Signs of the Times
Signs of the Second Coming • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Early on the morning of December 7, 1941, two United States servicemen reported for duty at a mobile radar unit on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. They were to scan the skies for anything that seemed to be out of the ordinary. At 7:02 a.m., the radar screen revealed that a squadron of at least 50 planes was heading toward Oahu. Sharing their concern with their superiors, they were assured they had no reason to worry. But less than an hour later, bombs were falling on Pearl Harbor, and more than 2,400 military personnel were dead—1,177 of whom died when the battleship USS Arizona sank. For 51 minutes before the attack commenced, there was clear evidence that an attack was about to take place. Yet that clear evidence was missed—or ignored— and disaster was the result. The Bible contains clear evidence that the end of the world is near and that Jesus is soon to return. These unmistakable signs are signs you do not want to miss!
The Awesome Temple
The Awesome Temple
Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.
Stroll past beautiful temple
1 of ancient wonders
picture
Look at its beauty!
Jesus’ response?
But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
“Oh that old thing?
completely destroyed!”
Disciples
concerned
scared
conclusions...
Matthew 24:3 (ESV)
As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
They made conclusion
destruction of temple
must be end of world!
They ask
tell us about
destruction of temple
and end of world.
Notice Jesus
did not separate.
Temple destroy by Romans
40 years later
AD 70.
Jesus coming
not yet...
But Jesus didn’t explain:
“no separate”
“different events”
“different time period”
Jesus explains both.
destruction of temple
end of world
simultaneously.
Most about end of world
some about temple.
Temple Destruction
AD 70
Timing of Second Coming
Timing of Second Coming
Time of Jesus coming?
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
Timing?
unknown.
Be afraid of
date setting.
Lessons from Nature
Lessons from Nature
Home school
Kids and Garden
Lessons from nature
Jesus teaches lesson
from fig tree
Matthew 24:32–33 (ESV)
“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.
Jesus teaches
can’t know time
but gives signs
why?
know when He is near!
Can say,
near
not near
Signs
Signs
Let look at signs
All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
Contractions
Birth
Insert Picture of Ellie’s birth
How do contractions work?
Closer together
more intense
Some say
those signs
have always been
no evidence.
That’s not point
question is:
more intense?
closer together?
Let’s take look:
Matthew 24:6–7 (ESV)
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, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
NKJV:
Matthew 24:7 (NKJV)
... And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
List of Signs
Wars
Rumors of Wars
Famines
Pestilences
Earthquakes
As mentioned
people say,
those have always been!
That is not point!
are they more
frequent now??
Scientific facts:
yes
all of them.
1. Wars
1. Wars
In the 20th century,
WW1
WW2
Many others
2. Rumors of Wars
2. Rumors of Wars
People keep talking about
World War 3
Russia
China
India
North Korea
3. Famines
3. Famines
1 billion people
short on food
500 million
chronically malnourished.
Food Shortages on news
4. Pestilences
4. Pestilences
COVID
Many others
spanish flu
swine flu
bobonic plague
Ebola
---
Malaria
etc.
5. Earthquakes
5. Earthquakes
Each year,
500,000 detectable quakes,
many large
Luke 21:25 (ESV)
“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,
6. Roaring Sea
6. Roaring Sea
Hurricanes
Tsunamis
Picture of Hurricane
Regularity of Hurricanes
greatly increasing
Other Signs
Other Signs
Matthew 24:37 (NKJV)
But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
What was it like?
Genesis 6:5 (ESV)
The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
7. Great Wickedness
7. Great Wickedness
Do I really have to ask?
Is it getting worse?
rapidly?
Not just crimes
rejection of
God’s moral code
Matthew 24:12 (NKJV)
And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
Lawlessness
Civil Laws
God’s Laws
All rejected
Next:
Matthew 24:24 (NKJV)
For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
8. Religious Deception
8. Religious Deception
Four times
in Matthew 24,
Jesus warns against
religious deception.
John said:
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Prophets and Prophecy
future lesson...
Next Sign
Matthew 24:14 (NKJV)
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
9. Gospel to the World
9. Gospel to the World
Christianity
every country
all over the world
Many still unclear.
Talk about fulfillment
of this in future lesson.
