Introduction

The Rapture is happening soon, and the big question is should the church be watching?

Regarding this matter, Jesus clearly states:

Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only”,

And again, in Mark:

Mark 13:32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

[These two verses will subsequently be referred to as the ‘no-one knows’ verses.]

Assuming that Jesus is referring to the day and hour of the Rapture – which the context indicates He is (see section below called ‘The Rapture In Matthew’s Gospel’) – this would appear to close the matter once and for all. According to the highest authority of Jesus, no one knows the day or the hour of the Rapture and to consider the timing of Jesus’ return (at the Rapture) is completely ‘off limits’ and beyond the church’s mandate or consideration.

The problem with this approach is that Jesus, then proceeds to actively encourage the church to watch for His return (at the Rapture):

Matthew 25:13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming”.

Mark 13:33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.

Mark 13:37 “And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

Luke 21:36 “Watch therefore,…”

Clearly, Jesus encourages a ‘watch’ of some sort for the very reason that the church does not know the time, and this (now required) biblical watch for the church, as will be shown, involves knowledge.

Knowledge Must Be Sought for the Watch

Jesus gives an important message to the church of Sardis, in the Book of Revelation, when He teaches the consequences of not watching for the Lord’s return (at the Rapture). Jesus states that if the church does not watch, she will not know the hour of the Lord’s return.

Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

In other words, Jesus is relating the ‘watch’ to ‘knowledge’ – if you do not watch then you will not know. 

This fits well with the parable of the ‘master of the house’ whose knowledge enabled him to be aware of the thief’s arrival. The parable simply states that the master needed ‘knowledge’ to know the hour the thief would come so that the master could watch and be ready.

Matthew 24:43 “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.”

The thief could have arrived at any time in the night and on any night, but the master knew the hour and therefore was ready. This parable indicates that knowledge is available which saved the master from having his house broken into by the thief.

Jesus concludes this short parable with the following statement that the church, like the master of the house in the parable, should also be ready:

Matthew 24:44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

How can the church be ready, therefore, except by knowledge? If this is the case, then where will this knowledge come from and how does the church access it? The answer is that this knowledge can only be contained in the Bible.

The Bible Contains Patterns Which Indicate Prophetic Fulfilment

The mathematical narrative of the Bible contains a ‘fulfilment’ pattern which is sourced from scripturally important prime numbers. The author has coined the term ‘prime-fulfilment’ to describe these patterns. The existence of these patterns is mathematical truth and they open a door of understanding especially regarding the fulfilment of the first resurrection at the 120th Jubilee at the end of 6000 Bible Years. The two books (on this website) together with the teaching papers and audio studies extensively reference these discovered patterns and also the end-time significance of the sign miracles recorded in John’s Gospel. Seven talks explain the ‘prime-fulfilment pattern’ in detail.

As a taster of some of the numbers involved, consider the numerical value of the Greek word ‘hour’ in Matthew 24:43 which is used in the parable of ‘the master of the house’ (discussed above).  Contextually, this word ‘hour’ refers to the timing of the Lord’s return and has a numerical value of ‘969’. What is interesting is that the number ‘969’ is biblically known (from other scriptures) to represent the Rapture. Would you agree this is worth a second look?

Matthew 24:43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour [969] the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

The Greek word for ‘hour’ is Φυλακη and contains the following letters with their numerical value. Note that the ‘iota’ subscript on the last letter counts towards the numerical value.

Phi (500) + Upsilon (400) + Lambda (30) + Alpha (1) + Kappa (20) + Eta (8) + Iota (10) = 969

Is Date-Setting, OK?

If you mean emphatically declaring to the world that the Rapture will occur on such and such a date without any biblical consideration, then no. The church, of course, is extremely cautious of those that speak of specific dates for the simple reason that so many have gone before and been wrong! This has seriously undermined the credibility of the church and has resulted in the church shunning anyone who would dare to consider specific dates.

