Looking Ahead To The Signs Of Jesus' Return

When Jesus warned his disciples that the Herod's Temple would be torn down, they responded by asking two vital questions. They wanted to know when that would be and what would be the sign of his coming and the end of the age. The sign and the end of the age were interconnected in their minds (Matt. 24:1-3).

The Lord did not tell them when the Temple would be torn down. He did make it clear that the entire city of Jerusalem would be surrounded by her enemies (doubtless the Romans) and laid waste as the prophet Daniel had foretold (Matt. 24:15; Daniel 9:24-27). In those days of vengeance Jerusalem would be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles (Luke 19:43-44; 21:21-25). Other prophets as well as Daniel had foretold this, because Jerusalem and her leaders had rejected their promised Messiah. So the book of the prophets ends with Malachi saying,

"For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. - Mal 4:1 ESV

Further, such death, desolation and destruction would mark the coming of the Messianic king who would usher in a new era of peace and joy. Malachi continues,

But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. - Mal 4:2 ESV

Jerusalem was destroyed as the prophets foretold and Jesus confirmed. In 70 A.D. the Roman armies finally breached the walls and laid waste to the temple. Many of Jesus' disciples fled the city, forewarned by his words. The abomination of desolation had been foretold by the prophet Daniel (Dan. 12:11). It had already happened once back in 168 B.C. when Antiochus IV Epiphanes attempted to wipe out Judaism. Jesus uses the same language to warn that it was about to happen again. Abominable statues of false gods would again be set up in the Temple's holy place.

"So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short." - Mat 24:15-22 ESV

The problem we later believers face is this: how much time is there between the destruction of Jerusalem and Christ's return in glory and power? And what signs do we look for to mark the end of this age in which the church, the living body of Christ, lives and serves? What signs demonstrate that Christ's return is imminent and about to happen? Follow Matthew's record of Jesus' words.

1. False messiahs and false prophets will arise: "For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray. ... And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. . . Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. . . So, if they say to you, 'Look, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out. If they say, 'Look, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.'" - Mat 24:4-5, 11, 23-24, 26 ESV
2. Wars and rumors of wars will abound: "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom . . ." - Mat 24:6-7 ESV
3. Jesus' disciples will be persecuted and hated: "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake." - Mat 24:9 ESV
4. Many will stumble and fall away from Jesus: "And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. ... And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold."- Mat 24:10, 12 ESV
5. Natural disasters will occur: ". . . there will be famines and earthquakes in various places." - Mat 24:7 ESV
6. The Gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed worldwide: "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." - Mat 24:14 ESV

Some critical things to remember about all this:

• "All these are but the beginning of the birth pains." - Mat 24:8. The age of the Messiah is coming, but the signs above only point to the beginning. They are pains to be sure. The birth will take place, but the when is not for us to know. 
• The exact time of Christ's return remains in the hands of the heavenly Father: "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." - Mat 24:36 ESV
• The people of this world will be clueless about the Christ's return: "For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." - Mat 24:37-39 ESV
• Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. ... Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. - Mat 24:42, 44 ESV

There will be no mistaking Jesus' return. It will be sudden, loud, as bright as lightning and obvious to everyone. He will come on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. Then the Day of Judgment and Renewal will take place.

"For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. 

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 

"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place." - Mat 24:27-34, ESV

So as we await our Master's return each day we joyfully give ourselves to the tasks of our calling. And we keep looking up, because this could be the day.

"But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes." - Mat 24:43-46 ESV