Can we know the day and hour of Jesus' return?

[Douggg]

Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

There are three rationale ways to interpret verse 22.

1. The length of each day shortened to be less than 24 hours, at some point during the great tribulation.

2. The number of days of the great tribulation reduced from the original length of 1335 days.

3. The length of great tribulation limited to 1335 days. Any longer and no flesh on earth shall survive.

Personally, I think way 3.

 

[Spiritual Israelite]

Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

There are three rationale ways to interpret verse 22.

1. The length of each day shortened to be less than 24 hours, at some point during the great tribulation.

2. The number of days of the great tribulation reduced from the original length of 1335 days.

3. The length of great tribulation limited to 1335 days. Any longer and no flesh on earth shall survive.

Personally, I think way 3.

None of those are rational ways of interpreting verse 22. Way 3 makes no sense at all because Jesus related the great tribulation to tribulation that would occur in Judea, not on the entire earth ("Let those in Judea flee to the mountains"). What He described is exactly what happened around 70 AD. You're trying to turn a local great tribulation event into a global one despite Jesus explicitly indicating that it would occur in Judea and Jerusalem (Matthew 24:15-16, Mark 13:14, Luke 21:20). God cut the days of what was occurring in and around Jerusalem in 70 AD short because no one there would have survived otherwise.

 

[Douggg]

None of those are rational ways of interpreting verse 22. Way 3 makes no sense at all because Jesus related the great tribulation to tribulation that would occur in Judea, not on the entire earth ("Let those in Judea flee to the mountains"). What He described is exactly what happened around 70 AD. You're trying to turn a local great tribulation event into a global one despite Jesus explicitly indicating that it would occur in Judea and Jerusalem (Matthew 24:15-16, Mark 13:14, Luke 21:20). God cut the days of what was occurring in and around Jerusalem in 70 AD short because no one there would have survived otherwise.

What do you think this verse means...

Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

.....?