The Forgotten Clock : Understanding Imminence
Section I
The Forgotten Clock — Understanding Imminence
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“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”
—Matthew 24:42
Brothers and sisters…
There’s a clock ticking.
But not one you can see.
It doesn’t chime on the hour.
It doesn’t count down in days or months.
It doesn’t run by the hands of men.
This clock runs by the wisdom of God.
It is not the countdown to an eclipse.
Not a doomsday clock set by prophets of fear.
It is the clock of imminence—
The truth that Jesus Christ could return at any moment.
Not after a temple is built.
Not after a war starts.
Not after the next crisis.
But at any moment.
The Bible doesn’t say “look for signs.”
It says look for Him.
Let’s be clear tonight:
Imminence does not mean “soon.”
It means there is nothing in the way.
Webster’s says:
“Imminent: likely to occur at any moment; impending.”
It’s not a calendar date.
It’s not a puzzle to decode.
It’s a present tension—a wire stretched tight between now and then.
Jesus said, “Be ready: for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh.”
If someone tells you Christ cannot come today because a certain sign hasn’t happened yet—
then what they’re teaching is not imminence.
It’s delay.
And delay kills urgency.
Delay kills watchfulness.
Delay says, “My Lord delayeth His coming.”
That’s not what the early church believed.
It’s not what the apostles taught.
And it’s not what we’re told to live by.
Let me ask you—
If Christ could not come today, would you live differently?
If you had ten more years, would you loosen your grip on righteousness?
If you knew the storm was still far off, would you ignore the shelter?
That’s why the Lord said watch.
That’s why He said be ready.
Because you won’t get a trumpet warning before the trumpet sounds.
You won’t get a knock on the door before the door is opened in heaven.
So here’s the question we must ask in the public square, in the sanctuary, in the streets:
Are we living as though Christ might come tonight?
Because that is what imminence means.
Section II: God’s Pattern of Deliberate Delay
Now, someone might ask:
“If Christ’s return is imminent…
then why hasn’t He come yet?”
That’s not a new question.
It was asked in the early church.
It’s asked in our day.
And the Bible has already answered it.
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward,
not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
—2 Peter 3:9
God’s delay is not forgetfulness—
It’s mercy.
He’s not late.
He’s longsuffering.
Let’s walk a little, like Stephen did when he preached to the Sanhedrin—
Let’s walk through history,
And watch how God waits.
Not aimlessly—
But with intention.
1. God Waited in the Days of Abraham
“The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.”
—Genesis 15:16
That’s what God told Abraham.
He said, “Your seed will be a stranger for four hundred years…
because the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.”
In other words—judgment is coming, but not yet.
The cup isn’t full.
God wasn’t guessing.
He was measuring.
And when the measure reached the brim, judgment came right on time.
2. God Waited in the Days of Noah
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Peter said the Lord once “waited in the days of Noah” while the ark was preparing (1 Peter 3:20).
That wasn’t a delay—it was a window of grace.
And when the last board was nailed,
When the last animal was gathered,
When the last sermon was ignored—
The door was shut.
No more warnings.
No more waiting.
something new…
rain And the fountains of the deep
3. God Waited for Sodom
He told Abraham, “I will go down and see…”
He even allowed a conversation—
What if there be fifty? Forty? Thirty? Ten?
But when Lot was out,
He did not wait one more hour.
4. And God Is Waiting Now
Paul said in Romans 11:25:
“Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.”
We are living in that fullness right now.
Not a countdown.
Not a war.
Not a blood moon.
But a cup being filled—drop by drop—soul by soul—generation by generation.
We don’t know when the last one comes in.
We don’t know what drop tips the rim.
But He does.
In the next section, we’ll look at that picture—
the meniscus of time—
the invisible dome at the top of the cup that only God sees.
And we’ll ask the question…
What if the next drop is the last?
Section III: The Meniscus and the Moment
There’s a moment that comes when a cup is full.
Not when it looks full to the eye—
but when the very next drop makes it overflow.
Some of you know what I’m talking about—
You’ve poured water into a glass slowly… carefully…
drop by drop… until it reaches the rim.
And then something strange happens:
The surface curves upward.
A dome forms.
The water rises beyond the edge,
but it doesn’t spill.
That curve is called the meniscus.
From far away, it looks full.
From up close, it looks still.
But it’s only a matter of time.
Because with just one more drop,
the cup breaks—and it pours over.
Now listen carefully:
This age is a cup.
It’s being filled by the hand of God—
Not with water,
but with grace… and souls… and time.
One generation after another.
One sinner repenting.
One child saved.
One more missionary called.
We don’t know which drop will be the last.
We don’t even know we’re living in the curve—
but God does.
“Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”
—Matthew 24:36
He knows when the meniscus is formed.
