The Truth Pertaining to “Not the Day Nor the Hour” BY Charles R. Sabo
?
?
The Truth Pertaining to “Not the Day Nor the Hour”
I.?????Introduction
Theologians and pastors rebuke people with the words “for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comes.” (Matt. 25:13) They make the remark, with little discernment and without an exegesis of the passages. It has become a blanket rebuke towards anyone with prophetic information regarding the day of the Lord’s coming. I have found verses influential to these passages, actually present Christians with a different perspective and realization. The obliviousness of the church has caused an ignorance to Biblical texts, which reveal amazing revelations concerning the Lord’s coming.
The context of Matthew 24 is vital to understand, in order to understand the context of verses 36 and 42. The context of Mark 13 is vital to be able to understand the context of verse 32. A key verse to the understanding of the context of both Matthew 24 and Mark 13 is located in Luke 17:34-37. I will break down the passages in order to reveal what conditions may affect the outcome of these statements; I will provide evidence within the Scriptures, which will determine whether someone can know the day or hour of Jesus’s return, then I will provide evidence which reveals that there is a specific day to expect Jesus’ return.
II.??The Context of Matthew 24 as it Relates to Matthew 24:36, 42
A.???The Beginning of Sorrows?
In Matthew 24, the disciples inquired of Jesus “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matt. 24:3b) This was shortly after He had prophesied of the destruction of the temple in Matthew 24:2. The destruction of the temple happened in A.D. 70, which was forty years after Jesus had foretold of the event.[1] Jesus responded with certain conditions that could be recognized to determine that the times were approaching from verses 4-7; then in verse 8, He states that those were the beginning of sorrows; Jesus implied that the end is not yet in verse 6, then after verse 8, He described conditions which will occur once the “beginning of sorrows” has come to pass.
B.???The Persecution
Matthew 24:9-12 described the conditions which will occur, then verse 13 is a promise of deliverance from the times described: “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Matt. 24:13) The context of verse 13 should be first realized. One must first ask: “who was Jesus addressing concerning the persecution mentioned in verses 9-12?” Because verse 15 speaks of the Abomination of Desolation “stand in the Holy place,” the people being addressed would be there to witness the event in Jerusalem at the Temple. Jesus was addressing the Jewish persecution, which would be happening prior to the Abomination of Desolation.[2] Surely, verse 9 speaks of those Christians who will be persecuted for Jesus’ namesake, but the focus is on Jerusalem, therefore Messianic Jews (Jews who believe Jesus is Messiah) could be the focus when considering the correlation between verse 9 and verse 15. Those that endure to the end, point to messianic Israel, who will endure the persecution until the “time of the end.”
The timing of the passages between verses 9-14 cannot be pinned down exactly, based on the information within this text. The Jews and Christians have both faced much persecution throughout the last two millenniums, but this persecution will be intensified between the beginning of sorrows and the Abomination of Desolations in verse 15.
In the Old Testament, one can find a time period designated for the timing of the Abomination of Desolation, which Jesus had alluded to in verse 15. Daniel 9:27 reveals a key reference to this event. After Daniel had been revealed the seventy weeks prophecy within Daniel 9:24-26, verse 27 reveals the exact day this Abomination of Desolation is to occur.
27?And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Dan. 9:27)
The prince spoken of in Daniel 9:26 (prince that shall come) will “confirm the covenant with many for one week” (seven years).[3] This covenant (or treaty) will begin the seven years, therefore one would know the exact day of the beginning and end of the last week of the seventy-week prophecy, once the covenant had been signed; also, within verse 27, one can find the timing of the Abomination of Desolation described in Matthew 24:15. “in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.”?The word “midst” can only mean one thing, which is middle; in terms with God’s precision, one should realize that middle is exactly in the middle of the seven years.[4] Once the covenant is signed into place by the “prince who is to come,” one can know the exact day of the event spoken of in Matthew 24:15, which is “for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate (Dan. 9:27b).”[5] The “prince who is to come” is the Antichrist[6] described within Daniel 11:36-39 and Revelation 13:1-6, where the Abomination of Desolation is described within verse 13:6: “And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.”???
