Knowing this first
2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
I was taught that you need ten verses at a minimum before you can build a doctrine. I was also taught that the doctrine cannot contradict the Bible. We have all had to deal with the doctrine that “no one knows the day or the hour”. I am going to skip Matthew 24:36 because the context is the new heaven and new earth. But Matthew 24:42 is about the rapture:
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
And so is verse 44
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
And also verse 50
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,
And so is Matthew 25:13
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
So we have four verses in Matthew, not one verse in Mark, and in Luke we have the following three verses:
Luke 12:39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. 40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Luke 12:46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
I say this because a strong case can be made to say that the three synoptic gospels are to three different groups. Matthew is to the last ones taken, the Jews (the first shall be last and the last first). Mark is to the left behind saints and Luke is to those raptured before the trial that is to come upon the whole earth. We see some problems with the doctrine. In Luke there is no mention that “no one knows” on the contrary it seems like a punishment to not know to those who weren’t watching. Verse 46 is clear, “the Lord of that servant will come in a day that he looketh not for Him”. So then, who is “that” servant?
Luke 12:45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
So already, just by looking at the seven verses that this doctrine is built on I have serious questions about whether or not the Lord ever told us we would not know the day or even the hour of the rapture prior to the trial that is to come upon the whole earth. The rapture that Luke is referring to. But then consider the type of Elijah being raptured. The bible makes it very clear that he did know the day that he would be raptured.
2 Kings 2:3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
Likewise Noah entered the ark seven days before the flood, and he knew when to enter the ark because Methuselah died. That was a prophecy telling him when the end would come. He didn’t know the day or the hour that Methuselah would die, but he did know when he did die then the end had come. Jesus said it would be as the days of Noah. The same thing with Lot, he was told that the city would be destroyed and had around a 12 hour notice to get out of town. Abraham was given even more warning than Lot was. Jesus said it would be as the days of Lot. Noah did not know the day or the hour of the flood when he got the vision from God, Abraham did not know the day and the hour of the destruction of Sodom when God called him out of Er of the Chaldees, and no reason to believe Elijah was told the day and the hour of his rapture when his ministry began. So the conflict is not with the Lord’s word, but with the interpretation of that word.
Then consider this word to Sardis
Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Not knowing the hour is a rebuke to those who are not watching. That thoroughly solves the conundrum. The Lord’s second coming is like a pregnant woman giving birth. You don’t know ahead of time the day and the hour that the baby will be born, that is why you must watch and why you must be ready to go in an instant. In the same way, you don’t know the hour or day that a thief will break in and rob the place, that is why you have night watchmen. However, if the watchmen are good and your security is good you will see the thief trying to break in and you will prevent them. This is why the conclusion of “no one knows the day or the hour” is that you must watch. There is a crown for those who love the Lord’s appearing (2 Timothy 4:8). There is a reward for the parents who were watching and ready for the baby to be born, there is a reward for the night watchman who catches the thief and prevents the place from being robbed.
Therefore I disagree that the Lord said we cannot know the day and the hour of His coming. Instead I believe that what He actually said is that many of the believers will be caught by surprise and that will be to their shame. However, there will be those who are watching when He returns, are not caught by surprise, and they will get a reward. Abraham will have helped Lot find salvation. Noah will have also found salvation in the ark. Lot will have found salvation. Elisha will get a double portion of the Spirit that Elijah had.