He knows when it’s ready to break.
And when that moment comes… it will not delay.
Let me tell you something:
We may be living in the curve right now.
You may be standing on the very edge of history.
You may be the last drop of mercy before the flood of wrath.
That’s why we preach.
That’s why we warn.
That’s why we watch.
Not because we fear the storm—
but because we know that the door of the ark is still open.
So the question tonight isn’t, “What sign are we waiting for?”
The question is,
“Are you ready to be the next drop?”
Because the moment after that…
The flood comes.
The trumpet sounds.
And the age… is full.
Section IV: Walk Through God’s Deliverances Before Wrath
If someone says,
“God’s people are going to have to go through the fire,”
I want to ask:
What Bible have you been reading?
Because from cover to cover,
God shows us something very different.
He shows us a pattern—a divine pattern—
of rescue before wrath,
sealing before judgment,
removal before fire.
Let’s walk a little.
Let’s walk through the Word of God and let it speak for itself.
1. Enoch — Taken Before the Flood
“And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” —Genesis 5:24
“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death…” —Hebrews 11:5
Before the first drop of rain fell,
God took a man off the face of the earth.
He didn’t die.
He didn’t go through the judgment.
He was just… gone.
He was taken before the flood came.
That’s not coincidence—that’s prophecy.
2. Noah — Lifted Above the Judgment
“Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” —Genesis 6:8
“And the Lord shut him in.” —Genesis 7:16
Noah wasn’t just spared—
he was lifted up.
He didn’t endure the flood.
He didn’t tread water for forty days.
He was sealed in an ark—
a picture of Christ—
and elevated above the judgment.
God shut the door.
And when the water came, Noah wasn’t touched.
3. Lot — Removed Before Destruction
“Haste thee… for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither.” —Genesis 19:22
Lot didn’t want to leave.
But God sent angels to drag him out.
And the moment he reached the border,
the fire fell.
Don’t miss this:
Judgment was held back until the righteous were out.
Sodom burned,
but not while Lot was inside.
4. The Cross — Christ Alone Bears the Wrath
“Let these go their way…” —John 18:8
“Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.” —Matthew 26:56
At Calvary, the greatest judgment in human history took place.
But who bore it?
Only One.
His disciples were not crucified beside Him.
They didn’t drink the cup.
They were scattered—not condemned.
Even in His moment of agony,
Jesus protected His own.
V: But What About the Survivors?
Now someone might say,
“Wait a minute—
Doesn’t the Bible say that there will be people who live through the tribulation?”
“Yes,” it does.
But hear me clearly:
That is not a contradiction.
It is a confirmation.
Let me explain.
There is one group who endure to the end.
Jesus speaks of them in Matthew 24:13:
“He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
But they are not those Born Again today.
They are not the Bride of Christ, sealed and waiting for God’s trumpet.
They are tribulation saints—
those who believe after the catching away,
who survive under persecution,
and who are gathered when the King returns.
In Matthew 25, Jesus describes the judgment of the nations:
“Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you…”
—Matthew 25:34
These aren’t glorified saints.
They’re not raptured believers.
They are mortal survivors—
men and women who believed the truth during the tribulation
and were not killed for it.
They are the Noahs of the tribulation—
those left standing when the flood of wrath subsides.
Now hear me well:
Even though they endure,
they are still distinguished.
• They are not swept away with the wicked.
• They are not appointed to wrath.
• They are separated at the sheep and goat judgment
and welcomed into the earthly kingdom of Christ.
Their survival does not negate the pattern—
It proves it.
Because even in wrath,
God makes a difference.
In Exodus 8, God said to Pharaoh:
“I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there… to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.”
God always makes a distinction.
And He’ll make it again.
So let no one say:
“Well, if people survive the tribulation, then there’s no pre-wrath deliverance.”
No, my friend—what you’re seeing is that
God preserves whom He will,
how He will,
but He always marks them apart.
That’s not an exception to His mercy.
That’s a monument to it.
5. The Born Again Saints, The family of God— Not Appointed to Wrath
“For God hath not appointed us to wrath,
but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”
—1 Thessalonians 5:9
We are not waiting for wrath.
We are waiting for a shout.
We are not storing up judgment.
We are sealed unto the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30).
The trumpet will sound,
The dead in Christ shall rise,
And we shall be caught up.
And just like Enoch…
Just like Noah…
Just like Lot…
We will be removed before the fire falls.
Are you starting to see the pattern?
Enoch — taken before
Noah — lifted and sealed above
Lot — forcibly removed
The disciples — scattered, spared
The Born Again — called up
God is not confused.
He hasn’t changed.
He always makes a way for His people before He makes war with the world.
VI: The Blessed Hope Still Stands
All this leads us to one unshakable conclusion:
The hope of the believer has not changed.
