Signs of the Times are the marks Jesus said a watching generation should be able to read.
He rebuked people who could parse the sky for weather and could not interpret the signs of the times.
On the Mount of Olives He named
wars, rumors, famines, earthquakes, false christs, tribulation, and cosmic shaking
—
not so that the church could set a date,
but so that no one would lead her astray.
The times have a Lord.
The signs point to Him.
The Pharisees and Sadducees asked Jesus for a sign from heaven. He said that an evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, and that no sign would be given except the sign of Jonah. In the same breath He told them they knew how to read the sky and could not read the moment in which the King was standing. Later His disciples asked for the sign of His coming and of the end of the age. He answered with a long warning and a long hope. Many would come in His name. Nation would rise against nation. The gospel of the kingdom would be preached to all nations, and then the end would come. After the tribulation of those days the lights of heaven would fail, and the sign of the Son of Man would appear. The fig tree was His parable of discernment: when the branch becomes tender, summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near, at the very gates. The point is watchfulness, not charts. The times are to be read in the light of His word, not used to replace His word.
- Reading the weather and missing the Messiah is still the old blindness.
- Jesus gave signs so that His people would not be deceived, not so they would predict the hour.
- Wars, disasters, and false christs are the beginning of birth pains, not the end itself.
- The gospel preached to all nations is itself a sign of the times.
- Cosmic signs and the sign of the Son of Man belong to His appearing.
- No one knows the day or the hour. Stay awake.
- An evil generation seeks a sign and will not receive the Sign already given: Jonah’s third day, Christ risen.
- Weather and Blindness – Skill at the sky, no skill at the hour of visitation.
- Sign of Jonah – Death and resurrection as the sign given to the age.
- Birth Pains – Wars, rumors, famines, earthquakes: the start, not the finish.
- Deception – False christs and false prophets with great signs.
- Gospel to the Nations – This gospel of the kingdom preached as a testimony to all nations.
- Fig Tree – When you see these things, know that He is near.
- Unknown Hour – Watch, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
- Matthew 16:1-4 – “And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, ‘When it is evening, you say, “It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.” And in the morning, “It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.” You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.’”
- Matthew 24:3-8 – “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered, “See that no one leads you astray… And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.”
- Matthew 24:14 – “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
- Matthew 24:23-27, 32-33 – “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it… From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.”
- Matthew 24:36, 42 – “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only… Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”
- Luke 12:54-56 – “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens… You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”
- Luke 21:11, 28-31 – “There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven… Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near… when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.”
- Mark 13:5-8, 32-33 – “See that no one leads you astray… Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 – “Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night… But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief… So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.”
- 2 Timothy 3:1-5 – “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money… having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.”
- 2 Peter 3:3-4 – “Scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing… They will say, ‘Where is the promise of his coming?’”
- Daniel 12:4, 9-10 – “Shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end… Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase… None of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.”
- 1 Chronicles 12:32 – “Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do…”
- Joel 2:30-31 – Wonders in the heavens and on the earth before the great and awesome day of the Lord.
- Matthew 24:29-30 – After the tribulation of those days, cosmic signs, then the sign of the Son of Man.
- Luke 19:41-44 – Jesus weeps over Jerusalem because she did not know the time of her visitation.
- Olivet Discourse
- Sign of the Son of Man
- Sign of Jonah
- Birth Pains
- End of the Age
- Watch
- Cosmic Signs
- Gospel of the Kingdom
- False Christs
- Day and Hour
- Parousia
- Last Days
You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
Do not seek a sign from heaven while refusing the Sign already given. The third day has come. Christ is risen.
See that no one leads you astray. Wars must take place, but the end is not yet. These are the beginning of birth pains.
This gospel of the kingdom will be preached to all nations, and then the end will come.
When you see all these things, know that He is near, at the very gates.
No one knows the day or the hour. Stay awake.
Straighten up. Raise your heads. Your redemption is drawing near.
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