However, the church is called to ‘watch’ which involves diligently searching the scripture. The prophet Daniel (in Daniel 9:1-2) did just this and understood from the Book of Jeremiah that Israel’s Babylonian captivity had an end date – based on the 70 years of Jeremiah 25:11. This newfound understanding prompted Daniel to pray (with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes – Daniel 9:3) and resulted in God sending the Angel Gabriel (Daniel 9:20-21) with a profound message of ‘seventy weeks’ for Israel which embedded the future timeline for Israel – including when Messiah would arrive! (Daniel 9:25).

What if, just like Daniel, the church was to search the scriptures and find a biblical methodology regarding prophetic scripture using what the author has identified as the ‘tools of the biblical watch’. These ‘tools’ are discussed in detail in the author’s book ‘Unlocking The Biblical Watch Of Messiah’s Return’ and the prime-fulfilment pattern is part of this methodology. Just as Daniel projected the end of Israel’s captivity to Babylon, perhaps the church is called to search the Bible for the end of the Body of Christ’s captivity to death, at the return of Messiah at the Rapture when the church will be raised from the dead.

It is important that despite the above-mentioned methodology having spiritual merit, it does not predict an absolute date. However, it may bring certain dates and times into sharp focus. The author considers this as the limit of the biblical watch and hopefully keeps this discussion the biblical side of the dreaded and shunned ‘date setting’.

Food in Due Season

Jesus taught a short parable immediately after teaching about the timing of His return, and speaks of a blessing of food in due season to the waiting and watching church.

Matthew 24:45-46 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.”

The faithful servant is watching for the return of his master and is giving food to the household (inferring the church) in due season. Given the context, this parable concerns itself with the ‘watch’ of Messiah’s return and perhaps the food ‘in due season’ is a veiled reference to truth which is intrinsic to the biblical indicators (or biblical tools) of the commanded ‘watch’. Either way, this ‘food in due season’ is served by the faithful and wise servant and is certainly wisdom and understanding regarding the return of his master.

God Does Not Want to Surprise His Bride

Paul clearly states that the Thessalonian church had knowledge regarding the ‘Day of the Lord’ such that this day would not ‘overtake’ them as a thief, because the church is not in darkness.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. ….1 Thessalonians 5:4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.

The Day of the Lord here is a reference to the judgement of the Tribulation (the prelude to the Millennial Kingdom), and Paul clearly indicates the church has some knowledge of the times and seasons of when the Tribulation will begin. In other words, the church will perceive the approach of the thief and prepare for it, so that it will not take them by surprise.

Paul continues to encourage the Thessalonian church by explicitly stating they are of the sons of the day (as opposed to darkness).

1 Thessalonians 5:5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

As such, Paul is teaching that the church is not in darkness regarding the timing of these significant end time events.

The Gospel of John further endorses this knowledge because it teaches that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, will teach the church of things to come.

John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

The Blessing to Those That Watch

The Book of Hebrews (in the New Testament) speaks of those who are eagerly waiting for the return of Messiah:

Hebrews 9:28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

The Bible also teaches that the person who waits and watches for the Lord, will be blessed:

Proverbs 8:34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

Luke 12:37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat and will come and serve them.

The Greek words ‘will find watching’, in the above verse (Luke 12:37) have a numerical value of ‘2033’. The original Greek is ‘ευρησει γρηγορουντας’ and the numerical value of these letters is Epsilon (5) + Upsilon (400) + Rho (100) + Eta (8) + Sigma (200) + Epsilon (5) + Iota (10)  + Gamma (3) + Rho (100) + Eta (8) + Gamma (3) + Omicron (70) + Rho (100) + Omicron (70) + Upsilon (400) + Nu (50) + Tau (300) + Alpha (1) + Sigma (200) = 2033.

John’s Last Hour

The Apostle John adds to the knowledge of the church when he defines the timing of the ‘last hour’ as related to the presence of anti-Christs in the world:

1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the anti-Christ is coming, even now many anti-Christs have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.

