Mat 24:36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
Mat 24:40 "Then two [men] will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.
Mat 24:41 "Two [women will be] grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
Mat 24:42 "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming."
When I taught oURLife in Austin, sometimes the outline in Houston would speak of "end times." There is a whole school of study - eschatology, or the study of "end things." I understood what headquarters forwarded as a reference only (we tend to emphasize "now" faith), but teens saw it as not being able to get married, have children, live a life similar to what they've seen their parents and other grownups around them live. That's natural and normal.
Beloved, the end times started on Jesus' Ascension into Heaven. Believers have been waiting for it since the Apostle Paul. From his conversion on the road to Damascas, Syria, Saul/Paul and the rest of the disciples were certain of the imminent return of Christ in their lifetimes.
When I was a teenager, I devoured a book with the catchy title: "Christ Returns in 1988: 101 Reasons Why." You can still buy it on Amazon for dirt cheap!
It obviously went the way of the Y2K books about the time glitch sending our technology back to the stone age of 1900!
So, I agree with Jesus and surprisingly the atheists. I don't agree that it's nonsense, since Jesus mentioned signs of the end during his ministry.
A lot of what Jesus alluded to was in the tradition of Jewish marriage customs that his audience at the time perfectly understood. We're technically Gentiles, centuries removed from the social significance of the illustration:
How to get hitched, "old school" Jewish-style
1. Betrothal, or the marriage covenant (the promise to "jump the broom") established.
2. The groom would travel from his father's house to the home of the prospective bride.
3. There, he would negotiate the price (mohar) he would have to pay the father for his bride.
4. Once the bridegroom paid the price, he and his bride were considered husband and wife.
5. From that moment, the bride was declared consecrated/sanctified/set apart for her bridegroom.
6. As a symbol of the covenant (promise) relationship, the bride and groom would drink from a cup of wine over which a betrothal benediction had been pronounced.
7. After the marriage covenant had been established, the groom would leave the home of the bride and return to his father's house. There he would remain separate from his bride for a period of twelve months.
8. This period of separation afforded the bride time to gather her trousseau (the personal possessions of a bride), and to prepare for married life.
9. The groom occupied himself with the preparation of living accommodations in his father's house to which he would bring his bride.
10. At the end of the period of separation, the groom would come for his bride with his groomsmen, usually at night by torchlight.
11. Although the bride would expect the groom, she did not know the exact hour/time of his coming.
12. The groom's arrival would be proceeded by a shout: that would warn the bride that her groom was coming.
Breaking it down/Dropping Science
1. Betrothal, or the marriage covenant (the promise to "jump the broom") established: Rev 5:5 NKJV - But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals."
2. The groom (Jesus) would travel from his father's house (Heaven) to the home of the prospective bride (earth and earthlings, us).
3. There, he would negotiate the price (mohar) he would have to pay the father (the ruler of this world: John 14:30) for his bride (the church, Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,).
4. Once the bridegroom paid the price (John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"), he and his bride were considered husband and wife.
5. From that moment, the bride was declared consecrated/sanctified/set apart for her bridegroom, Ephesians 5:25-27: Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
6. As a symbol of the covenant (promise) relationship, the bride and groom would drink from a cup of wine over which a betrothal benediction had been pronounced (1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same manner [He] also [took] the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink [it], in remembrance of Me.").
7. After the marriage covenant had been established, the groom (Jesus) would leave the home of the bride and return to his father's house (Heaven). There he would remain separate from his bride for a period of twelve months.
8. This period of separation afforded the bride time to gather her trousseau (the personal possessions of a bride), and to prepare for married life: Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;.
9. The groom occupied himself with the preparation of living accommodations in his father's house to which he would bring his bride: John 14:2 "In My Father's house are many mansions; if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."
10. At the end of the period of separation, the groom would come for his bride with his groomsmen, usually at night by torchlight(see Mat 24:36 and Act 1:10-11 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This [same] Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.").
11. Although the bride would expect the groom, she did not know the exact hour/time of his coming (see Mat 24:36,42).
12. The groom's arrival would be proceeded by a shout: that would warn the bride that her groom was coming: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
I said these words at both of my parents' homegoings. I believe I will see them again.
As for the atheists: Psalms 14:1 To the Chief Musician. [A Psalm] of David. The fool has said in his heart, "[There is] no God." They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.
Atheists are people too, and are capable of changing their minds. Keep them in your prayers, and like Christ, forgive them.
Link for further study, and my reference notes: Jewish marriage customs
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