The Signs of the Times

Over the last 200 years there has been a lot said in the Church about the 2nd Coming of the Lord. This is a good thing, because for hundreds of years previously, in the 'Dark Ages', the Church was told very little about this awesome event. During this time the Church was asleep, they weren't on their toes prepared and waiting for the Lord's Coming. Even today there are Churches that are not taught about the Lord's Return and the people are asleep too, unprepared, like the 5 Foolish Virgins in Matthew 25. There are many people today who scoff about this teaching, and say that it has been spoken about for so long and it hasn't happened yet, and never will. They need to look at
2 Peter 3:3-10. The Lord assures us in this chapter that the Lord’s Return will surely come to pass, just as the Flood came to pass thousands of years earlier, as judgment upon a sinful world.

It tells us here in Matthew 24 that we must be “watchful” for the Lord’s Return. This word “Watch” is “Agrupneo” in Greek, and means to be “Alert and intent upon a thing”. Like a Guard on guard duty. He would stand upon the walls of the city and look at the horizon continually, to see if there were any “signs” that would show if the enemy was approaching, like clouds of dust on the horizon. We are to be like these soldiers, looking to see if there are any signs to show that the Lord is coming back. The Bible tells us that we don’t know exactly when He’s coming, (Matthew 24:36), but we will know THE SEASON of the Lord’s Return. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2.)

We don't know the day or hour, but are not to be ignorant of "The Season" of the Lord's Return. When you see new growth in God's creation, you know it's the season of spring, (These are "Signs" of spring), or when the leaves fall from the trees, you know it’s the season of autumn. ("Signs" of autumn). So it is in the season of the Lord's Return. When you see certain things happening in the world then His coming is surely near. There are Signs to show His soon return.

THE LORD'S COMING IS NEARER THAN IT’S EVER BEEN BEFORE!!…

Just to know when something is going to happen, is not enough. Especially when it is as life changing and final as the Lord's Return. You need to respond to the "Signs", and do something about them. When the Lord was about to send the Flood on a sinful world He gave "Signs" to warn that generation, and was hoping people would respond. There were 3 Signs that I can see in the word that God gave to that generation.

When Jesus came the first time, God in His mercy gave a powerful SIGN to the people in Israel and the surrounding regions. It was the "Sign" of A STAR. Everyone saw the Star but not everyone did anything about it. Herod saw it and the Pharisees too, also the Shepherds etc. But no one in Israel knew what it meant. Only the Wise Men who came from far away understood the sign and responded to it.

THEY SAW THE STAR AND DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

1. God had allowed a man called "Methuselah" to keep living on and on as a "SIGN", until he was 969 years old. Genesis 5:27. His name means that "When I die shall be the breaking forth of the waters." (Schofield’s Bible) The breaking forth of the waters was The Flood and the year Methuselah died was the year of the flood.

We are fast approaching the 2nd Coming of the Lord, and God in His mercy has given us "SIGNS" which are powerful warnings to this generation. Many of them have been with us now for 200 years. We have got so used to them though that we don't "see" them anymore, or understand their meaning. They are so familiar to us that we have become indifferent to them. When I first went to Africa from New Zealand 30 years ago, I was amazed by what I saw, with all the different sights over there. But soon the novelty wore off, as I had seen it all, so often before. So is it with many of the "Signs" with us today. We become indifferent to them.

1. SIGN ONE:
THE JEWS RETURN HOME TO ISRAEL…

He told them a parable. "See the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see it and know by your own selves that the summer is already near. Even so you also, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things are accomplished. (Luke 21:29-32)

The FIG TREE is symbolic of the Jewish Nation. Look at Mark 11 when Jesus cursed the Fig Tree. He was speaking of the Jewish Nation then who were not responding to His Ministry. When the Fig Tree begins to shoot forth .... The Jews were punished for their sins and became a barren Fig Tree from 604 BC when the Gentiles ruled over them. i.e. Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Muslims and finally the Turks. They were set free from Gentile rule in 1917 AD and in 1948 AD they received their Independence and ruled themselves again. They began to "shoot forth" once more. Jesus said when you see this happen; know that within a generation… all will be fulfilled concerning the End Times and the Lord's Return. 100 years ago the Jews were few in Israel and very poor. Now millions of Jews are returning home and the nation is blossoming once more. What is a generation? Is it 40 years? 70 years? 100 years?

