When Is Jesus Going to Return?

The Day and Hour Unknown 32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert[e]! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” The answer to the question of "When is Jesus Going to Return?" is that we don't know.  In fact Jesus says no one knows not even the angels or he himself, but only the Father.  There is always a lot interest in predicting when the end of the world will be.  After all if I knew the day that Jesus was going to return, I could get things tidied up and try to be a really good person that day.  If anyone has had their house or car broken into, the one thing most people experience is surprise. They usually think that this would never happen to them. But it does.  They didn't know when someone was going to break into their house or car.  If they did they would have taken steps to protect themselves. This is the analogy Jesus uses as we think about getting ready for his eventual return.  In the passage, the disciples were specifically asking about what he meant about the stones of the temple being overturned and not one left standing.  We know from history the temple was eventually destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70.  Many Jews tried to make a last stand around the temple and it wasn't pretty.  Here is how one commentator puts it, "It is said that at the fall of Jerusalem, the last surviving Jews of the city fled to the temple because it was the strongest and most secure building remaining. Roman soldiers surrounded it, and one drunken soldier started a fire that soon engulfed the whole building. Ornate gold detail work in the roof melted down in the cracks between the stone walls of the temple. To retrieve the gold, the Roman commander ordered that the temple be dismantled stone by stone. The destruction was so complete that today researchers have some difficulty learning exactly where the temple was." (Enduring Word Bible Commentary) Jesus' teaching has application to his disciples in the passage and also to us today.  To them he is teaching about the literal destruction of the temple, which would happen roughly 40 years later.  But there are also clear references to the end times when Jesus will return in great and promised glory.  The passage notes many characteristics of the end times that we see in other passages in the bible about the end times.  Here are some general categories: There will be wars and nations will battle other nations.   There will be earthquakes and other natural disasters. Christians will be severely persecuted even by those closest to them. There will be false prophets claiming they are the Messiah.  There will be an abomination that causes desolation related to a desecration of a holy place.    The end will not take place until the gospel is preached to all nations.  You might argue that all of these things are happening right now.  I am sure each generation might be able to make the argument that it was happening more or less in their time too.  What we do know is that the end has not come yet and we do not know when it is going to come. So then how should we live?  We should live each day in preparation for Jesus' return which could happen anyday.  I don't think that means building a tent in the desert and camping out waiting for him to return. I think it means being about the things he commanded us to do.  In a parable Jesus taught he said, "What will happen when the owner of the house returns. Will they be doing what he asked them to do.  Were they faithful with what they had been given?"  These are the questions we should be ready to answer.   But I also don't think this means we have to fear every day am I am doing enough for when Jesus returns. The Christian faith is not about works but works flow out of a relationship with Jesus.  As we abide in Him we do the things he has asked us to do. We can only be ready for Jesus to return if we remain in Him.  Therefore when he returns the spiritual reality we are experience will become a physical reality. Our faith will become sight!