No Man Knoweth

No Man Knoweth!

By the prophet

That is probably one of the most quoted passages when the subject of determining the day of the rapture is concerned, I would think that because of its notoriety and popularity that those quoting that phrase would at least know the chapter and verse in which those words lie.  Reasonable!  Okay, maybe you’re not one on those people who know the exact location of a particular passage  but if you are one of those people quoting that verse, you should know.  Tell you what!  I won’t hold you to the chapter and verse, just tell me the book.  Here is the answer to the latter, Matthew.  Were you right?  Before we take a look at the passage let’s take a look at the setting in which that phrase appears.

Jesus had just spent a week in the temple confronting the various religious sects and doctrines.  The whole affair begins in the twenty second chapter with the Herodians attempting to entangle Jesus in his talk by asking him what they thought was a tricky question.

“Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou?  Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?”

Many people engage in religious discussions without any interest whatsoever in arriving at truth.  Learning the truth isn’t even a part of their agenda.

The next group to engage, on the same day, was the Sadducees whose doctrine taught that there was no resurrection.  One would think that Jesus’ answer to this group would have brought Sadduceeism to an abrupt end.  But once again, we find a situation where truth is not the issue, only the protection of unscriptural beliefs.  I mean, to be told by Jesus

“Ye do err not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”

“But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob...?"

They should have been embarrassed and ashamed.  It wasn’t as though Jesus went to an obscure passage in one of the minor prophets, those words were spoken to Moses at the burning bush.

Finally it was the Pharisees' turn. Their intent was not to gain knowledge but to tempt Jesus.  You might want to see how Jesus ended this tempting exercise.  He asked them a question.  His question was designed to make them think and come to the realization of WHO he was, a side of Jesus greatly ignored by many who claim to be preachers and teachers of Jesus.  There’s a lot of teaching about what Jesus did, where he did it, why he did it, when he did it andwho he did it to. All of which are equivalent to not preaching Jesus at all.  That type of preaching is what Paul calls, preaching another Jesus.  The stories in the bible about Jesus have one purpose, to show WHO he is.  His trial before the Sanhedrin and Pilot revolved around twowho questions, art thou the Christ? and art thou the King of the Jews?  The placard attached to his cross was a whoissue. Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews!

Now we are ready for ‘no man knoweth’.  By now you should have taken the time to find the location of that partial quotation.  It is found in the 24th chapter of Matthew verse 36.  Now take time to look at the verse above and see exactly what day it is that no man knoweth. Unless you think the rapture is the end of the world, understand that it is only the official end of Daniel’s 69th week.  There are at least one thousand and seven years before the world ends. Know that the rapture is not the no man knoweth event and understand, God has no intention at all of keeping that day a secret, He has already let the cat out of the bag almost 20 years ago.