1. Can we know when the Lord will Return?

1. We can not know the specific "day and hour"(Matthew 24:36), but the Lord expects us to know when "it is near, even at the doors" when we see "all these things"(Matthew 24:33) the things He spoke of in the preceding verses. (Matthew 24:4-26)
   
2. Paul also tells the believers, they will not be "in darkness" concerning the Lord's Return and The Day of the Lord. (I Thessalonians 5:4)

2. What is The Day of the Lord?

1. It is the time of God's future wrath/judgment on Israel and unbelieving Gentiles as described in numerous Old Testament passages. (Joel 1:15, 2:1-11, Zephaniah 1:14-18, 2:1-15, 3:8)
   
2. The Day of the Lord is important to the Christian for it is directly linked to the Rapture of the Church. (I Thess 4:13-5:10, II Peter 2:4-10)

3. What events must precede God's Wrath the Day of the Lord?

1. Signs in the Heavens
   
   1. Isaiah 13:9-13
   2. Ezekiel 32:7,8
   3. Joel 2:1-11, 28-32, 3:9-17
   4. Matthew 24:29-31
   5. Mark 13:24-27
   6. Luke 21:25-28
   7. Acts 2:19,20
2. The Coming of Elijah (Malachi 4:5)
   
3. Unbelievers say "peace and safety" (I Thess 5:2,3)
   
4. Believers "not in darkness" (I Thess 5:4,5)
   
5. The "falling away first" (Israel) (II Thess 2:3)
   
6. The "man of sin revealed" (II Thess 2:3)

4. Will the Rapture precede God's Wrath The Day of the Lord?

1. Yes, the Believer is "not appointed unto wrath" (I Thess 5:9, Revelation 3:10)
   
2. God always delivers His children before His judgment
   
   1. Noah and his family (Gen 7, Matthew 24:36-41)
   2. Lot and his family (Luke 17:22-37)
3. The Day of the Lord will begin the same day Believers are raptured. (Luke 21:25-28)

1. Peter did not expect His imminent (at any moment) Return (John 21:18) Peter would grow old, and did not expect the Lord to return during his younger years.
   
2. The Disciples did not expect His imminent (at any moment) Return (Matthew 24:1,2) They knew the temple had to be destroyed in the future, and therefore did not expect the Lord to return until that event was completed.
   
3. The New Testament Christians did not expect His imminent (at any moment) Return.(Matthew 28;18-20) They had to evangelize the world before the Lord would return.
   
4. Paul did not expect His imminent (at any moment) Return (I Thess 5:1-10, II Thess 2:1-4)Paul knew these events he wrote about had to take place before the Lord would return.
   
5. We should expect His Return to occur during our lifetime for we are seeing the beginning of "all these things" (Matthew 24:33) happen before our very eyes. The things Jesus spoke of to His disciples in Matthew 24:4-8.