What do we Know about the Coming of the Lord?

“Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming (presence, arrival, or coming)  at an hour you do not expect.” (Luke 12:40 NKJV)

The Rapture or the Revelation?

When I hear people talking about the coming of the Lord, sometimes it is hard to tell if they are speaking of the rapture as found in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 or if they are speaking of his Revelation to the world as found in Revelation 19:11-16.  I used to wonder which coming of the Lord was in view when the Lord said that He would come at an hour when you do not expect him to come.  Now the “you” in that verse probably applies to the Jewish nation, but it can be applied to all of us.  I have come to realize that when the Lord talks about HIs coming in the Gospels, He is likely referring to all the events associated with His second coming.  That would include the rapture of the church, the tribulation period, His coming to set up a righteous thousand year reign.  John 14:3 might be an exception.  There he may be referring only to his coming for believers.  John 11:26 might be another promise to believers only.  However, we need to remember that there is only one second coming, not two.

Who is Not Expecting the Lord’s Return?

So when the Lord says “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only, (Matthew 24:36 NKJV)”  is He referring to the rapture or the revelation or of the whole future revelation of the events of the book of Revelation?  When He says, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect (Matthew 24:44 NKJV),” again is He referring to the rapture or the revelation?  And to whom is He speaking?

Since Matthew 24 seems to deal with the coming tribulation for the Jewish nation, I would suggest that since the rapture saves the living believers from the coming tribulation period that all the events associated with the Lord’s second coming are going to happen when the Jews don’t expect it.  But I have a disconnect with regard to what we are hearing today.  The “so-calledf” evangelical church is spending a lot of effort on the idea that the signs of the times point to the second coming (the rapture of the church in this case).  But if believers are expecting the rapture, what does the Lord mean when He talks about the Lord coming as a thief in the night in messages to the church? For example we read, “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief (1 Thessalonians 5:2-4 NKJV).”  This is written to the church at Thessalonica and so it is written to professing believers.  That day should not be a surprise to believers.  But we read, “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you (Revelation 3:3 NKJV).”  This was written to the church at Sardis.  This church thought they were alive when in fact they were dead.

It is obvious to me that a nation that has rebelled against God (see Isaiah 1:2) will not be expecting His return to set up His kingdom.  He will come upon them unexpectedly.  However, there will be 144,000 Jews who are miraculously saved and who are preaching during the tribulation period who will be doing a calendar countdown of seven 360 day prophetic years from the signing of a  peace treaty mentioned in Daniel 9:27 until the Lord comes.  That will give them hope if they are not martyred before then.  But what about the church?  We know that there are believers who are waiting for the Lord to return.  They are not involved in trying to make the earth the Kingdom of God on earth.  They are involved in preaching the Gospel because the Lord’s soon return is a reality in their lives.  But in the United States, my observation is that we are more involved with trying to make unbelievers live like believers than we are in preaching the Gospel that saves for eternity.  I am not convinced that it is the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Lord (see Titus 2:13) that is motivating those who claim to be evangelical Christians today.  The political nature of many of those who claim to be Christians has become a distraction to the Gospel of God’s grace.

Do We Really Expect that the Lord could Come Today?

Even though we have best selling books on the rapture and theme parks based on the creation story and on the story of the ark and the universal flood, I am not sure who it is who will be surprised when the Lord does return.  Some in the church certainly must not be expecting His return when it happens or else he couldn’t come in an hour when He is least expected.  He wouldn’t be coming as a thief to the church.

I think many are going to be surprised when the Lord comes!  Let’s not be part of that gang even though lack of readiness might just hasten His return!  Is there an apparent contradiction in our verse for today?  That is, are we commanded to prepare for something we really don’t expect to happen?  I hope that is not true!

Bruce Collins

Meditation for the weeks of September 14 and 21, 2025

If you would like further conversation about the issues in these meditations, contact me at collinsbd@yahoo.com and I will try to accommodate you with a virtual Bible Study.