What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” asked Jesus’ Apostles. It is reasonable to conclude that Christians around the world with our current circumstances are asking, “Is this it? Are these the signs He gave for His second coming?” For two millennia, people have been pondering this when the world encountered times of trouble. So far, this has not been the time the Father has fixed by His own authority. At Christ’s ascension, the disciples still curious about the future asked again, Lord, is it at this time . . . (Acts 1:6)? Jesus’ response still applies today; It is not for you to know times or epochs (v7). He uses two words concerning time. The word “times”, means the passage of time in seconds, minutes, hours, days, etc. The word “epochs” means a season, an occasion, or a set proper time. In other words, Jesus tells them you don’t get to know the time. The minute, the day, the week, even the season is the Father’s business. Instead of concern about knowing the exact time, He told the disciples to be filled with the Holy Spirit and be witnesses of the Gospel over the entire world.
Regardless of not knowing the time, we are still to Take heed, keep on the alert (Mk 13:32). Jesus illustrated this; It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task (v34). Don’t let the master suddenly return and find you sleeping or neglecting your assignment. But as believers, we don’t have to be in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief (1 Th 5:4). Scripture gives us signs that His return is drawing near. You can find tens of thousands of articles about these signs. My purpose for this SW is to point out some deeper insight into several common scriptures.
One well-known verse is Matthew 24:7; “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom . . .” The word nation was a term for Gentile or anyone outside of the Jewish community. It is the word ethnos from which we get the term ethnic or a group of people who are associated by shared characteristics, whether geographical or familial or tribal. This can include terrorists and gangs. It can be translated, gentile, race, tribe, or cast. Jesus is literally saying, For nation [ethnic group, race, or tribe] will rise against nation [ethnic group, race, or tribe]. The word kingdom has a more formal and political meaning for a territory and people ruled by a specific leader, particularly a king/queen, president, prime minister, dictator, monarch, etc. A Kingdom can have multiple ethnic groups (nations) within its rule.
A second verse giving rich insight is Luke 21:10. There will be great earthquakes, and famines and plagues in various places, and there will be terrifying sights and great signs from heaven. We get seismology from the Bible word for earthquakes which is the study of turmoil in the ground. But its meaning isn’t confined to just a disturbance in the ground. It also means a commotion in the air as a hurricane or a tornado. It can indicate the tempest in the water like a tsunami. Other uses include volcanos, meteorites, avalanches, explosions, etc. Think about all these that have occurred this year.
Plague is a disease, pestilence, epidemic, or pandemic. Beyond COVID-19, other diseases are being reported around the world. Mystery Illness Kills One, Sickens Hundreds in India; in Indonesia, dengue has infected some 40,000 people in 2020. That’s nearly a 16% rise from last year—two examples of many. Jesus adds, there will be terrors and great signs from heaven (Lk 21:11). Terror has become a household word. We must be vigilant for a terrorist attack. But His last phrase, great signs from heaven, has always intrigued me. What will these be? Will it be something we have never seen? But could this be a phenomenon that has increased in the last few years, i.e. the reported sighting of UFOs? Multiple TV programs nightly explore the increasing reports and search for explanations. Do they contain little gray men planning to take over? I find no scriptural evidence concerning aliens. Yet, with so many seeing something, we must consider if maybe these are the great signs from heaven.
In Revelation 6:8, the rider of the fourth horse was given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth. My interest is the phrase by the wild beasts of the earth. Consider that COVID-19 originated from bats, and the bubonic plague came from fleas on rats. This made me think about the invasive species disrupting our eco-system —pythons, feral hogs, Asian carp, snakeheads, nutria, numerous types of lizards, and this a shortlist. Could this be the fulfillment of the above verse?
Jesus encourages us not to be frightened . . . these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs (Mk 13:7,8). The most comforting verse, “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Lk 21:28).
Sustaining Word for the Week: Is this it? I don’t know. But take heed, keep on the alert, and keep doing your assignment. This may be the time the Father has fixed—only He knows.