©Fundamental Evangelistic Association
"SIGNS" of His Coming
by Dennis Costella
What signs will precede the return of our Lord Jesus Christ?
This theme is a very popular one today among Christians. Well known Bible
teachers have gained large followings by setting a date for Christ's
return. Some point out political, economic, religious and earthly developments
that, they say, must occur before the Lord's return to catch away His church.
They refer to passages in the Bible that appear to support their claims.
The Word of God, however, presents the imminent return
of the Lord Jesus Christ—He could come at this very moment! No calamitous
phenomenon on earth or in the heavens, no political, religious or economic
developments, no scriptural prophecies need to be fulfilled before Jesus
Christ can return for His Bride (Jn. 14:1-6; Eph. 5:23-32).
Why then is there confusion on this subject? It is simply this: there is not
a proper delineation between the time preceding the Lord's return in the
air for the saints and the time preceding His return to the earth with
the saints to inaugurate His Millennial Kingdom. These two events have
great dispensational significance and must be kept separate. Any signs mentioned
in the Scriptures as preceding "the Lord's return" must be placed
in the correct context and dispensational setting. The order of prophetic
events yet future is as follows:
- The "latter times" or the last days of the Church Age (today).
- The return of the Lord Jesus Christ for His Bride—the Rapture of
the church (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
- The seven year Tribulation period on earth (Rev. 4-19); the "Seventieth
Week of Daniel" (Dan. 9:24-27); the "latter days" for
Israel (Jer. 30:22-24).
- The return of the Lord "with power and great glory" to establish
His Millennial earthly reign (Matt. 24:29, 30; Rev. 20).
We are in the "latter times," the "last days," the
Apostles referred to in addressing the church. The portions of Scripture
that describe this period of time must, therefore, apply to the believer
in this dispensation. Biblical texts that meet this qualification are 1 Timothy
4:1-5; 2 Timothy 3:13; 2 Timothy 4:3,4; and 2 Peter 3:3,4. A study of
these texts reveals the characteristics and attitudes that
will prevail in the days immediately before the Rapture. These prophesied "last
days" for the church will be marked by apostasy, seduction by false
spirits, unnatural affection, pride, treachery, sensuality and skepticism,
to name only a few. Read these texts carefully.
This is the condition of the world at this very moment! The believer in this
Church Age is never instructed to look for signs that will precede
the Lord's return. We are to look for Him! This
has been the Blessed Hope of every born-again believer in this dispensation
(Titus 2:13). There are no signs that must appear before the Lord
can return for the church. All is ready. The character of the last days of
this Church Age is at this moment abundantly evident.
The disciples of Christ were well-aware of the literal, earthly reign of the
promised Messiah (as plainly prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures).
The Church Age and the Rapture were not taught in the Old Testament and they
could not, therefore, be inquiring about doctrines that had not yet been
revealed by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, in Matthew 24:3, they requested of
the Lord, "Tell us...what shall be the sign of Thy coming,
and of the end of the world?" They desired to know what manifestations
would precede His coming as their promised King to set up the promised kingdom
on earth. The disciples did not have the Rapture in mind when questioning
the Lord; they were only concerned about what would transpire before His
return to reign over Israel as prophesied in the Old Testament.
The Lord detailed the seven-year Tribulation period that would set the stage
for His return "with power and great glory" to inaugurate
His Millennial reign in fulfillment of promises made to the patriarchs (Matt.
24:29-30).
The twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew is often erroneously used to describe
the scene before the Lord's return in the air for His church.
For example, some say that Christ's return is not imminent because
the "gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world...then
shall the end come" (vs. 14) before His return. Therefore,
they say that universal evangelization is a prerequisite to the Rapture of
the church. The context of Matthew 24 reveals that this universal proclamation
of the Gospel of the Kingdom (see also Rev. 14:6-8) will occur during
the Tribulation, not during the Church Age. It is proclaimed in all the world
by God's miraculous means, not by the church which is in Heaven. This Gospel
of the Kingdom is the message of the coming King and the pending
judgment upon all who fail to trust in Him. This world evangelization will
take place after the Rapture.
