"The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired Him that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, but can ye not discern the SIGNS OF THE TIMES?" (Matthew 16:1-3).

Such were the words of rebuke spoken by the Lord Jesus to the religious leaders of His day. These men should have had, like the children of Issachar, "understanding of the times" (1 Chronicles. 12:32). They should have realized that the advent of their Messiah had taken place, for many Old Testament Scriptures foretold the signs that would ace company His coming. But because of their hardness of heart and willful unbelief, they persisted in their rejection of Christ. They did not realize that God had visited them in grace by sending His Son to be their Messiah.

One has said, and rightfully so, that history has a tendency to repeat itself. Just as people in Jesus' day failed to discern the SIGNS OF THE TIMES in connection with His first coming, so many today fail to recognize the multiple signs that attest to the fact that His second coming is drawing near. By "His second coming," we are referring to the time when Christ shall return in power and glory as KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS to set up His earthly kingdom (see Matthew 24:30; 25:31; Revelation 1:7; 19:11-16). Signs literally abound all around us, yet men go on in total indifference to these, not knowing that judgment awaits the one who does not take heed to them (just as Israel was judged for not taking heed to the signs in their day).

Now we would like to direct the reader to some of the "signs of the times," though space forbids us from considering them all. It is our prayer that the Spirit of God will use them to awaken any unsaved to the reality of the Lord's soon return, causing him to be prepared by receiving Christ by faith as personal Lord and Saviour. "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12).

In Matthew 24:32,33 we have the most prominent of all signs, the JEWISH SIGN. The fig tree in verse 32 represents Israel (see Jeremiah 24; Hosea 9:10), and the putting forth of leaves speaks of the establishment of Israel in her land. Just as Scripture foretold the dispersion of Israel into the nations (Luke 21:24), so here and elsewhere the restoration of Israel (to their homeland in unbelief) is prophesied, and this just prior to their Messiah's return. Their rebirth as a nation in 1948, their miraculous preservation through five wars with the Arabs, their preparation to rebuild the holy temple and resume temple sacrifices, and the present peace process with the Arabs, are all evidences of the "putting forth of leaves" a sign which the Lord linked with His return in power and glory to establish His kingdom (see Luke 21:29-31).

Another important sign is the EUROPEAN SIGN. Scriptures in Daniel 2:40-45; 7:7. Revelation 13:1 and 17:12 foretell that the Roman Empire would be revived shortly before the coming of the Lord to set up His kingdom. We are witnessing this today! Present-day Europe is making great strides towards political and economical unity. Their goal is to have a "United States of Europe" and in the passages mentioned we learn that it will be comprised of a ten-kingdom confederacy.

The ECUMENICAL or RELIGIOUS SIGN is prevalent today. The Bible has announced that after the rapture of the true Church to heaven (an event which precedes the Lord's coming in power and glory by seven years, 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17), a one-world religion will emerge called MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT (Revelation 17). Great movements today are working to bring this about. Men such as Pope John Paul II are encouraging not only Roman Catholics and Protestants to put aside their differences, but all religions to unite for the sake of peace. The moral and spiritual decay of the professing church (1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Revelation 3:14-18) is a contributing factor in the forming of this unholy amalgamation.

The Bible also forecasts an ECONOMIC SIGN in Revelation 13:16,17 where all mankind will be forced to comply with the rules of the coming Antichrist in order to "buy or sell." We are witnessing today various attempts (such as NAFTA and the European Community) to break down trade barriers within regions, but they will eventually give way to the worldwide economic system outlined in Revelation 13.

We will close with the SOCIAL or IMMORAL SIGN. In Luke 17:26-30 the Lord Jesus refers to the days of Noah and the days of Lot, stating that what characterized the human race in those days would be duplicated in the days just prior to His coming. Though it is not mentioned in Luke, we learn elsewhere that corruption and violence (Genesis 6:11) prevailed in Noah's day, and fornication and homosexuality in Lot's day (Genesis 19:4-8; Jude 1:7). Surely no comment is necessary to confirm the fact that our world is saturated with these evils, and they are increasing with each passing day.

To these could be added the TECHNOLOGICAL SIGN (Daniel 12:4), the RUSSIAN SIGN (Ezekiel 38 & 39), the OCCULT SIGN (1 Timothy 4:1; Revelation 13:4), the WAR, FAMINE, EARTHQUAKE, and PESTILENCE SIGNS (Matthew 24:6,7; Revelation 6:4-8,12), and many others.

We trust that enough has been said to convince even the biggest skeptic of God's Word and the promise of Christ's coming that we are indeed living in the last days, and that this truth will serve to awaken the unbeliever from his spiritual slumber and cause him to flee to the Saviour of sinners before it is forever too late (Matthew 25: 1-13). May these "signs of the times" cause each believer to expect the return of our Lord at any moment, knowing that, as stated above, His coming for us precedes His coming in power and glory. As we anticipate this Blessed Hope, may our lives express to all that we are "like unto men that wait for their Lord" (Luke 12:36).

—Dennis J. Oberg