THAT DAY AND THAT HOUR
Mark 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Someone has well defined a biblical mystery as a previously unrevealed truth. And our Lord has instructed us that the mysteries of his kingdom are only to be revealed to the true believers, therefore he hid these things in parables. Mark 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
And the Apostle Paul spoke of the gospel being now preached unto the Gentiles which was a previous mystery. Ephesians 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
He also wrote how the marriage of the man and woman are, in fact, a “great mystery” which actually reveals Christ and his church! Ephesians 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
But these previously hidden mysteries have been revealed. For they are not of “the secret things” of God. Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. However the day and hour of which we speak shall never previously be revealed until it actually occurs! For its occurrence shall be its revealing! Matthew 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
For this one hour of this one particular day, which is to be the most unique and serious upcoming day and hour of the entire history of mankind, shall affect heaven and hell. It shall affect all the living and all the dead. It shall abruptly change everything for everybody! It is the approaching and appointed day of the Lord’s return in his appearance on earth. And it is the most secretive event remaining of the Lord God’s appointments.
For if you read that first verse in our above context you will see that it clearly states, “neither the Son,” in the list of those who are kept from the time of its occurrence! But how is that possible? For it is clearly stated that the Son “knowest all things.” (John 21:17) So in what way is this all important event said to be kept from the Son of God? It is in regard to his role of Mediator. 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; No human being has ever known the Father except by the Son’s revelation of Him. Luke 10:22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
And everything that the Father has revealed to the Son is made known to the true church, the body of born again believers. John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Therefore as this is not to be communicated to anyone, it must be said that neither does the Son know this.
In reality, he, as very God, does know this! But he is also very man as well. And in that capacity he is said not to know. For when he prayed, was he praying to himself? Of course not! He was praying as man to God. He clearly makes that distinction outside of Lazarus’ tomb. He states to the Father in heaven that he is praying out loud to Him that which he had before prayed silently in his heart, in order that his believers might enter into his mindset. John 11:41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
We have to realize that this is of the greatest mystery ever manifest to us! 1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. For of all the mysteries of the majestic God, the Incarnate, Invisible, Eternal, unknowable God being manifest in human flesh, is the greatest!
And we must consider that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Jesus of Bethlehem, is both very God and very man! In his humanity he states, in John 10:30 I and my Father are one. But in his godhood he states, in John 14:28 …for my Father is greater than I. But both of these seemingly contradictory states are true! For he has to be man in order to become both the perfect shepherd and the complete sacrifice for all the elect. It is only “through death” in which he can both “destroy him, that is, the devil,” and “deliver them,” who were “all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
Therefore he must be completely man in order to die. But he must be completely God in order to be without sin and raise from the dead! 1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Consider this verse: Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. Since he must be “made like unto his brethren,” He had to, as it were, hide his knowledge as God from himself as man, and ‘ration’ it out to himself in direct relationship to his physical growth. For we, as his brethren learn progressively. Therefore as a three year old he could not know, humanly speaking, that which a ten year old would know. Yet, as very God, he knew all things. See! Great IS the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh!
As God he knows all things. But as Mediator, he cannot be said to know “that day and that hour.” For in that John 15:15 verse listed above, he upgrades his disciples from servants to friends by telling them all things that he has heard of his Father! Therefore when this final mystery is revealed in it’s actually happening, the Lord Jesus shall become “God all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
For it is in his submission to the Father in which he shall receive his exaltation into God’s highest glory! Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
For upon his return, all mediation shall cease! His office as Mediator shall forever cease. 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Seeing him directly, without any mediation, will glorify all the believers. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
And seeing him directly, without any mediation, shall be the damnation of all the wicked. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Revelation 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Matthew 25:31 ¶ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
May our Great God and Savior have mercy on this people!
Pastor Gene Breed
March 07, 2021
See also the Article, “The Approaching Day.”
