The Day and the Hour

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. (Matthew 24:36) The disciples thought that the temple would come down when Jesus returned at the end of the age. To them, these events were connected. But history shows they are not. The temple has come down, but we are still looking forward to Christ’s triumphant return. The fall of the temple and the Second Coming of Jesus. The first event was predictable – Jesus gave the disciples forty signposts – but the second is a mystery. “But of that day and hour no one knows.” The former can be anticipated, but the latter “will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thess 5:2). Mr. Preterist: “I disagree. Jesus is talking about one and the same day. The fall of Jerusalem was the day when Christ returned in judgment of that sinful city.” Mr. Futurist: “But one day is marked by signposts; the other day is unknown.” Mr. Preterist: “Jesus knew the fall of Jerusalem would happen within a generation but he didn’t know exactly when – not the day or hour. This is why he told [...]