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The Bible Says
Now 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?”
-- (Matt. 24:3 NKJB) Jesus answered their questions with a warning. In effect He said: “Don’t try to figure it out! I’ll give you a few hints, but if you put it all together and arrive at a date you’ll bump your head. The devil is out to deceive you. If he can’t hold you back, he’ll push you overboard! -- Don’t be deceived! God knows the day and the hour, but it will not be revealed to us until the final “trumpet” blows (I Cor.15:52).Today we are going to consider some of the hints Jesus gave concerning that three-fold question, “When?”
This question pertained to the destruction of the temple. That prophecy was fulfilled just a few years later in 70 A.D. when the Roman invader Titus destroyed Jerusalem, together with her beautiful temple.
The Jews were forever looking for a “sign.” Jesus said He would furnish only one sign -- the sign of His Resurrection! Then He gave two illustrations: “Jonah was 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the whale.” “Christ was 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth.” The resurrection is a certainty. There is no way to escape it. All will be resurrected -- some to everlasting joy and happiness -- others to “shame and everlasting contempt!” (Daniel 12:2). Some people would like to believe that death ends it all. Too bad! We can end our earthly life, but our soul will live on forever! Jesus declared that He is coming again! The fact of the resurrection is all the sign you need. Jesus said, the fact that He rose again, is proof that He will Come Again, as He promised.
Those disciples understood the fact that Christ would return, but they didn’t have any of the details. His answer was: “Don’t be deceived.” The date has already been set but it will not be revealed to man till the final TRUMPET blows! “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). This “sign” points to a definite instance when God’s time-clock will strike. The final last soul will hear the Gospel proclaimed, and -- Bingo! The Lord will come for His own, like the snap of your finger! Paul said: “Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed---in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written; “Death is swallowed up in victory,” (I Cor. 15:51-54 NKJB). We get excited about world conditions, wars, earthquakes, typhoons, wickedness, moral corruption, etc. -- Jesus said, “These are the beginnings of sorrows” -- (literally birth pains). These signs point to the day when all Israel will honor Christ as their Messiah and Christ will reign 1,000 years on David’s throne! That’s something to get excited about! “a nation will be born in a day!” Wars are not the sign of His coming! I lived through the First World War and some thought then that Kaiser Wilham was the Antichrist! Later it was Hitler and Mussolini. All those men are gone -- war follows war. It all points to “end-time” conditions, “but the end is not yet” (Matt. 24:6). Now Look for a moment at the missionary sign. About 118 years ago A. B. Simpson, a Presbyterian pastor, organized The CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE as an inter-denominational movement to reach mankind world-wide with the saving message of the Gospel. God has blessed that missionary effort with a total membership of over three million, in 84 countries. In addition, we have today, a number of other missionary movements all proclaiming the blessed Gospel of salvation through the blood of Calvary. Praise the Lord! Campus Life serves the Lord in 110 countries and in 116 languages. Friends of ours now have a radio station that reaches more than half the people of the world, in language they can understand. My son John is involved in missionary work in the Philippine Islands where the Holy Spirit is moving in such a remarkable way that new churches are being built constantly in order to accommodate the new converts. Moreover a college is being erected to train native evangelists and pastors. Praise God! Our Lord was specific concerning the day of his return. It will be when the last soul on the entire earth hears the gospel for the first time!
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