daily java

Daily Java:

Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” 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. (Matthew 24:3-8)

The apostles wanted a leg up on the opposition. They figured they could ask Jesus and he would tell them when he was coming back. They really weren’t sure where he was coming back from or where he was going or why. But he had talked a lot about it. How would they know when he was coming back.

His answer: you won’t. There won’t be any signs. Things will happen just like they always have happened – wars, threats of wars, problems in the world just like always. But Jesus knew he would come back when God got ready.

You figure, Jesus himself didn’t know when he was coming back. In Mark 13:32, Jesus says: 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.

There will be famines, earthquakes, stuff will happen and things will get bad and worse, but God would send him back when he got ready. Nobody has any advance warning. We just need to be ready for when it happens.

No matter what anybody tells you about the state of the world today, and the “signs of the times”, God will do what he wants to do when he is ready. And nobody, not even Jesus, knows when that is.