Clearly John was addressing his current day at the end of the first century, but his assertion of the presence of forerunner anti-Christs or indeed the final anti-Christ (in the world) biblically affirms that believers should, in these circumstances, consider (or know) the last hour.

The Departure (Rapture) Happens Before the Tribulation

The Bible explicitly teaches that the Rapture happens before the Tribulation.

Paul states (in the following verses) that the departure (or Rapture) comes before the man of sin is revealed. At the same time, the ‘Restrainer’ (the Holy Spirit) is removed and only then will the lawless one be revealed who is the anti-Christ (the ‘man or sin’ or the ‘son of perdition’).

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the departure comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The Greek word for ‘departure’ in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is ‘apostasia’ (Greek αποστασια, Strong’s #646) and directly refers to the Rapture – a departure. This Greek word is often translated incorrectly and incorrectly associated with a major ‘falling away’ by the church from doctrinal truth. One of the problems with this view is that the church has been ‘falling away’ from doctrinal truth throughout church history. For an excellent analysis of the translation of ‘apostasia’, please watch or listen to this video by Dr. Andy Woods. 

The following verses (in 2 Thessalonians) confirm this meaning of ‘apostasia’ because Paul states the reason why the ‘apostasia’ must come first. The reason is because the ‘Restrainer’, who currently restrains the mystery of lawlessness, must be taken out of the way! While the ‘Restrainer’ (who is the Holy Spirit) is present on the earth, the mystery of lawlessness is restrained and unable to reach full effect. Given that the Body of Christ is the temple of the Holy Spirit, when the Body of Christ is taken to heaven at the Rapture, so too departs the temple of the Holy Spirit at the same time! As such, it makes perfect sense that the Holy Spirit is no longer in His restraining role through the salt and light of the church (Matthew 5:13-16).

1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

The Rapture In Matthew’s Gospel

The Gospel of Matthew fundamentally targets a Jewish audience. However, within chapters (Matthew) 24 and 25 (which address the ‘signs of the times and the end of the age’), Jesus introduces a curious ‘parenthesis’ from Matthew 24:32 until Matthew 24:51. (Please read the ‘crescendo’ of Matthew 24:1-31 to identify this parenthesis which begins at Matthew 24:32.)

By verse 30 (Matthew 24:30), the timeline of events is already at the ‘Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory’ at the end of the Tribulation and at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom:

Matthew 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

After this text, however (at Matthew 24:32), the narrative reverts to the parable of the ‘Fig Tree’ which is a reference to before the Tribulation. The fig tree is a type of Israel, and the parable prophetically speaks of the re-establishment of Israel as a nation state in 1948, ‘when its branch becomes tender and puts forth leaves’. Jesus is describing the momentous event of the re-establishment of Israel, using the metaphor of the ‘Fig Tree’, and is stating that the generation who witnesses it will ‘by no means pass away’ until all these things (namely the signs of the times, the Tribulation and the return of the Son of Man in glory) have taken place!

Matthew 24:32-34 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So, you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near – at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.”

By referring back in this way, Jesus is resetting the timeline of His narrative (in Matthew 24) back to 1948. As such, the events which Jesus then goes on to describe, in the same chapter, work forward chronologically (from 1948) and include the Rapture.

This ‘breaking’ (or ‘parenthesis’) of the chronological sequence fits well with other Gospel accounts (of this discourse), especially the verses of Luke 21:11-12, where Jesus ‘breaks’ the chronological flow in a similar way:

Luke 21:11-12 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake.

Moreover, given that Jesus had discussed the church (as opposed to Israel) earlier in Matthew 16:18, why would He leave it out now? It would be a surprising omission for such a significant event as the Rapture not to be mentioned (albeit ‘veiled’ in a Jewish context).

Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Therefore, the context of the parables and teaching from Matthew 24:32 (through to the ‘judgements’ in Matthew 25:31) concerns the Bride of Christ (Jew and Gentile) and the Lord’s return at the Rapture.

