Why Humans Can't Predict The Day Of Jesus' Return

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Answer

Because humans are not in control of what determines Jesus' return

1. The Moon - Matthew 24:36

2. People's Choice to Confess Christ - Matthew 24:14

3. The Holy Spirit - John 3:1-8

I know you know those scriptures. But God wants to make you understand with more scriptures how they relate to Christ's return to show you that you have to be God to know these things. Only God the Father knows those three things. Our job is to tell people about Jesus, but we don't know if they'll accept Jesus, and it is not our job to know this.

You Cannot Predict a Sovereign Act of God

You Cannot Predict When the New Moon Will Show Itself in the Feast of the Hidden Day

You Are Not in Control of the New Moon

Only God Is

The Hidden Day in the Feast of Trumpets

Yom Hakeseh & Rosh HaShanah

Excerpt taken from

"Feasts of the Lord: The Rapture - Jesus in the Feast of Trumpets" (by I Gordon)

Click Me to read "Feasts of the Lord: The Rapture - Jesus in the Feast of Trumpets" (by I Gordon)

Yom Hakeseh - The hidden day

The new moon seen at the Feast of Trumpets - the hidden day

In Jewish thought this feast was also the hidden day. It was said to be hidden from Satan. It was 'hidden' because they didn't know the exact day it would begin due to the fact that they had to first sight the smallest part of the new moon. Thus it was a two day feast because they didn't want to celebrate it on the wrong day. Concerning Rosh HaShanah, the Jews would typically say "Of that day and hour no one knows."

Fulfillment: Concerning His return, Jesus said the exact same thing:

Matthew 24:32-36 Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. (33) Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. (34) I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. (35) Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (36) No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.'

While Gentiles read this to mean no one knows when He will return, the Jewish mind would likely see Jesus alluding to the feast of trumpets, Rosh HaShanah, in making this statement!

There is also a strong thought of the believers being 'hidden' at this time. This comes across in several passages. One related passage is in Psalm 27. This Psalm, Chumney writes, is read everyday during the 40 day period leading up to the day of Atonement (which includes the feast of Trumpets). Part of this Psalm speaks of the 'hiding' of believers:

Psalms 27:5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.

Other noteworthy passages on this are:

Zephaniah 2:2-3 Before the decree takes effect-- The day passes like the chaff-- Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you, Before the day of the LORD'S anger comes upon you. (3) Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the LORD'S anger.

This next passage in Isaiah is fantastic for it ties the resurrection in with the hiding of God's people in their 'rooms/chambers' until the period of God's wrath is complete.

Isaiah 26:19-21 Your dead will live; Their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, For your dew is as the dew of the dawn, And the earth will give birth to the departed spirits. (20) Come, my people, enter into your rooms And close your doors behind you; Hide for a little while Until indignation runs its course. (21) For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; And the earth will reveal her bloodshed And will no longer cover her slain.

God's Illustration About Why No One Can Know the Day or the Hour

Yom Hakeseh & the Feast of Trumpets

Trying to predict the day and the hour of Jesus' return is about as impossible to predict as predicting which day the New Moon begins the Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh HaShanah, in Israel. In Israel, every year the Feast of Yom Hakeseh, which translates from Hebrew to "hidden day", begins the Feast of Trumpets.

This holy day is commonly called in Israel "Of that day and hour no one knows" because they didn't know the exact day it would begin due to the fact that they had to first sight the smallest part of the new moon. It was a two-day feast because they didn't want to celebrate it on the wrong day.

Thus, it is impossible to know the day and the hour of Jesus' return and of the rapture, which both occur on the same day, because no one can predict which day the New Moon will begin the Feast of Trumpets every year. You can't predict it. You would have to be God to know this. That's what God and His Son, Jesus, are saying in Matthew 24:36, Acts 1:7 and with Yom Hakeseh and the Feast Trumpets. Only God the Father knows.

