"A Hopeless pursuit" -- Not
Matthew 24:36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Here is the standard interpretation of this verse:
The clearer message of this comment is that pinning down the moment of Christ's return is a hopeless pursuit. It cannot be known. Any teacher, religious group, or sect who attempts to assign a date to the return of Christ is speaking falsehood. Period. No human being can know more about the timing of Christ's return than this: when these dramatic signs are occurring (Matthew 24:15, 29–30), everyone will know the end has come. Until then, nothing in God's revealed plan for future history stands in the way. Jesus is near, standing at the gates (Matthew 24:33). He could arrive at any moment. Even if His return is many years away, each of us is an instant away from the end of our earthly life.
However, here is what Jesus says immediately after:
Matthew 24:37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Imagine telling Noah it was a hopeless pursuit. When Noah started building the ark he didn't know the day or the hour of the flood. He was a preacher of righteousness so when he was preaching we can also assume he didn't know the day or the hour. However, the prophecy said that when Methuselah died the end would come and when Methuselah did die Noah and his family entered the ark, seven days before the flood, so he may not have known for 600 years, but he was given a one week heads up to get into the ark.
Matthew 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Again, compare what Jesus is saying with what the standard teaching says. Being clueless that the flood was about to come only refers to those in the world, it didn't refer to Noah and his family.
Matthew 24:40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
I think this is a clear reference to the rapture. The word taken refers being taken alongside as a close personal friend while "left" is a reference to being divorced. This is referring to those in the gospel field and those who are teaching the word (grinding the word up to feed to the sheep as bread).
Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
The point is to watch, not that watching is a hopeless pursuit. Jesus told us what to watch for, He didn't tell us when we would see it. Imagine if He had said to wait for two thousand years and then you will see it, how would that have impacted church history? That would have encouraged laziness, we would be those twiddling their thumbs waiting for some future event. Farmers don't know the date they will harvest but they do know what to watch for. A pregnant mother doesn't know the date the baby will be born but she does know what to watch for.
Matthew 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Suppose I am watching and I am seeing they are poisoning the food to create a famine. I can prepare by stocking up food so that my family is not killed. Suppose I see they are going to poison the water supply. I can buy a water filter so that my family is not poisoned. We can watch and see many things and as a result take the proper action to protect our house.
Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Don't listen to those who say "the Lord is not coming back right now". Jesus said right here that this is what they would be saying.
Matthew 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
There is a due season when you should be giving the household of the saints certain words. Right now would be an excellent time to talk about Psalm 83. I can imagine twenty years ago or two hundred years ago would not have been an ideal time. But as we see Psalm 83 war played out in Israel it would be good to teach God's people this prophecy. This might also be a great time to warn them about Isaiah 17 and the destruction of Damascus as a prophecy marking the beginning of the day of the Lord's judgment.
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
The Lord doesn't say that you will be blessed if you are simply regurgitating canned sermons. You have to adjust your speaking and teaching based on what season it is for the church. Two thousand years ago it was a time of sowing, now it is a time of reaping.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
The context of these verses is about the Lord's coming. It is clear that at the time of the Lord's coming there will be evil servants who say the Lord is delaying His coming. Speaking the truth about world events is required, it isn't optional.
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
When you beat up Christians who are talking about the rapture and the world events, trying to ridicule and humiliate them, and when you are eating and drinking with those drunk on the world's wine, you are in a place where you will be severely punished by the Lord. As James says the judgment on those who teach others the word of God is more severe.
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
Do you see that the teaching that the Lord can come any day is akin to the Lord coming in a day when the servant is not looking for Him. There are signs, when we see the signs we can see the day approaching and we are told to look up at that time because our redemption draws near. This evil servant is not looking at the signs and is ridiculing those that do and he doesn't even want the Lord to come because he is eating and drinking with the drunken.
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
It will be very bad for those who are not watching and who are teaching others that watching is a "hopeless pursuit".