LOOK UP NOW!

A Biblical Rebuke to the "No One Knows" Mockers

A Statement of Truth in Love

THE CLEAR BIBLICAL COMMAND: LOOK UP!

Luke 21:28 "Now when these things begin to happen, LOOK UP and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

Jesus didn't say "don't look" - He commanded us to LOOK UP!

The Greek word "anakupto" means:

To lift oneself up
To raise the head
To look up with expectation
To stand erect in anticipation

This is a COMMAND, not a suggestion. When we see the signs converging, we are ORDERED by our Lord to look up with expectation.

THE JEWISH IDIOM EXPLAINED

"No One Knows the Day or Hour" - What It Really Means

Matthew 24:36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."

This is a specific JEWISH IDIOM referring to the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah):
The ONLY feast that begins on a new moon.

Required VISUAL SIGHTING of the moon sliver.

Could be Day 1 or Day 2 depending on cloud cover.

Literally called "the feast where no one knows the day or hour."

The feast of the "last trump" (1 Corinthians 15:52)

Jesus was giving us a CLUE about WHEN, not telling us to stop watching!

The Feast Pattern Proves It

Spring Feasts (Already Fulfilled):

Passover = Jesus' death
Unleavened Bread = His sinless burial
Firstfruits = His resurrection
Pentecost = Holy Spirit given

Fall Feasts (Yet to be Fulfilled):

Trumpets = THE HARPAZO (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
Atonement = Israel's repentance
Tabernacles = Millennial Kingdom

The pattern is perfect. Trumpets is NEXT.

JESUS COMMANDED US TO WATCH

Multiple Clear Commands

Matthew 24:42 "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming."

Matthew 25:13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."

Mark 13:35 "Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming."

Luke 12:37 "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching."

The word "watch" (gregoreo) means:

To stay awake
To be vigilant
To be alert and ready
To keep constant lookout

Jesus commanded watching AT LEAST 7 TIMES in the Gospels alone!

We CAN Know the Season

Matthew 24:32-33 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!"

We may not know the exact day, but we CAN and SHOULD know:

The season (summer is near)

The proximity (at the doors)

The signs (fig tree budding = Israel regathered)

The generation (this generation will not pass away)

THE FATHER'S HEART FOR WATCHING CHILDREN

The Beautiful Analogy

Picture this scene: Daddy has been away on a long business trip. He calls home and tells his children, "I'm coming home soon. Watch for me. I'll be there before the weekend."

What happens next?

Little Johnny plants himself by the front window.

Jilly keeps running to check the driveway.

Tommy asks mommy every hour, "Is daddy here yet?"

They can barely sleep from excitement.

Every car that turns down the street gets their attention.

They've been watching and waiting for DAYS.

When Daddy finally arrives and sees his children's faces pressed against the window, their eyes wide with anticipation, their hearts bursting with joy...

IS HE ANGRY? IS HE UPSET?

NO! His heart MELTS with love! He's overwhelmed with joy that his children loved him enough to watch and wait with such expectation!

Our Heavenly Father's Heart

This is EXACTLY how our Heavenly Father feels when He sees His children watching for Jesus' return!

Luke 12:37 "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them."

The Father BLESSES those who are watching and waiting!

He doesn't rebuke the watchers - He SERVES them!

THE BIBLICAL CONSEQUENCES

For Those Who Watch and Wait

2 Timothy 4:8 "Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing."

A CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS for those who LOVE His appearing!

Hebrews 9:28 "To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation."

He appears TO THOSE WHO EAGERLY WAIT!

Titus 2:13 "Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ."

We're commanded to be LOOKING for His appearing!

For Those Who Mock and Refuse to Watch

2 Peter 3:3-4 "Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming?'"

The mockers are a SIGN we're in the last days!

Matthew 24:48-51 "But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites."

Those who say "He's delaying" face JUDGMENT!

THE GREAT DECEPTION EXPOSED

Who Benefits from "Don't Watch" Teaching?

Ask yourself: WHO benefits when Christians stop watching for Jesus' return?

Satan - wants believers asleep and unprepared.

False teachers - can lead people astray more easily.

