Knowing God through His Word … Day by Day

What is imminence?   Wikipedia says, “Imminence is the quality of being imminent, i.e. about to happen.”  In today’s passage from Matthew 24:36-51, we read of the second coming of Christ.

No One Knows That Day and Hour

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.  Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.  Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

His coming was “imminent” for the believers living before A.D. 70;

it was “imminent” for the Reformers;

and it is “imminent” for us.

Peter comments,

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare” (2 Peter 3:8-10).

God’s patience is rooted in his love for us: “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” And when viewed from eternity—God’s perspective always, and one day ours—all the horrible sufferings of this life are but, “slight momentary affliction,” and it “is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

He is coming back SOON, and may that provide great HOPE for us all!