When You See These Things

The official start of fall is September 22, but do we really need a calendar to tell us it is fall? I love to sit on my screened porch and watch the leaves coming down. There is a slight tinge of color on the mountainside and the burning bush in front of our house is barely resisting the urge to burst out in all of it’s fiery red beauty. It’s my favorite season, and this year because the summer has been long, hot, and humid, I am especially looking forward to it. The cooler temperatures will be most welcome.

Fall is always the precursor to winter, a season some of us are not so fond of.

Fall teaches us to understand how beautiful change can be.

Fall teaches us to let go of dead things.

Fall teaches us how to grow old.

“How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days.” John Burroughs

Fall also teaches us to prepare for the cold and challenges of winter. ‘Something’ is coming.

“The first breath of autumn was in the air, a prodigal feeling, a feeling of wanting, taking, and keeping before it is too late.” J.L. Carr

As much as we desire to hold on to fall, it's not possible. Soon winter will be upon us.

When you see these things…

Falling leaves, cooler nights, spiders finding their way inside, the smell of burning leaves, flocks of birds heading south, squirrels digging holes to bury hickory nuts...there are some of the signs of a coming change. Nature prepares, and we must too.

We stack up the firewood, rearrange our closets, and make sure the furnace is working.

For those who don’t prepare, winter comes as a surprise and life can be difficult, unpleasant, and perhaps even life threatening.

When you see these things...

In chapter 24 of Matthew, Jesus Christ prophesies the end of the age. His disciples want to know when these things will happen. As Jews, they are anticipating the reign of the Messiah.

We also want to know the answer to that question.

If we understand God’s plan for us (Gentiles) and have accepted His gift to us to participate in His future Kingdom, then He is our Messiah as well. We also anticipate His return as King.

"So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, at the very doors!

Matthew 24:33

What are the signs of His coming? Jesus tells his disciples of the Tribulation.

It lasts 7 years.

First Jesus tells them to be aware and to not be deceived.

Deception will rise, but He also says that they should not be troubled.

These things must happen before the end.

According to Matthew 24, Jesus says...

  1. There will be false Messiahs...Jews, claiming to be the Christ. Verses 4 & 5 (Luke 21:8)

  2. There will be wars and rumors of wars. Ethnos (ethnics) against ethnos.

       Famines, pestilences (pandemics), and earthquakes. Verses 6 & 7 (Luke 21:10 & 11)

  3. There will be persecution like never before. Verses 9 & 10 (Luke 21:12-17)

  4. There will be false prophets. Verse 11

  5. Lawlessness will increase and love will be dead. Verse 12

  6. The Gospel will be proclaimed to the entire world. Verse 14

  7. The antichrist will demand to be worshiped as god. Verse 15

  8. The sun and moon will darken. Verse 29 (Luke 21:25 & 26)

  9. A sign will appear in the heavens. Verse 30

10. The fig tree (Israel) will flourish. Verse 32 (Luke 21:29)

11. People will be indifferent to these warnings. Verses 37-39.

12. Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies. Luke 21:20

All of these prophesies will be fulfilled during the Tribulation period.

Jesus assures us.

“So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.”

Luke 21:31

If we see some of these things happening today, how close might we be to the time of Tribulation?

The following was written by Jewish scholar, John J. Parsons in an article written in 2009 with the title of “Birth Pangs of the Messiah,”

“According to traditional Jewish sources (Pesachim 54b; Midrash Tehilim 9:2), no one knows the time when the Messiah will appear – though there are some ‘hints.’ God created the world in six days, each of which represents a thousand years. The seventh day is the start of the great Messianic Sabbath Rest, and therefore this age cannot last beyond 6,000 years. According to the traditional Jewish calendar we are living near the close of the sixth millennium, the “Erev Shabbat” of the world. We are drawing close, in other words, to the prophesied End of Days and the appearance of Yeshua our Messiah!”

There are no ‘signs’ for the Rapture of the church.

The signs we are seeing (wars, pandemics, weather anomalies, lawlessness, hatred and loss of love and families, transhumanism, artificial intelligence, godless society, global economic meltdown, blatant propaganda, apostate churches, lack of any semblance of morality…) are all signs of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Luke 21:36

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”

Luke 21:33

When you see these things, you can trust the words of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, Who is coming very soon!

“Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads because your redemption draws near.”

Luke 21:27, 28