Since We Humans Cannot Predict the Day and Hour of Jesus' Return

God Tells Us to Witness

Witnessing is What We Have Control of

Matthew 24:14

Modern English Version

¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 28:18-20

Modern English Version

¹⁸ Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name {the word "name" here is a singular noun implying that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit all have one and the same name, i.e. Jesus} of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit {baptize them in the Name of Jesus},

²⁰ teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Mark 16:15-18

Modern English Version

{Paraphrased}

¹⁵ {Jesus} said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized will be saved. But he who does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ These signs will accompany those who believe: In My name {in the Name of Jesus} they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;

¹⁸ they will take up serpents; if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Luke 10:17-20

Modern English Version

The Return of the Seventy

¹⁷ The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us through Your name.”

¹⁸ He said to them, “I saw Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

¹⁹ Look, I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you.

²⁰ Nevertheless do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

John 20:19-23

Modern English Version

The Appearance of Jesus to His Disciples

¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

²⁰ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples were then glad when they saw the Lord.

²¹ So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As My Father has sent Me, even so I send you.” ²² When He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

²³ If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained.”

Acts 1:6-11

Modern English Version

The Ascension

⁶ So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

⁷ He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or the dates, which the Father has fixed by His own authority.

⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

⁹ When He had spoken these things, while they looked, He was taken up. And a cloud received Him from their sight.

¹⁰ While they looked intently toward heaven as He ascended, suddenly two men stood by them in white garments.

¹¹ They said, “Men of Galilee, why stand looking toward heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you to heaven, will come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

2 Corinthians 5:18-20

Modern English Version

We Are Christ's Ambassadors

¹⁸ All this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation,

¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them, and has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation.

²⁰ So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us. We implore you in Christ’s stead: Be reconciled to God.

You Are in Control of Your Witnessing

But You Are Not in Control of Someone's Will to Confess Christ

Only God Is

1 Corinthians 7:8-16

Modern English Version

⁸ I say to the unmarried and widows that it is good for them if they live even as I am.

⁹ But if they cannot restrain themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

¹⁰ Now to the married I command, not I, but the Lord, do not let the wife depart from her husband. ¹¹ But if she departs, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And do not let the husband divorce his wife.

¹² To the rest I speak, not the Lord: If any brother has an unbelieving wife who consents to live with him, he should not divorce her.

¹³ And if the woman has an unbelieving husband who consents to live with her, she should not divorce him.

¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean. But now they are holy.

¹⁵ But if the unbeliever departs, let that one depart. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called us to peace.

¹⁶ For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

The Confession of the Word of Faith in Christ

Romans 10:6-17

Authorized (King James) Version

{Paraphrased}

God's Saving & Healing Power in the Bible

The Word of Faith & Salvation

6 But the {right standing with God} which {comes from biblically created faith}

speaks {in this way in the Bible about how to get saved through faith in Jesus from sin & death},

"Say not in {your} heart, 'Who shall ascend into heaven'"? {Dt. 30:12}

(that is, to bring Jesus down from above).

7 or, "Who shall descend into the deep?" {Dt. 30:13} (that is, to bring up Jesus again from the dead).

8 But what {does} it {say}?

"The word is {near you}. {It is in your} mouth, and in {your} heart

{from hearing the scriptures - Pr. 4:20-27}.

That is, the word of faith {in Jesus}, which we preach.

9 That if you shall confess with {your} mouth the Lord Jesus

{to confess the Lord Jesus means to say that you believe that Jesus died for your sins}

and shall believe in {your} heart that God has raised Him from the dead,

you shall be saved {from sin & death}.

10 For with the heart man believes {the scriptures about Jesus giving him right standing before God}

and with the mouth confession {of these scriptures about Jesus}

is made giving him God's salvation from sin & death through faith in Jesus}.

11 For the scripture {says},

"Whoever believes on {Jesus the Son of God} shall not be ashamed" {Isa. 28:16}.

12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek {or any other Gentile nation}.

For the same Lord {Jesus} over all is rich {in faith & salvation} to all that call upon Him

{for salvation through the scriptures}.

13 "For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord {Jesus}

shall be saved {from sin & death - Joel 2:32}.

14 How then shall they call on {Jesus for salvation from sin & death} if {they do not believe in Him}?

And how shall they believe in {Jesus if} they have not {first} heard about Him?

