Page 272 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

TN_03_MacArthur_Bible_March.qxd 8/8/03 14:44 Page 253

MARCH 15
the clouds with great power and glory. And 28 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree:
27
then He will send His angels, and gather When its branch has already become tender,
together His elect from the four winds, from the and puts forth leaves, you know that summer
29
farthest part of earth to the farthest part of is near. So you also, when you see these
heaven. things happening, know that it is near—at the
doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this genera-
30
tion will by no means pass away till all these
31
things take place. Heaven and earth will pass
13:26 Son of Man coming in the clouds with away, but My words will by no means pass
great power and glory. Jesus will return to away.
earth in the same manner in which He left it 32 “But of that day and hour no one knows,
(see Acts 1:9–11; Dan. 7:13,14; Rev. 1:7). The not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,
psalmist said that God uses “clouds”as His char- but only the Father. Take heed, watch and
33
iot (Ps. 104:3), and Isaiah 19:1 pictures the Lord pray; for you do not know when the time is. It
34
riding on a cloud.Although these “clouds”could is like a man going to a far country, who left
be natural,they more likely describe the super-
natural “glory cloud” that represented God’s his house and gave authority to his servants,
presence in Old Testament Israel (Rev. 1:7). and to each his work, and commanded the
35
While Christ possesses “great power and glory,” doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for
His return will be accompanied with visible you do not know when the master of the
manifestations of that power and glory (see house is coming—in the evening, at midnight,
Rev. 6:15–17; 11:15–19; 16:17–21; 19:11–16)— at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morn-
36
He will redeem the elect,restore the devastated ing— lest, coming suddenly, he find you
37
earth,and establish His rule on earth. sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all:
Watch!”
DAY 14: Can anyone know the exact time and day of Christ’s return?
Jesus’own words could not be clearer:“But of that day and hour no one knows,not even the angels
in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father”(Mark 13:32).The exact day and time of Christ’s return will
not be revealed in advance to any man.At this time,it was known only to God the Father.While all the
angelic beings enjoy intimacy with God,hover around His throne to do His bidding (Is.26:2–7),and con-
tinually behold Him (Matt.18:10),they have no knowledge of the time of Christ’s return.
When Jesus spoke these words to the disciples, even He had no knowledge of the date and
time of His return. Although Jesus was fully God (John 1:1,14), when He became a man, He volun-
tarily restricted the use of certain divine attributes (Phil. 2:6–8). He did not manifest them unless
directed by the Father (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38). He demonstrated His omniscience on several occa-
sions (see John 2:25; 3:13), but He voluntarily restricted that omniscience to only those things God
wanted Him to know during the days of His humanity (John 15:15). Such was the case regarding
the knowledge of the date and time of His return. After He was resurrected, Jesus resumed His full
divine knowledge (see Matt. 28:18; Acts 1:7).
Based upon that, a Christian’s role is to “watch and pray”(Mark 13:33). Christ sounded a warn-
ing for believers to be on guard in two practical ways:1) “watch”is a call to stay awake and be alert,
looking for approaching danger; and 2) “pray” emphasizes the believer’s constant need for divine
assistance in this endeavor.Even believers do not have in themselves sufficient resources to be alert
to spiritual dangers that can so easily surprise them.

and Tirzah. And they stood before Moses,
2
MARCH 15 before Eleazar the priest, and before the lead-
ers and all the congregation, by the doorway of
3
the tabernacle of meeting, saying: “Our father
died in the wilderness; but he was not in the
Numbers 27:1–28:31
company of those who gathered together
Then came the daughters of against the LORD, in company with Korah, but
27 Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son he died in his own sin; and he had no sons.
of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of 4 Why should the name of our father be re-
Manasseh, from the families of Manasseh the moved from among his family because he had
son of Joseph; and these were the names of his no son? Give us a possession among our
daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, father’s brothers.”

253