. I don't think He's particular proud of our not knowing and understanding the signs of the end of the age that God has also given us clear warning and advance notice of.

Jesus gave us many warnings and signs to watch for before He returns on the last day. He basically outlined all of this in Matthew 24, but also many places from Genesis to Revelation where it is written about the last days. We need only the Holy Spirit to teach us such things, but no matter when it all comes to fruition, we must always stand prepared to be with Christ when He returns for us as none of us are even promised our next breath. For now we need to be about our Father's business taking the Gospel message out into the world.