Overview: Knowing the Signs of the Times
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Can we know with certainty that we are living in the generation that the Lord returns? How can we know? The Scripture
has so much information on this topic because God wants us to know with certainty the season and the signs and conditions
surrounding Jesus’ Second Coming. My premise is that we are in the beginning stages of the generation that the Lord will
return. I do not know whether the final 7 prophetic years begins in 5 years or 50 (probably closer to 50 than 5).
B. The Olivette discourse (Matthew 24) gives the signs and conditions with great detail. Why would He give us such
detail then insist that no one will ever know the season of His coming?
1 Jesus…departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.
2 Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left
here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." 3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples
came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming,
and of the end of the age?" 4 Jesus…said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you.” (Matthew 24:1-4)
7 … "Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take
place?" 8 He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived.” (Luke 21:7-8)
C. After Jesus prophesied that the temple was to be destroyed (Matthew 24:2), the disciples asked two questions. First,
when would the temple be destroyed? Second, what is the sign of the Second Coming and the end of the age? The
complication in this passage is found in the fact that Jesus gives answers that apply to two different time frames. First, the
temple was destroyed in 70 AD and second, it applies to the end of the age which is approximately 2,000 years later.
II. THE BEGINNING OF BIRTH PANGS: 12 TRENDS (MATTHEW 24:4-8; MARK 13:5-8; LUKE 21:7-18)
4 Jesus…said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the
Christ,' and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled…
the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be
famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows
(birth pangs NIV, NAS).” (Matthew 24:4-8)
7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end
is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation…and there will be earthquakes in various places, and there
will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:5-8)
9 When you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified…11 There will be great earthquakes… famines
and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. 12 BEFORE all these things,
they will…persecute you….16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends….
18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost. (Luke 21:9-18)
A. Jesus spoke of a specific period of time called the “beginning of birth pangs.” The Greek word “birth pangs” is
translated as “sorrows” (NKJV). It is to be compared with the increasing trauma a woman experiences during childbirth.
This trauma will result in a new world order being birthed at the Millennium.
B. The beginning of birth pangs refers to 12 major worldwide trends that are to be discerned as prophetic signs to
help the Church prepare for increased pressure. These include false christs, war, ethnic conflict, economic warfare,
famines, pestilences, earthquakes, troubles, commotions, fearful sights, great signs from heaven, and persecution
(Matthew 24:4-8; Mark 13:5-8, Luke 21:7-18). Matthew gives 7 major tends, Mark adds “trouble” and Luke describes four
more “commotion, fearful sights, great signs from heaven and persecution.”
C. When comparing Matthew 24 with 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 we see 3 distinct prophetic time frames related to the
final 7-year period of this age. First, the beginning of birth pangs (Matthew 24:8). Second, the worldwide period of counterfeit
peace and safety (increased birth pangs; 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3; Daniel 9:27). Third, the Great Tribulation (heavy birth
pangs; Matthew 24:21; Jeremiah 30:5-7). The final 7 year period has 2 parts each lasting 3½ years. The final 7 years
begins when the Antichrist makes a covenant that will “guarantee” Israel political, economic and spiritual prosperity along
with protection. The Tribulation period starts with the Antichrist establishing a counterfeit peace that lasts approximately
3½ years. This counterfeit peace will seem to change the world for good.
3 When they say, "Peace and safety!" then SUDDEN destruction comes upon them, as labor pains (Great
Tribulation) upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3)
21 For then there will be Great Tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this
time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:21)
D. A generation in Scripture ranges from 40 to 80 years (Numbers 32:13; Psalm 90:10). For example, there are nearly
1,000 years in the 14 generations from Abraham to David (averaging over 70 years for each generation). Adding 80 years
to 1948 brings us to 2028.
17 The generations from Abraham to David are 14 generations, (Matthew 1:17)
E. It may be that the beginning of birth pangs began in either 1948 (when Israel became a nation) or 1967 (when
Jerusalem came under Jewish control). That may have begun in 1948. Israel is the reference point for understanding God’s
redemptive history (past and future). Israel gives us the prophetic timetable for the unfolding of God’s End-Time plans. The
three most significant prophetic dates before the Great Tribulation are 1948 (re-birth of the nation of Israel), 1967
(recapturing the city of Jerusalem) and the Antichrist's peace treaty with Israel and other nations (Daniel 9:27).
F. Some see the birth pangs as trends that began 2,000 years ago. However, the birth pangs must be recognizable
signs that cause the Church to know that Jesus’ coming is near and to cause us to watch (pray and observe). The time of
the beginning of birth-pangs should correspond to the 3½ years of the heavy labor (Great Tribulation).
