Only the Father Knows

Continually, we hear people say the world is coming to an end or the end is near based on incidents that occur like fires, floods, hurricanes, shootings, tornados, even wars.   Yes, every day is a day closer, but so misunderstood is Matthew 24: 4-8 which says, “Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.”  The “with more to come” part may be completely omitted.  Why, oh why, do we listen to anyone who tries to explain or predict when the world will end.  Why?  They are all wrong!  I have proof they are wrong, the Bible.  The word of God Himself tells us differently.  One clear example is the Bible tells us in Matthew 24 that we also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.  So let’s stop guessing or trying to predict because our probability of being right is very low.  It is further stated in verses 26-27, “So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes.”  And in verse 42, “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.”  People stop it, stop it, stop it!

Conversely, we see instances of the following all the time.  It states in Jude 1:18-19, “They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.”  From politics to church, this is happening all around us.  Some don’t see it because they refuse to or don’t want to.  Others, because they are blind to it.  But it doesn’t change the fact that it is a fact.

God wants all of us in Heaven.  He wants to enlarge His family.  He doesn’t want any of us, you, me, or our children to perish.  He tells us this in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”  The God of heaven wants each of us to change our ways and consecrate ourselves to Him, fully.  He is waiting for us to do so, even though He already knows who will not.  God loves us that much.  Don’t let a hard heart or stubborn mind keep you from that love.  We read in Matthew 24:14, “And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”  I don’t know how much of the world has already heard the Good News, but I can promise it is being accelerated by technology (AI).

Jesus says in Matthew 24:36, “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.”  If Jesus doesn’t know, you, I, nor anyone else on earth knows.   I don’t care who we hear make such statements.  They are either badly mistaken, or liars and false prophets.  When will we know?  Here is a hint.  God will send us a sign as stated in Matthew 24: 30-31, “And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.”  These verses confirm 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 that reads, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.”  This, the Rapture, hasn’t happened yet, but how close are we?  When the sign comes, I pray that God’s patience has yielded more brothers and sisters in Christ, that the repentance in lives has been made, that more have chosen to consecrate themselves to the Almighty God.  Remember, only the Father knows.