The End Times, Signs, and the Return of Jesus
Revelation: Hot Topics • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 9 viewsSeveral people submitted these questions: Are we in the End times? How do we know? Are there clues that indicate we are in the End Times? When will Jesus return? And what signs will show us we are near? Do you think that the events happening around the world have been indicators of the end times? These are excellent questions. Let's explore them together from God's Word.
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Transcript
We are in our Revelation: Hot Topics Series--
and we have addressed:
the rapture—will there be one or not (2 weeks ago you can find online)
—what does it mean to conquer, be victorious or overcome as a Christian
and here is the 3 and final question for this series:
Are we in the end times? how do we know? are there clues? (this was asked several times and in several ways—are there context clues!)
related to that—when will Jesus return? and what signs will show us we are near? Cyrus Stout asked (who is only 3 years old) Do you think that the events happening around the world have been indicators of the end times?
why is Jesus taking so long to come back?
so…the end times…are we in them? how do we know? When will Jesus return—what are the signs preceding his coming.
Great questions
3 responses
End Times and Return of Jesus
are we in the end times
Answer #1: We are in the end times or last days RIGHT NOW.
how do I know? Let’s look at how Scriptures describes these days.
Hebrews 1:1–2 (NIV)
1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, (that’s in the Old Testament)
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
the writer of Hebrews says that Jesus’ ministry on earth and now as well—qualify as the last days. in other words, in God’s calendar we are in the last days.
let me show you another passage. Turn to Acts 2.
The book of Acts is all about the early church after Jesus ascended into heaven.
and in Acts 2—God pours out the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the disciples speak in tongues (other known languages), and the Apostle Peter preaches a sermon to explain what is going on.
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!
16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
Peter says—that the Day of Pentecost is the fulfillment of what the OT prophet Joel said about the last days.
so in other words, according to Peter almost 2000 years ago, we are in the last days. and have been in them for a while now.
let me give you one more that gives even more urgency
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.
so in other words, the last days began on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2—and extend all the way until Jesus Christ returns—we have been in the last days for over 2,000 years!
and these are not easy times.
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
so are in the end times—YES! so you don’t need to look for any more specific signs—because technically—we are in the end times, last days, the last hour…right now.
The next significant thing to happen in God’s timetable is His 2nd coming.
the 2nd answer I have…and this is in regards to the question when will Jesus return..what signs will precede it...
Answer #2: We don’t know when He will return but some signs are happening now; and there may be 2 signs that have to still happen before He returns (Matthew 24:30-33, 36) (2 Thess. 2:1-12)
Turn to Matthew chapter 24. Jesus is teaching on the end—both when the Romans would invade Jerusalem and destroy the temple in 70AD, and He also is teaching about His 2nd coming.
30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.
31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
This is Jesus’ 2nd coming.
and he uses an illustration that we can be ready.
32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.
we need to be on the alert, paying attention to the signs that he mentions in that chapter.
what are some of the signs Jesus mentions? (I would encourage you to read chapter 24 at some point)
look at Matthew 24:4-8
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.
5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.
6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
These have been happening for a long time, they happened when Rome invaded Jerusalem in 70 AD, and will continue to happen until Jesus returns.
and then Jesus says in Matthew 24:36
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Jesus was fully human and fully God, yet somehow in his humanity, he voluntarily limited himself in this knowledge—even He didn’t know.
this is why when you hear some preachers says through history I know when Jesus comes back—I laugh. “It’s not going to be THAT day!”
but it is possible there may be at least 2 more signs that have to happen before Jesus returns.
Turn now to 2 Thessalonians 2.
2 Thessalonians 2:1–2 (NIV)
1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, (btw—it mentions coming and gathering together—this is why I don’t believe in a secret sudden rapture—I think our gathering to him happens when He comes)
2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.
apparently, Paul was addressing this young church—he only had been there a few weeks, and false teaching was spreading saying that they as Christians had missed out on the Day of the Lord, and they were afraid they would have to experience God’s judgment. Paul says— “don’t believe that.”
why?
3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
so 2 things must happen:
the rebellion
the man of lawlessness is revealed
this is why man think that some antichrist figure must show up.
In Revelation 13—we talked about the beast—I said I don’t think that is just one person—but the beasts are usually man made ultimate—government, and a system of leaders or people who are against God. In their day it was the Roman empire.
but here it mentions a man.
keep going.
5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?
6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.
(I say “no we don’t know what is restraining him—please tell us Paul) but he doesn’t! He mentions the restrainer as a what.
and then verse 7 as a who.
7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
what is restraining him? or who?
in my Study Bible, it mentions 7 possible things that are restraining this man of lawlessness
1. The Roman Empire/emperor
2. the principle of law and order
3. the proclamation of the Gospel
4. the presence of the Church and HS (that is a popular one)
5. the power of evil and Satan
6. the false prophecy and the false prophet
7. the activity and person of the archangel Michael
I can give you a very confident I don’t know—but apparently they did.
keep going —verse 8
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie,
10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie
12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
so…let’s summarize....
we are in the last days—since Jesus has come, died, risen, and poured out the Holy Spirit
we don’t know when he will returns
but signs are happening now (wars, false messiahs, earthquakes) — each of us those reminds us that Jesus could come back soon,
and there may be 2 signs that still have to happen—I use the term “may” loosely—because many disagree on this passage.
now btw—some people this can bother—b/c if there are 2 signs that still have to happen, then Jesus CAN’T come back at any time. it takes away the urgency.
but I would argue that these 2 signs can happen quickly—the rebellion, and the man of lawlessness, so if we are not waiting and longing for Jesus to come, we will not be ready.
Answer #3: why is Jesus taking so long to come back? God’s timing is different, so let’s live for Jesus now, waiting for Him to return
look how we can be ready...
1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.
2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”
sometimes we feel like this—what’s taking Jesus so long to come back.
Look at what Peter says:
5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.
6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
Peter says—look at creation, look at Noah’s time—when the world was destroyed by water, and based on those actions—God will one day return and set everything right
and then he says
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
God’s timing is way different...
and his delay means that it gives more people an opportunity to repent, to turn from their sin and follow Jesus and be saved!
and then Peter warns us:
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.
we still have to be ready—even though there may be more signs—we have to be focused on Jesus lest the day of the Lord surprise us!
2 Peter 3:11-13 tells us more how to live now
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives
12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.
13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
so did we solve it all?
what have you taken from our time in Revelation?
these questions? Do you have more?
Always feel free to ask.
I want to give you a chance to respond to today’s sermon and our entire sermon series on Revelation...
What is God calling you to do?
think or believe?
Act?
how can you keep your eyes on Jesus—how can you live godly and holy lives? What is the next step? time in the Word? Fellowship with others? Maybe it is joining a SS class or starting a small group. Maybe it is serving in our children’s and student ministries or connections ministries.
Maybe it is reaching out and sharing the good news.