Remember that the Rapture would not have been a ‘mystery’ to His disciples because Jesus clearly taught ‘the way’ that His disciples would follow Him to the ‘prepared place’ in His Father’s house (John 14:2-4). The language in John’s Gospel strongly depicts a Hebrew wedding during which the Bridegroom ‘prepares a place’.

John 14:2-4 “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

Some would argue that the truth of the ‘Rapture’ was first revealed by God as a ‘mystery’, to the Apostle Paul. A careful reading, however, of 1 Corinthians 15:51, describes this ‘mystery’ as the method of ‘changing to immortal (incorruptible) bodies’ for those who are alive at the time of the ‘last trump’, and not to the overall ‘Rapture’ event itself.

The ‘No-One Knows’ Verses Do Not Refer To End of Tribulation

Some say these ‘no-one knows’ verses refer to the period at the end of the Tribulation when the ‘days are shortened’, otherwise no flesh would be saved. The days of anti-Christ (in the Great Tribulation) are described (in Revelation 13:5) as 42 months rather than a period of days, most likely because the last month will be ‘shortened’ by God:

Matthew 24:22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

The proposed remedy, therefore, (for the ‘no-one knows’ verses) is that the duration of this ‘shortening’ (at the end of the Tribulation) is not specified and therefore no-one knows the day or hour.

This argument fails, however, because the context of the ‘no-one knows’ verses is not the end of the Tribulation. These are ‘Rapture’ verses. They describe a time when there will be ‘eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage’, as in the days of Noah before the flood.

Matthew 24:38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

Consider also that the end of the Tribulation will not be a time of normal social activity. The recent ‘pestilence’ of the COVID virus crisis of 2020 and 2021, which triggered ‘lockdown’ measures which legally prevented weddings and other large gatherings from taking place, was a pre-cursor of what it will be like at the end of the Tribulation. Normal social activity is highly likely to be severely restricted by the governments of the world. The prophetic Book of Revelation, which details the conditions at the end of the Tribulation, describe cosmic disturbances (when the sixth seal is opened) when no man is even ‘able to stand’! And this is before the global ‘trumpet’ judgements begin (at the opening of the seventh seal in Revelation 8)!

Revelation 6:15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,

Revelation 6:17 “For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Is this really a time of ‘eating and drinking’, ‘marrying’ and ‘giving away in marriage’? No, the ‘eating and drinking’ metaphor describes those who are ‘oblivious’ and in ‘disbelief’ before an impending judgement. It is not a picture of those already under judgement, such as those alive at the end of the Tribulation.

The ‘no-one knows’ verses, therefore, do not refer to the end of the Tribulation, rather to a time before the Tribulation (as ‘before the flood’), at the return of Messiah at the Rapture.

Inconceivable For The Son of God Not To ‘Know’

Notice how the ‘no-one knows’ verses (particularly Mark 13:32) state that the ‘Son’ does not know the day or the hour.

Mark 13:32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

The ‘Son’, in this passage, is Messiah – the Son of God – fully human yet fully God. Did Jesus really have ‘restricted knowledge’ of these matters? Clearly Jesus, in His humanity, became weary (John 4:6) and He became thirsty (John 19:28) and He became hungry (Matthew 4:2). However, did Messiah’s ‘humanity’ restrict His divine knowledge?

The following two verses (in John’s Gospel) teach His knowledge was not restricted. The first of these verses is before His death (and resurrection) and states Messiah’s knowledge was the basis of the disciple’s belief.

John 16:30 “Now we are sure that You know all things and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”

John 21:17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep”.

Another objection against Jesus knowing all things, is that He had to learn ‘obedience’ and therefore did not know all things because He had to learn things:

Hebrews 5:8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

The obedience learned by Jesus was that He was only to exert His divinity according to His Father’s will – it does not mean Jesus needed to learn things (through knowledge). This ‘learning’ was about obedience. Jesus only did those things which He saw His Father in heaven doing. As a result of His obedient submission to His Father, Jesus suffered.

