A Four-Part Series Exposing the Most Damaging Deception in Modern Christianity

The Deception Exposed

The Most Stubborn Lie in Christianity

There exists in modern Christianity a false teaching so pervasive, so deeply entrenched, that it has poisoned the prophetic understanding of the entire Church. This teaching weaponizes a single verse—Matthew 24:36—to shut down prophetic study, mock watchfulness, and keep believers in perpetual ignorance about the most significant event in human history: the return of Jesus Christ.

The false doctrine declares: "No one can know when Jesus will return, so stop looking, stop watching, stop studying prophecy."

Yet this teaching directly contradicts:

Jesus' repeated commands to watch (given 25+ times in the Gospels)

The Apostle Paul's explicit instructions about knowing times and seasons

The entire purpose of biblical prophecy (27% of Scripture)

The very title of the final book: "The REVELATION of Jesus Christ"

This series establishes the biblical foundation for dismantling this deception and recovering the truth: We CAN and MUST know the season of Christ's return.

The Core Issue: Matthew 24:36 in Context

The Verse That Changed Everything

Matthew 24:36 (NASB): "But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."

This verse has been misinterpreted and misapplied to mean: "Believers cannot and should not try to understand the timing of Christ's return."

The problem: This interpretation contradicts everything else Jesus taught in the same discourse, everything Paul taught about the Day of the Lord, and the entire purpose of prophetic revelation.

The Immediate Context Contradicts the False Teaching

Matthew 24:32-34 - Immediately BEFORE verse 36

"Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and sprouts its leaves, you know that summer is near; so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place."

Jesus commands us to:

LEARN the parable (active study)

KNOW when summer is near (certainty about the season)

RECOGNIZE that He is near (discernment of proximity)

Understand that this generation (that sees these things) will not pass away

Matthew 24:42-44 - Immediately AFTER verse 36

"Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him."

The command: WATCH, be ALERT, be READY

The assumption: Those who watch WILL be ready and will NOT be surprised.

The Jewish Context: What Jesus Actually Meant

To understand what Jesus meant, we must understand the Jewish culture and idioms His audience would have immediately recognized.

The Feast of Trumpets Idiom

In Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets) was called "the day and hour no one knows" because:

It begins with the new moon sighting

It required two witnesses to confirm the new moon

The exact moment couldn't be predetermined (could be on day 1 or day 2 of the month)

BUT everyone knew the SEASON (Tishri 1-2, within a 48-hour window)

Everyone WATCHED for it constantly

Everyone PREPARED for it in advance

This was a well-known Jewish idiom. Jesus' audience would have immediately understood: "You won't know the exact moment, but you WILL know the season, so WATCH."

The Jewish Wedding Idiom

When a Jewish groom prepared the bridal chamber in his father's house, only the father declared when preparation was complete. The son would say to friends: "I don't know the day or hour—only my father knows."

But note what was expected of the bride:

The bride watched constantly

She kept her lamp filled and ready

She knew the season of his coming (typically within the year of betrothal)

The groom gave signs before arriving (sending friends ahead, trumpet blast, shout)

The bride was never surprised because she was watching

This is the exact imagery Jesus uses throughout Matthew 24-25 and that Paul echoes in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

The True Meaning of Matthew 24:36

Correct interpretation: "You won't know the precise day and hour [like the Feast of Trumpets, like a Jewish wedding], BUT you will know the season, you will recognize the signs, and you will be watching so you're ready and NOT surprised."

Evidence from the surrounding context:

Verses 32-34: Learn to recognize the season

Verses 37-44: Therefore WATCH constantly

Chapter 25 parables: Be ready, don't be caught sleeping

Parallel passages (Luke 21:28-36): Recognize your redemption drawing near

The traditional interpretation makes Jesus contradict Himself within the span of a few verses. The Jewish idiom interpretation creates perfect harmony: "You won't know the exact moment, so WATCH the season carefully and stay ready."

Jesus' Own Words: The Consistent Command to Watch

Matthew 24:32-34 - Learn and Recognize

"Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and sprouts its leaves, you know that summer is near; so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place."

The fig tree: A consistent biblical symbol for Israel (Jeremiah 24, Hosea 9:10, Joel 1:7). In 1948, Israel was reborn as a nation - the fig tree put forth its leaves after being "dead" for nearly 2,000 years. This is the PRIMARY sign.

"This generation": The generation that sees ALL these signs (especially Israel's rebirth) will not pass away before ALL things are fulfilled. A biblical generation is 70-80 years (Psalm 90:10).

