Jesus Is Coming When?

Jesus Is Coming When?

Visitors to one German castle notice an odd thing—in every room the clocks are still, their hands pointing to the same precise time, four minutes past nine. The guide tells visitors that years ago the duchess of the estate died while still a young woman. The duke, her husband, gave orders that all timepieces in the castle be stopped at the moment of her death, never again to continue their measurement of time. In his grief he used this means to show that, for him, time ceased to exist after the death of his beloved wife.

The Bible tells us that God too has a "clock." The times and seasons are in His hands. (Acts 1:7.) God's schedule will one day reach its end. He will stop the clock, and there will be "time no longer." (Revelation 10:6.)

1. IT IS TIME FOR JESUS TO COME

Significant events in God's plan for the world's salvation have been designed ages in advance, and definite times appointed for them to occur.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem at the very time called for by God's clock.

"But when THE FULNESS OF THE TIME was come, God sent forth his Son."—Galatians 4:4.

Likewise, there was a definite time for Jesus to begin His saving work. The Saviour began His work of preaching in Galilee by saying:

"THE TIME IS FULFILLED, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."—Mark 1:15.

The cross, as the focal point of salvation, had a definite place in God's schedule. Jesus died "on time."

"For when we were yet without strength, ACCORDING TO THE TIME, Christ died for the ungodly."—Romans 5:6, margin.

After His death Jesus rose again and went back to heaven. At the very moment He was disappearing from their view, angels assured the disciples that He would come back again. (Acts 1:9-11.) Ever since that time Christ's followers have been looking for their Saviour to return. And God has scheduled a definite time for this event as well.

"And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the TIMES OF RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS."—Acts 3:20, 21.

Long ago God appointed the time when Jesus will return to earth. The second coming is an absolute certainty, for even the day and the hour is settled.

"But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father."—Mark 13:32.

We cannot know the day or hour which God has determined for this wonderful event, the coming of Jesus. Yet our Father has not left us to flounder in uncertainty. We can know where we stand in the stream of time. The Bible tells us we are very near the end.

We can easily tell when spring is coming by the signs in nature. So when we see the signs foretold in the Bible we can be just as sure that the coming of Jesus is "even at the doors." He Himself said:

"Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it [Christ's second coming] is near, even at the doors."—Matthew 24:32, 33.

What signs have been given us? What should we be looking for?

2. SOCIAL SIGNS DECLARE CHRIST'S COMING NEAR (Part 1 of 3)

First of all, the Bible points out that the period immediately preceding Jesus' coming will be complex, filled with a variety of dangers. It will be a self-centered, materialistic, morally bankrupt age.

"This know also, that IN THE LAST DAYS perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."—2 Timothy 3:1-5.

What an accurate description of our world! Society's current emphasis on uninhibited freedom of action has brought perilous times. No matter what direction we turn, how strikingly Paul's predictions have come to life!

"Lovers of self." (A.S.V.) Modern man is urged "to do his own thing" or, as our text reads, "Men shall be lovers of their own selves." Defendants on trial no longer follow the rules of courtroom behaviour. They scream obscenities and fight with the court officers. Students, chanting about personal freedom, demolish expensive campus buildings. Self has become the all-absorbing obsession of many.

"Covetous." The race to keep ahead of the neighbors has led to a constant demand for more and bigger and better things. For the sake of profit, men pollute vast areas of our world with toxic by-products of their manufacturing processes.

"Without natural affection." During the last few years many youth have completely disassociated themselves from their parents and from their parents' goals. In the U.S. an estimated half-million teen-agers run away from home each year. These young people leave behind them all kinds of homes—rich, poor, in-between—for "the life of freedom."

Natural feelings between human beings are giving way to the "perilous times" of today. A few years ago, thirty-eight people heard and saw a young woman murdered on the streets of New York City. Not one attempted to help in any way for 45 minutes. Finally, too late, someone called the police. People don't want to become involved in other people's problems.

2. SOCIAL SIGNS DECLARE CHRIST'S COMING NEAR (Part 2 of 3)

"Trucebreakers." One out of every four marriages in the U.S. ends in divorce. But the rate is rising dramatically—in some areas running as high as 70 percent—for recent marriages. Certain sociologists see in this trend the death knell of society. One says, "No society has ever survived after its family life deteriorated." Another characterizes the situation as identical to the condition of family life in Greece and Rome just before those empires crumbled.

