.jpeg)
March 7 - Matthew 23-25
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 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, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 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. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:36-44)
Matthew 24 records one of the most serious and sobering teachings Jesus ever gave. Sitting on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem, the disciples asked Him a question that has echoed through every generation of believers: “What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3)
Jesus responded by describing a future marked by deception, wars, disasters, persecution, apostasy, and global gospel proclamation. But Jesus’ primary warning was for believers to “be ready.” Most people are naturally drawn to prediction. We want to know when. But Jesus repeatedly redirects attention to how we should live as we await His return. Prophecy in Scripture is never given merely to satisfy curiosity; it is given to produce watchfulness, holiness, and faith.
Beginning in Matthew 24:36, Jesus deliberately removes the possibility of date-setting: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” After describing recognizable signs earlier in the chapter, Christ now explains that the precise moment of His return will remain unknown. This creates a spiritual tension: believers can recognize the season but never calculate the day. The result is meant to be continual readiness rather than occasional excitement.
“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:37). When people imagine the end times, they often picture terror, panic, and worldwide awareness that judgment is imminent. Jesus says the opposite will occur. The world will not be expecting Him.
To understand Jesus’ meaning here, we must remember what characterized Noah’s generation. Genesis describes a world filled with violence, corruption, and wickedness (Genesis 6:5, 11). Yet the people living in those days did not feel alarmed. They carried on normal life while ignoring God’s warnings delivered through Noah for decades.
“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” (Matthew 24:38). None of these activities are sinful in themselves. Eating, celebrating, planning families are everyday human experiences. That is precisely the point. The danger of the last days will not simply be immorality but spiritual indifference. The people were not shaking their fists at heaven. They were simply unconcerned. They lived as though life would continue uninterrupted indefinitely.
“And did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:39). The tragedy of Noah’s generation was not lack of information but lack of response. Noah was “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5). The ark itself was visible testimony. The warning stood before them for years, yet they dismissed it. Their blindness was voluntary. This reveals a profound spiritual principle: judgment does not surprise people because God hides truth; it surprises them because they ignore truth.
Jesus teaches that His return will mirror this pattern. Humanity will be absorbed in daily routines, assuming stability is permanent. Society will function normally with normal commerce, celebrations, relationships while warning of impending judgment is disregarded. The flood did not begin gradually; it began decisively. One moment ordinary life continued; the next moment the door of the ark was shut. So it will be at the coming of Christ.
Jesus then gives two parallel illustrations: “Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left” (Matthew 24:40–41). This is a picture of the rapture. People side-by-side, performing identical tasks, will experience completely different destinies.
No time remains for preparation once the rapture occurs. The separation is immediate and irreversible. Just as the floodwaters distinguished believer from unbeliever, the rapture will divide humanity permanently. This challenges a dangerous assumption: that spiritual decisions can always be postponed. Jesus presents a scenario here where opportunity ends without warning.
Because of this certainty, Jesus gives an urgent appeal: “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24:42). Watchfulness in Scripture does not mean anxiety or speculation. It means living in a state of spiritual awareness. It is a heart oriented toward God, a life aligned with obedience to Christ, and a faith that shapes our everyday conduct.