Mark 13:34 For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
35 Watch ye therefore, for you know not when the master of the house will come, at evening, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning.
36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
The second coming of Jesus is the consummation of the Christian’s hope. It is all we have ever looked for with eager anticipation, and it is the blessed hope in our hearts, which buoys up our spirits, when we are feeling down and out, and when, because of earthly turmoil, some are tempted to sing the blues.
But, although it has been prophesied about so many times in the Old and New Testaments, it’s scheduled to occur suddenly, at a time when most people, will not be expecting it. And there are valid reasons why it will occur that way. We will deal with some of the reasons why, later on.
One of the main problems many persons have with God is that some find He takes too long to fulfill His promises, even though this is not the case, for God deals in the fullness of time, whereas human agents usually tend to prefer specific times and dates.
For instance, when God makes us a promise that He will do such and such, the next question we usually ask is when. But if God were to reply by saying: “In the fulness of time” the human agent generally will begin to wonder when exactly the fulness of time will be.
In most instances recorded in the Scripture, this has been case and thus, it’s no different with the second coming of Christ. If you were to ask any Christian in our day when they believe Christ is coming, most of them will answer, soon.
And if you were to go back almost 200 years, in the history of the advent movement, and ask any of the believers the same question they too will most likely answer soon. But what you would hardly hear for an answer is, in the fulness of time.
Now, while it’s good for us to have the blessed hope always bubbling up in our minds, we must always remember that God deals in the fulness of time. In fact, focusing too much on specific time, dates, and hours could set persons up for disappointment, and with expectation crushed folks could run the risk of backsliding.
From God’s perspective, there isn’t anything called sudden about Christ’s second coming, for God has a specific day in which the expected event will occur. In fact, the word “sudden” only pertains to the finite mind, for there is no such word in eternity, where God dwells.
So, the next time you see or hear the word sudden, used in conjunction with Christ’s second coming, we could know for sure that finite minds, which dwell in time, are the reasons why the word is used.
Thus, in the overwhelming majority of cases, when it seems as if Jesus is coming suddenly, it is not so much that His coming was sudden, but rather that the waiting ones grew weary of their watch, or that the time of expectation came and went, without the event taking place in one’s lifetime.
Back in the days when it came time for God to send His Son into the world, all of the prophecies which pointed to His incarnation were readily available to the seeker for truth, but as time passed with every generation coming and going, their hopes became dim, and the promise began to fade into the back of their minds.
Thus, although the prophecy of Daniel, pointing to the Messiah was very specific, yet the Bible says of Christ’s first coming, that it would be sudden. Note well in the following two passages from Malachi and Daniel, how the two are juxtaposed together so that the idea of suddenness could be understood. Let’s read:
Daniel 9: 24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
The 69 prophetic weeks spoken of by Daniel would give you 483 literal years, beginning in 457 B.C., at which time the Jews were granted full autonomy by Artaxerxes. This would bring us to Christ’s baptism, in A.D. 27. At this time Jesus was already 30 years of age, which means that He was born between 3 and 4 B.C. Let’s read:
Luke 3: 21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape
like a dove upon him and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.
The prophecy is quite specific, so that anyone who is searching will find out when Jesus is scheduled to arrive. They might not know the exact day and hour, because of that word “About”, but they could come pretty close. But lo and behold, Malachi says of the very same first coming of Christ, that it’ll be sudden. Let’s read:
Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
Thus, as we study the historical record of Jesus’ first coming, we discover that the Jews at that time were caught off guard even as they had all the prophecies of Daniel, Isaiah, Moses, David, and Hosea at their disposal. That suddenness was not so much on the part of God, but rather, is on the part of the human agent.
Similarly, Jesus has given us a specific sign which has to occur before His second coming, and until it does, the final conflict on planet earth will not wrap up. It is the sign pointing specifically to the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet. Let’s read:
Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso reads, let him understand:)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains.
The abomination of desolation is a direct reference to the time when the symbols of pagan Rome were set up within the precincts of the Temple as the city of Jerusalem was being laid waste to destruction by Titus.
The Roman symbols were planted just outside the city one year earlier by Cestius who, just prior to the invasion got up and left for no apparent reason. This was the providence of God giving the Christians the heads up to leave in a hurry, which they did, and not one perished in the conflagration.
Thus, since the prophecies in Matthew chapter 24 were given in the dual context, of the destruction of Jerusalem, and the final conflict to precede Christ’s second coming, the abomination of desolation will again be fulfilled when the symbols of papal Rome are once again planted within the precincts of the holy place.
The main symbol of Rome in our day is undoubtedly Sunday worship, for it is this institution whereby she claims authority over Christians who subscribe to a day of worship which is not ordained by God in the Bible.
Thus, the phrase “Standing in the holy place” will in our day mean when Sunday worship would become the law of the land, replacing the seventh day as the official day of rest. It is when this sign takes place in the future, that true believers will have their queue that Christ’s 2nd coming is just around the corner.
So, like the Magi back then, believers might not yet have the specific day nor the hour but they could be pretty close, if there were to “Watch” as Jesus bids us.
Every one of the prophets had pointed to Christ’s incarnation, some more, some less, and it was these prophecies, which the Magi had been studying, why on that eventful night, they came asking the people, and those in authority, where is Christ which is born King of the Jews.
Note well in the following passages how the people back then begin to scramble for answers, as they come to terms with the fact that the Messiah has already been born, and they knew it not. It was for the sole reason that they had grown weary of their “Watch”. Let’s read:
Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet.
Another aspect of Christ’s first coming, why so many persons found it to be sudden, is that in most cases, when He has to make a profound intrusion into the human experience, Jesus often comes at night. This fact is drawn from several passages of Scripture when they are studied line upon line, precept upon precept.
