The Final Sign

When the subject of the Second Coming is raised, the question of what “sign” or “signs” will precede it is asked. Invariably, wars, earthquakes, tsunamis, famines, and similar catastrophes are offered as harbingers of the end. But Jesus gave us the definitive answer to this question – When the Church completes its mission.

Jesus predicted the destruction of the Temple when he was on the Mount of Olives. Because Israel had rejected her Messiah, “all these things shall come upon this generation. Behold, your house is left to you desolate. Truly I declare to you, there shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down” - (Matthew 23:34-39, 24:1-2).

[Photo by Thomas Lipke on Unsplash]

In response, the disciples asked two questions. First, when will the predicted destruction of the Temple occur; and secondly, what will be the “sign” of the coming of the Son of Man and the “consummation of the age”?

He responded with a dire warning - Beware of false messiahs and false prophets that will deceive many. His disciples would hear of wars, earthquakes, international conflicts, and famines. However, such events were not indicators of the end’s nearness. Disasters would occur but the “end was not yet.”

Deceivers and false prophets would point to catastrophes of this kind as “signs” of the rapidly approaching end. They would thus raise false expectations about the imminence of his return - (Matthew 24:4-8, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4).

Human tragedies and natural disasters happen regularly, therefore, the Church must "not be alarmed" when they occur. Such events are not chronological markers by which anyone can calculate the end. At most, they are a “beginning of birth pains,” harbingers of the inevitable end. Nor did Jesus predict that the frequency and intensity of earthquakes and wars would increase as the end drew near.

To the first question, his answer was - within “this generation” – the one contemporary with him. This occurred when a Roman army destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem in A.D. 70, exactly as and when predicted - (Matthew 3:7, 11:16, 12:34-45, 16:4, 17:17, 23:33-36, 24:34).

THE SIGN

No man knows the day or hour of Christ’s return except God alone, and therefore, his disciples must always be prepared for its unexpected arrival. Knowledge of the “times and seasons” belongs to God. Any man who claims such knowledge arrogates to himself information that even the Son of Man does not possess - (Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:33, Acts 1:7-9).

As to the requested “sign,” Jesus gave one explicit goal that must be achieved before he returns in glory, the “proclamation of this gospel of the kingdom in the whole habitable earth for a testimony to all nations.” Only “then will the end come.”

The message of the Kingdom is Good News to everyone who hears and obeys it. However, the Church must bear witness to it before all nations before the Son of Man arrives to gather his saints and judge the nations - (Matthew 24:14).

In the Greek clause, the demonstrative pronoun for “THIS gospel” or ‘houtos’ is emphatic. It is “THIS gospel of the Kingdom” that must be proclaimed; presumably, the same one preached by Jesus and his Apostles.

That is the task he assigned to his Church. His disciples must “go and teach all nations to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you; behold, I am with you even unto the end of the age.” This mission must be finished before the end - (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:6-8).

How do we know when this task is done? According to Jesus, when the end arrives! The fact that the “end” has not come is irrefutable proof that the task remains unfinished.

His words are clear. Only his Father knows the timing of the end. Not even the “Son of Man” has that information. In the interim between now and his return, the Church must remain busy completing its assigned task. This matters far more than having accurate information about signs and prophetic timetables.

This raises and answers the question – Why the (apparent) delay of over 2,000 years before the return of Jesus?  Because the Church has not completed its mission! God is waiting for us to proclaim the Good News of His kingdom to every nation. 

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• His Witnesses - (The men purchased from every nation by the Lamb become his priestly witnesses who persevere in the Testimony of Jesus)

• The Age of Salvation - (The Gospel of the Kingdom announced by Jesus of Nazareth offers salvation and life to men and women of every nation and people)