Tuesday, January 14, 2014

An Hour and An End - Pt. 3 (Prophetic Signs)

Are these the last days?

To answer that with certainty would mean I was saying I know something the Bible says is impossible to know.

Mat_24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth NO man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

However, we are told by our Savior to WATCH and PRAY because we don't know.

What are we watching and praying for?

We are watching for our Savior and praying we will be His.

We are given signs and told that we know when a fig tree puts forth shoots that summer is nigh. 

We MUST watch for the signs and we will KNOW Christ's return is near.

No, we don't know the exact time of it, but we can know when it is near. 

Let's read more of William Grotheer's study- An Hour and An End.

By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ may we come to all truth, may we study and know all we need to know to be prepared. 

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p 14 -- Chapter V-- "This Generation Shall Not Pass Away"

Jesus outlined three major events which were to take place between His resurrection and His second coming.

These events were to serve as signs to His followers at the given time of their fulfillment.

First, as has been noted, Jerusalem was to be surrounded by armies. This would be the sign for the Christians to flee the city and its environs.

Then came the signs in the heavens - the sun darkened, the moon not giving its light, and the stars falling from heaven. This marked the beginning of the period of the revelation of the Son of man - first in judgment, then His coming as King of kings.

Finally Jerusalem was to be freed from domination by the Gentiles, thus marking the close of the times of the Gentiles, and the beginning of the distress of nations.

We have yet to look closely at what this means to us who are living in the time when this prophecy has been fulfilled.

After completing the enumeration of these signs and certain details concerning them, Jesus stated to His disciples: - Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. Luke 21:32-33

Each generation, in which these major events as prophesied occurred, perceived itself as living in the end of time. This doesn't exempt even the generation living prior to the destruction of Jerusalem.

The Early Church -- When Paul wrote his first epistle to the church at Thessalonica, he described the coming of Christ and the first resurrection. (I Thess. 4:16-19) While they were to be comforted by the hope of the resurrection, they were also warned to take heed that the day not overtake them "as a thief." (5:4) These new converts became convinced that the second coming of Christ would be in their day. Paul then had to write a second letter telling them that certain things were first to take place before the event. (II Thess. 2:3) Nevertheless, he noted that "the mystery of iniquity doth already work." (2:7) The message comes through - "Not just now, but not too far away."

In his prison epistle to the church at Colosse, Paul told them, "not to be moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature under heaven." (1:23) That hope of the gospel included what Paul in his letter to Titus called "that blessed hope, [even] the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." (2:13) In describing the extent of the proclamation - "to every creature which is under heaven" - Paul is alluding in concept to the words of Jesus when giving the signs of His return. Jesus said the gospel of the kingdom would "be preached as a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Matt. 24:14) Paul wrote this had been done. His essay to the Hebrews begins with the concept that God "in these last days" has spoken to us in a Son. (1:2) The early Christians thought of themselves as living in the end times - and it was to be the end time for the Jewish nation/church.

The fact dare not be overlooked that the Christians who saw the event which Jesus
p 15 -- had prophesied for that generation - Jerusalem surrounded by alien armies - lived to see the event to which it was connected, fulfilled - the destruction of the city. The Roman armies under Cestius surrounded the city in 66 A.D., and then suddenly withdrew. In a little less than four years - 70 A.D. - the Roman legions under Titus returned, captured and burned the city. Jesus' words did not pass away; they were fulfilled!

A Diagram of This Period

The Cross ----------------------------------------------------- 66 A.D.---------------- 70 A.D. 
___|________________________________________|______________|_____

The Second Major Sign -- The second major sign was to be seen in the heavens. These collective signs in the sun, moon and stars occurred during the period of 1780-1833.

Following this period, there was a worldwide stir concerning the coming of Christ. The followers of William Miller and finally Miller himself proclaimed that Christ would come October 22, 1844. Joseph Wolff heralded the message of Christ's soon return throughout the Near East. Other voices were raised in England, and in Sweden, young children moved by the Holy Spirit proclaimed the near return of Jesus.

Again the fact comes through - the generation who saw the last sign in the heavens, and who heard the proclamation that they were living in what was perceived to be the end times, also lived to hear the message concerning the event to which the signs given by Jesus directed mankind - His final ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary, the beginning of the period of the revelation of the Son of man.

A Diagram of This Period

May 19, 1780 -----------------------------Nov. 13, 1833 ------------------------ Oct. 22, 1844
___|________________________________|______________________|_____


The Final Sign -- We come now to the final major sign of His prophetic discourse, the sign which would signal that the times of the Gentiles had been fulfilled.

This has been fulfilled in this generation before the eyes of the whole world. Thus this generation which has seen the event which fulfilled the prophecy of Jesus will not pass away till all is completed and Jesus returns the second time. We have reached the end of time.

A Diagram of This Period

1948 ----------------- --1967 ------------ 1980 --------Dan. 11:45 --------- SECOND COMING
___|________________|_________|_________|___________________|_____

As we next turn our attention to the data which surrounds and supports the prophecy of the closing times of the Gentiles, we shall see that all prophecies concerning the end time are moving to their final climax. Well would it be for us to carefully ponder the words of Jesus as He brought His prophetic discourse to a close. Take your Bibles and read prayerfully His words in Luke 21:34-36.

Luk 21:34  And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
Luk 21:35  For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Luk 21:36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

More tomorrow by the grace of our GOD!

May we read and understand, truly understand!


All in HIS LOVE!

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