In our first passage you will find this statement: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. Most of us sleep at night, and midnight is the time when you should experience very deep sleep, in most cases. That is because most of us follow the pattern of day and night cycles set up in the beginning in Genesis.
When the Bible says: “In the beginning, God created the earth” we will observe that God started out with darkness, as the first portion of our cycle of day and night. This is the reason why the sacred record says that the evening and the morning were the first day.
Thus, from the get go in Genesis chapter one, Jesus came at night. And throughout the Scripture you’ll read of many of His visitations occurring either at night, or in darkness. That Christmas song that goes like this: While shepherds watched their flocks by night, also is a testament to His coming at night.
When the children of Israel were about to be freed from Egyptian bondage, we see Him coming at night for the big one, that would trigger an urgent plea on the part of pharaoh, and his underlings, for them to let the Hebrews leave in a hurry.
Again, when God came down upon mount Sinai to give us His law, He was again enshrouded in thick darkness. And we can go on and on and on, but the bottom line is that for numerous important events, Jesus has been known to come at night, or in thick darkness.
Let us take a few passages of Scripture to confirm, before we move on. Let’s read:
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Exodus 11:4 And Moses said, thus saith the Lord, about midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 4: 11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.
Psalms 18: 9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
Isaiah 60:2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
Luke 2: 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Matthew 27:43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
[The Great Controversy pp 636] It is at midnight that God manifests his power for the deliverance of his people. The mountains shake like a reed in the wind and ragged rocks are scattered on every side.
This brings us to the parable of the ten virgins who were expecting the bridegroom to arrive within a specific time frame, which he didn’t. The ten virgins, like so many others, they had grown weary of their watch.
Having dressed up in their very best, they had never intended to fall asleep, but as the expected time came and went, and they waited and watched, and waited and watched, their eyes became heavy, and before you know it, all ten of them fell into a deep slumber.
Then, as we noted earlier, in the pattern we studied about Jesus coming at night for important events, it is observed again that He comes in the dead of night so that the ten virgins become startled by what then seemed to them as His “Sudden” appearance. Let’s read:
Matthew 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comes.
We’re not going to elaborate on the parable, nor are we going to deal with issues or shortcomings of the ten virgins. All we are going to do is to focus on the darkness, the aspect of the parable which hardly gets any attention.
The Darkness.
Exodus 16: 4 Then said the Lord unto Moses, behold I will rain bread from heaven for you and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
14 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.
15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they did not know what it was. And Moses said unto them, this is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.
21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.
Thus, the manna obviously fell in the darkness, and in the morning, there it was on the ground. What The Lord did at night to create the manna, no one knows for sure, but the following morning, all we know is that there was bread, ready for the people.
In the Genesis account God began His creative work in darkness, and thus the dark part of the day is very important to God, and should be to us as well. Let’s read:
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, let there be light: and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
And ever since that time, the “dark” part of the day cycle has played an important role, not only in God’s creative work, but also in the laws pertaining to the keeping of the Sabbath. Let’s read:
Genesis 2:1 Thus, the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Exodus 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you, throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.
Sanctification includes God’s creative work in our hearts, for it is the same power that was exercised in Genesis, which now works in the heart of the believer. Thus, God specified when the Sabbath was to be kept, as the memorial of His creative power. Let’s read:
Leviticus 23:32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from evening unto evening, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.
Nehemiah 13: 19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
Luke 24: 50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just.
52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen,
and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
54 And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on. (The Darkness part of the day)
56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
Which commandment?
Exodus 20: 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Sunday worship, which represents the symbol that Papal Rome cites as the badge of her authority, isn’t only the incorrect day of worship, it also does not include any darkness, because it does not begin on Saturday night, and thus, it leaves out the dark part of the day.
This has the potential to interfere with the process of sanctification, which, as was stated before, also includes God’s creative work, and His regenerative power exercised in behalf of the believer, because Sunday worship cuts off half of the day which is to be found in darkness.
In other words, even though Sunday is embraced by the overwhelming majority of Christians, as being the contemporary Christian Sabbath, no one ever keeps Saturday night holy, and rightly so, for indeed, it is not.
Whereas the keeping of the Bible Sabbath includes the darkness as an integral and inseparable part, the substitute sabbath only involves daylight hours, and thus, even in its usurped or substitute role it falls far short of the ideal day cycle, given in Genesis, and in God’s law.
The Christian in our day who would not to fall a prey to the suddenness of Christ’s second coming, must do two things: [1] They must not focus on a specific date or time. [2] They must live in readiness at all times.
Waiting to get ready is one of the problems that are associated with focusing on specific time, because persons would, in most cases, put off readiness until they see the day approaching. Hence the reason why the Bible doesn’t teach, or promise tomorrow, but only today. Let’s read:
Hebrews 3: 7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, today, if you will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness.
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Yes, it is true that our planet is in a steady state of decline, morally, spiritually, and physically on every level, and yes, there will always be wars and rumors of war, and perplexity of nations.
Yet, the Christian should concentrate his/ her focus on character building and soul winning for these are what will enable us to be prepared to meet Christ, whenever He chooses to appear.
Day by day, as we endeavor to climb Jacob’s ladder one rung at a time, we would be living in readiness, and living in obedience to God, because the state of readiness does not produce, or savor of stagnation and idleness, but rather, will constantly motivate us to be on the move forward, with truth and duty.
In harmony with this counsel, we will end our study with passages which should encourage us to be on the move while at the same time living in readiness. Let’s read:
1st Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
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.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
God Bless!