Over the centuries, there have been numerous predictions on the second coming of Christ by “powerful MoGs” and acclaimed Biblical scholars which have all failed.
Even on nairaland, we have heard countless times since the platform was created that “the end of time is near and Jesus could arrive at any moment”
I can’t help but wonder why certain scriptures are ignored.
Let us set the ball rolling with a few critical signs believers should watch out for, and also address certain fallacies.
Matthew 24 shows two key signs believers should watch out for. Until these are fulfilled, we and the generations after are still in for a long wait.
First of all, let’s highlight where the confusion lies. Most people mistake the signs for the beginning of birth pains (wars, famines, earthquakes, disasters) as signs for the end time. Read the passage below carefully;
Matthew 24 v 3-8;
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.
5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.
6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Moving on from these verses which clearly are not the signs to look out for. What then are these signs?
Matthew 24 v 14-21 & 29-31
14 And this GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, AND THEN THE END WILL COME
15 “So when you see standing IN THE HOLY PLACE the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—
16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house.
18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak.
19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!
20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.
21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.
29 “Immediately after the distress of those days
“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.
31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
It’s clearly written in verse 14 and 15 the two trigger events that must be fulfilled before the second coming;
1. In verse 14. Not just any gospel, but specifically THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM must be preached to all inhabitants of the earth. This is to prepare the hearts and mind of men for the everlasting order to come. Ever wondered why Jesus’ major sermons and parables is centred around the kingdom of heaven? Can we confidently say this is the gospel the church has preached consistently over the ages?
2. The abomination that causes desolation must be set up in the holy place. Now this one is the interesting part. People have weighed in that this prophecy is already fulfilled in 70 AD when the Romans destroyed the second Jewish temple.
The problem with that conclusion is this. See
Daniel 9 v 27;
27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven. ‘In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.
There is no historical record of any Roman emperor who made a covenant with many for 7 years and broke it mid-way (especially around 70 AD when the temple was destroyed)
Furthermore, Apostle Paul weighed in on this matter;
2 Thessalonians 2 v 1-4;
1.Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters,
2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.
3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for THAT DAY WILL NOT COME UNTIL the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up IN GOD’S TEMPLE, proclaiming himself to be God.
Bear in mind there will be a temple of God where this man of lawlessness will proclaim himself to be God. Please where is this temple today? It doesn’t exist. It’s yet to be constructed!
Apostle Paul mentioned we should not be alarmed or unsettled. No one should deceive anyone about the coming of the Lord. It cannot happen until the lawless one is revealed and the temple (which is yet to be constructed) is desecrated and the abomination that causes desolation is set up inside the temple.
If you are up to date on religious matters in Israel, it should come as no surprise there are talks of the third Jewish temple to be constructed.
The main Jewish group leading the charge to rebuild the temple is an organization called Faithful of the Temple Mount, who say they will continue their efforts to re-establish the Jewish temple on the Mount. In Israel, there are students being trained for the priesthood, learning how to conduct animal sacrifices in the rebuilt temple.
IN CONCLUSION;
Until these two events are fulfilled:
1. The gospel of the kingdom is preached to all inhabitants of the earth.
2. The temple is rebuilt, daily sacrifices are restored for a time and subsequently stopped by the man of lawlessness to set up the abomination that causes desolation which prophet Daniel, Jesus and Apostle Paul spoke of.
We cannot jump to the phase where we hold our breathe in anticipation of the return of the Son of Man. Pretty much explains the long wait for over 2000 years now, and why any talks of the world coming to an end is still premature.
Till then, live a spirit filled life and walk in the purpose of the I AM for your life!
