Clearly over and over we are warned to be ready for an unknown day
Matt 25:10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Mark 13:32But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
33Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
34For the Son of man is
as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority
to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to
watch.
35Watch
ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at
even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
36Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
37And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
This ^^ unknown day is not the "second coming." The "second coming" that most people talk about (Revelation 19 is the coming of the KING OF KINGS not the coming of the Son of man, read Rev 19:11-16 do you see the Lord calling Himself the Son of man there? NO) is a known day. How do we know the known day? The anti-Christ is given power for 42 months, not a day more. How will the anti-Christ be destroyed and how will his power be ended?
2 Thess 2:8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
^^ This is the known coming.
So obviously there are at least 2 "comings" we need to consider: the unknown day and the known day.
Why is this important? At least 2 reasons, 1. it quickly dispenses with a large amount of end times non-sense teaching (like "there is only one second coming" etc) 2. Most importantly it firmly establishes the importance of us doing what we were told to do which is watch for the return of our Lord and Master.
The Lord is coming back on an unknown day AND a known day. The Lord is coming back unexpectedly and expected. What we are looking for, in complete alignment and obedience to the Scripture is the unknown day...
How many people will tell you today not to look for the return of the Lord because a,b,c and d have to happen first? What is their mistake? Only considering the known day. To only consider the known day and leave out the unknown day is a grievous error. Why do I say it is grievous? Because of the consequences. What did the Lord say about those who are not prepared, waiting, expecting the unknown day?
Matt 25:10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
What happens to these virgins who did not prepare and consider the unknown day? Does the Lord offer them a wink and a nod, spank them on the hand then usher them into the kingdom? No, the door is slammed in their face and He tells them "I don't know you......"
Do those consequences seem severe to you? They do to me. If it were up to me, everyone, all of the virgins would be granted admission. I personally would not leave anyone behind but I am not the judge and I did not write Matt 25:11-12.
Do you know what issue above and beyond interpretation settles most if not all these end times debates? One word: obedience. Obedience trumps interpretation every time. Does man know more than God? Can man outsmart or out think God? If there are questions over interpretation how can they be settled? Obedience. What do I mean?
We were clearly told to pray to escape all that is about to happen.
Luke 21: 36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
This is not optional, its an order yet how many people because of their doctrine choose to disregard obedience for their personal doctrine preferences? They do not pray to escape all because they do not believe we will escape all that is about to happen.
Again along the same lines these people do not obey the command to watch for our Lord's return today.
Matt 25:10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Mark 13:32But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
33Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
34For the Son of man is
as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority
to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to
watch.
35Watch
ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at
even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
36Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
37And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
The were told to watch for this unknown day but instead of watching for the Lord's return on this unknown day, they are watching for everything else BUT the return of the Lord because their manmade doctrine tells them the Lord cannot return yet. They willfully disobey it is a matter of obedience over doctrine.
Let me make it even more clear, if we have the choice to obey a command we clearly understand or disobey in order to choose a doctrine we do not fully understand what do we choose? What do I mean not fully understand a doctrine? We have people, "experts" on every side of every issue just about written in the book of Revelation, that creates some confusion. How do we settle the confusion? Simple obedience to the commands we were given. If we were told to pray to escape all that is about to happen, we pray to escape all that is about to happen without inserting or removing anything to fit our pet doctrines? How hard is that?
If we were told the Lord is coming on an unexpected day and we should watch and be ready for an unexpected return, then we should watch and be ready for an unexpected return. Any doctrine that conflicts with the simple command needs to be dismissed in preference for simple obedience to straightforward commands.
Those who think they can out-think the Lord will be proven to be fools. Those who think they can disregard simple reading and simple obedience to straightforward commands will be proven to be fools. Man never has and never will outsmart God. I am not name calling, the Lord did the name calling for us:
1Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Pray for all those in Christ, and your family and friends that we may all be counted worthy to escape all that is about to happen. That is our Lord's command to us. Be ready, prepare and be ready for an unexpected return of the Lord in obedience to the commands clearly and repeatedly given to us. Let us be obedient children who do what they were told to do and who will not be ashamed at the coming of their Lord on that unexpected day.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
