The Signs Of Jesus' Return Part 2 Series

I know many are worried about the future. When we consider the incoming administration in Washington, with its decidedly anti-Christian flavor to many of the policies that they are pushing forward, when we consider the violence in our capital building by mobs, we are distressed. Are these the signs of our times? Can the end be far off? When considering all of these things and the world situation around us, we wonder about the times we live in. What does the future hold for us?.

The disciples of Jesus wondered as well. When they pointed out the magnificent structure of the temple, while they were on the Mount of Olives overlooking the Temple Mount, and Jesus replied:

Matthew 24:2 And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

The disciples thought the destruction of the temple would be the end of the world as they understood it. So naturally they asked when? That is the big question. When is the end?

Matthew 24:3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

The answer is not always what is expected. The temple was destroyed some 40 years later (70 AD), the end of the age and Jesus coming again is another matter. The rest of chapters 24 and 25 deals with the answers to these questions. We will continue to day to look at what will be the signs of Jesus’ return and the end of the age.

Matthew 24:4–8

Throughout history, people wondered about the coming of the end. Christians have wondered about the return of Christ. Ours is not the only time in history with trouble. Jesus warns us of the trouble to come.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus, throughout his ministry, warned that troubled faced those who followed Him. Jesus was upfront with His disciples concerning all this:

John 15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

This is the world we live in today. In the time of tribulation ahead, the life for a true believer, the committed follower of Jesus, will only become worse.

In fact some of the commentators say concerning today’s passage, that Jesus is describing the beginning of the tribulation period and it aligns with the first three seals in Revelation 6. Whether this is so or not, I don’t know. For today, however, we are going to take the words of Jesus at face value. Jesus will deal with the time of tribulation directly starting in verse 15. Some will say, if this deals with the 7 years tribulation and the church and all the saved are raptured before this time, why do we need to study this at all?

First of all, if it is in the Word of God, it is there for a reason and we need to know it. Second, I had a seminary professor challenge me (He did Greek better than I do English) on this concerning a pre-tribulation rapture of the church. All he said to me was “Oh really! Show me where the Bible says that.” I couldn’t. I had to searched the Scriptures for myself (see Acts 17:11).

Throughout whole Olivet discourse, Jesus keeps addressing the disciples as “you.” “When you see these things,” or “when they say to you,” and so forth. The disciples, as the representative of the believers to come, Jesus spoke as though His followers will see and experience all these things that are coming before the end, before His return. It seems like we need to pay close attention to the things Jesus says and remember them. If the rapture comes and takes me away from all these things, that would be wonderful, but if it is in His plan that I go through these things to come, I will be prepared. So I will look carefully at these teachings about things to come and search the Scriptures for myself. If nothing else today, can you see the need to know the Word? In Hosea, God says “My people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6). Without knowledge, people can be easily mislead, as we will see.

In fact the first thing Jesus tells His disciples when they asked the questions about the time of the end and His return, Jesus said:

Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.