Good to be with you. Today's topic is entitled Signs of the Times. Let's get started. Thanks for joining me today.
This lesson on the signs of Christ's return is based primarily on Matthew 24. There are two other major chapters in the Bible dealing entirely with this subject -- Mark 13 and Luke 21. Be sure to read and carefully study these chapters as well.
In Matthew 24, Jesus answers two key questions:
- When would the temple in Jerusalem be destroyed? (See verses 1-3; 15-20.)
- When would He return again? (See the rest of Matthew 24.)
We cannot set dates for the return of Jesus. No one knows the day or hour of the Second Coming.
But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Matthew 24:36
However, by observing the signs that Jesus gives, we can know when His coming is near.
Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Matthew 24:33
Matthew 24 -- Major Signs:
The destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:1-3
“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. Matthew 24:15-20
- The Dark Ages of tribulation (A.D. 538-1798.
For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. Matthew 24:21-22
- Footprints in the sky -- the "dark day" of May 19, 1780.
“Immediately after the distress of those days“‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ Matthew 24:29
- Footprints in the sky -- the stars fall, November 13, 1833.
- cf. Joel 2:10,31. Amos 8:9; Isaiah 13:10; Mark 13:24, 25; Luke 21:25; Acts 2:20; Revelation 6:12, 13.
“Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ Matthew 24:29
Matthew 24 -- Additional significant signs:
- In the political world there will be wars, political instability, and nationalism with nation against nation.
- In the natural world there will be earthquakes, pestilence, and famine.
- cf. Luke 21:10, 11; 1 Thessalonians 5:3; Joel 3:9-12.
6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. Matthew 24:6,7
- In the economic world there will be instability, uncertainty, and strife between the wealthy and the poor.
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. James 5:1-8
- In the moral world there will be corruption, pleasure-seeking, and intense evil.
- cf. Matthew 24:37-39.
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5
- In the world of knowledge there will be an explosion of information and technology.
4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.” Daniel 12:4
- In the religious world there will be scoffers, skeptics, and a lack of true spirituality.
- cf. Matthew 24:4, 5, 11; 2 Timothy 4:3, 4.
Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 2 Peter 3:3-4
Why hasn't Jesus come yet? The four angels are continuing to hold back the winds of strife until God's purposes for this earth are complete and His servants have been sealed.
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Revelation 7:1-3
Jesus' return is near! The day is at hand! It's time to awake from our sleep and be ready for Jesus to come again.
- cf. Matthew 24:42-44; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6.
11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:11-14
We see the signs fulfilled; it's time to look up, for our redemption draws near!
28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:28
36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:36
