We Will Know the Day of the Return of the Lord

Today’s Topic: We Will Know the Day of the Return of the Lord
Scripture: Matthew 24:36-42; Genesis 7:1-4

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Now in the last message we looked at it from the standpoint of will we know and after looking through the scripture of Revelation 1:1 and showing the difference between what Jesus said then and what transpired at the time of John writing Revelation, we see the fulfillment of Matthew 24:36 when God the Father told Jesus and He told His Angels and the told John (man). But even the most hardcore theologian will say well that doesn’t really lock me in on believing we will know the day. Well today is the day for the revelation and confirmation that we will know the day. Let’s start with Matthew 24:37:

“But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.”

Small scripture, but big revelation. Now Jesus continues in Matthew 24:38-42 giving an overview of the story and he ends it with telling them that they should watch therefore; for you know not what hour your Lord doeth come. Now carnal people will say “well there you have it we will not know but you have to know the story of Noah to get the revelation. So let’s go to Genesis 7 and I want you to really pay attention to this. Did the flood catch the world by surprise? According to Jesus? Yes it did! Did the flood catch Noah by surprise? Let’s see.

Genesis 7:1-4: And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen RIGHTEOUS before me in this generation. 2Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. 3Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. 4For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.

Now, did the flood catch Noah by surprise? No. Did Noah know the exact day of the flood? Yes. God told him it would rain in seven days. Let’s now go back to Matthew 24:37. Jesus said such as the days of Noah, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Jesus goes on to explain how the world will be carrying on and He will come like the flood and catch them off guard. Now there was a word in Genesis 7:1 that is crucial and God said, I have seen RIGHTEOUS BEFORE ME IN THIS GENERATION. Who was the righteous? Noah. So who is the righteous now? THE CHURCH! The church will not be caught off guard because just like God prepared Noah and then told Him when it would rain, God is preparing us today and at the appropriate time He will tell us when He will return. I am not saying this but the Word is. Now Jesus in Matthew 24:43 says the famous line we have all heard and we try to use it to justify that we will not know the day of the Lord. Jesus says in Matthew 24:43 that if the goodman of the house had known in what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken into. Jesus coming like a thief in His return, but to who is Jesus talking to. In the days of Noah, Jesus would be warning the world because Noah knew the day it would rain. So when we talk about Jesus coming as a thief, Jesus is speaking about the unbelievers and unprepared people of the world. Can we prove this?

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6: “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” So up to this point we are ok and please keep in mind Paul is talking to the believers at Thessaloniki. Let’s continue with verse 3: “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” Those that say peace and safety are the ones worshipping the Antichrist and Satan in the last days when they are on Earth because they will provide a false sense of peace and safety in the world only to be judged for their deception and lies. Now the revelation in verse 4: “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, THAT THAT DAY SHOULD OVERTAKE YOU AS A THEIF.” In other words, since we are not children of darkness then that day will not take us as a thief because we live in the light and those of the light have the knowledge to know the day of the Lord’s return. Let’s confirm that with verse 5: “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” Paul gives us the reason why it will not overtake us as a thief because it will only overtake someone who is living in darkness.

So no longer should we say that we will not know the day because if you do say that then you are saying that you are not a child of the light but a child of the darkness and it will overtake me as a thief. Now I know, no believer wants to say that. Now over the past two messages we have concluded these points:
1. The church will know the exact day of the return of the Lord
2. The return of the Lord will only come as a surprise to the children of darkness

I have enjoyed this series and I pray that you continue to study the Word of God for the truth and not just take everything you hear at face value. Allow God to confirm everything for you.

At the Father’s Service,
Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.