NOT EVEN THE ANGELS KNOW

Newsletter 179      February 6, 2010

Bob Mills

I remember a time when I was a young child, it must have been my birthday as my aunts and uncles were in our home, and that happened only on very rare occasions, such as our birthdays. My mother was the only one in her family of six siblings who had any children at all, and in ours there were only two surviving brothers. Our minister had preached a sermon in which he set that day as the day the Lord would return. One aunt and uncle, who had not heard that sermon, had very different opinions. Of course, that was not the day. Neither were the days that have been set over the years by various zealous church leaders. I recall one congregation in Johannesburg, South Africa in which many members sold their belongings and gathered in their worship center almost constantly so they would be together and ready when He came. I don’t know why they sold everything. They certainly could not carry cash with them. None of these were right. Not even the angels know. (Matthew 24:36)

But, we can, and do, know that he is coming again. We know, because He has promised to return, and He keeps His promises. Matthew takes two whole chapters to record many of Christ’s parables on the subject. Hopefully, you will read them.

Matthew 24:34-39 King James Version

34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. (Matthew 10:23, Matthew 16:28, Matthew 23:36)

35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (Matthew 5:18; Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33)

36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (Mark 13:32, Acts 1:7)

37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 16:27, Matthew 24:3, Matthew 30:39, Genesis 6:5, Genesis t:6-23)

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, (Matthew 22:10, Genesis 7:7)

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 16:27, Matthew 24:3, Matthew 24:30, Matthew 24:37)

Some of these parables bear witness of the undeniable truth of the whole in that they were fulfilled, even in the life time of the hearers (Matthew 24:34), when Jerusalem was destroyed and the temple worship came to an abrupt end in the year 70 AD. You can be certain that when that happened, the Christians looked for the rest also to be soon. They missed the clear fact, that we are always to live in readiness. All that we see, all the material world we know, will be gone, to be replaced with something infinitely better and eternal.

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man,” (Matthew 24:36). Life continued as it always had. (Matthew 24:38)

However, it is just as certain to come even as the flood did come in the day of Noah. It came without warning and took away everyone and everything not in the safety of the ark. (Matthew 24:39).
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RESOLVE TO READ THE BIBLE THROUGH AGAIN IN 2010

FEBRUARY

7th. Sunday – Job 37, 38, Matthew 25:24-46, Psalm 18:37-42

8th. Monday – Job 39, 40, Matthew 26:1-30, Psalm 18:43-50

9th. Tuesday – Job 41, 42, Matthew 26:31-56, Proverbs 4:10-19

10th. Wednesday - Exodus 1, 2, 3, Matthew 26:57-78, Psalm 19:1-6

11th. Thursday – Exodus 4, 5, Matthew 27:1-31. Psalm 19:7-14

12th. Friday – Exodus 6, 7, 8, Matthew 27:32-66, Psalm 20

13th. Saturday – Exodus 9, 10, Matthew 28, Proverbs 4:20-27


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THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE

“…. Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

Matthew 24:7-8

Detective tests…

Three blondes were all applying for the last available position on the Texas Highway Patrol.

The detective conducting the interview looked at the three of them and said, "So y'all want to be cops, huh?"

The blondes all nodded.

The detective got up, opened a file drawer and pulled out a folder. Sitting back down, he opened it and pulled out a picture, and said, "To be a detective, you have to be able to detect. You must be able to notice things such as distinguishing features and oddities, such as scars and so forth." So saying, he stuck the photo in the face of the first blonde and withdrew it after about two seconds.

"Now," he said, "did you notice any distinguishing features about this man ?"

The blonde immediately said, "Yes, I did. He has only one eye!"

The detective shook his head and said, "Of course he has only one eye in this picture! It's a profile of his face! You're dismissed!"

The first blonde hung her head and walked out of the office.

The detective then turned to the second blonde, stuck the photo in her face for two seconds, pulled it back and said, "What about you? Notice anything unusual or outstanding about this man?"

"Yes! He only has one ear!"

The detective put his head in his hands and exclaimed, "Didn't you hear what I just told the other lady? This is a profile of the man's face! Of course you can only see one ear!! You're excused too!"

The second blonde sheepishly walked out of the office.

The detective turned his attention to the third and last blonde and said, "This is probably a waste of time, but..." He flashed the photo in her face for a couple of seconds and withdrew it, saying, "All right, did you notice anything distinguishing or unusual about this man?"

The blonde said, "I sure did. This man wears contact lenses."

The detective frowned, took another look at the picture and began looking at some of the papers in the folder.

He looked up at the blonde with a puzzled _expression and said, "You're absolutely right! His bio says he wears contacts! How in the world could you tell that by looking at his picture?"

The blonde rolled her eyes and said, "Well, Helloooo! With only one eye and one ear, he certainly can't wear glasses.