We May Know When His Coming Is Near
1. May we know the exact day and hour of the second coming of Christ? “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” Matt. 24: 36. 2. But may we know when the event is near? “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 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 [margin, “He”] is near, even at the doors.” Matt. 24: 30-33. NOTE.— In the previous verses of this twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew the Master has told of certain “signs” and prophecies that were to make known the approach of His second advent. Then He brings us on to the time when the sublime event actually occurs. Following this He asks us to learn a parable of the fig-tree. We “know” that summer is at hand when we see the tree with tender branch putting forth its leaves. This is the sure, the never-failing sign, that summer is right at hand. And in like manner are we to watch till we see “all these things” which He has given as tokens of His coming, and then we are to “know” that He is near, even at the doors. Observe that we are really to “know” when He is near. We are not left to speculate or to guess. 3. What exhortation does the apostle Peter give concerning the light of prophecy? “WE HAVE ALSO A MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY; WHEREUNTO YE DO WELL THAT YE TAKE HEED, AS UNTO A LIGHT THAT SHINETH IN A DARK PLACE, UNTIL THE DAY DAWN, AND THE DAY-STAR ARISE IN YOUR HEARTS.” 2 Peter 1:19. 4. In what words does Paul speak of the destruction that awaits those upon whom the day of the Lord comes as “a thief in the night”? “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” 1 Thess. 5:1-3. 5. While speaking of those who disregard the evidence, and upon whom the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night, what does the apostle, in the verses that immediately follow the last quotation, say of the “brethren”? “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” 1 Thess. 5: 4-6.