"Fierce, despisers of those that are good." No longer do we dare to walk the streets of our large cities by night—or even in daylight in some districts! We equip our doors with chains, locks, and bolts to make them burglar-proof.

We need no statistics to know that crimes are increasing. Every newspaper we pick up, every news broadcast we watch or hear pours out its recital of violence and brutal, senseless crimes. The Bible predicts that "evil men . . . shall wax worse and worse." 2 Timothy 3:13. The last days are to be characterized by a sharp increase in lawlessness. And "law and order" is a live issue in our world today. Leaders seemingly do not know how to stem the rising tide of crime. There is no real solution except the appearance of Jesus Christ from heaven.

"Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." In a poll taken over a recent ten-year period the number of Americans who feel that religion is losing its influence on American life rose from 14 percent to an astonishing 57 percent! Paradoxically, in a society where godless conditions prevail, church membership in the U.S. is at an all-time high. But the vast majority of church members are little different from their neighbor who makes no profession, except that they may spend a couple of hours each week in church. They dress the same; eat, drink, and smoke the same. Both enjoy the same questionable amusements. And this is the picture, not only in America, but throughout the world. This is just as God said it would be. For while the religious form is present, the power of true godliness is all too often absent.

2. SOCIAL SIGNS DECLARE CHRIST'S COMING NEAR (Part 3 of 3)

There can be no doubt that our world perfectly fits the Scriptural picture of society in the days just before Jesus comes. The Bible unmistakably points to our day as the time when Jesus will come again from heaven!

3. JESUS' OWN SIGNS OF HIS NEAR RETURN (Part 1 of 7)

Shortly before Jesus' crucifixion, His disciples came to Him asking an important question.

"Tell us . . . what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"—Matthew 24:3.

Jesus' answer is found in the rest of Matthew 24. You will no doubt want to read the whole chapter, and the parallel account in Luke 21. When you do, you will discover that Jesus pointed to signs in four broad areas of life. He said there would be signs in the natural world, the political world, the social world, and the religious world.

The natural world. Jesus predicted that upheavals in nature would herald His coming.

"There shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers [various] places."—Matthew 24:7.

"Upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring."—Luke 21:25.

Earthquakes, famines, and destructive storms have increased in number and violence during recent years. Turkey and Peru have had earthquakes killing thousands. Biafra and other areas have had severe famines. The worst disaster of the century hit Pakistan in 1970. The cyclone and tidal wave there numbered its victims by millions. Calamities by air, sea, and land proclaim the coming of the Lord Jesus.

Counting only those earthquakes which have caused destruction of life and property, the British Association for the Advancement of Science has compiled figures which reveal that century after century of the Christian era witnessed a striking increase in destructive earthquakes. The first century saw only 15 such disturbances. The nineteenth century recorded 2,119 destructive earthquakes. These figures confirm Jesus' prophecy.

Jesus described other signs in nature:

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven."—Matthew 24:29.

Here are unmistakable events predicted in God's Word. Have they been fulfilled? Has Jesus' prophecy come true? On May 19, 1780, the sun was indeed supernaturally darkened.

3. JESUS' OWN SIGNS OF HIS NEAR RETURN (Part 2 of 7)

"On the 19th of May, 1780, an uncommon darkness took place all over New England, and extended to Canada. It continued about fourteen hours. . . . The . . . darkness was so great that people were unable to read common print, or tell the time of day by their watches, or to dine, or transact their ordinary business without the light of candles. . . . The fowls retired to their roosts. Objects could not be distinguished but at a very little distance, and everything bore the appearance and gloom of night.

"The causes of these phenomena are unknown. They certainly were not the result of eclipses."—The Guide to Knowledge, or Repertory of Facts, edited by Robert Sears, p. 428.

That night people waited for the moon to rise at nine o'clock. But although it was at the full, it gave no light that evening. Some time after two a.m. observers sighted the moon; it had a dim, copper-red glow as of blood, just as predicted in Joel 2:31.

Half a century later, November 13, 1833, the stars "fell," as Jesus had foretold. It remains the greatest meteoric display ever registered.

"From the Gulf of Mexico to Halifax, until daylight with some difficulty put an end to the display, the sky was scored in every direction with shining tracks and illuminated with majestic fireballs."—History of Astronomy in the Nineteenth Century, Agnes M. Clerke, p. 328.

For over four hours people in North America from Canada to the West Indies, and from California to ships in the Atlantic Ocean, watched millions of "falling stars" streak through the sky. The light from these meteors was sufficient for reading ordinary print with little difficulty. The world has seen nothing like it before or since.

