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The Great Controversy
and holy angels that His professed people had so little love for Him
that they did not desire His appearing.
“No man knoweth the day nor the hour” was the argument most
often brought forward by rejecters of the advent faith. The scripture is:
“Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of heaven, but
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My Father only.”
Matthew 24:36
. A clear and harmonious explanation
of this text was given by those who were looking for the Lord, and
the wrong use made of it by their opponents was clearly shown. The
words were spoken by Christ in that memorable conversation with His
disciples upon Olivet after He had for the last time departed from the
temple. The disciples had asked the question: “What shall be the sign
of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Jesus gave them signs,
and said: “When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near,
even at the doors.”
Verses 3, 33
. One saying of the Saviour must not
be made to destroy another. Though no man knoweth the day nor the
hour of His coming, we are instructed and required to know when it is
near. We are further taught that to disregard His warning, and refuse
or neglect to know when His advent is near, will be as fatal for us as
it was for those who lived in the days of Noah not to know when the
flood was coming. And the parable in the same chapter, contrasting
the faithful and the unfaithful servant, and giving the doom of him
who said in his heart, “My Lord delayeth His coming,” shows in what
light Christ will regard and reward those whom He finds watching,
and teaching His coming, and those denying it. “Watch therefore,” He
says. “Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when He cometh shall
find so doing.”
Verses 42, 46
. “If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will
come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come
upon thee.”
Revelation 3:3
.
Paul speaks of a class to whom the Lord’s appearing will come
unawares. “The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For
when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh
upon them, ... and they shall not escape.” But he adds, to those who
have given heed to the Saviour’s warning: “Ye, brethren, are not in
darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the
children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night,
nor of darkness.”
1 Thessalonians 5:2-5
.
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Thus it was shown that Scripture gives no warrant for men to
remain in ignorance concerning the nearness of Christ’s coming. But