Image MSO Clipart
Foundational to Christianity is the belief in the return of Jesus Christ. At His return, the words recorded in the book of Revelation will be realized that the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. Though many challenge the reality of a 2nd Advent of Christ, the scriptures clearly attest of its truth. The disciples asked Jesus to tell them plainly, when He would return. Jesus would not give them a specific time or date.
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know when the time is. (Mark 13:32)
Instead of a time, He gave them signs. He told them that when they saw these signs, the coming of the Kingdom of God was near by. Though these signs have always been present throughout the ages, it does not change the truth of His return. Here are 4 signs clearly put forth in the Bible.
1. Rise of False Ministers - One of the greatest signs to the coming of the Lord is the increase of false ministers (Matthew 24:5, 11, 23-24). Do not be deceived. Do not expect every person that is false to have the title of “prophet” attached to his or her name. There are people who call themselves pastor, evangelist, and the like who are false. Today, many men and women call themselves “ministers.” Their ministries will draw people to themselves and not Christ. This serves as a warning to us. The Kingdom of God will shortly come in power and glory.
2. Rise of Nation against Nation – Another sign of the coming of the Lord and the Kingdom of God is that there will be strife and tensions between the nations of the world. World relations will be at their worst. Nations will be suspicious of one another. There will be wars breaking out – both great and small (Matthew 24:7a).
These prophetic words of Jesus have happened. We consistently hear about wars. The threat of war looms over various nations of the world. The whole Middle East is covered with violence and bloodshed between the neighboring countries. We must live in expectation of the coming of the Lord and His Kingdom.
3. Natural Disasters and Disease - Jesus told the disciples that there would be an increase of disasters and diseases before the coming of the Kingdom of God. He told them that diseases would be present that had never been experienced before. (Matthew 24:7b).
Today, we are experiencing these signs of His return. Various diseases have become rampant and have had global impact. Recently, various countries have experienced earthquakes, wild fires, flooding, and the like. All of this points to the coming of the Kingdom.
4. Persecution – From the birth of the Church on the day of Pentecost until now, believers have suffered persecution. In the apostles’ day, Christians were thrown in prison, fed to lions, hunted, mocked, and killed for the name of Christ. In the last days, Christ said that there would be an increase in the persecution of believers (Luke 21:12).
The persecution of believers today will take on a greater dimension. Not only will the world hate them, but also their own family members. In America, we do not see persecution at its fullest. In other countries, Christians can be jailed or killed for being caught with Christian literature. It will become worse as that Great Day approaches.
Well, there you have it! Until next time, stand in the faith. Always remember, It takes a moment to receive Him and a lifetime to live for Him. Please leave comments.
I have addressed this topic and others in detail in my book “Kingdom Concepts: Examining the Dynamics of Kingdom Living” which can found at Amazon.com.
