Building on my last post that concerned taking Matthew 24:36 out of context, let’s look at one important sign Jesus gave us to help us recognize the time of His coming. Jesus’s second coming will be accompanied by Armageddon and world-wide destruction of evil. Jesus prophesied this in His Olivet discourse. Right after He uttered the verse stating that no one knows the day or hour, He said this: “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:37). Though all of mankind was evil and therefore subject to destruction by the flood, God spared Noah; “because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.” (Genesis 7:1). God told Noah of His plans 100 years before the flood. After the ark was completed, God told Noah: “After seven more days, I will destroy all living things that I have made.” (Genesis 7:4). So, Noah, the only righteous man on the earth knew precisely when God’s judgment was coming.
In the same discourse Luke records Jesus adding this: “Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot….Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.” (Luke 17:28-30). Abraham, righteous in God’s eyes because of his belief, was told ahead of time concerning Gods plan to destroy the cities of the plain due to their utter and complete depravity. The Lord asked this rhetorical question; “Shall I hide from Abrahm what I am doing?” (Genesis 18:17). Lot, Abraham’s nephew who lived in Sodom was also given adequate time to prepare for the coming destruction. “….and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked.” (2 Peter 2:7). The righteous knew ahead of time of the coming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and when it was to occur.
While there are several reasons Jesus used the examples of Noah and Lot to describe conditions just prior to His coming, many miss one of the most important ones: God always lets the righteous know what’s coming. Ever since Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross righteousness is a characteristic of believers. “For He made Him Who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21). If you are a real Christian, you’re righteous in Gods eyes because of Christ. And, if you’re righteous, God’s M.O. is to give you all you need to know to determine what’s coming next on His timetable and when.
Remember God’s promise in Amos 3:7. “Surely, the Lord does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” Again, don’t be swayed by teachers who take verses out of context to prove their point. We can and will know all the events surrounding Jesus’ return as and even before they happen. More on this topic in my next post.
Maranatha, Jim