Some Christians in every generation since then have believed the same thing. For instance, Christopher Columbus thought that his voyages were part of God’s ordained plan and that Jesus would return in the year 1650 (or thereabouts). In the 1840s a man named William Miller convinced his followers to sell all their worldly goods because he believed that the Second Coming was at hand. The 20th century has seen many similar predictions: 1914 (connected with World War 1-"The war to end all wars") … 1975 (a date suggested by the Jehovah’s Witnesses) … 1982 (connected with an unusual planetary conjunction) … 1988 (predicted by a Bible teacher who wrote a book that sold hundreds of thousands of copies) … 1994 (suggested by a prominent radio Bible teacher). 2000 – suggested by many. 2012 -- Suggested by the Mayan calendar, and some Christians think God may have revealed it to them so that non-beleivers might eventually come to Christ.
All these dates have this in common: they were all wrong. In fact, every date for the Second Coming that has been suggested over the last 2000 years has been proven wrong. That should tell us something. It is not for us to know the exact date and time. But Jesus told us that fact long ago! Why do not people read the Bible?
Jesus says in Matthew 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
Despite this clear, black and white statement people still continue to examine the details of prophecy to calculate when Jesus will return. It is like well, maybe we cannot know the day or hour but maybe the week or month or year! Verse 36, is very clear “no one knows” means no one can. Not the angels, not even Jesus himself. But this knowledge is only known by God the Father.
But, brothers and sisters, Prophecy has lost its purpose when it merely becomes predicting the future. Prophecy is for warning and a calling to repent. We are all called to repent! We are all called to get right with God through our faith in Jesus Christ and in confessing our sins to Him. People get ready – the Lord is coming. He desires us to be ready for His return!
Though, we do expect that on the day Jesus returns there will be something special happening, some forewarning, some change in the wind, a feeling in our bones, writing in the sky, a spiritual discernment, an announcement in the newsletter, something… but this is the thing, Jesus introduces to us the mundane of advent. Jesus emphasises the monotony, the humdrum of the second coming. Jesus likens the second coming to the times of Noah (v37-39):
37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and 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.
It took Noah quite a long time to build the ark. A lot of planning, a lot of hard work, a lot of mockery. In contrast to the length of time it took the flood was swift, it was sudden. Jesus doesn’t emphasise the sinfulness of the people in Noah’s time instead he emphasises something else to make his point. The people of the time were simply living life. “People were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage...” nothing sinful here, just life. Life was merely rolling along as it usually did. This is what Jesus wants to make clear about his return is that people will still be doing the normal things of life. Back then, you would have been able to see Noah building the ark and back then you would have heard as to why, but as life went on no one cared. Life just rolled on until it was too late.
Jesus gives two other examples to emphasise, in (v40-41): Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
Do you want to be the one life behind? Like the image of division in the parable of the sheep and the goats (25:31-46) there is a dividing between those who live life without God, who have lived with God as their purpose for living.
We are saved through faith but this faith is not merely a mental ascent or agreement but a living faith; a faith in action, of obeying Christ, of loving Him and loving others. Our life of obedience to Jesus is what gives our faith substance; our love for Jesus flows into an action of love for the people/world around us whom need to know – to taste the sacrificial love of which Jesus is our example. This, then, is how we live a life of expectation and readiness for Jesus’ return. The whole message of advent and our response to the second coming is about “being ready”.Jesus tells us to"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Keep watch or watching and be ready, Jesus says. The purpose of prophecy is to serve as warnings to be ready. They’re not to tell you the exact “when” in the future to get ready for, but to get ready now! I ask you now: Are we ready for that day – that glorious day – that day where Jesus who once came into the world to be judged will be the judge of the world – are we ready for that day – that day when Jesus breaks in as Saviour & King – the last day – that day of His glorious return? Are you friends ready? Is your family ready? Are you ready?
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