What Will Be The Sign Of Your Coming?

"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?' " (1)

Jesus had just shared with His disciples that the magnificent temple they had just left would be destroyed. He said, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." (2) The disciples shortly thereafter asked the question, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" Jesus did not answer His disciples by separating the destruction of Jerusalem [which took place within 40 years of this discussion] and the great day of His coming. He mingled the description of the two events. When He referred to the destruction of Jerusalem, His prophetic words reached beyond that event to the events of His second coming. Christ's statement was given, not for the disciples only, but for those who would live during the last scenes of this earth's history.

"If anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore, if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." (3)

"Then He said to them, 'Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven... And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 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.' " (4)

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 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, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." (5)

"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. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near--at the doors!" (6)

1. Matthew 24:3.
2. Matthew 24:2.
3. Matthew 24:23-27.
4. Luke 21:10, 11, 25-28.
5. Matthew 24:36-39.
6. Matthew 24:32, 33.