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Bible Basics
For Smart People
Who Do Not Want To Be Dummies
About God and the Bible
(Parts I, II, III)
By J. George Cover
Lesson 16
What About the Second Coming of Jesus? (Text Version)
The Signs of His Coming:
Matthew 24:1-3: "And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
"And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"
Three questions were asked of Jesus by the disciples. Jesus answered their questions. However, the events asked about would take place at different times, separated by centuries of time.
- Some things would happen in 70 a.d. when the Romans would destroy Jerusalem. It was then that the temple building would be torn apart, when it was fulfilled, "There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
- Some things would happen at the time of the Rapture. See Matthew 24:36-51
- Some things would happen during the Great Tribulation. See Matthew 24:7-26.
- Some things would happen at the Revelation of Christ. See Matthew 24:29-35.
Some of the same signs were visible at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans that are present today near the time of the Second Coming and others are ahead of us yet.
What signs exist today that show that His coming is near?
If you do not read the Scriptures given, you will miss the main messages.
- The sign of the fig tree (Matthew 24:32-34; Luke 21:29-33). The fig tree and the vine are types of the Jewish nation. See Joel 1:7; Jeremiah 24:1-8; Matthew 21:19-20; Luke 13:6-9.
- Jesus said, "Behold the fig free and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
- "So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand
- "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled" (Luke 21:29-32).
- The Jewish nation is God's time piece. In our generation the Jews have become a nation again. In our generation we have seen many new nations shoot forth their leaves. The regathering of the Jews and Israel's existence as a nation is an outstanding sign, not evident in all the past centuries.
- The increase of knowledge and of travel (Daniel 12:4). "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."
- The advancement of technology that is bringing the possibility of people receiving a mark in their right hand or forehead, without which they cannot buy or sell (Revelation 13:15-18).
- The Middle East problem that the nations are trying to solve. See Zechariah 12:2-3:
- "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
- "And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it."
- The increasing number of wars (Matthew 24:7).
- The increasing number of earthquakes throughout the earth (Matthew 24:7).
- The increasing number of pestilences and famines (Matthew 24:7).
"Please tell me more."
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