I personally believe that the generation from 1948, will be the generation to see the Lord’s return. We could be the last generation.

It says here, that near the time of the end of the age, many will RUN to and fro. To run means to move FAST. Up until the last 150 odd years the fastest a man could move was at the speed of a horse. It had been that way since the dawn of time, but with the invention of the automobile in 1885 AD and air travel in 1904, we can now go 3 times the speed of sound. The Concorde could travel at 1450 mph. 90 years ago one man crossed the Atlantic in an airplane, now 30,000 cross it every day.
It also says that man will run TO and FRO.… (Back and forth). Jesus, in His lifetime ministered in an area about 140 miles long x 60 miles wide. Look at the distances man travels today. I have personally been back and forth from Africa to New Zealand 15 odd times, a distance of 10,000 km's each way in my 55 years.

DO YOU SEE THIS SIGN? WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?

When we look at what is happening today in education, technology and communications, we see that there has never been an age like this age before. A High School graduate's qualifications in the USA are equivalent to a University Student’s of 1970. University students now, know more about the universe than the wisest men of ‘yesterday’, such as Socrates. 80% of the scientists that ever lived are alive today. 70% of the medicines available today have only been around since WW 2. It is said that world knowledge doubled between 1750 AD - 1900 AD. Since 1900 AD - 1950 AD it doubled again, and now it doubles every decade. Nowadays when you buy a computer it is out of date almost immediately, as something more advanced is on the market straight away.

DO YOU SEE THIS SIGN? WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?

I don't know what is still to happen in the heavens, but I can see that there are Wonders already with us that no one seems to notice, as SIGNS from God. For thousands of years man has tried to fly, and failed, because the Lord was saving this feat for the "Time of the End". For a Prophet to see what we see all the time in the heavens would indeed be a wonder to him. Look at all the wonders in the heavens now, in the form of air travel. Now there are satellites that watch the weather and beam TV signals and Radio communications all over the world.

In the Hebrew translation "Pillars of Smoke" is more accurately translated "Palm Trees of Smoke". This is an End Time phenomenon which most likely speaks of the Nuclear Bomb. Imagine a Prophet having a vision of such a thing. It's only since 1945 AD that we have had the "Bomb". I am not saying that there is going to be a Nuclear War, but this is a sign that we are in the Last Days.

DO YOU SEE THESE SIGNS?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?

1903 AD     Man began to fly
1912 AD     He used planes in warfare
1941 AD     The first Jet Aircraft
1957 AD     Sputnik was launched into space
1957 AD     Dogs were sent into space
1961 AD     Man was sent into space
1969 AD     Man landed on the moon
1981 AD     The Space Shuttle flew into space

SOME OTHER SIGNS OF HIS COMING

1. CHILDREN DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS. (Malachi 4.5-6, 2 Timothy 3.2)
2. FAMINES, DROUGHTS, EARTHQUAKES. (Matthew 24.7)
3. LOVERS OF PLEASURE (2 Timothy 3.4)
4. LAWLESSNESS & VIOLENCE (2 Timothy 3.3)
5. HOMOSEXUALITY INCREASE (2 Timothy 3.3)
6. SCOFFERS (2 Peter 3.3-7)
7. FALSE PROPHETS (Matthew 24.11)

DO YOU SEE THESE SIGNS?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?

Again for a Prophet like Joel to see what we see every day on this earth, would be a real wonder to him. Consider telephones that were invented in 1877 AD and radios in 1890 AD, television in 1951 AD and all the other amazing things since then, from automobiles to fax machines, computers to CDs. (Did you realise that it was in 1921 AD that only 12% of British homes had electric lights.)

DO YOU SEE THESE SIGN? WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?