3. JESUS' OWN SIGNS OF HIS NEAR RETURN (Part 3 of 7)

Jesus foretold these very things, and also when they would happen! Notice, these signs were to occur immediately after the tribulation of those days. (Matthew 24:29.) What days? In preceding verses Jesus had been talking about persecution directed against His faithful followers. He pointed His listeners to the book of Daniel and told them to understand. (Verse 15.) In Daniel 7:25 we read of a period of persecution coming to true Christians. History tells us this happened during the Dark Ages, when millions lost their lives for their faith. By the mid 1700's, however, the persecution had virtually ended. And amazingly, in 1780 and 1833, "immediately after the tribulation of those days," the remarkable signs foretold by Jesus appeared in the heavens! God's clock was on time.

The political world. The outstanding sign in the political world, Jesus said, would be war.

"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars. . . . Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom."—Matthew 24:6, 7.

In the present century the world has reeled from the shock of two global conflicts. Never before had war been "world war." Nearly every significant nation on earth joined in these struggles on one side or another.

With World War II the world entered a new era—the atomic era. Life will never be the same again. The cloud of nuclear annihilation hangs over the earth today like a fog. We live with the constant knowledge that with the push of a button our world could become a smoking heap of lifeless rubble. No wonder the Bible speaks of God destroying those who "destroy the earth." (Revelation 11:18.) Only in very recent years has this possibility become a reality.

In the years since World War II wars have been fought in Korea, Viet Nam, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The world's leaders and statesmen constantly scan the political horizon, wondering where the next outbreak will occur. Their greatest concern is fear of war and atomic destruction, and their greatest hope, peace. The Bible predicts this very picture of the days just before Jesus comes. According to Jesus,

3. JESUS' OWN SIGNS OF HIS NEAR RETURN (Part 4 of 7)

"There shall be . . . upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity . . . men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth."—Luke 21:25, 26.

Just before Jesus comes men will still be seeking avenues to peace. First the League of Nations and now the United Nations have tried to achieve and maintain world peace. In this they have largely failed. The Bible says:

"They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace."—Jeremiah 6:14.

"For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them."—1 Thessalonians 5:3.

World leaders are not the only ones who wish for peace. Peace has become the watchword of the youth generation. Peace signs adorn automobiles, sweatshirts, and buildings. We have the strange situation of a great concern for peace in the midst of continuing war and violence. The Bible foretold it would be this way, declaring that permanent peace will be brought to earth only by Jesus when He comes. The political world is signaling: "Jesus will soon be here!"

The social world. Jesus told His disciples that "iniquity shall abound" in the last days. (Matthew 24:12.) In their social relationships the majority of men will be motivated by the sinful feelings of their hearts.

No one knows exactly how many drug users we have in this country. Many are teen-agers. Pep pills, marijuana, and LSD make their way into respectable schools and homes, causing major problems and a horrifying increase in crime.

An estimated 7,000,000 Americans are alcoholics. More than twenty billion dollars a year are spent on alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is directly responsible for some 25,000 traffic deaths and 800,000 crashes each year in this country. Approximately half of all fatal accidents have an alcohol-befuddled driver as the primary cause.

Jesus compared the moral decay of Sodom to conditions prevailing in our world today.

"As it was in the days of Lot . . . even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed."—Luke 17:28, 30.

3. JESUS' OWN SIGNS OF HIS NEAR RETURN (Part 5 of 7)

Sodom has become a byword for moral degeneracy, especially in sensual indulgence. Our society has come to view as commonplace the pornography peddled from drugstore and newsstand racks, the commercialization of sex in advertising, the exploitation of sex as a commodity in motion pictures and night clubs, and the social acceptance of any type of sexuality in a "meaningful" relationship. Can Sodom and Gomorrah compare with today? Surely we have left them far behind in our descent to social degradation.

The only solution to society's continued breakdown is the return of Jesus to this world. Poverty programs, slum rehabilitation, welfare plans may bring some relief; but the real problem is sin. Sin causes different races to hate and distrust one another. Sin causes disease, poverty, and moral pollution. Since the majority of men, the Bible tells us, will never accept Jesus into their heart, society's only hope is that Jesus will soon come and end sin. The signs in the social world alert us that His second coming is not far away. Our society fits the Bible's predictions exactly.

