Matthew 24:36 Commentary: What Does It Mean That No One Knows the Day or the Hour?（Part-1）

By Zhao Yan

One morning, the sun came through the window and landed on Yixi, who was reading this verse in earnest at the desk: “But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Matthew 24:36). “So, no one knows when the Lord will return.” She said to herself and nodded her head confidently. However, at a Bible study she made a new discovery with regard to this verse.

At the Bible study …

Sister Su asked Yixi in a puzzled manner: “Recently I’ve heard someone preaching that the Lord has returned. But it is clearly recorded in the Bible, ‘But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.’ (Matthew 24:36). Doesn’t this verse say that no one knows when the Lord will return? So I’m wondering how they know it.”

Sister Lian said immediately: “That’s right. Lately I’ve also heard about this. They say that the Lord has returned. Is there a biblical basis for their words? I really can’t make heads or tails of this.”

Then others also began to discuss it. Some said: “The Lord returning is a big deal. We must seriously look into it.”

Others said: “It is impossible for us mankind to know when the Lord comes again, which the Bible states clearly. So there is no need to investigate.”

…………

After a moment, Yixi stood up and said: “Brothers and sisters, please settle down. I was very surprised as well at hearing this news just now; however, I think we should carefully study the Bible and not randomly pass judgment. If the Lord has really returned and we don’t seek or investigate but arbitrarily make assertions, we will be condemned by the Lord!”

Older Brother Song said: “Sister Yixi is right. The Lord Jesus said, ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you’ (Matthew 7:7). If we have an attitude of seeking humbly, I think the Lord will lead us to know whether He has returned or not.”

With a look of disdain, Sister Qu said haughtily: “What is there to seek? It is clearly stated in the Bible that no one knows when the Lord will come. If someone says that the Lord has returned, I will not accept it.”

Brother Song stood up and said: “Brothers and sisters, is this way of thinking really correct? The Bible says, ‘For the letter kills, but the spirit gives life’ (2 Corinthians 3:6). We all know that when the Lord Jesus came to do His work, the Pharisees adhered to the literal meaning of the Bible, thinking that anyone who wasn’t called Messiah couldn’t be God; as a result, they nailed the Lord Jesus to the cross, committing a most heinous sin. We mustn’t take the same path as the Pharisees; we mustn’t look at the Lord’s return through our own notions and imaginings. A few days ago I went out to listen to other sermons and met some brothers and sisters who have preached the gospel for many years. They explained very clearly the issue of whether people will know about the Lord’s return and their fellowship had a biblical basis, which is of great benefit to our welcoming the Lord. How about I share with everybody the light of what they have fellowshiped?”

Yixi and Sister Su said happily: “That’s terrific. Please fellowship with us.”

“Please open your Bible to Matthew 25:6: ‘And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him.’ And Revelation 3:20: ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.’ From these two verses we can see that some people will know that the Lord has returned because the Lord told us to welcome Him when He returns, and said that He will stand outside the door and knock, anyone who hears His voice should open their door and He will sup with him. If no one knew when the Lord returns, then how would these verses be fulfilled? Furthermore, we all know that the Lord will come to save mankind, so if He didn’t let people know about His coming, how could He save them? How could we believe and follow Him?”

Everyone was very surprised to hear this and began to talk about it.

To be continue…

Source from: find the shepherd.

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