36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
It’s probably important to make an important hermeneutic observation here in order to properly apply Christ’s teaching about the end times.
A type is a real historical event, object or person in the Old Testament that God has intended to use as a means of understanding and explaining a reality in the New Testament.
Israel is a type of the New Testament church (small “C”). This means we can make assertions about how we expect God to deal with the church by examining how He dealt with Israel. We claim this because God used Israel as a vehicle for expressing His will and purpose…as He does with the church.
Please note that I did not say “Body of Christ” (Church with a capital “C”). If we attempt to make that comparison the type breaks down. The most critical distinction is simple: The Body of Christ contains no unbelievers while the Church does (as we see in a number of Jesus’ parables in Matthew). In the same way, the nation of Israel, throughout its history has been comprised of both faithful and unfaithful people.
Failure to understand this type may lead to an belief that a believer can “fall from grace” (Arminianism). While you may believe this is possible, you cannot believe it be based on these teachings in Matthew.
Of course, nobody knows when the end will occur…not even Jesus. We do know, however, that it will come suddenly and unexpectedly…just like the flood.
When it comes though, with all its suddenness and ferocity, it will not be indiscriminate like the flood. Christ’s coming will be precise and surgical in nature. “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left”.
Jesus knows exactly who he wants and where they are…
Yet…we’re told to keep watch. What for, if Jesus has already figured out who goes and who stays?
It’s probably sufficient to say “because he told us to…” But there’s more to it.
We “keep watch” because we aren’t watching out for Jesus, we’re watching out for spiritual thieves and robbers that would destroy us…who could rob us of our faith. Allow me to speculate that the very way Jesus will identify who he takes with him is by the faith he can see in our lives. If we’ve allowed anything to rob us of our faith Jesus will pass right over us at his return (Gospel according to Lee).
General George Patton always said he wanted to die in battle…it was the mark of a true and faithful soldier. He said “I want to die from the final bullet fired in the final battle of the final war in history”.
Like dying in the pulpit…just as you finish your last sermon.
And, I can tell you…just about the time I decide to let down my guard and allow the barbarians at the gate to invade my life…that’s exactly when Jesus will return. How do I explain I was just too exhausted to keep my faith vital?
No…let’s just play it the way God planned it. Let’s settle in for the long haul. Let’s get up each morning and determine to spend our day being faithful.
After all…this could be “the” morning!
Live boldly out there today…
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