Matthew 24:36-44

³⁶ “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.

Commentary

Vs. 36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”

Here the Lord Jesus Christ warns us that no one knows the day or the hour of His return only His Father in heaven. Indeed, at the beginning of the church age He warned the Apostles not to speculate on when the kingdom of Israel would be restored (see Acts 1:6-7), for to focus on these things is at often only to the detriment of the work of Gospel, and at the very worst the grounds and means by which cults, false teachers and prophets exploit and or mislead people into believing or doing many harmful and destructive things. Therefore, when someone or some organization claims to know when the day or the hour when the Lord’s Return is we who believe are to steer clear of them, because as history has proven such are always wrong and always harmful to the faith of those who heed them.

Vs. 37-39 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. 

Having warned us not to be deceived by those who claim to know the day or hour of His return. The Lord Jesus Christ here says that just as people were indifferent to their own impending doom, so they will be before He returns to judge the world and begin His glorious Millennial Reign (vs. 37; Matt. 25:31-46; Rev. 19:11-20:14). And so just those in Noah’s day were given to their own worldly pursuits and pleasures, living then as if God did not exist or matter, that is until Noah having finished his preaching to them then entered the ark, and then God opened the heavens and then they were all taken away by with the flood that destroyed the whole earth, so also says the Lord Jesus Christ will it be on earth before He returns, people will be living their lives indifferent to Him, and yet when He Comes, just as in the days of Noah there will be no recourse for them, because they did not repent and believe and receive the love of the truth for themselves when they could’ve. The lesson then is do not delay or wait until its to late, but be reconciled to God while you can (2 Cor 5:21), for salvation is freely available to all who repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Vs. 40-41 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.

Here the Lord Jesus describes what the gathering of the elect to reign with Himself during His Millennial Reign will look like, two men working the field, and yet only one will be taken, that is the believer will be taken, and other will be left to suffer his own fate. Similarly, two women will be grinding at the mill; that is involved in their daily work or tasks of life; and yet only one, the believer will be taken, the other will be left behind. 

Vs. 42-44 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. 

The Lord Jesus Christ’s warning then is for us all not to be complacent or caught off guard, unprepared for His Return. For as He will later demonstrate in His parable of the Ten virgins, only those who prepared themselves for His Return entered into His Kingdom (Matt 25:1-13). Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ’s Words here are for everyone (Mark 13:32-37), because redemption and salvation is only available during this hour of grace. For when the Lord returns no one who did not repent and believe, and thus receive the love of truth will be saved. Therefore, the onus is on us all here and now to set our hope and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12), for He alone was Crucified for our sins Redemption and He alone was Risen from the dead for our eternal Redemption. For it is only by His Broken Body and His Shed Blood that His Spirit now restores us too God. Therefore, let us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ having been Redeemed by His Blood and born-again and gifted by His Spirit, be about doing the works of the Lord; that is whatever good works He has appointed us to do (Eph. 2:10). Doing then all those things that are befitting of having genuine faith In Christ and showing true repentance towards God. Because as the Lord Jesus Christ warns us all, He is coming on a day and at an hour that we do expect (vs. 44), and he will render to each one of us according to our works. Therefore, in accordance with your faith and new life hidden In Christ, set your person and life on a course of righteousness and holiness because no one living wickedly or unrighteously will enter His Kingdom (1 Cor. 6:9-11). 

Scripture Quotations: 

The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson