Jesus told stories of men going into far countries (Matthew 21:33, 25:14). It takes a long time to get to a far country.

Some say that Matthew 24 is all about the final coming of Jesus, not the “secret” coming. They criticize those who say that, if you “know” exactly when he is coming, you will not need to watch. But in Matthew 24 itself, the so-called "second coming" passages, are three warnings about watching:

36) “But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven…”

42) “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”

44) “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.”

Here is the classic doctrine of “imminence” admittedly in the context of the return of Jesus to earth. Others who interpret these verses have caught their mistake, and decided that in the latter portions of Matthew 24, Jesus is actually talking about the “first phase” of His second coming. But one must ask by what system of Biblical interpretation such a division is justified. It would seem that the driving force here is the need to prove one’s position by any means.

The above quoted verses are only a few sentences away from clear signs and clearer illustrations:

(15) The abomination of desolation, the signal for the beginning of the end, discussed above .

(32) The fig tree. When you begin to see leaves, summer is near. This is the beginning of the end. I am giving you a sign of the season, but not the exact day.

(37) Noah. Though judgment was only a week away (Genesis 7:10) only Noah and his family knew. He walked with God and was not caught unaware. The world that rejected God’s ways was caught totally off guard though the word had been going out for a century. Noah becomes a picture of those who will see the end coming when no one else does. But for the world, the picture is “thief in the night.” For Noah-like saints, no major surprise.

So the key is what we know and don’t know. Times and seasons we know if we watch. Abomination season. Fig tree season. Paul agrees in I Thessalonians 5:1, where “times and seasons” are what we are encouraged and expected to know. Day and hour? Not necessary to nail it down that close. Only watch. Be ready.

There is more evidence of this concept in the Book of Revelation. In the midst of the worst of the Tribulation days, sores, blood, scorching, darkness, Jesus speaks to His own, who really are still there (16:15) : I am coming as a thief! Watch! stay righteous before Me. Don’t give up now! Here is a context just before Jesus’ final return, all will agree. But the “thief” message is still being given! The warning to “watch” is still there.

Let the doctrine of imminence be believed in the light Jesus has given us. No matter how much we know or don’t know, we are told to watch! “Watching” and knowing when He is coming do not cancel each other. We are not watching with fear and ignorance, but watching with knowledge and expectation.

Upon our return from a recent trip to Mexico, we were told that within a couple of weeks our Mexican friends who actually live in the States, would be coming back to America also. Since we love them dearly and enjoy their fellowship, we started “watching” for their coming. We weren’t told the exact day of their arrival, for they did not know when it would be. But we knew that some day soon they would arrive. We knew some things had to happen first. They had to purchase bus tickets. They had to go to the bus station. They had to make the long trip. But we were anticipating their arrival, living with it mentally every day.

So antichrist rises, and we know that within a few years Jesus will come. Are we watching any less? Oh my no! The anticipation and excitement grows as we see prophecy so dramatically fulfilled. Those who say that such specific knowledge of the time of His coming would cause us to stop watching are speaking only of wicked servants, spoken of by the Master in 24:48ff:

“ But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants…”

No brothers, we are not in such darkness as this. We will know when He is coming, and we will be rejoicing until the end, knowing that His return is what our life is about.