No One Knows the Day or the Hour
But Should We Watch the Clock?
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”
—Matthew 24:36
For centuries, that verse has been the final word in eschatological humility. It warns us not to treat the return of Christ like a meteorological forecast. Jesus made it clear: we will not know the exact moment.
And yet, in the very same teaching, He said this:
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.”
—Matthew 24:32
So which is it?
Are we not supposed to know,
or are we supposed to watch for the signs?
What Jesus Really Meant by "No One Knows"
When Jesus said, “no one knows the day or the hour,” He was not commanding ignorance. He was calling us to spiritual alertness.
He didn’t say, “Don’t pay attention.” He said, be ready.
The fig tree metaphor is not about marking a calendar. It is about discernment. If the leaves are sprouting, you don’t need a date stamped on your wrist to know summer is near.
In other words, you may not know the precise time, but you can know when it is close.
Why This Feels More Urgent Today
You don’t need to be a conspiracy theorist or a prophecy enthusiast to sense it. There is a growing awareness, among believers and even among secular thinkers, that something is shifting.
We are in an age of:
Artificial intelligence that rivals human cognition
Growing hostility toward Christianity in public life
Increasing natural disasters and wars
Israel once again in the global spotlight
Expanding surveillance infrastructure
Deepfakes, deception, and the breakdown of trust in information
You don’t need a prophetic imagination to sense that the birth pains are accelerating.
But Isn’t This How Every Generation Has Felt?
Yes. And no.
Every generation has faced hardship. But not every generation had the technological framework to fulfill Revelation 13.
Until recently, the idea of an image speaking and being worshipped around the world sounded like science fiction. Today, it is an engineering problem being solved in real time.
How could buying and selling be globally restricted without a mark or number? That once sounded implausible. Now it feels like something that could be implemented with a software update.
If we believe Scripture, then we also believe that one generation will live to see the return of Christ.
Eventually, someone will be right.
So the question is not “will it happen?”
The question is, what if it’s us?
Watching Without Obsessing
Jesus never told us to stare at the calendar. He told us to be ready in heart.
He warned of false messiahs and shallow faith. He said that life would go on as usual when the end arrives. People marrying, eating, going to work...
The real danger is not that we will misread the signs.
The danger is that we will be so distracted, we won’t look up at all.
How to Watch Faithfully in the Age of AI
In our world of data, we don’t just watch the clock. We try to reverse-engineer it.
As someone who thinks a lot about the future of AI, I can’t ignore the convergence. Prophecy and technology are beginning to overlap in ways that feel less theoretical and more immediate.
The machines are learning.
The systems are tightening.
And the hearts of many are growing cold.
But God didn’t give us prophecy to make us afraid.
He gave it to wake us up.
Being awake doesn’t mean being anxious.
It means:
Living with urgency
Letting go of sin and distraction
Sharing the Gospel like time is short
Raising our kids with the truth firmly planted
Watching what the Spirit is doing, not just what the news says
What If We Are Further Along Than We Think?
This is the question I keep circling back to.
Not in fear, but in sober consideration.
We may not be at the end yet, but what if we’re close? What if the rise of AI, the global shift in values, and the cultural fatigue so many of us feel are not random developments?
What if these are the fig leaves?
What if the data age is not just a marvel of human innovation, but part of a larger stage being set?
This does not mean we stop living.
It means we live on purpose.
We pray even when we are tired.
We confess sin instead of managing appearances.
We choose holiness when compromise is easier.
Stay Ready, Stay Grounded
Jesus didn’t say, “Guess the hour.” He said, “Be ready.”
And being ready does not require a chart.
It requires a heart that is aligned with His.
We may not know the moment,
but we know the mission.
“Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
—Matthew 24:44
So should we watch the clock?
Yes, if watching means staying alert, not frantic.
Yes, if it means listening for His voice more than the noise around us.
Yes, if it leads us to faith, not fear.
Because whether Christ returns in our lifetime or not, we are already living in days when being a Christian requires both courage and clarity.
So keep your eyes open.
Keep your heart soft.
Keep your hands at the work He has given you.
The hour may be unknown.
But the call is clear.
Stay awake.