There you have it
9 Signs
9 Signs
Wars
Rumors of Wars
Famines
Pestilences
Earthquakes
6. Roaring Sea
7. Great Wickedness
8. Religious Deception
9. Gospel to the World
All of them
increasing at
alarming rate.
Daniel 2
Daniel 2
Sermon only half over
Show you
prophetic evidence.
Revelation and Daniel
Go together
404 verses of Revelation,
276 quotations from
the Old Testament.
Many of them
from book of Daniel.
They go together like
lock and key.
Two apocalyptic books.
prophecies
First question:
prophecy answers...
Can God be Trusted?
Can God be Trusted?
Isaiah 46:9–10 (ESV)
remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
God uses prophecy
to show us
He sees future
in control of future.
Let’s study prophecy
from Daniel 2.
Daniel 2:1 (ESV)
In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him.
Who is this?
Picture
Actual King
Real historical figure
Nebuchadnezzar
powerful man
conquered much of world
Picture of territory
Most powerful
man in the world.
Tell Story
Calls wise men
“tell me dream”
“Tell us dream, we give interpretation...”
King angry
Daniel 2:12 (ESV)
Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.
kill all wise men!
Man named Daniel
new to group.
extremely wise
asked for another day
Went back home
called friends
began to pray
like life depended
upon it!!!
Lord answered
Daniel 2:19 (ESV)
Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
God gave him
same dream
and interpretation!!!
Daniel 2:24 (ESV)
Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.”
Take me to king!
Take me to king!
Begins to explain dream:
Daniel 2:31 (ESV)
“You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening.
King
pagan
idol worshiper
idols important to them
Daniel 2:32–33 (ESV)
The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.
Picture of Image
You can image
dream comes back
Yes! That’s it!
Amazing detail.
Not all.
continues:
Daniel 2:34 (ESV)
As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.
...
Daniel 2:35 (ESV)
… But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
Image of rock hitting image
Kind of dramatic
King knew it meant
something important.
Told him the dream,
definitely trust
interpretation.
Daniel 2:38 (ESV)
… you are the head of gold.
Daniel speaking to King
“You are head of gold”
At first,
sounds good
most precious metal
head - importance...
As story unfolds
realize not that great.
Daniel 2:39 (ESV)
Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.
Each metal =
world ruling kingdom
Daniel says:
Another kingdom
will conquer you....
silver inferior to gold
Inferior in
glory and beauty.
but stronger.
Same with bronze.
Successive nations
less glorious
more powerful
What nation conquered Babylon?
Picture
Babylon
Golden Gates
Persia
Money of Silver
Greece
Bronze Shields
And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these.
Picture
4th Kingdom
Rome
Ruled during life of Jesus
Created Iron
Iron nails
pierced Jesus
What happens next?
another kingdom
another kingdom
another kingdom
Can you predict
next 4 presidents?
Nope not another kingdom
to rule the world.
The Empire is Divided
The Empire is Divided
Daniel 2:40 (ESV)
And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these.
Daniel 2:41–42 (ESV)
And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle.
What will happen?
Empire Divided
Won’t stay together
any more.
Complete Image
Picture
History of this world
look at dates.
Getting closer to our time.
what is next?
Daniel 2:43 (ESV)
As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they , just as iron does not mix with clay.
Try to bring
Rome back together
Many attempts
War
Charlemagne
Napoleon
Hitler
Royal Marriage
“mix with one another in marriage”
But it won’t work.
“will not hold together”
Won’t work!
The Rock
The Rock
Next:
Daniel 2:44 (ESV)
And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,
Rock = Second coming
Picture
God will come
bring an end
to all this misery
Question:
where are we
on the timeline?
We live
After Rome
before Rock
Europe is
still divided
I like to say,
we live in the
toe nails!
Very end
right before rock!
In this prophecy
nothing else
to happen
Future sessions
show other details
Mark of Beast
Tribulation
Judgment
how to be ready
Hell
escape hell.
Much exciting
info to come.
First:
Tomorrow Night
Build foundation
For the mark of the beast
Summary
Summary
Jesus gave signs
to know
when coming is near.
All the signs
like birth pains
becoming very strong
and close together.
Second,
God controls
kingdoms of this world
He predicts future
Controls Future.
We can trust
He is on time.
Jesus is coming soon
How to be ready
tomorrow night.
Illustration
Appeal
Appeal
Want to be ready?
Stand with me.
for prayer