"SIGNS" of His Coming
By Dennis Costella
©Fundamental Evangelistic Association
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 3:19,13; 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 (vss. 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 (vss. 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 k 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) g 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! (1 Tim. 6:14). "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. "
- DENNIS COSTELLA
