Now is already the end of the last days. The Lord Jesus whom we’ve yearned for day and night has returned. Hearing this news, many people are very excited and even cry tears of joy, and some of them sing and dance to celebrate the arrival of the Lord. But there are also some people who raise doubts about this news. 
They think that since the Bible says, “But of that day and hour knows no man, not the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36), it shows that no man will know when the Lord returns, so how could anyone say that the Lord has already returned? Let’s think about it. We all know that the Lord will come to save man, so if no one knew about it, then how could we follow Him and believe in Him? How could God accomplish His work of salvation? If we always hold to this statement, doesn’t that mean we will never be able to welcome the Lord’s return? So, what does this verse refer to?

Please read the Questions and Answers on the Way of the Lord’s Arrival. It will help you understand this verse properly and welcome the Lord’s coming.

Question 3: Speaking of the return of the Lord, it is written in Matthew 24:36: “But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” No one can know when the Lord Jesus will return, so how do you know that the Lord Jesus has returned already? It really seems inconceivable to us!

Answer:

The Bible reads: “But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Mat 24:36). Some brothers and sisters take this to mean that the Lord has not come back. They don’t believe the Lord now has already come back. Actually, such reasoning doesn’t make sense. For the Lord comes to save man. If the Lord does not let man know of His coming, then how can men follow Him and believe in Him? How can God accomplish His work of salvation? If we always hold to this statement, then won’t we be waiting forever for the second coming of the Lord? So, what does this verse really say? In fact, when we read this verse together with the preceding few verses, it becomes clear. Matthew 24:32-36 states: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near: So likewise you, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Truly I say to you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” We all know these verses speak of the sign of the second coming of the Lord, and from “it is near, even at the doors” we know the Son of man is already at the doors. But when He will enter, the day, the moment He will enter we really do not know. That is to say, “that day and hour” no one knows. Further, no one knows when “the Son of man” (God incarnate) will come among men, meaning that no one knows the day, the moment of God’s arrival. The angels of heaven do not know, man does not know, only the Father (the Spirit) knows. Just as Almighty God says: “At the break of dawn, unbeknownst to any, God came to earth and began His life in the flesh. People were unaware of this moment. Maybe they were all fast asleep, maybe many who were watchfully awake were waiting, and maybe many were praying silently to God in heaven. Yet among all these many people, not one knew that God had already arrived on earth” (“Work and Entry (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

The word of Almighty God helps us to see more clearly. “But of that day and hour knows no man,” these words mean that no man knows the moment of Christ’s coming. But when Christ has come it will certainly be known by men, because the purpose of God incarnate coming among men is to save men. If He comes and does not let men know, then how can men gain salvation through Him? The Lord Jesus speaks of His second coming thus: “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him” (Mat 25:6). “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev 3:20). From these two verses we see, after the Lord has come, some people know it. And since He has come, we are asked to welcome Him. He wants to sup with those who hear His voice and open the door. This shows that if we take the words in Matthew 24:36—“of that day and hour knows no man”—to mean no man will know when the Lord has come, it’s completely mistaken.

from Questions and Answers on the Testimony of the Kingdom Gospel

Some people say, “How could we possibly not know if the Lord has come? How would we receive no sign whatsoever?” Let’s look at the Lord’s prophecy in the Bible to see how He will come when He returns. “But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation” (Luk 17:25). It is also prophesied that the Lord will come in a hidden way, which nobody knows. “Watch therefore: for you know not what hour your Lord does come. But know this, that if the manager of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be you also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man comes” (Mat 24:42-44). This just testifies to the fact that God’s second coming is unknown, and when nothing is known of His coming, that is when the Son of man comes. The Lord’s prophecy also says, “But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Mat 24:36). The angels don’t know, not even the Son knows. How could the Son not know? That the Son does not know means that Christ incarnate, Himself, does not know. This is also to say that in the beginning the Son of man incarnate does not know who He is. To give an example, when the Lord Jesus came, at the start He had no idea that He was God. “I am in the Father, and the Father in me” (Jhn 14:10). “I and my Father are one” (Jhn 10:30). Our Lord Jesus only knew this three years before the crucifixion. Prior to three years before the crucifixion, the Lord Jesus did not know that He was the incarnate God Himself. In the last days, Almighty God has arrived, but from the beginning He didn’t even know that He is God. When did He know of this? After expressing the truth to a certain extent, as He spoke of the incarnation, at this time He knew it. When He began expressing the word, He did not know. These two events testify to the fact that the Lord’s second coming is unknown by all. The angels do not know. The Son, Himself, does not know; only the Holy Spirit knows, only the Spirit of God knows. So, people say, “No wonder that I do not know of God’s coming.” “No wonder we Americans don’t know.” “No wonder we British people don’t know.” “No wonder no one in the whole world knows. The Lord comes as a thief, so no one knows of it.” The Lord comes as a thief, certainly no one knows of it. If the Lord’s coming was a public descent, of course everyone would know of it. The Lord’s coming is not openly known; it is a secret descent. That nobody knows is to be expected. It is not only we who do not know: Nobody does. Some people say, “That’s not right. If you say that nobody knows, then how do you know?” This is because people hear the gospel on different occasions from those who testify to God’s word. There are those that accept first, and those who accept later on. There is this distinction. Those who accept first know a bit earlier; those who accept later know a bit later. It’s like when the Lord Jesus appeared and worked after being incarnated: It was people like Peter and John who first accepted the Lord Jesus. Later when the Lord Jesus’ word and work were spread and testified to, more and more people came to accept the Lord Jesus. Isn’t this how it was? Has this question been explained clearly enough? (Yes, it has.)

from “The Twenty Truths of Spreading the Gospel and Bearing Witness to God” in Selected Annals of the Work Arrangements of The Church of Almighty God

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