Watch, But Wonder

Watch, but Wonder

Read: Matthew 24:36-44

“The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Matthew 24:44

“Just look in your heart and see if there’s room, ’cause Jesus is coming soon.”

—Keith Green

IN WORD Right after Jesus tells His disciples to watch for the signs and to recognize them, to see and to know when the time is near, He tells them that He will come when they do not expect Him. What a curious mix of clarity and mystery! There will be signs and we should expect Him, but no one knows the day or the hour. We are commanded to keep watch but told we will be caught off guard. Is Jesus just pessimistic about our ability to heed His warnings? Or is He really trying to confuse us?

Nearly every generation of Christians has thought that it might be the last generation. Why? Because there have always been wars and rumors of war. There have always been false prophets. There have always been natural disasters that have rocked the world, or at least our corner of it. All of these are signs, and we are told they will be increasing—but we do not know how intensely and to what extent.

Confusion is one of the unfortunate results of Jesus’ words predicting His second coming. Many throughout history have tried to specify the day and the hour, even though Jesus told us it could not be done. Many have envisioned elaborate scenarios of the end, though all we’ve been given are a few controversial signs to watch for. What is Jesus trying to accomplish with so much teaching yet so little certainty?

IN DEED Jesus wants us to be on guard. He wants us to be able to tell, generally speaking, what events signal the end. But He does not want us to be definite about it. He does not even want us to be sure within ourselves that we are living in the end times. He has given us signs because He wants us to be ready. But He has given us ambiguous signs because He wants every generation to be ready. Readiness and a watchful eye are always the appropriate pose of the believer, in all times and in all places. Because of Jesus’ words, the expectation has been building throughout church history. That is exactly how He wants it. We are to wait and to watch—and to be ready at any time.