“You Know Neither the Day Nor the Hour”

1-3. (a) What situations illustrate the point of two of Jesus’ parables? (b) We need to answer what questions?

IMAGINE that a prominent official asks you to drive him to an important appointment. A few minutes before leaving to pick him up for the meeting, however, you realize that there is not enough fuel in your vehicle to make the trip. You need to rush off to purchase some. As you do, the official arrives. He looks around but cannot find you. He cannot wait, so he asks someone else to drive him. You soon get back and realize that the official has left without you. How would you feel?

² Now imagine that you are the official and you have selected three capable men to handle some important business. You explain the assignment, and all three willingly accept. Yet, when you return a while later, you learn that only two of them have handled their task. What is more, the one who did not is making excuses. Actually, he did not even try. How would you feel?

³ In his parables of the virgins and the talents, Jesus used similar situations to illustrate why during the time of the end, some anointed Christians would prove to be faithful and discreet, but others would not.a (Matt. 25:1-30) He emphasized his point by saying: “Keep on the watch, therefore, because you know neither the day nor the hour”​—that is, when Jesus would actually execute God’s judgment on Satan’s world. (Matt. 25:13) We can apply that counsel today. How can we benefit from keeping on the watch, as Jesus encouraged us to do? Who have proved themselves ready for survival? And what must we do now to stay on the watch?