The Day and the Hour
Read: Matthew 24:36-51
Many people incorrectly read these verses and falsely assume that the End Times is just a big
mystery and therefore there is no need to study it. But the End Times is not a minor topic in Scripture;
in fact there are over 150 chapters in the Bible dedicated to the End Times. It is true that we cannot
know the specific date and time when Jesus returns but we can know the season. We learned
already that we are commanded by Jesus to know when He is about to come back (Matt. 24:32-35)
so how can we make sense of today’s verses? Scriptures about the End Times are not confusing.
Jesus is the Truth and the Light and He does not make things confusing or contradict Himself. We
need to look at all of Scripture when interpreting the Bible, not just a single verse here and there.
Today’s verse does not contradict other verses in Scripture. We cannot know the exact date or time
of Jesus return (verse 36) therefore we don’t make predictions or follow End Times fortune tellers.
There are three approaches to End Times prophecy. 1) Ignore the signs (it’s really bad to ignore
massive passages of Scripture), 2) use the signs to predict the future (this leads to abuse, also bad),
3) use the signs to interpret the season (this is what Jesus wants us to do). Verse 42 tells us to keep
watch, this is what we must do, and we must be prepared. One of the keys to interpreting today’s
verses is to see them as talking about being prepared. We don’t prepare by calculating a date or time
but by living a life of constant readiness and by responding to the warnings that God gives us in the
Scriptures. Christ illustrates this to us beautifully by describing two men in a field and two women
grinding with a mill. In both situation, one is prepared and is taken and the other is not. We will see
the theme of readiness permeate the next chapter of Matthew where Jesus emphasizes this point
using several parables. The important thing to remember is that we are commanded to watch and be
ready.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. How are you living a life of constant readiness for Christ’s second coming? How are you
watching and waiting for His return?
2. Ask the Lord to show you anything else that He wants you to do in order to be prepared for His
coming? What else is involved in watching and waiting for His return?
3. Pray that the Canadian Church would be awakened from its slumber and begin to be ready
for Christ’s second coming. Pray that God would use Southland in a powerful way – to glorify
Himself and to ready the church for His return.
