The End is Near! Or, Is It?

I've never been one who is into biblical prophecy, especially as it relates to the End Times. I haven't spent much time studying it, and perhaps that is my loss. I think it is because of these words that our Savior spoke:

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Matthew 24:36, NIV).

If we cannot know, why should we obsess about it? That has been my view. I certainly believe that Jesus is coming again, and we should be ready. Jesus went on to say:

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:42-44, NIV).

We should be ready, but we shouldn't obsess.

I was talking with a relative this past weekend. He was talking about a magazine that reads. (Sorry, I can't remember the name of it.) The guy who writes apparently has figured it all out. There is some deal about the European Union (EU) where this guy is going to be the anti-Christ. He is going to make some treaty with Israel, which will start the tribulation and 3 1/2 years later there will be the rapture. What just a minute! I thought no one knew the day "your Lord will come." If no one knows the day, why do we try to figure out when it will all happen.

Really, the only thing that we accomplish by speculating is that we will look stupid when our prediction doesn't pan out.