Matthew 24:16 is a strong indicator that this message is to the Messianic Jews, because they are told to flee to the mountains (only a believer would obey), when they see the Abomination of Desolation occur. If we refer to Revelation 12:6, we would read of the woman (Israel) who will flee into the wilderness; this is in reference to Israel fleeing at the middle of the seven years; verse 6 indicates that she will have a place prepared by God and that there she will be fed 1,260 days.
C.???The Second Coming of Christ
Matthew 24:16 addresses those, “who are in Judea” commanding them using the word “then” they are to flee to the mountains. Messianic Jews (who believe in Jesus as Messiah) will be in Judea to witness the Abomination of Desolation described in verse 15; they will see the event and remember Jesus’ instructions. Jesus described the terror and urgency needed for them to flee within verses 17-22.
Verses 23-26 present a warning of false Christs and prophets, who will be preaching falsities, including the arrival of Christ already. The Messianic Jews are explained what to look for, when Jesus is actually arriving within verses 27-29:?1) as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west (vv. 26) 2) wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together (vv. 27) 3)?the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light (vv. 29) 4) the stars shall fall from heaven (vv. 29)?5) the powers of the heavens shall be shaken (vv. 29).
Verse 30 dramatically describes the glorious return of the Son of man, Jesus Christ.[7] Verse 31 is the controversial verse which separates the church between views of the timing of the “rapture” of the church. The “great trumpet” which is being blown within verse 31 is not the “last trump” described by Paul within 1 Corinthians 15:52. Verse 31 is the “great trumpet” spoken of in Isaiah 27:13, which is the Feast of Atonement; it is not a typical Feast of Atonement, but the Jubilee Feast of Atonement (Lev. 25:9,10), where all Jews regain their freedom.[8] As per verse 31, Jesus will send His angels, who (Jesus) will sound the “great trumpet” and then they (angels) will gather the “elect” from the “four winds” (from one end of heaven to the other). The “elect” will already be in heaven (raptured church), and the angels will gather them to follow Jesus down to the Earth (Rev. 19:7-8, 14).
The coming of the Son of man in Matthew 24:30 is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, which will be on the Day of Atonement in a Jubilee Year.[9] The context of verses 32-35 point out that the signs of the times will be obvious and that generation will be alive from the beginning of the signs, until the final outcome (Second Coming of Christ).?The context of verses 36 (But of that day and hour knows no man) and 42 (for you know not what hour your Lord does come) pertains to the Second Coming of Christ and not the rapture of the church.?There is no reference in this passage, which refers to a resurrection nor the rapture of the church.????
III. The Context of Mark 13 as it Relates to Mark 13:32
Mark 13:1-4 begins the same Olivet Discourse that is written of within Matthew 24. In Mark 13:4-8, Jesus described the beginning of sorrows as He did within Matthew 24:4-8. The same persecution is warned about, but in much more detail within the Gospel of Mark between verses 9-13. Verse 13 is the same promise made to the Messianic Jews of that time to come: “but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Once again, one can be sure that this message is to the Messianic Jews, because the same warning of the Abomination of Desolation is revealed in verse 14. Verse 14 also advises the Messianic Jews to flee to the mountains just as the Gospel of Matthew has.
The warnings of Mark 13:15-20 are formatted in the same order as Matthew 24:17-21, which both Gospels follow with the same warnings of false Christs and false prophets. Mark 13:24-25 reveal that after the tribulation of those days, signs in the heavens will occur, just as Matthew 24:29 had. Verse 26 reveals the coming of the Son of man, just as Matthew 24:30 had. Verse 27 repeats what Matthew 24:31 had, but Mark left out the angels sounding the great trumpet; the angels will be gathering the “elect” from the uttermost parts of Earth and Heaven. With this difference from Matthew 24:31, one needs to contemplate who the "elect" are from the uttermost parts of the Earth. With the rapture of the church having already happened, before the seven years had begun (2 Thess. 2:7-8), the “elect” being gathered on Earth would be all Messianic Jews and Gentiles who had come to faith in Christ during the seven years; all of the elect will be there with Jesus to celebrate His triumph.[10]?
