No One Knows The Day Or The Hour
How People Justify Not Studying Eschatology
"But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah."
Matthew 24:36-37
Whenever talking about Eschatology (Bible prophecy related to end times) it is commonly brought up that "no one knows the day or the hour" as a dismissive reason to not put a lot of thought or effort into understanding end times prophecy. This interpretation is preposterous as it's obvious that there is no purposeless scripture in the Bible. However, I propose that it's also a misinterpretation of scripture and the equivalent to telling the Jews in the 30s AD to not be watching for the Messiah. The strongest case I think to be made for this might be simply to quote back Revelation 3:3:
"So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Then if you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you."
Revelation 3:3
Watch For Signs Of The Season
"Now learn the parable from the fig tree: as soon as its branch has become tender and sprouts its leaves, you know that summer is near; so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away."
Matthew 24:32-35
The verses above precede Matthew 24:36 & clearly state that (while we may not know the exact day and hour) we will be able to recognize the SEASON — that the timing of Jesus's return and that the associated prophetic events are near. But, you can't know the season if you don't know the signs to look for. Need more convincing? Look in the very next chapter — Matthew 25.
Watch For The Bridegroom
"Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. ... ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, because you do not know the day nor the hour."
Matthew 25:1, 13
This chapter is a continuation of the same teaching Jesus is giving in chapter 24. In this chapter he gives a parable describing virgins (bridesmaids) watching for the Groom to come for His bride not knowing the exact day he'll return. This parable follows the Galilean Wedding customs where after the betrothal the Groom would go back to His Father's house and prepare a new room addition for the bride to live in and only at His Father's instruction was He then allowed to go back and retrieve His bride. Jesus refers to Himself as the groom in Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:19-20, Luke 5:34-35, and John 3:29 among other references that also confirm it. So, in this parable we see that those expecting Jesus's return are told to watch. What are we watching for if not the signs of His return?
God Has Communicated His Timing
"Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare."
2 Peter 3:3-10
The scripture above indicates that God has communicated His timing. It likens our current situation where I have personally experienced some scoffing at the coming of Jesus to how in the past the world was created and there was a designated time known by God and made known to Noah for the world to be flooded. Likewise, our present circumstance as prophecy associated with it that has a designated time to occur. We get further confirmation of this in Amos 3:7 which says "Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets."
In the scripture from 2 Peter above, Peter also mentions another item I highlighted in red that seems trivial to many, but I believe is a crucial piece — "With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." I believe that this is an indicator of prophetic timing. I develop this idea further on the Millennial Days page of this site. By the way, I believe I recognize the season to be now and I show scripturally how I've arrived at this conclusion in the other prophecy pages of this site.
