Acts 1:6,7

Discerning the times

 Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

The disciples still were hoping for the kingdom to be established. Scriptures give us events that may occur before Jesus comes again. We are in the Church age, the age of grace. It has been 2000 years of gathering a people unto God from all nations, this is the church, the bride of Christ.

Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

The next event is the rapture, the removal of the church unto Christ, before the coming tribulation.

1 Cor 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Cor 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

When Jesus returns he will establish the Kingdom for one thousand years on a restored earth.

Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Acts 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

We are told to discern the times

Mat 24:3  And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 

Mat 24:4  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 

Mat 24:5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 

Mat 24:6  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 

Mat 24:7  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 

Mat 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

We are to expect his coming at anytime and watch. That does not mean we should not be busy witnessing.

1 Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1 Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1 Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1 Th 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1 Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1 Th 5:9 For God hath not appointsalvation, Jesus Christ,ed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1 Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.