What will be the Sign of Your Coming and the End of Age? (Mat 24:3b)
We often hear people talk about the signs of the end of the age.
Even when we take the time to read
Matthew 24, where this question was asked, we notice there are many signs
mentioned. So which one is “the”
one?
Many of these signs look as if they come straight out of today’s newspaper.
Take these, for example:
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” (Matt 24:7 NIV)
“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” (Matt
24:12 NIV)
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a
testimony to all nations.” (Matt 24:14 NIV)
So have we arrived at the end of time?
Notice what Jesus says about these signs: “All these are (just) the beginning of
birth pains.” (Matt 24:8 NIV)
There is no doubt, we are in the end times, but still the question the disciples
posed in Matt 24:3b doesn’t ask for “signs” of the end of time, it asks for “the
sign” of Jesus’ coming and the end of the age!
So what is “the” sign of the end of the age?
One thing I have learned as a Bible scholar is that when God brings something to
our consideration twice, He is trying to catch our attention.
If He does it three times, He is warning us with urgency to take heed.
In Matthew 24 there are two topics that are mentioned twice, and as a result,
attention should be given to both of them:
1.
We are to be ready for Jesus’ coming:
a.
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”
(Matt 24:42 NIV)
b.
“So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you
do not expect him.” (Matt 24:44 NIV)
2.
We don’t know the exact day Jesus is coming back:
a.
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the
Son, but only the Father.” (Matt 24:36 NIV)
b.
“You do not know on what day your Lord will come.” (Matt 24:42 NIV)
We may try to predict when the time is ripe, but we can’t tell for certain the
day history will come to a closure. If we are not ready when the time arrives,
we will be like the foolish virgins who missed the opportunity to be with the
bride (See Mat 25: 1 – 13).
In addition to these two repeated signs, there is one more sign in Matthew 24
that is mentioned not twice, but three times.
And the consequences of that sign are then mentioned twice.
This sign is obviously of urgent
importance, for it will be “the” sign of the end!
What is “the” sign?
Deception!
a.
“Watch out that no one deceives you.
For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will
deceive many.” (Matt 24:4-5 NIV)
b.
“Many false prophets will appear and
deceive many people.” (Matt 24:11 NIV)
c.
“At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!'
Or, 'There he is!' Do not
believe it. For false Christs and
false prophets will appear and perform
great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect — if that were possible.
See, I have told you ahead of time. So if anyone tells you, 'There he is,
out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not
believe it. For as lightning that
comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the
Son of Man.” (Matt 24:23-27 NIV)
Who is behind all this deception?
“Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations
in the four corners of the earth…” (Rev 20:7-8 NIV)
And the consequences of this deception, according to Matthew 24, will be huge:
a.
“At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each
other.” (Matt 24:10 NIV)
b.
“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he
who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matt 24:12-13 NIV)
There are some religions on this planet that predict the coming of their own
Messiah. What if this “Messiah” is the anti-Christ? How easy it would be for
people to fall for such a lie! After
all, wasn’t it predicted in their religion?
How can you be certain that it is a deception?
Simply enough:
1.
If the coming of the Messiah is not as the real Messiah predicted, it is
deception: “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the
west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man."
(Matt 24:23-27 NIV)
2.
If the message is not about getting closer to our God and His son, it is a ruse:
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus
Christ, whom you have sent.” (2. John 17:3-4 NIV)
3.
If its actions are not done out of love, it is un utter lie: “Do everything in
love.” (1 Cor 16:14 NIV)
May we stand firm till the end! (See Matt 24:13) God redeemed us through Jesus
and He is coming back for us! “I will come back and take you to be with me that
you also may be where I am.” (John 14:3 NIV)
Those following the car could tell that the driver was drunk.
The vehicle wobbled from one side of the road to the other, and speed was
at a maximum. Even over the roar of the
engine, the hysterical laughter could be heard.
The wise thing would have been for the driver to pull over to the side of
the road, but the laughter in this car full of teens must have been his
motivation to continue on.
The small roads near Cape Reinga in New Zealand are built on the sides of steep
hills, and as such, they are far from being straight.
The inevitable happened at the next curve: The car full of teenagers flew
off the road and crashed into the valley below.
Though this happened years ago, you can still see the scars of the
accident, for the land around this particular curve is still black from the
flames caused by the accident.
We too are on a steep, curvy road.
We are now aware of “the” sign.
What will we do about it?
Rob Chaffart