"THE SKY IS RED & THREATENS" Part I
Updated: Oct 5
Jesus Christ is coming to earth again! He promised His return! He told His disciples just before He ascended back to heaven, following His resurrection, "I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again." (John 14:3) We know His return is sooner now than anytime in history! "Besides you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For His return is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone, the day is at hand." (Romans 13:11)
I know that some people don't like to think or talk about the end times and the end of human history as prophesied in Scripture and which is even being attested to by current world events. Our reluctance to face this reality does not change the facts! Jesus is coming back, this world as we know it will cease to exist, eternity will be our reality and we only have this brief life to prepare! More than thinking or talking about it, we had better get serious about making our eternal destiny our highest priority!
Signs of Jesus' return are all around us! We need to discern the signs of the times! Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day about their lack of understanding the important signs. Jesus said to them, "You say, 'in the morning, it will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times." (Matthew 16:3) We see Biblical prophecy of His second coming being fulfilled before our very eyes. Are we aware that over 70 percent of the Bible is prophecy? It behooves us to take it very seriously!
Not only does the Bible declare the truth of the end times, but society in general talks about the possibility of the end of the world as we know it. The Media carries the concern of climate change destroying our planet, politicians are consumed by insurmountable problems that reflect the end time is near, the economy places handwriting on the wall of Wall Street warning the world of a coming disaster and economic meltdown, and churchmen and the clergy repeatedly announce the second coming of Jesus. Some very notable Bible teachers, pastors and evangelists are regularly speaking up about Jesus' return from Scripture. Classic sermons on Jesus' return were preached by Dr. Billy Graham in his world-wide crusades! Modern spiritual leaders incude Dr. David Jeremiah, Rev. Billy Stagner, Rev. Franklin Graham, Rev. Greg Laurie, Ann Graham Lotz, Rev. Robert Jeffress, Max Lucado, Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, Dr. John Hagee, Dr. John MacArthur and many other "watchmen on the walls"! (Ezekiel 3:17) The return of Jesus is not a figment of our imagination, but a definite reality!
The Bible clearly and authoritatively declares that Jesus will come back to this earth we live on. At the very time Jesus was ascending back to heaven in the sight of His disciples, ". . .while they were gazing up into heaven as He went" two angels said to them, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come again in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11) Thus, we know from Scripture that Jesus will return:
PERSONALLY - "This same Jesus. . ." Acts 1:11
BODILY - "will come in the same way as you saw Him go up" - Acts 1:11
SUDDENLY - "For you know that the day of the Lord (His return) will come like a thief in the night." - (I Thessalonians 5:2)
IN POWER AND IN GLORY - "Then will appear from heaven the Son of Man (Jesus often referred to Himself using this term) coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." (Matthew 24:30)
There is more in the Bible about Jesus' second coming than about His first coming. More books have been written about His glorious and powerful return than about His humble first coming as a baby in Bethlehem. Jesus Himself preached, taught and described more about His coming again at the close of the age (really the close of earthly life and human history as we know it) than He did about His lowly birth. There are more Biblical prophecies about His second coming than about His first coming.
YES, it is certain the King Is Coming! Bill and Gloria Gather's gospel song is so descriptive:
"The marketplace is empty, no more traffic in the streets. All the builders' tools are silent, no more time to harvest wheat.
Busy housewives cease their labors, In the courtroom no debate; Work on earth has been suspended, As the King comes through the gate."
(Two other verses to this song exist (not found in this blog) and here is the Chorus:
"O the King is coming, The King is coming. I just heard the trumpets sounding, and now His face I see.
O The King is coming, the King is coming, Praise God, He's coming for me."
To be honest, I have heard about Jesus' second coming all my life (77 years). People before my time heard about it as well. In fact, many of you who are reading this blog also have heard or been told that Jesus is coming back. Actually, His second coming has been discussed and awaited for over 2,000 years, even since Jesus ascended into heaven after His resurrection from the grave. But there may now be skeptics as there were in those very early days. This caused the Apostle Peter to issue this caution, ". . . .knowing this first of all, that scoffers, will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.' The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish (for eternity in hell), but that all should reach repentance (turning away from sin). (II PETER 3:3-4 and 9) How utterly grateful people should be that His coming for the second time has not yet occured giving people the opportunity to repent of sin and be saved. But watch this: "But the day of the Lord (His return) will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed." (II Peter 3:10)
Rather than being among the scoffers and those who deny the truth of Jesus' return, let's get ourselves ready and prepared for His coming! Our most important agenda in this life must be to become ready for Jesus' return, using this brief life to prepare for eternity. We'll either reside eternally in heaven or hell, totally dependent upon our personal relationship or lack of it with Jesus Christ. Let's receive Him as Savior and Lord today, while we have the opportunity!
We should be so thankful to God for the revelation and guidance He has given in His Word concerning the return of Jesus. Let's consider THE SIGNS OF HIS COMING! A Biblical "sign" is an event, symbol, place or peson whose existence or occurrence indicates something definitely important in God's plan for the future. These signs are clearly identified in Scripture, revealed by God Himself. They do not come from the opinions of people or fortune-cookie projections. Rather, they are cemented into the very bedrock of God's Holy Word! The Gospel Writings (found in the New Testament) of Matthew, Mark and Luke include Jesus' sermon referred to as "The Olivet Discourse". In His sermon He decribes numerous signs that spell out the events of the end times and His second coming. Let's look carefully at Matthew, Chapter 24. He speaks to His disciples at their request. "As He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when these things will be, and what will be THE SIGN of your coming and the close of the age?" (Matthew 24:3)
First, THERE WILL BE DECEPTION BY FALSE CHRISTS. Mark this: it will be feasible and even probable that people will be led astray by false teaching and false teachers. "See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ'. And they will lead many astray." (Matthew 24:4-5) Here is a partial list of notable people who have claimed or been claimed by their followers to be Jesus or the Messiah: Apollo Quiboloy born in 1950 and founded the Philippines-based Restorationist Church. He said he was the appointed Son of God. Mehmet Ali Agca born in 1959, a Turkish assassin who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981. He said, I am Christ eternal. A.J. Miller born in 1962, a former Jehovah's Witness Elder, leader of the Australia-based Divine Truth Movement. He specifically claimed to be Jesus Christ. His partner Mary Suzanne Luck identified herself as Mary Magdalene. Delores Kane born in 1965 proclaimed herself to be the Messiah in 2007. Maurice Clemmons (1972-2009) referred to himself as Jesus Christ. And who can forget James Warren Jones who led an Americn cult to their suicide death at Jonestown, Guyana in 1978, or David Koresh who led the Branch Davidians and taught that he had authority because he was Jesus Christ. He and his followers were killed in a compound fire in Waco, Texas in April of 1993. This list could go on and on, but we get the point. Actually, in the last days, false teachers, false Christs and false doctrines will increase immensely. Knowing and trusting God in a personal relationship and knowing His Word is the only anecdote assuring us of discernment to "try the spirits." Scripture says, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try (test) the spirits (teachers and teachings) whether they are of God." (I John 4:1)
Join me for next week's blog as we discover insights into more signs regarding the return of Jesus Christ; Part 2 coming up.
Recent Posts
See AllWe have just concluded Election Day 2024 in the United States. I admit, living in Washington State and knowing that "liberal" candidates...
God can be misunderstood! It is not His fault that He is misunderstood; it is rather the fault of satan and of human beings! We are...
Jesus said, "All these things are the beginning of BIRTH PAINS." (Matthew 24:8) This verse is part of His Olivet Discourse where Jesus...
コメント