(1) Verses about timing:
v.24-27 After the sufferings the suns will be darkened and the moon will not give light, the stars will be falling...and the powers in the heavens be shaken. Then...the Sonof Man arriving....Then He will send angels and they will gather His elect...
v.28-31 13:29 So also you, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, right at the door. 13:30 I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
(NET) generation may refer to “the generation that sees the signs of the end” (v. 26), who will also see the end itself. In other words, once the movement to the return of Christ starts, all the events connected with it happen very quickly, in rapid succession.v.32-37
a. About when will Jesus be back again in His Second coming we will not be able to know
13:32 “But as for that day or hour no one knows it
13:33 Watch out! Stay alert! For you do not know when the time will come.
b. Things we know and should do are watching out, and being stayed alert.
13:34 It is like a man going on a journey. He left his house and put his slaves in charge, assigning to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert.
13:35 Stay alert, then, because you do not know when the owner of the house will return13:36 or else he might find you asleep when he returns suddenly.
Just like the slaves in v.34, they knew the assignment from the master, and the doorkeeper, they were commanded to stay alert and not falling alseep. v.35-36.
(2) Reflection:
A serious event will happen in the future. This whole earth and human history will come to an end. The time for Jesus' ruling will come. It is about Him and His elect people. When this happen there will be no time for people to get ready. It will come quickly. The time to get ready is now. Are you ready? Do you still have sins that you do not want to repent and change? Do you still cling on this earth and do not want to let go of the worldly pleasures?
Second, we know what to do to prepare: Watch out and stay alert. Do the work that our Master assigned to us. The slaves were assigned to work, the doorkeeper was commanded to stay awake from evening until dawn. Keep working is not easy, and staying awaking all night is not easy. Depending on your positions you have different assignments. Perhaps you need to pray for your children, teach them, and nurture them. Those are not easy. Or you are assigned to serve in different ministries and ministries are heart tiring sometimes. In the beginning of the Chinese New Year, may this passage encourage us all to be faithful.
Audrey
Comments