THAT DAY
We are hearing more today about the secret codes in the Bible. The Mason religion has claimed for many years that they have an understanding because of the meaning of secret words which only they know. I received a "newsletter" the other day from some religious group which claims that by September the 12th a nuclear war will have started. That is September of this year. Some religious groups have put a good deal of emphasis on prophecy. They have studied and they know the exact time in which the Lord will return. Mr. Hal Lindsey did the research and stated the date would be in September of 1988.
At any rate the time is near according to all of these individuals making their predictions. Could there be a nuclear war this year? There certainly could be. Might there be an earthquake this year? There certainly could be. Will there be hot spots or wars which break out in different parts of our planet? Again, yes that is possible. The real question however, are these events connected to Bible prophecy? The answer is "no". Why not allow the Lord to answer it for us.
In Matthew 24:36, Jesus said about that day, that no man knows when it will be. If Jesus said that no man knows then all these predictions are based on false evidence. At the heart of this reasoning which we are fighting today is the notion that God wants to keep hid His plans and only a select few can find the "code" to unlock the mystery of when that day will be. Let us then take a look and see what it is which God reveals about Himself and His relationship to us.
Paul in speaking about the mystery of God said that in other ages it was not made known unto men (Ephesians 3:5). God had a reason for keeping it hid for a time. What about now? Paul continues in verse 5 by saying that it is now revealed to the apostles and prophets through the Spirit. He had said back in verse 4 that when the Ephesians read what he had written them, then they would understand or know what he did. God's purpose then was one of revealing to mankind the truth of the mystery. The mystery, according to verse 6 was that Jew and Gentile would come together in one body.
Moses informed Israel that the things which are revealed are the things which can be taught to our children (Deuteronomy 29:29). The secret things, according to the same verse, belong to God and cannot be taught. Paul tells us there was coming a time when the children of God would come to a unity of the faith (Ephesians 4:13). Such a unity could not occur until revelation from God, ceased (I Corinthians 13:8-10). Once the revelation ceased, then man would have all he needed to prepare him for eternity with God. John tells us that what has been written (revealed) is enough to generate faith in Jesus as the Christ (John 20:30,31).
Peter likewise affirms that God has given us (through revelation) all that pertains to life and godliness (II Peter 1:3). Whatever we need then to get us prepared for eternity with God, has been provided for us through God's revealed will. There are those who will take the scriptures and misuse them. Peter states that it is those who are unlearned and unstable who will wrestle the scriptures to their own destruction (II Peter 3:16). The fact then that God has revealed something does not mean that individuals will understand what the will of the Lord is (Luke 8:11-13).
Coming back now to what Jesus said about no man knowing the day. If it is God's will to reveal the things necessary for man to live and have eternity with God, then if God tells us no man will know, then no man will know. Such a statement would fall under the heading of the secret things of God. Why not see it in light of the scriptures which we have been discussing. God is calling us home to heaven. Our eternity with God does not depend on me knowing when the end will come.
The important thing about that day is that we live so that when that day comes we will be ready to go home to heaven, whenever it is (I Thessalonians 5:4-11; Matthew 24:44).