Today, Sunday December 19
The Signs of the Second Coming
Revelation 1:1-3 “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”
In my mind there is no doubt whatsoever that in both the Old and New Testament, the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is coming again! He came the first time and fulfilled every prophetic utterance about it in the Old Testament. Matter of fact, a key phrase in Matthew, the very first book of the New Testament, is “and it was fulfilled that which was spoken of by the prophets…”. It seems to me that every book in the New Testament has some reference to the second coming of Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul, who wrote most of the epistles in the New Testament, was very clear and specific about some of the signs of the second coming. The one that stands out the most to me is 2 Timothy 3:1-5: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”
Another passage is Romans 1:28-32, where Paul gives a vivid description of a culture or society that has become so perverted that they don’t even want to think about God and try to wipe Him out of every aspect of their lives. “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” Wow! What a picture of the day we are living in today!
When Jesus was asked by His disciples in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, what would be the sign of His coming and the end of the age, He responded with a very specific prophetic discourse to answer their question. He said there would be wars and rumors of war. There would be breakouts of great plagues. There would be hatred. There would be betrayal with even family members turning against each other. And it would be a time that people’s hearts would fail them because they would be so filled with fear.
We need to remember that most of the signs that would give us clues to the second coming of Jesus, have to do with His coming at the end of the tribulation. If the rapture takes place at least seven years before this event, it means that it is even closer for us right now! Today, like never before in history we are already seeing those signs appear and they all seem to say the same thing, “Jesus is coming soon”!
My friend, I’m convinced that we are living in the last of the last days! And if we are living for Jesus and for eternity we do not need to fear! He is in control and is setting everything up for the “end of this age.” Are you ready?
God bless!