33 So you, when you see all these things, know that it is near--at the doors! 34 Assuredly…this generation
will by no means pass away till all these things take place... (Matthew 24:33-34)
G. Note on the ratio of the beginning of birth-pangs to the heavy labor: after the water breaks and the active labor phase
begins (which can be referred to as the beginning of birth pangs) the average ratio is approximately 12 hours of labor until
the final phase of heavy labor, which lasts on average 1 hour. In years, the 12 to 1 ratio translates to about 42 years to
3 ½ years or 84 years to 7 years. In other words, if Jesus was using physical labor as an analogy to help believers understand
what was to take place when they began to see the “contractions”, a ratio of 2,000 years to 3 ½ years is not an adequate
parallel. Technically, one could say the early or latent phase of labor is the “beginning of birth pangs” which causes the
eventual breaking of the amniotic sac that provokes active labor. The cervix is beginning to dilate in conjunction with these
early contractions which are normally lighter.
III. THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION: THE PRIMARY SIGN OF THE END-TIMES
A. The sign of the Abomination of Desolation has many significant implications to it.
15 Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the
holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains…
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this
time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved…
(Matthew 24:15-22)
B. The Abomination of Desolation will occur when the Antichrist declares himself to be God. Central to the Abomination of
Desolation is the image of the Beast (Antichrist) which will be a statue (image or idol) that is demonically empowered so that
it will seem to think, talk, breathe, and make laws (Revelation 13:14-16). The image is the abomination in the temple
(Daniel 8:13; 9:26, 27; 11:31; 12:11; Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; Revelation 13:12-18). This image will
be a significant prophetic sign in the End-Times. John emphasized this image ten times (Revelation 13:14, 15 [three times];
14:9, 11; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4).
C. This image will be the greatest abomination to God in history because the Antichrist will demand to be worshipped
as God and because many will fully respond to this demand. The image will be confirmed by demonic miracles. The
Abomination of Desolation also ends the sacrifices in the Jerusalem temple which had been reinstated (2 Thessalonians 2:4).
D. After the Antichrist’s head wound is healed, the Abomination of Desolation will be the key piece of legislation that
begins his aggressive plan to rule the whole earth as God. This act of abomination will occur in the middle of the last 7 years
before Jesus returns.
E. The desolation will occur in two different ways. First, the Antichrist will seek to desolate or destroy any who refuse to
worship him. Second, God will desolate or destroy in judgment all those who yield to the pressure to worship the Antichrist.
The Abomination of Desolation is referred to 7 times in Scripture, 5 times by Daniel (Daniel 8:13; 9:26, 27; 11:31; 12:11)
and 2 times by Jesus (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14).
IV. THE COMMAND TO KNOW THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES
A. The subject of the signs of the times is greatly neglected by the body of Christ. Many Scriptures emphasize how
important prophetic signs are at the End of the Age. In Scripture, Jesus taught more than any of the apostles on our need
to discern the times. Jesus gave severe rebukes to those who did not pay attention to the prophetic signs that pointed to
His coming.
B. God promised to give prophetic signs in the generation that the Lord returns as an expression of His mercy, so
people can make the necessary preparations for what is coming. Prophetic signs serve the Church like a weather station
that signals coming trouble so the people can prepare and save lives. The example of the Southeast Asia Tsunami caused
by the Sumatra earthquake on Dec. 26, 2004 illustrates this.
C. Jesus taught that Israel came under judgment for being unresponsive to God because they did not know the time
of their visitation from God.
41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, "If you had known, even you, especially
in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days
will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you
in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you
one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation." (Luke 19:41-44)
1. Jesus prophesied of the four-year siege of Israel and Jerusalem by the Roman army in (66 AD to 70 AD) because they
did not discern the hour of their visitation. There are severe consequences to individuals, families, cities and nations when
the people are uninformed and unresponsive in a prophetic generation. They did not properly prepare for that time.
2. Corrie ten Boom lived in Europe during the Nazi regime. After she was freed from the prison camps, she said the
people in Germany were told by the Church that all would be fine and that trouble was not coming. The church was
unprepared and many fell away.
D. Jesus commanded us to know the generation that the Lord returns.
32 Learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves,
you KNOW that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see ALL these things, KNOW that it is near--at the
doors! 34 Assuredly…this generation will by no means pass away till ALL these things take place… 36 Of that
day and hour no one knows, not even the angels…but My Father only…42 Watch…for you do not know what
hour your Lord is coming. 43 Know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would
come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready,
for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew. 24:32-44)
E. The Church will look up and lift their heads in encouragement knowing Jesus is coming soon.
28 When these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.
29 He spoke…a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 When they are already budding, you see
and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31 So you also, when you see these things happening,
know that the kingdom of God is near… (Luke 21:28-31)
F. Jesus rebukes the people for being able to read weather signs while being unable to interpret the prophetic signs of
His first coming.
