Signs In The Sky Series

Signs in the Sky

Matthew 24:29-31

Past four weeks we have been looking from this passage at a sermon series titled the “second coming”

We have looked at Why Christ Must Return, The doctrine of the soon return of Christ, Birth Pangs, and the great tribulation

Today I want to look at signs in the sky

in the beginning of Matthew chapter 24 the disciples had asked Jesus a question, “tell us when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age.”

-keep in mind that the coming of Christ will happen in two parts. First the rapture of the church and then the seven year tribulation which will end with the return of Christ that we just read about in Matthew where every eye will see him.

on April 20th of last year an explosion in the Gulf of Mexico on the deep-water Horizon oil platform killed 11 people and started the worst oil spill in American History. For 3 months the eyes of the whole world were focused on the gulf of Mexico we even watched live video from cameras under the surface of the water watching and praying for some sign that the oil spill was going to be over

During the tribulation there are going to be signs in the sky that will draw the attention of the whole world. People will stand staring into the sky to see what is going to happen next and Jesus said as they stand there looking into the heavens they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory

Rev 19:11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war

John echoes this same message in Revelation 1:7

Rev 1:7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

Luke says that Christ will come in the sky as lightning goes across the sky

Luk 17:24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one [part] under heaven, shineth unto the other [part] under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

Jesus used language that the disciples would have understand because they knew the writings of the Old Testament prophets

Isa 34:4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling [fig] from the fig tree.

Joe 2:30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

Joe 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

Now here is something interesting that I want you to see this morning

back in Genesis in the account of creation

Gen 1:14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, [fn] and for days and years,

even back when God created the world he built into His creation the fact that their will be signs in the sky tow watch for

When Christ was born the wise men who were watching the sky saw the star and knew that the savior of the world had been born so they went and followed the star to where Jesus was

When Jesus died on the cross of Calvary it was 3 o'clock I the afternoon and God gave a sign in the sky as the earth went dark until the ninth hour which was 6 o'clock Matthew 27:45

In acts chapter 9 when Saul was on the road to Damascus there was a light from the sky that flashed around him and dropped him to the ground and voice that cried out Saul Saul why are you persecuting me. And Saul was saved on that road and his named changed to Paul

during the tribulation there will be several signs in the sky that God will give.

Rev 6:12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood,

Rev 6:13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.

Rev 6:14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.