DAY 18 - Not Knowing the Day or Hour - 1
Often pretribulationists will claim that the return of Jesus is imminent.
They say that His return could occur at any moment.
A variety of verses will be used to supposedly support this claim.
However, based on Scripture, it is impossible that this is Jesus’ teaching.
The following verses have periodically been used to promote this message.
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Matthew 24:36)
“Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (Matthew 24:42)
“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 24:44)
“The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of.” (Matthew 24:50)
“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 25:13)
“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” (Mark 13:32)
“Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.” (Mark 13:33)
“Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:” (Mark 13:35)
Ripped out of context, these verses may seem to teach an any-moment return of Jesus, without any events needing to occur prior.
However, all of these verses come from the “Olivet Discourse.”
This is problematic for pretribulationists.
They generally agree that the “Olivet Discourse” has nothing to do with the rapture because they believe that they will be raptured away from the earth before the Antichrist shows up.
Since the coming of the Lord and the gathering of His elect mentioned in Matthew 24:30-31 chronologically occur after the “Abomination of Desolation” mentioned in Matthew 24:15, they must not allow this coming to be the rapture, since this timing would then contradict their pretribulational view.
Also, these verses from the “Olivet Discourse” all appear in a chronological timeline.
“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places… And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many… When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)… For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matthew 24:7, 24:11, 24:15 & 24:21)
All these verses list specific events that must occur before the return of which we are told, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man” (Matthew 24:36).
We will cover more on this tomorrow.
Point: Not knowing the day or hour does not mean an event must be imminent.
2+2=4
Thanks, @narrowminded
In case you missed them,
Introduction
Back Cover
1 : The Foundation
2 : The Tribulation
BONUS : A Biblical, New Testament Understanding of Tribulation
3 : The Seventieth Week of Daniel
4 : Not Appointed to Wrath
5 : Wrath vs. Tribulation
6 : The Day of the Lord
7 : The Lord Alone
8 : The Exaltation of the Antichrist
9 : Promises
10 : The Presupposition
11 : 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
12 : The Revealing of the Antichrist
13 : Same Day - 1
14 : Same Day -2
15 : Hand in Hand
16 : Overtake You as a Thief
17 : Another Thief