As Jesus grew up in wisdom and stature, He continuously chose not to do anything in His divinity according to His own (the Son’s) will. Rather, Jesus continuously chose to only act in His divinity according to what He saw His Father do:

John 5:19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”

This did not mean that Jesus was not divine or without divine attributes.

Remember the devil’s first temptation was to tempt Jesus into using His divine power for food:

Matthew 4:3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

After 40 days of not eating, Jesus was very hungry, and in His humanity, under extreme pressure to eat food. The devil wanted Jesus to invoke His divinity (according to Messiah’s will) and convert stones into bread, which Jesus, in His divinity, could easily have done. However, if Jesus had done this, He would have invalidated his human walk and ministry by ‘leaning’ on His divinity to alleviate His human suffering.

At the end of His ministry, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus vocally expressed this very same principle. Once again, under extreme pressure, such that his sweat became blood falling to the ground, Jesus prayer the following words:

Matthew 26:39 “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

So, returning to the ‘no-one knows’ verses, what did Jesus mean when He said that the ‘Son’ does not know?

Two Explanations For The Son Of God Not To ‘Know’

A. The Word ‘Know’ Means More In Original Greek!

One key to unlocking these challenging ‘no-one knows’ verses may be to understand the full meaning of the word ‘know’ (‘oiden’, Greek ‘οιδεν’ – Strong’s number 1492).

Consider the use of this same Greek word for ‘know’, a few verses on in Matthew 25:12:

Matthew 25:12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

The context is the parable of the ten virgins and Jesus is stating that He does not ‘know’ the five foolish virgins. Jesus is not saying “I have no actual knowledge of you and so cannot tell if you qualify for entry to the wedding”. Absolutely not! Jesus is saying that the foolish virgins are not worthy for entry because they are not perceived or considered to qualify for entry to the wedding as guests. In His divinity, Jesus fully knew everything concerning both the wise and the foolish virgins. Without this knowledge, He would have been unable to judge between the wise and foolish virgins in the first place.

According to Strong’s concordance, the contextual meaning of the verb ‘know’ is beyond plain ‘knowledge’ and is more to do with ‘awareness’, ‘consideration’ and ‘perception’. In the context of the ‘no-one knows’ verses, Jesus may be saying that it is only for the Father to consider the day and the hour of the return of Jesus. This time, day and hour is not part of the role or consideration of the Son, nor the angels, but the Father alone.

Vitally, Jesus is not saying that His disciples should not watch or attempt to perceive the day or the hour because ‘no-one knows’; rather Jesus may be teaching that the timing of His return at the Rapture is considered, determined and set by the Father alone and is concealed from the church such that a ‘watch’ is required.

This same principle is clarified when the disciples asked Jesus, after His resurrection, if ‘now was a good time’ for the kingdom to be restored to Israel.

Acts 1:6-7 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.”

The disciples believed they had understood the ‘times and the seasons’ for the Kingdom to be restored to Israel, having just experienced the extraordinary preceding events of Messiah raised from the dead. The response of Jesus to their question infers the disciples were ‘overstepping the mark’ by pre-empting the restoration (of the Kingdom to Israel) in their own limited consideration. Jesus mildly rebuked them saying it was the Father who sets these times and seasons by His own authority, not the disciple's authority or enthusiasm!

B. Jesus Is Possibly Referring To The Hebrew ‘Feast of Trumpets’

When Jesus stated the ‘no-one knows’ verses, He may have been using a Hebrew figure of speech to refer to a Hebrew feast – namely the Feast of Trumpets. Jesus occasionally used ‘figures of speech’ which only made sense when understood against their Hebrew roots. For example, in Matthew 8:11, Jesus indirectly spoke of the Hebrew ‘Feast of Tabernacles’ by referencing the traditional guests of honour (to this feast) according to Jewish tradition, rather than the feast itself.

