Mt. 24
36 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Jesus tells us that no one knows the day and hour of His return, but He also tells us that we can be aware of the general time period by observing the "signs of the times." And we are urged to look for His coming.
Mt. 16
1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, When it is evening you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red; 3 and in the morning, It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening. Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. And He left them and departed.
Now, in this rebuke of the Pharisees and Sadducees, He was referring to their failure to recognize that the Old Testament prophesies pointed to Him as the Messiah. The lesson that today's Christians can take from this passage is that we should study the Scriptures so that we can recognize the hints it gives as to the general state of the world before His Second Coming.
What hints? Jesus gives us some.
Mt. 24
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My names sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Many will say, correctly, that there have always been wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes, etc. But Paul compares the nearing of the end times to the increasing frequency and intensity of the labor pains that a woman experiences as she nears the time of her delivery.
Rom. 8
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
He's talking about "glory" being "revealed" in those who believe, which will happen when Christ returns. He's talking about creation being delivered from the curse it fell under when Adam sinned, which will happen when Christ returns. He says the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs until now. Labor pains grow more frequent and more intense as the time of delivery draws near.
So, going back to the Mt. 24 passage, when we see these things (wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, false christs, lawlessness, etc.), which have happened throughout history, happening with greater frequency and intensity, i.e., like labor pains, we will know that the time of Christ's return is drawing nearer. It can be demonstrated that we are seeing more intense wars, more frequent earthquakes, etc., etc. And with the advent of television and the internet, we are seeing the gospel preached around the world more than ever, but we are also seeing more false christs, more lawlessness, etc., than ever. The whole earth is groaning, and delivery is near.
Also from Mt. 24
32 Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is nearat the doors!
In Biblical prophesy, the fig tree represents the nation of Israel. As was pointed out in an earlier post, Israel was reconstituted as a nation in 1948. This in itself fulfills OT prophesy, but since then, we have seen the nation flourish and grow..."put forth leaves." The time is near--at the doors!
My take on the end times? I enjoy studying prophesy, especially end times prophesy...not that it consumes my every endeavor. But, I find it fascinating to see God at work in the world today, in not only the good that is done, but in setting up the pieces in preparation for Christ's return. I am filled with wonder and awe, my faith is strengthened, and my hope is refreshed as I see prophesy fulfilled before my very eyes.