Second Coming Signs {Part 2}

Second Coming Signs {Part 2} 

Matthew 24:4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you.”

I believe the rapture is the next thing on the prophetic calendar.   My wife told me a long time ago she was a “Pan - Triber"  meaning it is going to all pan out in the end!  

As good as that is, I believe Christ is going to rapture his church.   We will be caught up with him, and the church is raptured out of here, I believe before the tribulation period. 

Now, that is what I believe the Bible teaches.  I admit, It is my presupposition.  I also want you to know it is a debate within those who are premillennialists.    That is important because the arguments for “pre-trib,”  “mid-trib," or “post-trib” is a minor argument!  

Let me be clear:  we need to be careful not to be caught up on the minors.    In the major things we should have unity, in the minor things we would have liberty.

The major debate is between  Amillennialism, Postmillennialism, and Premillennialism.  

Now, in my understanding of Eschatology the rapture comes first and then the tribulation.  And the signs we talk about here Matthew 24, basically these are the things that will take place in the very early part of the tribulation period, in the first few months really the first 3 ½ years.   

These are signs of the Second Coming when Christ comes with the Saints.  These Signs that we will study are not the signs of the rapture.  That is an important distinction and understanding!   

So to help you understand how all this fits together, that the Second Coming is at the end of the 7 years of tribulation.  I believe that the rapture is before the tribulation.  And these signs begin at the beginning of the tribulation period and immediately before that is the rapture.  Still keep in mind that these signs cast their shadow before them.  

They will be in full force during the tribulation, yet we will begin to see these things intensifying before the rapture.   So these things that we're going to talk about are signs of the Second Coming.  And even before the rapture takes place we will see a ramping up of these signs.

There is a ramping up and there is a building up of these events, it's just not possible for these things to happen without a ramping up to occur first. So to be clear: there are no signs of the rapture.

THE FIRST SIGN THAT JESUS TALKS ABOUT IS THE SIGN OF DECEPTION.   Verse 4

Take heed, means to keep watch. We are to be mindful, it means to keep your eyes open and to watch carefully.  Watch out.   Don't shut your eyes to the times in which we live.  Otherwise men will deceive you.  

In Luke 21 there is a verse I find very interesting.  NIV Luke 21:8 He replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them. 

Christ had concern in his heart because he knew that in the end times, people would be crying desperately for leaders to deliver them.  And they would seek religious leaders, because men have a religious bent in their nature, and there will be many who will rise up and say I am the Christ followed me.  Jesus is careful to point out that in the end times one of the things that we should be very careful to watch for is mass deception.  

Are we living in that day, to-day?  Do you see mass deception going on in our world today?  Jesus gave us a wonderful and clear warning:  that as the time of his coming draws near there will be an increase of deception and deceivers and we should be careful that we are not subdued.

Many have come and gone and others are sure to follow.  In every century since the first century you can look back and identify imposters who have claimed to have been sent from God.  The 20th century had more than its share, and no doubt the 21st century will as well.  

The devil never seems to run out of counterfeits and so there have been plenty of counterfeit Christ and counterfeit religious systems.  Many cults have arisen and many of them are built upon a false interpretation of the prophetic word of God.  Therefore when one deals with prophecy we should be very, very careful.  We are living in a time of deception, and this time of deception will gradually increase until the rapture and after the rapture it will explode when the church is taken.