... As He was sitting on the mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, (#1) when will these things happen, (#2) and what will be the sign of Your coming, (#3) and of the end of the Age?
These are three distinct questions they asked Him, and He launches into His "Olivet discourse" of the future.
All of the signs Jesus said to observe are present in the World today:
- Various and sundry "Messiahs" who gather devoted followers;
- News of wars and rumors of wars;
- Nation against Nation, and kingdom against kingdom;
- Famines and Earthquakes;
- Christians being betrayed, tortured, and killed;
- And hated, being called hateful by all Nations;
- False prophets rising up to gather followers;
- Lawlessness increased to where people grow cold to violence;
All these signs have been part of our societies and cultures, but there's only one more sign to be fulfilled:
This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole World as a testimony to all the Nations,
And then the End shall come.
The Good News of God's Love for us all will be shared with every creature, in all the Nations, to those of every people group and each spoken language.
Meanwhile, we are to expect to see the Abomination of Desolation that Daniel wrote about, the "man of sin," setting humself up as a god to be worshipped; and we are not to resist, but to run away, not turning back for anything. That's when the really harsh hard times will come, and it's a good thing that God the Father has cut that time short, to only three and a half years, or there wouldn't be any survivors at all.
So anyone who tries to tell you that Jesus has returned secretly is misinformed. There will be "holy men" who do miracles and wonders, and they will draw away many followers. But Jesus has told us ahead of time, so we will be on the lookout for these deceptions. So don't go with them even to just check them out, because they will be very seductive to trap even God's own people, if possible. So be fore-warned.
Know that when Jesus really does come, everybody will see Him, all over the World; there will be no mistaking His power and majesty and authority.
That's when the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars in the sky will be doing strange things, things they've never done before. It will be a Day like no other day that ever was, a Day unto itself (Zechariah 14:7).
That's when He shall burst through the clouds, His feet shall come down on that Mount of Olives, and it will split apart, making a great valley for the people of Jerusalem to escape through, away from all the Nations of the World trying to push them into the Mediterranean Sea. Their battle against the Israelis will shift to be fighting against Christ, Himself; and the Battle of Armegeddon will take place.
Then Jesus tells His disciples to, learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near; so too, when you see all these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, that this generation (those who are living through all these signs) will not pass away until all these things take place.
Heaven and Earth will pass away, but My Words will not pass away.
So He's saying that the generation of people who are alive when all these things are happening will live to see the End! Will see His Glorious Appearing!
Although no one can predict the day and hour when this will happen, we who know what He said to look for and are aware of what is going on in the World around us should be able to expect Him in the year and even the season that all the signs point to.
Daniel wrote a pretty precise time-line in the prophesies God gave him.
We have today a society of people who are eating and drinking, partying; and marrying and having weddings, planning for the future; just like they were doing when Noah entered the Ark and the flood took them away.
So will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken (in judgment) and the other left (to enter the Kingdom).
Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.
Those of the World who aren't in the armies will be living their lives as though life will go on forever, just like it always has.
So we must keep our eyes open to what is happening, fulfilling everything He said, today.
And recognizing that, as soon as the last sheep is found, the last person to understand what God offers and reject it; then that last trumpet will sound, and resound across the Earth, heralding the coming of our King.
And every knee will bow, every tongue confess that Jesus is our Lord and Christ, to the glory of God the Father!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
