Dennis Abernathy

Deuteronomy 29: 29 says: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” That’s a very important Bible lesson to learn. What God has chosen to reveal, WE CAN KNOW! What has been left unrevealed, are secret things which belong to God and CANNOT BE KNOWN by man!

For example, John 8: 6 tells us that Jesus once wrote something on the ground, but we are not told WHAT he wrote. We can know He wrote something on the ground, because the Bible REVEALS it. However, since the Bible does not reveal what He wrote, we CANNOT KNOW what it was.

In a similar way, we can know HOW Jesus will come again, but we cannot know WHEN He will come. Although setting a date for Christ’s second coming seems to be an almost irresistible temptation to some people, the TIME of Christ’s second coming is not revealed. In the Bible. It cannot be known by any man. Acts 1: 11 says: “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Thus, Jesus will PERSONALLY and VISIBLY come again. 1 Thess. 4: 16 says: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God.” Thus, His coming will be AUDIBLE. Matthew 25: 31 says: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him.” Thus, Jesus’ coming will be GLORIOUS, and WITH THE ANGELS. These facts about HOW Jesus will return are revealed, and therefore we can KNOW them. But WHEN Jesus will come again is not revealed, and no man can know that time! Matthew 25: 13 says: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Thus, we CANNOT know the day or the hour. 1 Thess, 5: 1-2 says: “But concerning the times and the seasons you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes, as a thief in the night.” Thus, we cannot know the times or the seasons.

What is my point? Don’t be deceived by people claiming to have discovered WHEN Jesus is coming. He could come TODAY, or His coming may be long delayed. Our duty is to be READY all the time and not speculate about the time!

The hymn we sing says it very well: “Watch and pray for the Lord is coming, coming in the clouds someday. Wash your robes in the cleansing fountain, watch, oh watch and pray. Watch and pray, watch and pray, for we know not the hour when the Lord shall come. Watch and pray, watch and pray, and be ready to enter the soul’s bright home.” Think on these things.