| In the months and years after Jesus' ascension into | | | | in knowledge |
| Heaven, many of His followers were watching for His | | | | 3. Spiritual Signs- |
| return. Before He left He promised them, (John 14:3) | | | | A. False Saviors |
| "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again | | | | B. Apostasy in the Church |
| and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there | | | | C. Moving Toward a World Religion |
| you may be also." Again in Matthew 24:36-39 He | | | | D. Persecution of Believers in Jesus |
| says, "No one knows about that day or hour, not | | | | E. Interest in the Occult, Rise in Mystery-Religions and |
| even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the | | | | Practices |
| Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at | | | | 4. Signs in Society- |
| the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days | | | | A. Lawlessness |
| before the flood, people were eating and drinking, | | | | B. Violence |
| marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah | | | | C. Immorality |
| entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what | | | | D. Greed |
| would happen until the flood came and took them all | | | | E. Selfishness |
| away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son | | | | F. Hedonism |
| of Man." Sixteen times in the gospels Jesus speaks of | | | | G. Rebellion |
| His return. | | | | H. Despair |
| Yet years passed and His followers went to Heaven | | | | 5. Signs in Nature- |
| in the conventional way. Then centuries passed and | | | | A. Famines |
| still, He did not return. Many people began to believe | | | | B. Earthquakes |
| that it was a myth, that Jesus would not return. | | | | C. Plagues |
| They cited examples of many times when misguided | | | | D. Unnatural weather |
| followers proclaimed a date for the Lords return that | | | | 6. Rise of Asian Nations able to muster an army of |
| came and went uneventfully. Yet today, many | | | | 200 million |
| people are once again looking upward, wondering if | | | | 7. Rise of a World Power with One Leader |
| this might be the time. | | | | A. Reunification of Europe under the European Union |
| Many things are happening in the world, the weather, | | | | B. Ability to Control World Economies (common |
| and the hearts of men that make believers in Christ | | | | currency) |
| wonder if maybe there's some truth in the belief of a | | | | C. Fall from Dominance of the current World Leader |
| soon-to-happen second coming. To avoid falling into | | | | (The U.S.) |
| the same pattern of mistaken beliefs as previous | | | | D. Change From Individual Countries with Their Own |
| generations, we need to look at the scriptures to | | | | Armies to a World Police/Military Force |
| see what they say about the Second Coming. If we | | | | The key signs that enable us to target our time |
| were to look in depth at all of the scriptures, this | | | | period as a possible time of preparation for Jesus' |
| would be a book, and not an article, but an outline will | | | | return are the signs of Israel and the technological |
| give us an overview of what is predicted for the | | | | signs. Whatever signs may have occurred previously, |
| Last Days. It will give us an overview of the signs | | | | the key sign was Israel being called back from the |
| that are essential for the prophecies to be fulfilled | | | | lands where they had been scattered and becoming |
| and to signal His return. | | | | a nation for the first time in 2000 years. This was |
| Signs of the coming of Jesus and the end of the age | | | | necessary in order to signal the beginning of the |
| 1. Israel- | | | | countdown. When Israel once more became a nation, |
| A. Gathered back to the land from the lands of exile | | | | the prophecies could begin to be fulfilled. |
| B. Become a state | | | | Secondly, technology had to reach a certain level for |
| C. The Temple will be rebuilt | | | | the signs of Jesus return to happen. Many things |
| D. Many Nations rise against Israel | | | | described in the book of Revelation and by Jesus in |
| E. Will Sign A Peace plan with world dictator | | | | Matthew 24 could not have been possible without |
| 2. Advanced Technology | | | | the technological developments that we have |
| A. Nuclear warfare? Biological warfare,chemical | | | | accomplished in recent years. Now, along with these |
| weapons? | | | | two major indicators, we can consider the other |
| B. Advanced communications-TV, satellite | | | | signs as well. If we take time to consider the political, |
| C. Robotics? | | | | social, religious, and natural world around us, it seems |
| D. Lasers, chip technology? | | | | that many of the things predicted for the return of |
| E. New transportation methods and incredible increase | | | | Jesus to take place are happening at an alarming rate. |