?Because the overall discourse is the same as what Matthew has, it can be concluded to elude to the Second Coming of Christ. The parable of the fig tree, referred to in Mark 13:28-29, is the same mentioned in Matthew 24:32-33. Verse 30 is the same reference to the generation who sees the indicators, which Jesus had given, shall not perish before all things come to pass (Second Coming of Christ).
32?But of that day and that hour know no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
33?Take you heed, watch and pray: for you know not when the time is. (Mark 13:32-33)
Mark 13:32-33 provide the same warning to the Messianic Jews to keep watch, because they do not know that day nor hour of the Second Coming of Christ. So far, both the Gospels of Matthew and Mark refer to the Second Coming of Christ, which no one knows the day nor the hour of Christ’s return. There is no reference in Mark 13, which refers to a resurrection, nor rapture of the church.???
IV. The Context of Matthew 25:1-12 as it Relates to Matthew 25:13
The context of Matthew 25:1-12 involves an allegorical parable spoken by Jesus concerning 10 virgins; five of them wise had taken oil in their lamps (vv. 4) and five of them foolish did not (vv. 3). While the bridegroom delayed, they fell asleep (vv. 5). When the call came to them that the bridegroom had come, to alert the virgins to go to meet Him, the foolish asked the wise virgins for oil; the wise virgins said no, because then they would not have enough (vv. 7-9). While the foolish virgins went to buy oil, the bridegroom came and took the wise virgins into the marriage room and shut the door. (vv. 10). The foolish virgins arrived too late and begged for the door to be open, but the bridegroom said that He knew them not.
This parable reflects the Bridegroom Jesus coming to take His virgin bride for the rapture of the church. Those virgins left behind, had no oil and the Lord claimed that He did not know them. The lamps of oil can be said to represent the perseverance of their faith, because without the anointing oil of the Holy Spirit, there is no faith.[11] The fact that Jesus does not know them, illustrates the lack of a personal relationship with Him. Jesus alluded to it being a possibility that there may be a longer wait than the bride is anticipating, because all ten of them had fallen asleep. When finished with this parable, Jesus commands: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comes.” (Matt. 25:13) Here the rapture is imminent and long-awaited, thus causing a wearied bride. Because this parable alludes to Jesus being the Bridegroom, one has to conclude that the wise virgins are His bride (His church). This is the only time when Jesus uses “for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comes” to address the imminency of His arrival to take up His bride to heaven in the rapture.???
V.???????The Context of Luke 17:34-37 as it Relates to Matthew 24:27-28
Luke 17:22-23 presents Jesus explaining to His disciples that there would be times in the future where they would desire to see Him come back for them; He hinted that it was not going to be His time; He was preparing them for a long wait.[12] Just as He did in His Olivet discourse (Mat. 24:23-24, Mark 13:21-22), He warned them of deceitful people pointing them to false Christs. In Luke 17:24, Jesus clarified what the event will look like when He actually does arrive back, which is exactly as He described in Matthew 24:27: “For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
In Luke 17:26-30, Jesus provided examples of the Flood of Noah and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to illustrate the dreadful wrath that should be expected on that day, which Jesus calls “days of the Son of man” in verse 26 and “when the Son of man is revealed” in verse 30. There is no reference in this passage, which refers to a resurrection nor the rapture of the church.??
Verses 31-32 present how quickly judgment will come, while Jesus warned them not to go back after their “stuff” when this event is happening; interestingly, He reminded them of Lot’s wife, who looked back at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and was turned to a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:26). Verse 33 is a verse that can seem out of place, except if one were to connect with other times Jesus had implied this. “Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” (Luke 17:33) Jesus implied the same statement within Matthew 10:39 and 16:25, which neither were referring to desperate moments. Trent C. Butler insists this is a warning that one must be willing to surrender their life to die, but I disagree.[13] In dire situations, one must be willing to lose their life to preserve the life of others. “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) In all, God loves a brave, selfless hero, rather than a selfish coward.
