For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Matt 24:37-39
“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” Mat 24:42
“Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day or the hour.” Mat 25:13
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Mat 24:36
Imminence
The tension around these verses and Jesus’ parables is one of imminence: “You’d best be awake, for you do not know when I’m coming back.” The term “Marrying and giving in marriage” suggests a normalcy before Christ’s return. This dovetails well with what Paul wrote,
For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 1Thess 5:2-3
For more on imminence, see Robert L. Thomas’ article Imminence in the NT, Especially Paul’s Thessalonians Materials.
How can this be?
But how can this be when Christ outlined dire conditions prior to His return in the Olivet Discourse? When Christ opens the Second Seal (Revelation), peace is taken from the earth. The Fourth Seal,
And I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. And authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth. Rev 6:8
Note Matt 24:22: And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short.
These aren’t conditions outlined in Matt 24:37-39. The only possible solution is that there will be an aspect to Christ’s return which is sudden and unexpected, during a time of relative peace. I suggest that this is when He comes for His church.
The “other” solution
I understand that one non-pretrib view now recognizes this imminent aspect of the Second Advent. However, it is conflicted because it also insists on denying general imminence. Therefore, it concocts a temporary 21 month window of imminence beginning at the “Abomination of Desolation” and ending at Matt 24:29-31.
This “solution” arises from a pre-commitment against general imminence. The view has to force a temporary slot for it and “peace and safety” because of the verses cited above. Yet Christ’s warning to the disciples indicates a continuing state of affairs at the time of His discourse, not a reduced future slot.
There is no peace after the Second Seal has been opened. Moreover, the worst time in history (Matt24:22) has to be connected to the Day of the Lord.
As I see it, the best explanation for all this is the Pretribulational Rapture view.
Christ can really come any time for us. Are you ready?
Maranatha!
Further reading
God’s Sovereignty the Antichrist and Delusion
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