The Matthew 24:36 Factor

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”  Matt. 24:36

Studying the end-times now-a-days is kind of a no-no .  It’s just not politically correct.  Remember the sensation it caused when the media got a hold of the fact that Governor Palin’s home-church believed in the end-times?  (It just made me love her all the more.)  The mocking spirit that  Paul and Jude warned us would come in the last days is out in full force, I think. 

The biggest factor, though, that keeps the body of Christ in such a lackadaisical attitude towards eschatology is the false belief that it’s just a waste of time.  There’s even a common misconception that Jesus himself told us that it’s none of our business.  The verse at the top of the page is the premiere verse that is used by many to justify this argument and, in my opinion, it’s one of the most miss-taught, miss-preached and misunderstood verses in the Bible.  It’s been used to insight lethargy and apathy towards the study of the end-times when Jesus actually spoke it in the exact opposite spirit.  Jesus spoke these words to encourage watchfulness and an inquiring spirit, not to discourage it.  When we stare at this verse and peer into it’s context we find that it does not mean what so many in the Church think it does.

First off, it’s surrounding verses are full of admonitions to watch, beware and take note.  Jesus lays out in quite a bit of detail what will be happening on earth as His second coming draws near.  At one point Jesus says, ”See, I have told you ahead of time.”  I like this one…I use this tactic often with my kids.  When we’re going into a setting where they might not know exactly what is expected of them, I like to lay out in detail what behaviour is and is not acceptable and then remind them that they have been fairly warned.  That’s what Jesus is saying here; that since he’s disclosing this information ahead of time, no one will be without excuse, and all will be held accountable for not seeing prophetic signposts that Jesus gave fair warning of.

Secondly, the verse simply states, that “no one knows.”  It does not  state that we cannot know, or that no one will ever know.  The idea that no one can ever know and that God the Father is just going to pull a fast one on us, goes against His prophetic nature.  Whenever a transitional time in redemptive history was on it’s way, God always gave His people fair warning.  Always.  Amos 3:7 says, “Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” 

Thirdly, Jesus qualifies His statement that “no one knows,” with this, “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”   So, the question should be, did anyone know in the days of Noah?  Were the people of Noah’s generation fairly warned?  Did God release a prophetic witness on the earth?

Of course He did!  We all know the story.  Noah was divinely warned many, many decades before the flood, and then – get this! – God even entrusted Noah with the very day that He would send the flood (Gen. 7:4).  2 Peter 2:5 tells us that Noah was a preacher of righteousness, and that he warned his generation of the coming judgement.  And my guess is that that gi-normous boat that Noah built over the course of several decades served as a daily opportunity for them to either heed the word of the Lord or ignore it.  They were totally without excuse.

So…if the days of the coming of the Son of Man will mirror the days of Noah then, when the time is right, God will release a prophetic witness on the earth.  It goes against His nature to not do so.  And it’s pretty clear to whom revelation will be given.  It’s going to be given to the watchful, the ones who are heeding Jesus words to “take note.”  How was it that God saw fit to entrust Noah with the very day the flood would come?  It’s because Noah was building that boat, when everyone said he was a fool.

The point of Matthew 24:36 is not that we can’t know, it’s that we can know, and that we will  know…if we’re watching like Noah was.  The only people who were caught off guard by the flood were those who were not watching. 

In my opinion, it’s frightening that we use this verse to justify our lack of knowledge and interest in what the Bible has to say about the end-times.  Quite frankly, it’s false prophecy.  And do you know who false prophets were in OT times?  They weren’t the one’s with the name tag saying “My name is ___, I’m a false prophet,” they were declaring the word of the Lord right along with the “real” prophets.  Do you know what they’re message usually was?  It was, “Peace and safety.  Don’t worry, it’ll all “pan out” in the end.  Just carry on…business as usual.”  Does any one else find it troubling that this is the counsel in the body of Christ right now?

So…back to bit about the study of the end times being politically incorrect.  I know, it’s kinda weird and not very “seeker sensitive” for the subject of so many of my posts to be about the the end-times lately.  But, although it may seem foolish, I will continue to interpret world events through an eschatological lens and measure them against biblical prophecy.  Why?  Because Jesus told me too!!!  (I’ve also taken the Parable of the Talents, a parable that relates directly to the end-times, very personally and I feel like I have to share what I’m learning.)  To me, it’s utterly foolish not  to! 

Friends, there is so much information in the bible pertaining to the end-times that most Christians just ignore.  Why, oh why, is it there if we’re not meant to read it, understand it, and use it to help us be watchful?   I’m fearful that the lie that it’s “not for the church to know” is seriously going to cripple us as we move, with little to no understanding, into the last hours of history.  Remember, the question is not whether it will pan out or not, but whether or not it will pan out well for you and those around you.

P.S.  If you have an extra moment I’d love to hear your thoughts on these passages of scripture.  It’s been my serious intention lately to read and understand the bible in a very literal sense, and these passages have pretty serious implications when read in such a way.  The “once saved always saved” mantra sure looses it’s substance and fortitude in light of them. 

P.P.S.  Dave came across this sermon yesterday.  It’s quite comical (for me anyway).  In it the preacher addresses the question, “Are we living in the end-times?” and…well, he basically says the opposite of everything I’ve said here.  Oh dear…