Signs
The disciples asked a question we would also intensely like to ask Jesus: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3) The amazing thing is, he answered. This, as you know, is his Olivet prophecy.
So there it is, laid out for us by the Lord himself—the sign of his coming and the end of the age. Four key things to note:
There will be a lot of false alarms, false claims. (verses 4-5, 11, 23-26)
A lot of bad things will happen, in fact the awfulness will be unprecedented. (verses 6-8, 15-21)
Believers will be persecuted, and some will be lured away or abandon their faith altogether. (verses 5, 9-12, 24)
Through it all, there will remain hope, the true gospel will even spread, and Jesus says we can get through it, to the glorious conclusion. (verses 13-14, 22, 27, 30-31
Believers have been on the lookout for the “signs of the times” from that time onward. The disciples thought it would happen on the very day Jesus ascended. (Acts 1:6-9) In my lifetime, there have been several occasions when believers have thought, “Maybe this is it!” It’s OK to get excited in this way—after all we’re in excellent company with the apostles themselves. We just have to heed Jesus’s warning to not let the excitement lead us astray.
The “signs of the times” that are often focused on come from verses 6-7. Wars, famines, earthquakes will precede the end. Luke’s account adds pestilences, signs in the heavens, and terrors. (Luke 21:11, 25-26) Of course there have always been wars, famines, epidemics, comets and the like, terrifying events. Whenever they occur, believers may start to wonder, “Is this it?” Personally, I don’t think it’s a bad thing to be thinking along these lines, whenever we see such things happening. Right in this prophecy Jesus commands that we stay alert, vigilant, paying attention. (Luke 21:18, Matthew 24:42 and the parables that follow)
There’s a new war, or a threat of war. (I feel confident that, however long it’s been between me writing and you reading, there will be a new war threat!) Does this mean the end is near? We don’t know, can’t know. (Mattew 24:36) The one thing we don’t want to do, is shrug it off as just the normal thing, and carry on with this life. In the next verses Jesus explicitly warns about this pitfall. (Luke 21:37-42)
This whole prophecy is given to us by Jesus for the exact purpose of keeping us in expectation, all the time. Not getting discouraged or distracted, using the opportunities which arise to share the gospel. It looks to me that things will get very bad, for the whole world and for believers. But Jesus will get us through it—because of the glory that will come after.
Are we seeing signs that the end is close? I don’t know. But I’m watching.
Love, Paul