Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Tuesday, September 18th

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Ezra 1-3
Today's scripture focus is Matthew 24:36-51

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. 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. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two 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. 43 But 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. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

No one knows when the Second Coming (or the Rapture or both simultaneously, depending on the interpretation) will occur.  No one.  Not even Jesus Christ Himself.

All those end of the world predictions are a bunch of hocus pocus.  And in fact, when someone claims they know the day the world is going to end, you've now almost guaranteed that it will be any other day but that one!

Yes, there will be signs beforehand.  But it will still be sudden and unexpected.  Just like there were signs in Noah's day about the flood (ummm, huge ark anyone?!), but no one believed it until they were neck deep in water, but the doors were shut and they were too late.

Whether this is referring to the Rapture or the Second Coming at the end of the tribulation, the point of this passage remains the same.  No one knows when it will come and so we must live each day as though His return is imminent.  We must go on with our lives, we can't just all gather on a hillside and stare at the sky, waiting for His imminent return.  No, we must go on with our lives, living them in light of this fact.  We must be watchful, we must be alert, but above all, we must use the time we are still given to continue to serve and glorify Him on earth, building up treasures in heaven, while we still can.

Because when He comes (and no matter how long He delays, He will come!), we will be held accountable.  There will be judgment, and if we wait until He returns, we will have waited too long.

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Matthew 25:1-30
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Ezra 4-6, Psalm 137

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