B.???????The Context of Luke 17:34-37
34?I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35?Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36?Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
37?And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, there will the eagles be gathered together. (Luke 17:34-37)
In three verses, Jesus provides three examples of the same event. Jonathan Knight implies that the statements seem arbitrary,[14] but God does nothing arbitrarily, especially in judgment. I do agree with Knight that the thrust of the passage is the suddenness of the event happening, while they are living day-to-day life. We must concur that there is one type of person being removed from their day-to-day lives. Verse 37 is the answer to what happens to the people being taken. The disciples asked Jesus, “Where Lord?”?They wanted to know where these people were suddenly taken. Jesus answered them, “Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.” The name “eagles” is translated from the Greek word aetos, which is actually defined as “eagles.”[15] Eagles do not normally go after carrion, but “the body” is taken where eagles are gathering for carrion.
Since it is determined that this is the event of the return of the Son of man (Second Coming of Christ), a person can turn to another passage with a clue to what may be happening within this verse.
17?And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
18?That you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. (Rev. 19:17-18)
The passage in Revelation 19:17-18 is positioned in chapter 19 right after verses 11-16, which reveals the Lord Jesus Christ descending from heaven with His army. He will make His way to Armageddon within the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:2, 12), where “the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven” are waiting for their feast. One can conclude that since the event mentioned in Luke 17:34-37 is to happen at the same time (Second Coming of Christ) as the event in Revelation 19:17-19, that the unrighteous (all men, both free and bond, both small and great) are taken up simultaneously and brought to Armageddon as part of “the supper of the great God.”???
C.???????Relationship Between Luke 17:34-37 and Matthew 24:27-28
27?For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28?For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together. (Matt. 24:27-28)
In Matthew 24:27-28, one can find the timing of the taking away of the unrighteous mentioned within Luke 17:34-37.?Verse 27 declares it is the Coming of the Son of man (Jesus Christ).?Verse 28 declares what Jesus had said in Luke 17:37, but instead of “body,” He uses the word “carcass.”?As an interesting twist to what has been concluded so far, Mark 13:27 reveals that the angels will gather the elect from the earth and heaven. If they gather all of the “elect” on the Earth and bring them to be with Jesus at His Second Coming, then they will all be at the Valley of Jehoshaphat as well. Therefore, all still remaining on Earth will be gathered to Armageddon, both unrighteous and “elect.”???
??VI.???The Timing of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ???
A.???????Old Testament Prophetic Calculations for Second Coming of Christ
The mathematical calculations for the length and timing concerning the Second Coming of Jesus Christ can be correlated through a contextualized interpretation of certain prophecies within the Old Testament. The Book of Daniel provides the events and timing concerning the remaining time before the final events of the current age.
24?Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. (Dan. 9:24)
In Daniel 9:24, Gabriel presents Daniel with the remaining time broken down into seventy weeks (weeks of years).[16] The Seventy Weeks of years equates to 490 years total (70 x 7). Gabriel provided Daniel with the purposes of the seventy weeks prophecy.
?1) To finish the transgression
?2) To make an end of sins
?3) To make reconciliation for iniquity
?4) To bring in everlasting righteousness
?5) To seal up the vision and prophecy
?6) To anoint the most Holy
Within Daniel 9:25-26, one can see that the first sixty-nine weeks of this seventy-week prophecy are laid out in a certain timeframe of fulfillment.??The sixty-nine weeks are fulfilled when Messiah has died (Messiah be cut off, but not for himself).?That leaves one week of years left to happen. The final week of years is yet in the future. [17]?The beginning of the Seventieth Week of the Seventy Week prophecy will begin based on what is said within Daniel 9:27 (And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week). The pronoun “he,” within this verse, refers back to the previous noun mentioned within verse 26 (the prince that shall come). It has been concluded from references to other passages (Daniel 7:20, 24-25, 8:23-25, 11:36-39; Revelation 13:1-6, 19:19-20) that this “prince” is the Antichrist.[18] Within Daniel 9:27, the Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel and “shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease” at the exact halfway point (midst) of the seven years (week). The exactness of this word “midst” can be seen within Daniel 7:25 (given into his hand until?a time [1 year] and times [2 years] and the dividing of time [1/2 year] and Revelation 13:5 (power was given unto him to continue forty and two months).
