The answer lies in the context of Matthew 24. Jesus begins speaking to his disciples about the coming age. He warned about many coming in his name and deceiving many (verse 5). Then would follow wars, but these would not mean the end of the age had arrived. He said, “these are the beginning of sorrows” (verse 8). He went on to say that his disciples would be hated and persecuted. And finally, the abomination of desolation spoken by Daniel would be set up (verse 15). These are historical events we can identify.
The end of the age would see great tribulation such as the world has never experienced (verses 21, 22). There would again be claims of Jesus being in one place or another. In verses 27 and 28 Jesus gave signs to indicate his presence. He said, “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming (Greek parousia – presence) of the son of man be. For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.”
The imagery Jesus used is of the sunrise. Light represents truth (See John 3:21). This means his return would be accompanied by a great flood of truth. This is supported by an angel‘s words to the prophet Daniel. “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” (Daniel 12:4). The time of the end mentioned here is the same period as the end of the age discussed by Jesus. The signs given by the angel are (1) the unsealing of the prophecies in Daniel, (2) a dramatic increase of world knowledge and (3) many running to and fro. We now understand the meaning of all the prophecies in Daniel. We are currently experiencing the increase of knowledge. “Running to and fro” describes people traveling and moving all over the world.
In Daniel 12:1, the angel added that the Lord would stand for Daniel’s people, Israel. This is also current as we have seen the rebirth of Israel, now a powerful nation. These signs clearly point to the Lord’s presence.
When Jesus said no one would know the day or the hour, he meant that before his return this information would be hidden. In verse 43, he gives one reason his secret return was necessary. “But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through.” In this picture, the master of the house is Satan and the thief pictures Jesus. The purpose in hiding the time of Jesus’ return is so he could “spoil” Satan’s goods. Keeping it secret prevented Satan from being prepared to defend his kingdom. We cannot know how he could have done this, but this is the reason Jesus gave. Keeping the time of his return secret allowed Jesus to begin the process of removing Satan unimpeded. The process of taking over the world and removing Satan from power continues today, which is why there us so much trouble in the world. Satan is struggling against the Lord. But the end is assured: Satan will be bound for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:2) and finally destroyed (Revelation 20:10).
Those who understand the Lord is present and working to establish his kingdom can take great comfort even as the world seems to be crumbling. “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever” (Daniel 2:44).