ONLY THE FATHER / MATTHEW 24:36

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Matthew 24:36

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Only the Father: Understanding Matthew 24:36 and Christ’s Return

In Matthew 24:36, Jesus makes a statement that has captivated, and sometimes confused, readers for centuries: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone”. On the surface, this verse explains that only God the Father knows the time of Christ’s return. However, to truly grasp its meaning, we must look deeper into the timeline of scripture and the nature of Christ Himself.

The Earthly Perspective vs. Eternal Glory

To understand how Jesus—who is fully God—could state that He did not know the hour, we must recognize that this statement comes from the perspective of Christ’s time on earth. During His earthly ministry, Jesus voluntarily humbled Himself, veiling His divine glory and restricting His independent use of divine attributes to live as a servant in complete submission to the Father.

Certainly now, Jesus has returned to His former glory with the Father. As affirmed in John 1:1-2 and John 17:5, He shares the undivided, all-knowing divine nature. In His glorified state, Jesus possesses complete future knowledge of His return—encompassing the events both before and after the tribulation.

Watching the Signs

While the exact day and hour were not revealed to the public, Christ did not leave His followers entirely in the dark. Christ’s followers during the tribulation can also know the general time of His final return by observing the signs of the tribulation that Christ so vividly described throughout Matthew 24.

While the world may be caught off guard, those who carefully study His words will see the shifting seasons and recognize when the coming of the Son of Man is near.

Why the Mystery Matters

The intentional concealment of the exact moment serves a vital spiritual purpose. If we knew the precise date, humanity would naturally fall into complacency, planning to live selfishly and turn to God only at the final second.

Instead, the mystery fosters perpetual watchfulness and evangelistic urgency. Heaven is our ultimate destination, but we have been given an active assignment on earth today. We are called to live with holy diligence, staying busy with the Lord’s work until He makes His unmistakable return.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, Almighty God,

You alone hold the times and seasons in Your sovereign hand, and You have fixed the day of Your Son’s return by Your own authority. We praise You for the perfect wisdom of Your hidden timeline. Lord Jesus, we look forward with joy to the day You return in the fullness of Your cosmic glory to set all things right.

Holy Spirit, keep our hearts awake. Deliver us from laziness, complacency, and the distractions of this world. Grant us the discernment to observe the signs of the times and the courage to preach the Gospel urgently to the ends of the earth. May we be found faithful, busy doing Your work, and eagerly watching for the glorious appearance of our Savior.

In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, Amen.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bible Study Tools I Use

NIV Bible
King James Bible
www. biblegateway.com
www.biblestudytools.com
Map Pencils
Strong’s Concordance
College Ruled Spiral Notebook
Ballpoint Pens
Some links may be affiliated. By purchasing an item from an affiliate link, I receive a small commission – but you are not charged more or less by clicking or purchasing through the link. Thank you for supporting me!

Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

Thanks for stopping by the blog today! I love having you here. If this post resonated with you, please drop a comment below and share your thoughts. See you in the next post!

Blessings, Margarita & Stace