Once the covenant has been signed by Antichrist, week seventy begins; the time before the midst is three and one-half years, or 42 months; the days can be counted from the signing date; one can conclude that the timeframe for a year is equal to 360 days, based on this data.?The seven years are calculated as 360 x 7 = 2,520 days; the midst of the 2,520 days will be day 1,260-61.[19] Therefore, the final day of the seven years will be on the 2,520th day after the signing of the covenant, or the 1,260th day after the “midst” of the seven years, of which Antichrist will break the covenant and perform the “Abomination of Desolation.”??Because of what is provided in Daniel 9:24, we should conclude that the Second Coming of Christ will be the event that will accomplish the six purposes of the seventy-week prophecy. [20]Therefore, Christ will arrive on the 2,520th day after the signing of the covenant, or the 1,260th day after the “Abomination of Desolation.”
The “rapture” of the Church is a much-debated topic.?The word “rapio” is Latin for the Greek word “harpazo,” which is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.[21] “Harpazo” is translated in English to say “shall?be?caught?up.”[22] In reference to the timing of this event, the Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Thessalonians, because he knew that they were uptight, thinking that the Seventieth Week of Daniel had already started and they were there to endure the tribulation of it.[23]?In 2 Thessalonians 2:1, Paul addressed the concern for the “harpazo” when he stated: “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and?by?our gathering together unto Him.” [24] He proceeded to comfort them that certain events needed to happen first, “then the Wicked be revealed (vv.2:8);” Paul described in verse 8 “whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” If one recalls in Revelation 19:19-20, it is the “beast” (Antichrist) who is destroyed at the Second Coming by Christ (the brightness of his coming).[25] With this, one can conclude that there will be no physical battle fought, but the Lord will speak judgment upon them.[26] According to Daniel 9:27, the “Wicked” (prince or Antichrist) will be “revealed” upon the signing of the seven-year covenant with Israel.??
In 2 Thessalonians 2:5 Paul reminded the Thessalonians that they should already remember what he had told them before; then in verse 6, he reminded them that they already knew what was withholding the revealing of the one (Antichrist) to come. “For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he who now lets?will let, until he be taken out of the way.” (2 Thess. 2:7) The expression “he who now lets” is the One who is restraining the revealing of Antichrist. This can be determined with either scenario, but the same holds true; the church, filled with the Holy Spirit, is the restrainer; since the Holy Spirit indwells the church, the restrainer of the “Wicked” will be removed (raptured) before Antichrist is revealed. The timing of the rapture of the church is before the signing of the covenant with Israel, because upon the signing, the Antichrist will be revealed.
领英推荐
VII.????The Timing of the Harpazo (Rapture) of the Church
A.???The Old Testament Devine Appointments
The Old Testament provides Israel with a picture of the things to come. The Mosaic Covenant was put in place which presented them with God’s laws, but also a set of “holy” days which Israel was required to celebrate each year. Leviticus 23 provides all seven of God’s “holy convocations.” “These are the feasts of the?Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.” (Lev. 23:4) The word “feasts” in the original Hebrew is the noun mow`ed.?The definition of the Hebrew noun, “mow`ed,” is an appointed place, appointed time, meeting. Interestingly, the noun “seasons,” in the original Hebrew, is the word mow`ed as well.[27] “These are the "Appointed Times" of the Creator of the Universe--not simply some quaint religious festivals of a religious denomination known as Judaism.”[28] God made these feast days into holy convocations, or meetings.?He had offerings assigned to each of these feast days. There are four spring feasts and three fall feasts.?The four spring feasts are The Feast of Passover, The Feast of Unleavened Bread, The Feast of First Fruits, and the Feast of Pentecost (Feast of Weeks), or Feast of Shavuot.?The three fall feasts are the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), The Feast of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).