Worldly pastors - can focus on building earthly kingdoms.

Lukewarm churches - can avoid conviction about readiness.

The "don't watch" teaching serves the enemy's purposes!

The Spiritual Laziness It Enables

When Christians believe they shouldn't watch:

They stop studying prophecy
They quit examining the signs
They become worldly and comfortable
They lose their sense of urgency
They stop living like the King is coming
They mock those who ARE watching

This is EXACTLY what Satan wants!

A LOVING REBUKE TO THE MOCKERS

You're Repeating Satan's Lie

Dear brothers and sisters who say "no one knows, so don't watch" - you've been deceived.

You're unknowingly repeating the enemy's strategy to:

Keep believers asleep
Discourage prophetic study
Mock those who are obeying Jesus' commands
Prevent the Church from being ready

Jesus commanded us to WATCH at least 7 times. Are you calling Him wrong?

You're Missing the Father's Heart

When you mock those who are watching and waiting, you're criticizing the very people the Father wants to BLESS.

You're like the older brother in the prodigal son story - upset at the celebration instead of joining it.

You're missing the JOY of anticipation that should characterize every believer!

You're Ignoring Clear Scripture

The Bible is FULL of commands and promises for those who watch:

"Blessed are those who watch" (Luke 12:37)

"Look up, your redemption draws near" (Luke 21:28)

"Watch therefore" (Matthew 24:42)

"Be ready" (Matthew 24:44)

"Crown of righteousness for those who love His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8)

How can you read these verses and still say we shouldn't watch?

THE CALL TO REPENTANCE

For the Mockers

If you've been teaching people NOT to watch for Jesus' return, you need to repent.

You've been:

Contradicting Jesus' clear commands
Discouraging biblical behavior
Serving Satan's purposes
Robbing believers of blessing
Spreading false doctrine

Acts 17:30 "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent."

For the Watchers

Keep watching! Keep looking up! You're doing EXACTLY what Jesus commanded!

Don't let the mockers discourage you. Remember:

Noah was mocked while building the ark
Lot was mocked for fleeing Sodom
The wise virgins were mocked for having extra oil

You're in good company!

THE FINAL WORD

Children Looking Out the Window

Imagine three children - Johnny, Jilly, and Tommy - whose daddy has been away for years. He calls and says, "I'm coming home very soon. Watch for me!"

For DAYS, they press their little faces against the window:

Eyes straining down the street
Hearts racing at every approaching car
Barely able to contain their excitement
Asking mommy constantly, "Is that daddy's car?"

When Daddy finally pulls into the driveway and sees those precious faces in the window - eyes wide with joy, jumping up and down with excitement...

IS HE ANGRY that they watched so diligently? IS HE UPSET that they looked so expectantly?

DOES HE REBUKE them for being ready?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

His heart OVERFLOWS with love! He's moved to tears by their devotion! He can't wait to sweep them into his arms and celebrate their faithfulness!

Our Father's Joy

This is EXACTLY how our Heavenly Father feels about His children who are watching for Jesus!

When He sees us:

Studying prophecy to understand His plan
Looking up when the signs converge
Living ready for His Son's return
Encouraging others to watch and wait

His heart is FILLED WITH JOY!

We're not annoying Him - we're BLESSING Him! We're not presumptuous - we're OBEDIENT! We're not date-setting - we're WATCHING!

KEEP LOOKING UP!

To every believer reading this:

KEEP WATCHING! Jesus commanded it. KEEP LOOKING UP! Your redemption draws near. KEEP STUDYING THE SIGNS! You're supposed to know the season. KEEP LIVING READY! The Bridegroom comes for those who are prepared.

To the mockers:

Stop discouraging the watchers. Stop contradicting Jesus' commands. Stop serving Satan's strategy.

Join us in looking up! Join us in watching! Join us in the joy of anticipation!

The King is coming for His Bride. The children are watching at the window. Daddy's heart is full of love for His faithful ones.

LOOK UP! YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWS NEAR!

"For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry." - Hebrews 10:37

"Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" - Revelation 22:20

See https://www.kingdomempowered.org/FeedItem/YOUR-LAST-SERMON/