THE SIGN OF JESUS’ COMING

THE SIGN OF JESUS’ COMING

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” —Matthew 24:1-3

          The disciples asked Jesus two questions. First, “When will these things be?” and second, “What will be the sign of your coming?” How many people have asked these questions… especially the second one?

“When will these things be?”

“See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Matthew 24:4-9).

            Jesus answered the first question with the paragraph above. Here are His points.

• Don’t be led astray by the many that will claim to be Christ.
• You will hear of wars and rumors of wars.
• The end is not yet
• Nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom
• There will be famines and earthquakes in various places
• All these are but the beginning of birth pains.

So as we consider these points Jesus mentioned we can see all of them taking place today, but these are just the just the beginning of birth pains. The point is that Jesus is making is that things are going to get more intense as time goes on! And then…

“What will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?”

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.

 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:9-14).

            Jesus answered the second question from the paragraph above with these points.

• Believers will be delivered up to tribulation and be put to death.
• Believers will be hated by all nations because of Jesus’ Name.
• Many (professing) believers will fall away.
• Many believers will be betrayed.
• Many (professing) believers will hate believers
• Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray
• Lawlessness will cause the love of many to grow cold.
• Those who endure to the end will be saved.
• The gospel will be proclaimed throughout the world
• The gospel will be a testimony to all nations
• THEN the end will come.

Then Jesus goes on to show us something very tangible in the following verses. Here are some of His points.

• We are told to understand this— “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place…

“He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him”(Daniel 9:27).

Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed.  He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself

to be God” (II Thessalonians 2:3-4).

• This is when “there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.”
• False christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
• “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man”
• After the tribulation the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give light and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
• Jesus will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call.
• He will gather all the elect.
• Only our Father knows when that day and hour will be.
• Be ready!
• Be faithful!
• Be serving!

So Jesus gave pretty clear indicators in this chapter about these things and His coming. But here is what really catches my eye— with all these things that are going to come upon this world Jesus says for us to 1- be ready! 2- Be faithful! 3- Be serving!   Are we?

Dear Father I am so grateful to know the times are in Your hands and that You know the day and hour when the end of this age will come.   Please help me to be ready.     Please help me to be faithful.   Please help me to be serving. May this be done in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son. May it be so!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL7rMNfB1Lg