And how shall they hear without a preacher {telling them what the scriptures say about Jesus}?

15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent {by God to do this}?

As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace

{with God through faith in His Son Jesus}

and bring glad tidings of good things"! {Isa. 52:7}

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel.

For {Isaiah says in Isaiah 53:1}, "Lord, who has believed our report

{in the Old Testament prophecies that Your Son Jesus is the Messiah

and the long-awaited Savior from sin & death"?

17 So then faith {in Christ as the Lord & Savior from sin & death}

comes by hearing, and hearing by {what} the word of God {the Bible prophecies say about Him

{To get faith to call upon the Lord Jesus for salvation from sin & death,

listen to what God's preachers tell you about Jesus & read what the Bible says about Him}.

Proverbs 11:30

Modern English Version

³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

The Holy Spirit is the One Who Makes Someone Born-Again When You Witness to Them

But You Are Not in Control of the Holy Spirit

You Cannot Tell When He Will Make Someone Born-Again After You Witness to Them

John 3:1-8

Modern English Version

Jesus and Nicodemus

1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

² He came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

³ Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

⁴ Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

⁷ Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

⁸ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit Convinces People That Jesus is True When You Witness to Them

But You are Not in Control of Their Response

Only God Is

John 16:1-15

Modern English Version

The Work of the Holy Spirit

1 “I have spoken these things to you so that you will not fall away.

² They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he is offering a service to God.

³ They will do these things to you, because they have not known the Father nor Me.

⁴ I have told you these things, so that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you about them.

“I did not tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you.

⁵ But now I am going to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’

⁶ Rather, sorrow has filled your heart because I have told you these things.

⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you.

⁸ When He comes, He will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment:

⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me;

¹⁰ of righteousness, because I am going to My Father, and you will see Me no more;

¹¹ and of judgment, because the ruler of this world stands condemned.

¹² “I have yet many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now.

¹³ But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own authority. But He will speak whatever He hears, and He will tell you things that are to come.

¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will receive from Me and will declare it to you.

¹⁵ All that the Father has is Mine. Therefore I said that He will take what is Mine and will declare it to you.

The Gospel Can Only Be Understood by the Holy Spirit's Illumination When You Witness

But You Are Not in Control of Their Understanding Being Illuminated

Only God Is

1 Corinthians 2:6-16

Modern English Version

The Revelation by God’s Spirit

⁶ Yet we speak wisdom among those who are mature, although not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.

⁷ But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the ages for our glory.

⁸ None of the rulers of this age knew it. For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

⁹ But as it is written,

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

¹⁰ But God has revealed them to us by His Spirit.

For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

¹¹ For what man knows the things of a man, except the spirit of man which is in him? Likewise, no one knows the things of God, except the Spirit of God.

¹² Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, so that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God.

¹³ These things also we proclaim, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

¹⁴ But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

¹⁵ But he who is spiritual judges all things. Yet he himself is not judged by anyone.

¹⁶ For

“who has known the mind of the Lord    that he may instruct Him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.

We Witness, the Holy Spirit Saves

The Lord Works with Us to Save Those Who Hear Our Word

Mark 16:20

Modern English Version

²⁰ Then they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

God is in Control

God's point to you with these scriptures about the moon, human will and the Holy Spirit, is to say that since the day that Jesus returns depends on our witnessing to this world, that we cannot predict when Jesus will return because we are not in control of the Holy Spirit making people born again. We cannot tell which way He will go to make someone born again. All we can do is witness. When Jesus returns is up to God.

You cannot tell when someone will get saved and you cannot tell when the Holy Spirit will get someone saved, or born-again. All we can do is witness and watch. Humans are not in control of the Moon, of someone choosing to get saved or of the Holy Spirit making them choose to get saved. So, we cannot predict the day of Christ's return because it depends on these things.

You're in control of your witnessing, but God is in control of who gets saved through your witnessing. Thus, though your witnessing brings Jesus back, you can't predict the day and the hour because you're not in control of who the Holy Spirit saves when you witness.

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"God is in Control" (Twila Paris - 1993)

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World without end. Amen.