I F we were given our choice, doubt less everyone would prefer to live by sight instead of by faith. We like to know what is going to take place. The disciples earnestly desired to know the exact hour of the Lord’s coming. Often they asked Him, “When shall these things be?” “When will this occur?” After the resurrection, they still asked the same questions. Our Lord Jesus flatly told them that no one could know the hour. In Matthew 24:36 we read, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” The moment is in the secret counsels of God alone. There are good reasons for this, too. In our present church age we must remem ber that there is work for us to do here and now. It is a wonderful thing to wait for the coming of the Lord but we should not be so taken up with it that we become spiritually para- lized by it. The same thing is true about Israel. If they knew exactly when the Messiah would come, they might wait for the hour. But there are certain things in God’s providence which must come to pass before then. Thus, it has pleased God to keep the hour of His Son’s coming as His secret. We do know He is long suf fering. In Mark 13:32 we read, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven neither the Son, but the Father.” You may wonder why Christ included Him self here. Does God the Son know as much as God the Father? Do we have a contradiction here? No, of course not! The word “Son” is used in two different connections. Mark speaks here of the Lord Jesus not as the Second Person of the Trinity, but as the perfect Son of man who came to do the Father’s will. Study the con text and this will be eminently clear. In Philippians 2:5-8 we read, “Let this mind be in you, which was also
in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Him self of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedi ent unto death, even the death of the cross.” Christ, as God, shared all the attributes and characteristics of the Father. Everything the Father pos sessed, the Son did likewise. But when our Lord Jesus Christ came to earth, He did not come to “play God.” He came in the role as the Son of man. He came to be the servant, and to seek and to save. He took upon Him self the ignorance of humanity, if we can put it that way. When the Sav iour came to this earth, He ^et aside all the prerogatives of His deity. This is the reason for Mark’s words to us. Many people excuse themselves from believing because there are things they want to know now, which God has said they will know only later on. We seek the mind of God that we may revel in that which He has revealed already by faith. Then we look for ward to the time when all things shall be known to us. May we truly follow in the way of the Lord and hear Him say, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” May we not be interested in idle curiosity or in things which real ly don’t matter. What is important is not when the Lord will come, but rather are we ready for His coming? May we be prepared to witness, faith ful in our testimony for Him. We want to hear Him say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant. Are you prepared to meet the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you know Him as your personal Saviour? If you do, have you also known Him as your Lord? it 1c h Life and tennis are much alike. The play er who serves well seldom loses.
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