A Warning
And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. Luke 21:8-11
Read Luke 21
Sometimes we hear that leaders of a particular group or sect make a journey to Israel with their followers because they believe the Lord is about to return. However, in our text today, the Lord Jesus warns us not to allow ourselves to be misled. The Bible states that no one knows when Christ shall return except God, for Jesus will come as a thief in the night. Does that mean there are no indicators telling us that the time of Christ’s return is drawing near? There certainly are!
There are signs telling us that this will take place in the near future. Some
people will claim to be Christ the redeemer. They will declare that doomsday
has come. We hear individuals today making all kinds of claims.
The Lord Jesus also spoke of another sign: Wars between nations and rebellions by people against their rulers will be the order of the day. Moreover, many strange happenings will take place in the atmosphere and on the earth such as earthquakes, famines, and plagues. People will then say these are the signs that Christ is returning. However, the Lord Jesus said to watch, for these are signs that the time is coming near; you must therefore prepare to meet the Lord.
Do you see many of these signs taking place in our day? How many wars and uprisings have we not seen in the last decade? We also hear about natural disasters taking place in the world regularly. This indicates that the Lord’s return could take place soon. If you do not know the Lord personally, make haste and seek Him! Today it is still possible! He invites you to come to Him.
Thought: Do you notice the signs of the times that the Lord Jesus spoke about?
Psalter 446:3 (based on Psalm 130) I wait for God to hide me; My soul, with longing stirred, Shall hope, whatever betide me, In His unfailing word. My soul waits for Jehovah With more intense desire Than watchers for the morning To dawn of day aspire.