The religious world. God's Word plainly teaches that in the last days there will be widespread apostasy from Bible truth. The form of religion will remain, but its living spiritual power will be largely absent. Paul, writing to early Christians about Jesus' coming, declares:

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first."—2 Thessalonians 2:3.

Through the centuries, Christianity has withstood all attacks from the outside. But today it is being attacked from within. According to many churchmen, Genesis is largely myth and legend. These leaders attack even Christianity's central core, teaching that Jesus was merely human. They deny His miraculous birth of a virgin; they disbelieve His resurrection from the dead.

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to doctrines of devils."—1 Timothy 4:1.

The Bible says that professed Christians will grow weary of hearing straight truth.

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth."—2 Timothy 4:3, 4.

3. JESUS' OWN SIGNS OF HIS NEAR RETURN (Part 6 of 7)

From many pulpits the literal second coming of Jesus has given way to the teaching that He will come only spiritually to each believer. The teachings of men are replacing sound Bible truth. Is it any wonder that Jesus asked:

"When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"—Luke 18:8.

Jesus pointed to another great sign in the religious world.

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."—Matthew 24:14.

Before Jesus comes, all the world will have an opportunity to hear the gospel of salvation. The announcement of His second coming will be carried to all nations. This is actually taking place today. Modern inventions have accelerated the spread of the gospel, until the message is now being given to the entire world.

In our modern world everyone on earth can hear an event as soon as it happens, or even while it is happening! By means of satellites much of the world can watch events as they happen half way around the earth, on the moon, or farther out in space. Not until recently could the gospel have been transmitted simultaneously to every person in every nation. But with equipment now in existence it is possible for one man to speak to every other human being on earth at a given time! Simultaneous translation could make it possible for each listener to understand in his own language. The phenomenal growth in knowledge makes this possible, and God's Word predicted it would happen at the end of time. God told Daniel:

"Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."—Daniel 12:4.

3. JESUS' OWN SIGNS OF HIS NEAR RETURN (Part 7 of 7)

Men now living have personally seen the fulfillment of this Bible prophecy. A person who is eighty years of age today has passed from the horse-and-wagon age to the age of space exploration and men walking on the moon's surface! Only 150 years ago the world was much as it was in Bible times. A horse was man's fastest means of travel. Nothing operated on electricity, for there was no usable electrical supply. Automobiles were more than 50 years in the future, airplanes even farther off. There was no photography, no radio or TV, no phonograph, no telephone or telegraph, no refrigeration, air conditioning, no anesthesia for surgery. But today we calmly watch a man being launched into outer space, expecting his safe return on a definite schedule as if he had taken a train to a nearby town!

Knowledge has increased more in the last 75 years than in all the rest of history combined. Ninety percent of all the scientists who have ever lived are alive today. God's purpose for this increase in knowledge is the carrying of the gospel to all the world. And the message of salvation through Jesus' blood and His soon return is being given in at least 192 countries comprising 98 percent of the world's population. The gospel truly is going to all the world. Soon it will be completed, and then, says Jesus, "shall the end come."

4. CAN WE BE SURE?

Can we be certain that we are living in the very last days of earth? The Bible anticipated this very question:

"Knowing this first, that there shall come IN THE LAST DAYS scoffers walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."—2 Peter 3:3, 4.

The world today is not as it has always been! Never before has man had the ability to destroy the world. Never before have man's chemical wastes threatened to make the world unlivable. Never before have all the Bible signs been fulfilled as today. The world's only hope is Jesus!

The hands on God's "clock" show only minutes until the appointed time.

"He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained."—Acts 17:31.

The second coming of Jesus is an absolute certainty. There is no possibility of failure in God's timetable.

The first railway passenger train ever to operate did so between Liverpool and Manchester, England. A document printed by the company entitled "Rules For Travelers" warned that although the train would depart as near the scheduled time as possible, there was no guarantee when it would reach its destination. In case darkness overtook the train before completing the trip, the journey would be halted, and passengers must find and pay for their own overnight lodging.

Even today, with jets shuttling us between continents, we do not always arrive on schedule. But God's timetable is sure. Jesus is coming again, and coming exactly when God has planned.

The darkness of this world's evil will not delay Him; our safe arrival with Him at the destination of eternal life is guaranteed by God's sacred pledge. Will you determine to be one of those who watch with unspeakable happiness as Jesus' coming draws nearer and nearer? He assures you of life eternal. Will you give your life to Him now?