According to the Gospels of the New Testament, Jesus fulfilled the first four feasts of the Lord on their exact day, in their exact order within the Mosaic Covenant. Jesus died on the cross on the Feast of Passover (Nissan 14); He was buried on the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Nissan 15); one can confirm this time of burial within Matthew 27:57-60; it was in the evening, which was the next day according to Jewish tradition of timekeeping. If one reads the story of creation in Genesis chapter 1, one will notice that it says, "And there was evening, and there was morning, one day."?From this, Israel understands that a day begins with the evening; that is at sunset.?Sunset is at 6pm, so therefore the day begins at 6pm.
His sinless body (unleavened bread) was then buried, or put in a tomb, on the first day of The Feast of Unleavened Bread.?The next feast day on the calendar was The Feast of First Fruits. The Feast of First Fruits fell on the day following the Sabbath (the weekly or seventh day Sabbath), which was after the Feast of Passover (Lev. 23:10-14). ?It was the first day of the week (Sunday) and a workday, which was to commence the barley harvest. One can know from Scripture that Jesus rose on the third day, which was Sunday after Passover (John 20:1). The fourth spring feast day is the Feast of Pentecost, which one can confirm its fulfillment on the exact day as well (Lev. 23:15-21). In Acts 2:1-4, one can read and understand that Pentecost was the day that the Holy Spirit fell upon the church. This became the betrothal between Jesus Christ and His bride (the church) which reflects the first Pentecost at Mt Sanai, when Israel was betrothed to God (Exodus 19).
The next feast day to be fulfilled is the Feast of Trumpets. If God is consistent and means to fulfill all of His divine appointments, then one can count on this day being the next fulfillment.
52?In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53?For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Cor. 15:52-53)
One can see that a trumpet is blown, within 1 Thessalonians 4:16; one can see that it is the trumpet blown by God; this in no way can be confused with angels blowing trumpets within the seven trumpet judgments in Revelation 8:2-11:15. Even the “great trumpet” blown within Matthew 24:31 can be connected to God blowing the “great trumpet” in order to send His angels to gather the elect from the four corners of heaven. According to Leviticus 23:24, the Feast of Trumpets is to be celebrated every year on the first day of the seventh month, which it the month of Tishri. To be consistent, the rapture of the church will happen on the exact day of the Feast of Trumpets; since there is not an event to warn of the exact year of this occurrence, the event remains imminent.
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. (Leviticus 23:24)
As I have already explained, the Feast of Atonement is yet in the future as well; it will bring in the beginning and the end of the Seventieth Week of Daniel, which will be heralded by the sound of the “great trumpet.” The Feast of Tabernacles will occur after the arrival of Christ, when He will require all on Earth to come to Jerusalem once a year to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:16-19).
VIII.???Conclusion
?As I have presented within this study, the statements made by Jesus within Matthew 24:36, 42; 25:13; Mark 13:32 are being construed into pointing to the rapture of the church by various pastors and theologians. I have revealed that the sermon spoken was the same event, written by two Apostles within Matthew 24 and Mark 13. Luke 17, however, reveals the statement which confirms the timing of the event spoken of between the three Gospels. The fowls of heaven will gather at the Second Coming of Christ, which is confirmed between Luke 17:37 and Revelation 19:17-18. Both verses explain where the bodies (or carcasses) will be gathered, which is where the fowls will be gathered. Armageddon is the place where all of the unrighteous on the planet will be gathered and become “the supper of the great God.” The “elect,” in both heaven and on the Earth, will be gathered at the sound of the “great trumpet” of God” (Feast of Atonement); this will be seven years after the Seventieth Week of Daniel had begun, which was on the Feast of Atonement as well; all of the “elect” will be brought to the Valley of Jehoshaphat to watch the event called Armageddon.
?With Matthew 24 and Mark 13 addressing the Second Coming of Christ, and Matthew 25 addressing the rapture of the church, one has to rethink the context of the statement “for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comes.” If the Second Coming of Christ can easily be determined once the covenant is signed by Antichrist, then one cannot know the day nor hour, until that event happens.
If the Feast of Trumpets is the next feast of the Lord (divine appointment) to be fulfilled, then one can know the day of the rapture, but the year remains a mystery. If the rapture is imminent, with no event needing to be fulfilled beforehand, then no one can know the day nor the hour, because they do not know the year. In the case of the rapture and the Second Coming, Jesus’ statements are true; no one can know the day, nor the hour of His return, because they do not know the year.?