It has not faded.
It has not been swallowed up by tribulation charts or theological confusion.
It still stands—
Right where God put it.
Right where the apostles preached it.
“Looking for that blessed hope,
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
—Titus 2:13
We are not looking for the Antichrist.
We are not counting seals, bowls, and trumpets.
We are not enduring Jacob’s trouble—because we are not Jacob.
Let’s make it plain:
The tribulation is not the trial of the Church.
It is the time of Jacob’s trouble.
“Alas! for that day is great,
so that none is like it:
it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble;
but he shall be saved out of it.”
—Jeremiah 30:7
That’s Israel.
That’s Daniel’s 70th week.
That’s the last page of prophecy turning for the Jewish nation.
Not the Church.
The Church has already been sealed.
The Church has already been redeemed.
The Church is a called-out bride, not a nation under wrath.
If we confuse that, we rob believers of their hope.
We trade a crown for a bunker.
We swap a wedding for a war.
No wonder Paul said:
“Comfort one another with these words.”
—1 Thessalonians 4:18
He didn’t say, “Prepare to run.”
He said, “Be ready to rise.”
He didn’t say, “Stock up and hide.”
He said, “Lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28)
Our hope is not in surviving wrath.
Our hope is in avoiding it—
because it’s not for us.
“For God hath not appointed us to wrath,
but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”
—1 Thessalonians 5:9
So yes—there will be wrath.
Yes—there will be judgment.
But not for the Bride.
Not for the redeemed.
Not for the sealed.
And if you’re saved tonight,
your ears are not tuned to war drums—
they’re tuned to a trumpet.
You’re not looking for a falling economy—
you’re looking for a shout.
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You’re not bracing for the beast—
you’re listening for the Bridegroom.
We are not appointed to the Great Tribulation.
We are appointed to a great deliverance.
And that is still the blessed hope.
Distinguishing Tribulation from The Great Tribulation
Now hear this clearly, brothers and sisters—
We are not promised comfort in this world.
We are not promised exemption from trials, persecution, or pain.
“In the world ye shall have tribulation:
but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
—John 16:33
That’s the general tribulation—the hardship of living for Christ in a world that hates Him.
That’s the suffering for righteousness’ sake.
That’s the cross we bear.
“All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
—2 Timothy 3:12
But that is not the same as The Great Tribulation.
The Great Tribulation is not about suffering for Christ—
It is the world suffering for rejecting Him.
“For then shall be great tribulation,
such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time…”
—Matthew 24:21
That is God’s judgment on a Christ-rejecting world—
Not man’s persecution of saints,
but God’s outpoured wrath.
That time is not for the Church.
That time is not for the Bride.
That time is not for those washed in the blood.
It is the time of Jacob’s trouble—
not the Church’s purification.
Christ already bore our judgment at Calvary.
If you blur those lines—
If you make the Great Tribulation a time for the Church to be “tested,”
then you’ve diminished the cross.
You’ve said His suffering wasn’t enough.
You’ve said His wrath must still fall on His own.
But my Bible says:
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”
—Romans 8:1
So yes—we will suffer in this world.
We will be mocked, opposed, jailed, and rejected.
But not one drop of God’s wrath will touch the Bride.
We may face the hatred of men,
but we will never face the judgment of God—
because Jesus took that for us.
VII: The Next Drop
You’ve heard the pattern.
You’ve seen the mercy.
You’ve felt the warning.
God always removes, seals, or spares His own before the storm breaks.
But the storm always comes.
The age is full.
The cup is rising.
The last soul may already be walking this earth.
Maybe a child yet to believe.
Maybe a missionary still preparing.
Maybe someone sitting here—right now.
And when that last drop falls…
There will be no announcement.
No pause.
No buffer.
Just a trumpet,
a shout,
and the Bride will be gone.
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump…
and we shall be changed.”
—1 Corinthians 15:52
If you’re saved tonight, you ought to be watching.
Not with fear,
but with fire in your bones.
Not with bunker plans,
but with oil in your lamp.
This isn’t time to retreat.
This is time to reach.
This is time to preach.
This is time to live holy,
walk upright,
and love His appearing.
And if you’re not saved tonight—
I beg you:
Don’t test the meniscus.
You don’t know if you’re the next drop.
You don’t know if the last soul has already come in.
You don’t know if this is your final hour.
God has held the cup for your sake—
but He will not hold it forever.
The door is still open.
The ark is still waiting.
The Spirit is still calling.
“Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts…”
—Hebrews 3:15
Don’t be one drop too late.
Come now.
Come while He may be found.
Come before the flood falls,
before the door shuts,
before the trumpet sounds.
Because one day soon—
it won’t just be a drop.
It will be a deluge.