There will be, however, signs that Israel is to look for
during the seven year Tribulation following the Rapture. The church is then
in heaven. God will at this time deal with Israel again in judgment. It will
be a terrible ordeal for Jew and Gentile alike. During this time, Israel
is tried and refined in preparation for the return of the King of kings who
will rule the earth from Jerusalem—"the city of the great
king" (Matt. 5:35). A few other signs for Israel during
this time (many more could be cited from companion texts) are:
- False christs and prophets who will deceive many (Matt. 24:5,11).
- Wars and rumors of wars (vs. 6).
- Political turmoil, famine, disease and earthquakes (vs. 7).
- Martyrdom, betrayals within families (vs. 9,10).
- The regathering of elect Israel (a believing remnant) from the four corners
of the earth (vs. 31).
- Days like unto the days of Noah (vs. 37-39).
- A ten nation confederacy of the revived Roman Empire (Dan. 2; Rev. 13).
- Construction of the temple in Jerusalem (Dan. 9:26,27).
- Visible, physical signs in the earth, sun, moon and stars (Lk. 21:25;
Joel 2:30,31).
- Men's hearts failing them for fear (Lk. 21:26).
What do these signs precede? They pave the way for the coming of
the Lord in "power and great glory" to redeem a purified
Israel and to usher in His Millennial Kingdom upon the earth (Lk. 21:27,28;
Matt. 24:27,30,42). Their prophesied literal fulfillment will take place
after the believers of the Church Age are removed. Then judgment will "come
upon the whole world" (Rev. 3:10,11) and these signs will be clearly
seen.
Today, however, many of the previously mentioned signs are
evidenced in one degree or another (they will be literally, fully manifested
during the Tribulation just as they are described in Scripture). This can
only mean that the stage is rapidly being set today for the final fulfillment
of each of these prophesied signs given by the Lord to His disciples. If
the Great Tribulation is, therefore, looming on the horizon, then the catching
away of the church before that time must be near, indeed!
Nothing must come to pass before the Lord can return "in the air" to
receive the Body of Christ unto Himself. To believe otherwise is to be shaken
from the blessed hope God has given His church. The believers in the Thessalonian
church were troubled by false teachers who taught that they had somehow missed
the Rapture (2 Thess. 2:1-3). The severe trials and tribulations they were
experiencing made them wonder if they were at that very time in the midst
of the Great Tribulation—the "day of the Lord"—of
which the Old Testament prophesied (1 Thess. 5:1,2 cf. Amos 5:16-20; Joel
2:1-11; Zeph. 1-7,14-18; etc.).
The apostle then proceeded to explain future events and how they affect the
believer. That day—the "day of Christ" (2 Thess.
2 cf. Rev. 6:16)—will not come until two things happen. First,
the Antichrist will be revealed, and second, the great "falling
away" (2 Thess. 2:3 cf. 2:8-12) will take place when
all the world will be deceived by the beast and the false prophet (Rev.
13:3-14). The revelation of the Wicked one (the Antichrist) and
the events surrounding the
"Time of Jacob's Trouble" take place after the Rapture,
but before the full manifestation of the great and terrible Day
of the Lord that will culminate when Christ returns to destroy the wicked.
We are not to watch for supernatural signs, nor the antichrist.
We, like the early churches were instructed, are to be looking for our Lord!
The lukewarm, Laodicean spirit that the Bible sets forth as characteristic
of the
"last days" is readily apparent. Our Lord's return is imminent— He
could come back today to catch away every true believer. That was the "Blessed
Hope" of the early church (the Epistles are full of admonitions
to watch for the Lord's imminent return), and it has been the glorious expectation
of the Christian in every generation since the time of the apostles. The
saint who daily watches for his Lord's return is not ill-equipped to face
hardship and tribulation as the opponents of the Pre-Tribulational Rapture
position suggest. He is, on the contrary, truly prepared to do the Lord's
work of reaching the lost for Christ, walking in the Spirit and earnestly
contending for the faith. The prospect of the Lord's immediate return fosters
this kind of circumspect walk (1 Jn. 2:28-3:3).
When the Rapture is not the believer's daily expectation and joy, then there
will inevitably be a tendency to become caught up in programs and causes
that are foreign to the church's calling and mission. "Kingdom building," "Dominion
Theology," or even "digging-in" in an attempt to weather the
coming Tribulation are not instructions left to the church.
Watch! Work! Witness! "...It is high time to awake...for now is our salvation
[our deliverance from coming wrath] nearer than when we believed" (Rom.
13:11). May we say with the apostle, "Even
so, come, Lord Jesus."