Dalton Thomas does a very good job of handling this verse which "seems" to fly in the face of being a "people prepared." The full article is here,
http://www.faimission.org/from-jerusalem-to-the-ends-of-the-earth-and-back-again
but this section speaks specifically to these verses.
He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8)
Jesus did not say, “It is not for anyone to know the times or the seasons”—He said, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons.” This statement was made to the disciples–not you and I. He did not say “no one can know, or “no one should know,” but that the disciples did not need to know. This information wasn’t intended for them. They didn’t need it. But that can’t be said of the generation of the Lord’s return. That generation will need more than the disciples had. This verse has suffered the same abuse as Matthew 24:36. Many an uninformed preacher has often used these passages to discourage believers from discerning God’s leadership and the timing of redemptive events. But God has made much of “times” and “seasons” throughout history because of the consequential nature of transitional generations. Jesus and the apostles all taught in the most emphatic terms that the Church is to “hear what the Spirit is saying,” “discern the signs of the times,” and “know” the “season” of Jesus’ return. And they also discouraged believers from ignorance and indifference towards the timing of the Lord’s return. Below are but a few examples.Matt. 24:32,33,
1 Thes. 5:2-5, Matt. 16:3, Luke 19:41-44.
http://www.faimission.org/from-jerusalem-to-the-ends-of-the-earth-and-back-again
but this section speaks specifically to these verses.
He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8)
Jesus did not say, “It is not for anyone to know the times or the seasons”—He said, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons.” This statement was made to the disciples–not you and I. He did not say “no one can know, or “no one should know,” but that the disciples did not need to know. This information wasn’t intended for them. They didn’t need it. But that can’t be said of the generation of the Lord’s return. That generation will need more than the disciples had. This verse has suffered the same abuse as Matthew 24:36. Many an uninformed preacher has often used these passages to discourage believers from discerning God’s leadership and the timing of redemptive events. But God has made much of “times” and “seasons” throughout history because of the consequential nature of transitional generations. Jesus and the apostles all taught in the most emphatic terms that the Church is to “hear what the Spirit is saying,” “discern the signs of the times,” and “know” the “season” of Jesus’ return. And they also discouraged believers from ignorance and indifference towards the timing of the Lord’s return. Below are but a few examples.Matt. 24:32,33,
1 Thes. 5:2-5, Matt. 16:3, Luke 19:41-44.
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