Well, in both accounts of Matthew 24:35, and Mark 13:31 The Lord states that "Heaven and earth will pass away...." I submit unto you that the day and hour He is referring to is the day Heaven and Earth will pass away.
Matthew 24:36
ESV - 36 But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
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This is an interesting question. I think that the day and hour the Lord is talking about in the two verses, is the coming of Jesus Christ (a.k.a the rapture). Matthew 24:36 says, "No one knows the day or hour. The angels in heaven don’t know, and the Son himself doesn’t know. Only the Father knows." Now about the exact time and day nobody knows, like the verse said, only the Father knows. Matthew 24:43-44 states,"But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
I believe that passage specific to v36 is as it says 'no one' knows when Son of Man (Jesus) is coming. If you look at the passage that prophesied future events in Isaiah 2:1-4 talks about a time when the world be restored to a time of peace for all things on earth. Also, a prophesy is foretold in Rev. 21 of the New Jerusalem that will come down from heaven to earth. If you read further in the passage of Matthew 24:36-44 you may read that in the Christ returns will be like Noah's time (v37-39) the wicked or sinful people were removed from the earth and the righteous of all people, Noah and his family, were left behind along with the chosen animals to repopulate the world; which brings us to v40-41, where two people will be doing something, one will be taken and one left. Who is left? If you go back to v37-39 the wicked were removed and the righteous left. Therefore, I believe this passage is talking about Christ coming to restore the earth to reign with all the saints. But while we are waiting in anticipation of Christ's return we must be busying doing His divine work as mentioned in Romans 12-13:14. For '...faith without work is dead' James 2:17,25. Also, see the next chapter of Matt 25:14-30 of the parable of the Talents where two (2) of the servants were busying working while the third was lazy and hid the money and the other two while waiting for their master work to increase what was given to them in anticipation to their master's return and when He did they were rewarded while the lazy one received none but condemned.
To understand what The Lord is saying here in v36 you must first begin at v35 The day and hour The Lord is talking about is the day and hour that heaven earth will pass away. THAT day is the day no one knows but The Father only.
Doron, I think you are right. That day and hour are referring, not to the Rapture, but to the Revelation (i.e. Christ's return in judgment and to reign). The approximate time of His coming is going to be about three and one-half years after the beginning of the great tribulation. This is what my teacher (seminary professor) of prophecy, Dr. John F. Walvoord, teaches. The Great Tribulation is a technical term for the last 3 and 1/2 years of the Tribulation. Of course, with the passing away of the present heavens and earth comes the creation of the new heavens and earth.
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