Daily Bread 2010 - Matthew 24
Matthew 24
The Day and Hour Unknown
36"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Although many like to speculate on when the end of the world will be, to date no one who has made a prediction about this has been right ie. we are all still here! Even Jesus makes clear in verse 36, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, not the Son of God, but only the Father.” Ie. It is top secret!!!
When the disciples ask Jesus when that time will be, he gives some clues like: wars, imposters who will come and say they are “the Christ”, and other natural disasters. Then Jesus refers to one sign in particular, as the sure sign the end is coming. He calls it the “abomination that causes desolation”. Lots of speculation has occurred over the years trying to figure out exactly what that is. We know some of what this means from history.
In 167 B.C. a Greek ruler by the name of Antiochus Epiphanies set up an altar to Zeus over the altar of burnt offerings in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. He also sacrificed a pig on the altar in the Temple in Jerusalem. This event is known as the abomination of desolation. Since Jesus lived some 200 years later, we know he was not referring to this event but something like it.
Most conclude that in the end times the Anti-Christ will come and pose as the Messiah, and even have some power to do something supernatural things. Though he is a deceiver, many will put their trust in him. And the final act of deception will be some type of sacrifice that will completely demean the “once and for all sacrifice” that Jesus made for us. This will be the final sign, the end is at hand.
So what does this mean? I think it means that we should be less concerned about when that time will be, and more concerned about being ready for it! How do we get ready for it? First, by being in a right relationship with God through the grace of His Son Jesus Christ. When we know we are God’s son or daughter, we also realize that nothing can separate us from that love, not even the end itself. And secondly, by living a life worthy of this calling as God’s son or daughter! Instead of worrying about when Jesus returns, we should worry about helping as many people to get to know Him as possible before it is too late.
Prayer: God help us to be ready for your return. Thank you for permanently establishing our relationship with You through Your Son. Give us an eagerness to be about advancing Your kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven, until one day the two will be one. In Jesus’ name and power, Amen.
The Day and Hour Unknown
36"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Although many like to speculate on when the end of the world will be, to date no one who has made a prediction about this has been right ie. we are all still here! Even Jesus makes clear in verse 36, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, not the Son of God, but only the Father.” Ie. It is top secret!!!
When the disciples ask Jesus when that time will be, he gives some clues like: wars, imposters who will come and say they are “the Christ”, and other natural disasters. Then Jesus refers to one sign in particular, as the sure sign the end is coming. He calls it the “abomination that causes desolation”. Lots of speculation has occurred over the years trying to figure out exactly what that is. We know some of what this means from history.
In 167 B.C. a Greek ruler by the name of Antiochus Epiphanies set up an altar to Zeus over the altar of burnt offerings in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. He also sacrificed a pig on the altar in the Temple in Jerusalem. This event is known as the abomination of desolation. Since Jesus lived some 200 years later, we know he was not referring to this event but something like it.
Most conclude that in the end times the Anti-Christ will come and pose as the Messiah, and even have some power to do something supernatural things. Though he is a deceiver, many will put their trust in him. And the final act of deception will be some type of sacrifice that will completely demean the “once and for all sacrifice” that Jesus made for us. This will be the final sign, the end is at hand.
So what does this mean? I think it means that we should be less concerned about when that time will be, and more concerned about being ready for it! How do we get ready for it? First, by being in a right relationship with God through the grace of His Son Jesus Christ. When we know we are God’s son or daughter, we also realize that nothing can separate us from that love, not even the end itself. And secondly, by living a life worthy of this calling as God’s son or daughter! Instead of worrying about when Jesus returns, we should worry about helping as many people to get to know Him as possible before it is too late.
Prayer: God help us to be ready for your return. Thank you for permanently establishing our relationship with You through Your Son. Give us an eagerness to be about advancing Your kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven, until one day the two will be one. In Jesus’ name and power, Amen.
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