?
Bibliography
Butler, Trent C. Luke: Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000.
Church, J. R. Daniel reveals the Blood Line of the Antichrist. Oklahoma City: Prophecy Publications, 2010.
Cooper, Rodney L. Mark: Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2005.
Davies, William David, W. D. Davies, and Dale C. Allison Jr. Matthew: Volume 3: 19-28. New York: T&T Clark, 1988.
Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology 2nd Edition. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001.
Gundry, Stanley N., and Alan Hultberg. Three Views on The Rapture; Pretribulation, Prewrath, Postribulation. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010.
Harris, Richard H., and III. Holy Days or Holidays??? https://www.elijahscry.org: Elijah's Cry, 1994-1998.
Knight, Jonathan, and Jonathan Knight Nfa. Luke's Gospel. London/New York: Taylor and Francis, 1998.
LaHaye, Tim F., and Thomas Ice. Charting the End Times. Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 2001.
LaHaye, Tim, and Ed Hindson. The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy. Eugene: Harvest Home Publishers , 2004.
Practical Christianity Foundation. Revelation; Tribulation and Triumph. Holiday: Green Key Books, 2004.
Strong, James. New Strongs Exhaustive Concordance. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996.
Thom, Dr Gideon. "Jesus and "the Daniel code"." Acta theol. vol. 31 n.2 Bloemfontein , Jan. 2011: 278-294.
Towns, Elmer. Theology for Today. Mason: Cengage Learning, 2008.
Woodley, Matt, Leonard Sweet, and and Skye Jethani. The Gospel of Matthew : God with Us. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2011.
?
????[1] Matt Woodley, Leonard Sweet and Skye Jethani, The Gospel of Matthew: God with Us (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2011), 225.
????[2]Tim Lahaye and Ed Hindson, The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy (Eugene: Harvest Home Publishers , 2004), 252.
????[3] Elmer Towns, Theology for Today (Mason: Cengage Learning, 2008), 770.
????[4] J. R. Church, Daniel reveals the Blood Line of the Antichrist (Oklahoma City: Prophecy Publications, 2010), 181.
????[5] Ibid.
????[6] Ibid.
????[7] Woodley, Sweet and Jethani, Matthew, 227.
????[8] Dr. Gideon Thom, "Jesus and "the Daniel code." (Acta Theol. vol. 31 n.2 Bloemfontein, Jan. 2011: 278-294), 290.
????[9] Ibid.
????[10] Rodney L. Cooper, Mark: Holman New Testament Commentary. (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2005), 13:27.
????[11] William David Davies, W. D. Davies, and Dale C. Allison Jr. Matthew: Volume 3: 19-28 ?(New York: T&T Clark, 1988), 398-399.
????[12] Trent C. Butler, Luke: Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 17:22-24.
????[13] Ibid., 17:33. ?
????[14] Jonathan Knight and Jonathan Knight Nfa. Luke's Gospel (London/New York: Taylor and Francis, 1998), 124.
????[15] James Strong, New Strongs Exhaustive Concordance (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996), 2.
????[16] Tim F. LaHaye and Thomas Ice, Charting the End Times (Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 2001), 89.
????[17] Ibid.
????[18] Ibid.
????[19] Ibid., 66.
????[20] Ibid., 89.
????[21] Walter A. Elwell, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology 2nd Edition (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001), 983.
????[22] James Strong, New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, 3.
????[23] Stanley N. Gundry and Alan Hultberg, Three Views on The Rapture; Pretribulation, Prewrath, Postribulation (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010), 54.
????[24] Ibid.
????[25] Ibid., 55.
????[26] Practical Christianity Foundation. Revelation; Tribulation and Triumph (Holiday: Green Key Books, 2004), 304-305.
????[27] James Strong, New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, 74, 85.
????[28] Harris, Richard H. Harris III. Holy Days or Holidays??? (Accessed 3/11/2018 https://www.elijahscry.org: Elijah's Cry, 1994-1998), 5.