Christ’s Coming Is Intended To be a Surprise

The desire to know when the Lord will return has been around since Jesus’ day.  His disciples asked him about the time in Matthew 24:3.  “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”  Jesus proceeded to tell them of things that were to happen before he came in the first part of the chapter. 

In Matthew 24:32-34, Jesus uses a parable to illustrate what is going to happen.  “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”  He had just explained that the Antichrist would come to power and the believers in Jerusalem would be forced to flee for their lives.  Now he said when you see these things begin to happen, you know that his return is imminent.  Many of the people who are alive in that day will live to see his return. 

Unfortunately, many who believe in the Pre-tribulation Rapture have taught that the Fig tree represents the nation of Israel and Christ’s reference to it budding as referring to the reforming of Israel in 1948.  In taking that view they overlook Luke’s account of the same teaching in Luke 21:29-31.  “And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.  So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.”  Referencing back to Luke 21:20-29, we find that both Matthew and Luke describe the same things as being the things that indicate Jesus return.  Unfortunately, as the generation who were alive when Israel was reformed get older, those who have been taught that the fig tree is a reference to Israel are beginning to lose hope, and many of those who have heard so much teaching on prophecy have already given up. 

Just because things haven’t turned out the way some have interpreted the prophecies is no reason to give up.  In Matthew 24:35-44, he reminds us that no one knows the date, not even the angels in Heaven.  “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” 

Human nature is such that if God had told us exactly when he was coming people would procrastinate until a few hours or days before to get ready to meet him instead of serving him every day.   This way, Satan has had to constantly have someone prepared to assume the role of Antichrist because he doesn’t know either, making it much harder to make his plans too far in advance.  It is going to turn out exactly as God planned it, but it is not going to happen when all these prophecy teachers think it will.  As Paul told us in II Thessalonians 2, don’t let them upset you.  Those who claim to know the date are clearly false teachers.