Timeline implication: 1948 + 70-80 years = 2018-2028 window for heightened expectation.

Matthew 24:37-44 - Therefore Watch

"For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be."

Critical observations about Noah:

Noah KNEW the season - God told him 120 years in advance (Genesis 6:3), then 7 days before the flood (Genesis 7:4)

Noah was NOT surprised - he was prepared and entered the ark

The world was surprised because they weren't watching

Two groups: those taken (protected like Noah) and those left (destroyed in judgment)

"Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming... For this reason you also must be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him."

The point: Don't be like the unbelieving world that ignores the signs. Be like Noah who KNEW, WATCHED, and WAS READY.

Matthew 25:1-13 - The Parable of the Ten Virgins

"Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks with their lamps."

Understanding the parable:

ALL ten virgins were expecting the groom (believers waiting for Christ)

FIVE were wise - they watched and stayed prepared with extra oil (Holy Spirit)

FIVE were foolish - they didn't maintain readiness

The wise entered the wedding feast

The foolish were locked out

"Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour."

Not a contradiction: The command "you do not know the day nor the hour" is given BECAUSE watching is required. The wise virgins didn't know the exact moment, but they STAYED READY by watching for the signs and maintaining their lamps.

Matthew 25:14-30 - The Parable of the Talents

The master returns and rewards faithful servants who were watching, working, and expecting his return. He punishes the servant who didn't expect him or prepare.

The lesson: Live in expectation of His return, working faithfully because you KNOW He's coming.

Luke 12:35-40 - Keep Your Lamps Lit

"Be ready for service, and keep your lamps lit. Be like people who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and he will come up and serve them."

The expectation model:

Keep lamps lit (constant readiness)

WAITING for the master (expectant watching)

BLESSED are those found watching

Ready to open immediately when He knocks (no surprise)

"You too, be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect."

"At an hour you do not expect": This is directed at those NOT watching. Those who ARE watching will be ready and blessed.

Luke 21:28-36 - The Critical Addition to Matthew 24

"But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near... Now learn the parable from the fig tree: as soon as it puts forth its leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place."

Powerful additions:

"Straighten up and lift up your heads" - When you see the signs, look up with joy

"Your redemption is drawing near" - Something we RECOGNIZE as approaching

"You see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom is near" - Visual discernment

"Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that this day will not come on you suddenly, like a trap; for it will come upon all those who live on the face of all the earth. But keep alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."

This completely contradicts the false teaching:

The day is a TRAP only for those not watching - "that this day will not come on you suddenly, like a trap"

"Keep alert at all times" - Perpetual watchfulness commanded

"Praying that you may have strength to escape" - Prayer for escape from Tribulation judgments

Those who watch and pray for escape will NOT be surprised.

Luke 19:11-13 - Occupy Until He Comes

"While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. So He said, 'A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then to return. And he called ten of his slaves and gave them ten minas, and said to them, "Do business with this until I come back."'"

The instruction: Live and work in expectation of His return. The servants who understood their master was returning lived differently than those who didn't expect him.

Summary: What Jesus Actually Taught

Let's be clear about what Jesus consistently commanded:

Jesus said "WATCH" or "BE ALERT" over 25 times in the Gospels regarding His return.

Jesus said "you don't know the day or hour" TWICE - both times in the context of commanding watchfulness.

Which should we emphasize?

The false teaching has taken TWO verses about not knowing the exact moment and used them to cancel out TWENTY-FIVE commands to watch, be ready, and recognize the season.

Jesus' actual message:

You won't know the exact day and hour (like Feast of Trumpets, like a wedding)

THEREFORE watch constantly for the season

Learn to recognize the signs I've given you

Know that when you see them, I am near

This generation that sees the fig tree (Israel) will not pass away

Be ready so you're not surprised like the world will be

Blessed are those watching; woe to those sleeping

The false teaching has inverted Christ's message: Where Jesus said "watch," they say "don't watch." Where Jesus said "recognize," they say "you can't know anything." Where Jesus said "blessed are the watchful," they mock those who watch.

This is not interpretation - this is inversion.

In Part 2, we'll see how the Apostle Paul, given the stewardship of revealing God's mysteries, provides the devastating counter-testimony that utterly destroys the "you can't know" doctrine.

To be continued in Part 2: Paul's Devastating Counter-Testimony

THE Grace Awakening

THE Grace Awakening Study Guide

Who is Craig Rogers and KINGDOM Empowered?

Come Meet King Jesus

THE GRACE AWAKENING for Those Left Behind

The American Remnant - Left Behind Plan