Matthew 8:11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

Jewish tradition speaks of seven exalted guests invited into every tabernacle at the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles), which in turn relates to the Day of the Lord – the Millennium. So, when Jesus listed three of these guests (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) who ‘sit down’ together in Matthew 8:11, His Jewish audience would have immediately recognised a reference to the Messianic age and would have inferred a reference to the ‘feast' of the Millennium – namely the ‘Feast of Tabernacles’, which biblically continues into the Millennium (Zechariah 14:16).

With every word the Lord spoke, He imparted profound teaching. The words “but of this day and hour, no-one knows” (within the ‘no-one knows’ verses) may also allude to another Hebrew ‘figure of speech’ which, to a Jewish audience, spoke of the ‘Feast of Trumpets’.

Each month there was always ‘uncertainty’ (for the Jews) of when the month began because it was dependent on the observation of the New Moon. Because the day and hour of new moons (astronomically) varies from month to month, it was the responsibility of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem to ‘validate’ the new month. The ‘Feast of Trumpets’ is the only feast which begins on the first day of a Hebrew month and so for this feast alone, no-one knew the day of the hour. On the basis of two witnesses of the new moon (see Rosh HaShanah Chapter 2, Mishnah 5 and 6), the President of the Sanhedrin would declare the new month ‘sanctified’ to all present in the Temple in Jerusalem. The news would then be quickly spread throughout the nation by the lighting of fires.

As such, the words of Jesus: “of this day and hour, no-one knows” may speak of the Hebrew ‘Feast of Trumpets’ by way of an indirect reference, at which His return for His bride (at the Rapture) will conclude at the ‘last trumpet’.

1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed – 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

This ‘trumpet’ theme associated with the Rapture is also supported in the Book of Revelation by the two verses (Revelation 1:10 and Revelation 4:1) which textually surround the seven churches before John (as a type of the church) is called up to heaven. It is intriguing that this ‘call to heaven’ (Revelation 4:1) of the Apostle John is a strong type of the Rapture and both these surrounding verses contain a reference to a ‘trumpet’ as a metaphor of the voice of Messiah:

Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,

Revelation 4:1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” 

Conclusion

The enemy of Christ has strategised hard for believers to be unaware and asleep regarding the return of Messiah as Bridegroom. The ‘no-one knows’ verses have been subtlety construed into a view within the church which discourages a watch. Beware this powerful untruth. The Body of Christ must awaken and feed on the Living Word of God and watch!

Luke 21:36 “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

What is absolutely clear from scripture is that a biblical understanding of the time and date (set by the Father alone) is not being revealed to the disciples of Jesus, except by a careful, diligent and proactive biblical watch.

Interesting Maths In The ‘No-one Knows’ Verses

The underlying mathematical narrative of the ‘no-one knows’ verses may contain a hidden message. The original Greek words for ‘of that day’ in Matthew 24:36, have a numerical value of 1169.

Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”

The numerical value of the original Hebrew of Amos 3:7 is also ‘1169’ and states:

Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

By way of numerical context, there are only three verses in all scripture with a numerical value of 1169.

This numerical equivalence is a subtle emphasis within the ‘no-one knows’ verses, that the Lord God will reveal His secret to His servants the prophets. It supports the premise that the ‘no-one knows’ verses encourage rather than discourage a biblical watch.

Matthew 24:46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.

Another significant number in these verses is the numerical value of the Greek word for ‘day’, which is ‘354’:

Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”

This happens to be the precise number of days in a bible (lunar) year, the fundamental measure of time in scripture (Psalm 89:37).

The Wisdom of Not Knowing the Date

There is great wisdom in the concealment of the date of the return of Messiah at the Rapture. God is a God of order, and the Christian Dispensation will close according to His plan for the ages, however, to withhold a specific date from the Body of Christ during the Christian Dispensation has motivated the living church, down through the centuries, to eagerly anticipate His return.

