Looking For Signs Lesson 3 Series

A. WHY THERE WILL BE SIGNS

1. Definition: A sign points primarily to the supernatural activity of God sending a message to people. “Communication between the visible and invisible world.” ISBE

2. There have always been signs.

a. The rainbow, a sign that the earth won’t be flooded again.

b. Moses called by the burning bush and the rod that became a serpent, etc.

c. The bronze serpent (Numbers 21:9).

d. Jesus, miracles were signs that pointed to His deity.

3. Jesus was asked the question, “what will be the sign of Your coming” (Matthew 24:3). The principle of concerted preparation, i.e., conditions on earth before the secret rapture.

4. How did Jesus respond when asked about signs? “Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them, ‘When it is evening you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’” (Matthew 16:1-2).

B. WHY THERE WILL BE NO SIGN BEFORE THE RAPTURE

1. The rapture will be instantaneous, not progressive, or slowly revealed. “Behold I show you a mystery . . . we shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

2. The rapture will come without notice. “I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you” (Revelation. 3:3).

3. Jesus refused to give supernatural signs to unbelievers (John 2:18; Matt. 12:38). Jesus gave them the “sign” of Scriptures, i.e., sign of the resurrection and sign of Jonah (John 2:14, 6:30; Matthew 12:39).

4. Jesus said Jews seek signs, but Gentiles seek wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:22ff). There are no signs when Jesus comes for the Gentile church, yet many signs when He comes seven years later for Israel.

C. SIGNS BEFORE THE RAPTURE

1. How does the word imminent relate to signs?

a. The word imminent means impending, “close at hand.” You will never know when it will happen.

b. You don’t know the time that will transpire before an imminent event occurs.

c. To set a date or fix signs for an imminent event takes away from its unexpectancy.

d. To say an event is imminent, you can say it is “soon coming.”

2. What does an imminent rapture mean?

a. Christ could come at any moment.

b. If something must happen, then Christ’s return is not imminent.

c. Just because Christ’s return is imminent, does not mean it will not happen soon.

3. What views of the rapture have the wrong timing?

a. The post-tribulational rapture says the tribulation must occur first.

b. The mid-tribulation rapture says the events of the first half of the tribulation must happen first.

4. If the rapture is imminent, how can we say there are signs today?

a. Because forces must be in place before the rapture that will become events after the rapture.

(1) Israel in the land.

(2) Israel being persecuted.

(3) The possibility of a world government and world ruler, etc.

b. We can know the “seasons” of the future. “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!” (Matthew 24:32-33).

c. Christians are not ignorant of prophetic themes. “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness” (1 Thessalonians 5:2, 4-5).

d. God has given His people the scriptures to prepare and warn others what will happen; we can warn the unsaved. “The Lord is not slack concerning [His] promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

5. Can anyone know for sure when Jesus will return?

• NO! “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36).

• Martin Luther said, “If anyone by happenstance guesses the day God had planned for His Son to return, God would change the date so the Scriptures would stand.”

D. HOW SHALL I RESPOND?

1. Be patient. He will come. “…being watchful to this end with all perseverance” (Ephesians 6:18).

2. Thank God for everything. “Watch . . . with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).

3. Watch out for satan’s temptation. “So be on your guard” (1 Thessalonians 5:6, TLB).

4. Pray as you wait. “Therefore be … watchful in your prayers.” (1 Peter 4:7).