No One Knows When

Mark 13:32

"Of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." If the Lord Jesus Christ is himself God the Son, equal in all things and one with the Father and the Spirit, as the Scriptures universally assert that he is and the doctrine of the Trinity demands, if he is God all-wise, all-knowing, omniscient, before whom darkness is light, from whom nothing can be hid - How can he be ignorant of the day and hour of his second advent? The answer is both simple and obvious when we compare Scripture with Scripture.

Here is a demonstration of the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ is exactly who and what he claims to be - both God and man. As a man, our Savior was no more omniscient than he was omnipotent or omnipresent. When he hungered, it was not God who hungered, but man. When he thirsted, it was not God who thirsted, but man. When he died, it was not God who died, but man. In the four gospels, sometimes he speaks of himself as a man (as here) and sometimes he speaks of himself as God in order to show us that he is fully both. As God he said to his disciples, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth,” though no one had informed him of Lazarus’ death. Yet, when he came to Bethany, he asked as a man, “Where have ye laid him?” The same thing is true in Mark 13:32. Obviously, as the Son of God, he knew and always has known the precise second of his second advent. But as the Son of man, he was altogether ignorant of it.

Three things are obvious: (1). He who is our Redeemer is and must be both God and man in one glorious person. (2.) Learn this fact and learn it well. No one knows when the Lord Jesus is coming again. The language of Scripture in this regard is crystal clear (Mk. 13:32; Acts 1:4-11). No one knows, or even has a hint of an idea, when the Lord Jesus will come again to this world. Not only do the Scriptures tell us this emphatically, we have a glaring proof of he fact before us. If the perfect, holy man Christ Jesus, that man who knew the Book of God like no other man, did not know it, if he did not figure out the day or hour of his appearing, you are not about to do so! (3.) No one knows when Christ is coming to take him out of this world, to meet God in judgment. I find it utterly amazing that we so blatantly ignore this fact. David said, “There is but a step between me and death.” We all say we realize that; but very few people seem to live like they realize it. There is but a step between you and death. O my soul, hear the Word of God and learn - “There is but a step between me and death!” God has, from eternity, fixed the moment and the means by which he will take you out of this world. As soon as God takes you out of this world, you are going to stand before him in judgment. I know, there is a day of judgment at the end of time. Following the general resurrection, there will be a general judgment (John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:11-15). But you will meet God in judgment as soon as you draw your last breath (2 Cor. 5:10-11; Heb. 9:27). “How wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?”

Don Fortner