As the 2000 Bible Years have already closed and the church is now in the final stages of the consummation of the Christian Age, it appears that the concealment factor of God’s plan has now served its purpose.

The church must now awake to the fulfilment of the eight sign miracles of John’s Gospel (the clue is in the number!) and an understanding of the biblical tools of the watch. Only now has the ‘seal’ of understanding been broken at this time of the end:

Daniel 12:4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

The premise of this understanding is explained in detail in the author’s two books: ‘Unlocking The Sign Miracles Of John In The Consummation Of The Age’, and ‘Unlocking The Biblical Watch Of Messiah’s Return’ and expanded with the recent discovery of the biblical prime-fulfilment pattern.

The Doctrine of Imminency is Not Biblical

In respect to the wisdom of sealing (or concealing) the date of the return of Messiah at the Rapture, the church has fabricated a doctrine under the title of ‘Imminency’. This doctrine states that Messiah may return at any time for His body at the Rapture. In other words, His return is, or has been, ‘imminent’ or continually in a state of ‘about to occur’ throughout the entire Christian Dispensation.

Whilst there is much virtue (as already discussed) in the Body of Christ being prepared for the Rapture at any moment (as opposed to ‘sleeping’), does ‘Imminency’ fit well with the full witness of scripture?

For anyone who has fed on the whole truth of the living Word and has ‘consumed’ (understood) the Hebrew form and structure of scripture, there can be no doubt as to the intention of the Lord, with regards to ‘time’. God’s structure, in relation to time, is majestic and perfectly patterned for His creation.

It is always the Lord’s desire for His children to ‘measure the pattern’; not least to convict believers of sin because of His perfect structural design. This notion is wonderfully expressed to the prophet Ezekiel:

Ezekiel 43:10 “Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern.”

The pattern of seven days (7000 Bible Years) is the grand framework of the Lord with regards to the ‘sufficiency’ of time.

2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The first four days of creation (4000 Bible Years) are accounted for by the Feast of Passover, which required the ‘lamb’ to be set aside four days before sacrifice (Exodus 12:3-8). In fulfilment of Passover, Jesus presented Himself as the Lamb of God at 4000 Bible Years (four days), having been ‘set aside’ in the Garden of Eden, at the fall of Adam.

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming unto him, and said, behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.

The seventh day of creation, which typifies the Sabbath day rest of the Millennial Kingdom, represents the last day of the pattern.

Clearly, this leaves the pattern of seven days with two unaccounted days (2000 Bible Years). The Sabbath day ‘rest’ cannot happen until the six days of creation (6000 bible) years have completed and therefore, the two days of Christendom (2000 Bible Years) elegantly fill the gap.

A doctrine, however, which states the Christian Dispensation could be a variable length and usher in (following the Tribulation) the seventh day of the Millennial Kingdom at any time (as ‘Imminency’ does), breaks God’s pattern and is, therefore, unbiblical.

Conclusion

The hour of Messiah’s return (at the Rapture) is a concealed matter:

Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only”,

and therefore, the Lord commands the Body of Christ to ‘watch’.

Daniel 12:9-10 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.”

The Bible clearly teaches that if the Body of Christ does not watch, she will not know the day or the hour of the Lord’s return.

Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

A correct harmonisation of all scripture teaches that Messiah knew and knows all things.

Colossians 2:3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Therefore, there must be deeper wisdom regarding the meaning of the ‘no-one knows’ verses. Two alternative explanations have been given. The first examines the full meaning of the original Greek word for ‘know’ and the second considers that Jesus was using a figure of speech for the ‘Feast of Trumpets’. Either way, what is absolutely clear from scripture is that a biblical understanding of the time and date (set by the Father alone) is not being revealed to the disciples of Jesus, except by a careful, diligent and proactive biblical watch.

Finally, scriptures which encourage a biblical ‘watch’ include the following:

Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

Daniel 2:22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.

Daniel 2:28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days.

1 Corinthians 2:10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.