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What signs did Christ give us of His coming, and how should we be living until these are fulfilled?
Growing pieces of evidence warn us that the world we live in is in deep trouble. The last one hundred years have brought about changes that could not have been imagined before. More people have died due to wars in the last hundred years than in the thousand years before. The human population seems to be expanding, clearly challenging the available natural resources that sustain healthy practices for human existence. More than ever before, we have come to realize that we live on a finite planet with only a certain amount of arable land, fresh water, and energy and fuel supply. We realize that the rate at which we are depleting vast forests, coal beds and oil fields is not sustainable. This has to come to an end, and although the ever optimistic human mind may dream of new and yet untapped sources of energy and ever improving methods of producing more food from a shrinking land base, in our hearts we know the rape of the land cannot continue.
Although the people before us did not have an abundant supply of knowledge about the earth (nor did they have the ability to literally tear down mountains, drain vast lakes, and dig up hundreds and hundreds of tons of coal quickly), they still wondered when this age or this world as we know it would end. Perhaps clues were given by their sages, perhaps just observation of man’s activities prompted the question, and perhaps it was by inspiration, but we do read that men asked the question about when things would come to an end and what the sign of those times will be. Jesus’ disciples asked Him that as they observed the temple and perhaps thought about the great suffering Israel had undergone for centuries already (Matthew 24:3).
Before the time of Jesus, Daniel was having visions and deep thoughts about the future. He had seen the destruction of the temple and scattering of Israel and believed an “end” was coming. A question was asked: how long it would be until the wonders would be fulfilled (Daniel 12:4-6). Daniel was given some rough clue-being told that it would be “a time, times, and half a time, and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished” (Daniel 12:7). God did not give Daniel much more than that for information. He told Daniel to go about his business because the words were closed and sealed until the time of the end (Daniel 12:9).
God loves those who love Him and wants them to be part of all He plans to do. As He was leaving Abraham’s tent, He said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing” (Genesis 18:17)? God does reveal His intentions to His followers-not always in crystal clear detail, but He does supply them with signs so that they can prepare for events to come. Jesus told His disciples that when they saw the things He was declaring, they would “know that it is near-even at the doors” (Matthew 24:33)! Although we will not know the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36), we are given a good idea as motivation to be prepared and to be zealous in the work God has given us to do.
This brief listing of some of the signs Jesus left for us is not complete in every detail, but we can point to times in history when some of these signs have appeared. Often they appeared to replicate Christ’s statements so closely that many concluded that “this was it.” So far history’s best guesses have been wrong, but clearly we ought to continue to do the work He assigned to his servants until He brings it to the time of fulfillment. In Matthew 24:24 Jesus said that false Christ's and false prophets would rise and be doing miracles and wonders that would cause people to be deceived. Many look for miracles and miracles do happen. One of the keys to knowing the false Christ's from actual followers of God is whether they teach the laws of God (Deuteronomy 13:1-4). But Christ warned, in Matthew 24:4, that attempts at deception must be carefully watched for, because many would be coming in His name, would seem to be His servants, would seem devoted and dedicated, and would deceive many.
Another sign is that actual wars on a smaller scale and rumors of wars on a large scale will abound. Nations will rise up against one another, and due to the disruption in the supply of daily needs for survival, diseases that come from crowding, insufficient medical supplies, and weaknesses of the people, many will die from pestilence and disease (Matthew 24:6). In today’s world there are millions of refugees fleeing the violence of areas where wars are being fought and crowding into camps with poor sanitation.
Earthquakes will also be happening in various places. This earth is ringed with lines of unstable areas. Earthquakes happen all the time, and some volcanoes are active. However Christ states an unusual increase in these will be one of the signs (Matthew 24:7).
True followers of Jesus Christ will be under constant attack. God’s people will not find safety in any nation, and confessing loyalty to Christ will bring tribulation (Matthew 24:9). Our nations are already passing laws against any who declare what God hates and calls sin. It seems that within the church, many will betray one another and hate one another. Jesus told His people not to be troubled (Matthew 24:6).
More of the people of God will be martyred. In the past, anyone who disagreed with the most powerful established religion was in danger of being put to death. Jesus died in that way, and many of His followers were martyrs too (Revelation 6:11).
Lawlessness will abound, and still the gospel will be preached (Matthew 24:12-14). It is not that there will be no laws, because societies cannot survive without some sort of law. It is that the laws of God will no longer be known or followed. The laws of God will be replaced with the laws of men. The simple definition of morality is one example of the removal of God’s laws. There is a confused definition of good and evil in many parts of our culture, of good and evil, holy and profane.
Jesus explained that these signs were only the beginning of the great tribulation that will strike the world. The obvious turmoil in the nation of the “south”-that is, Islamic nations-caught many by surprise. The outcome we see in the Middle East is continual instability, and nobody really knows what is coming next. But there is more to come, and it will increase in intensity. Above all, Jesus gave the outline of signs so that His people would not be troubled. We are to continue to live a godly life in the midst of the turmoil. That is where faith comes in, and it is the area in which God continually tests His people. Will we obey Him and believe His statements?
God’s people do die of accidents, illnesses and the ravages of old age. Some even die young-that has always been a part of living. If only in this life we have hope, we are truly most miserable, because there are times when God allows troubles to come upon us and there are thought patterns within ourselves that need to be conquered and overcome.
Always there is the question of faith and trust in the Father and Son. All of us pray and hope that this world will repent and halt the madness we observe. But we know mankind is careening toward all the Bible has indicated. Prophecies are meant to warn, and they can be changed-if only nations repent. Christians are to be strong and bold in times of stress. They are to be living a life of example and preaching the good news that heralds the intervention of Jesus Christ to end this madness. God speed His coming.
For more information, read the free Bible study aid Are We Living in the Time of the End?
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