54 Then He also said to the multitudes, "Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west (Mediterranean Sea),
immediately you say, 'A shower is coming'; and so it is. 55 And when you see the south wind blow (Negev desert
area), you say, 'There will be hot weather'; and there is. 56 Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky
and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time? (Luke 12:54-56)
1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.
2 He…said to them, "When it is evening you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red'; 3 and in the morning,
'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face
of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a
sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." (Matthew 16:1-4)
G. Asking for a sign was a legitimate request because Joel prophesied that the Messiah would give signs from heaven
(Joel 2:30-32). In hypocrisy, they were seeking signs beyond those done by Jesus and given by Scripture with the intention of
testing God. Jesus’ miracles were signs to bear witness of Him (John 5:36).
H. God expects His people to discern what the prophets say in the hour in which they live. If we neglect the strategic info
that God gives us, then we are considered foolish and slow of heart.
25 O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! (Luke 24:25)
V. ARGUMENTS AGAINST KNOWING THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES
A. Lie #1: that we cannot understand the signs of the times because no one else can. Why even try? The Scriptures on
the End-Times were written to be understood by all, since they were written for all. The majority of people throughout history
have been uneducated peasants. It is not true that the End-Time Scriptures are too complicated. Any system of theology
that takes the End-Times out of the hands of the people has not treated the text in the way God designed it. The lie claims
that End-Time prophecies are impossible to understand except by scholars because they must be interpreted symbolically.
Scriptures on End-Times are literal unless specifically indicated as symbolic by the Scripture.
B. Lie #2: some think that understanding the End-Times will minimize the work of the kingdom.
C. Lie #3: it will all pan out in the end. The question is how well will it pan out for you? Will it pan out well with your loved
ones? It will only go well if we are prepared in that hour.
D. Lie #4: there is not enough information on the signs of the generation that the Lord returns. There is more prophetic
evidence about Jesus’ coming than any other prophetic event in The Bible. The Scripture requires those in the generation the
Lord returns to know it and prepare accordingly. Jesus and Paul emphasized the know-ability of the prophetic signs of the
End-Times (Matthew 24:32-34; Luke 21:25-29; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-11). The lie is that we are not
to know the times and seasons of His return (Acts 1:7-8).
E. Lie #5: there is so much evidence that it is daunting. It is too much to understand. Why even try?
F. Lie #6: that is not practical or helpful to talk about the signs of the times. The truth is that people draw back because of
the fear of man. It is not politically correct to study the end of the age. There is a man-pleasing spirit on the church that
does not want to address this issue.
G. Lie #7: that every generation believed they were the last one. It is a common misperception that most generations
believed they were in the End-Times. It is true that a very small group (probably less than 1%) of every generation thought
they were at the end. Only twice has there been a universal sense that it was the time of the end, in the generation of the
early apostles and this one (over 50 million books in the Left Behind series have been sold).
VI. A MOST COMMON ARGUMENT
36 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels…but My Father only. (Matthew 24:36)
A. Many use Matthew 24:36 to justify their unfamiliarity and lack of study of Biblical prophecy. This passage is to be
used in the opposite way. Jesus had just laid out main information that was necessary to prepare the Church to know signs
of the times of His Second Coming. Then Jesus said, when you see these things happening, know My coming is near. We
must seek the Father’s word as to when this begins because only the Father knows.
B. God did not want to make the day and hour known in the early Church. Jesus did not say we could not know the season
or the conditions surrounding His coming. Neither did Jesus say that the Church would not know the day and hour in
generation the Lord returns. Daniel and the Apostle John made it clear the Messiah would come exactly 1,260 days after
the Abomination of Desolation (Revelation 11:2-3; 12:6, 14; 13:5; Daniel 7:25; 12:7).
VII. GOD’S NATURE IS TO TELL AND WARN HIS PEOPLE OF TROUBLE BEFOREHAND
7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His…prophets. (Amos 3:7)
A. The nature of God is always to warn before releasing judgment. It is not consistent with His nature that He would
come without warning to surprise the whole earth.
B. Jesus said, “I have told you these things beforehand,” because He wanted us to know the info.
25 See, I have told you beforehand. (Matthew 24:25)
C. God appeared to Abraham in Genesis 15 to renew the covenant. The Lord told Abraham that his family will be sent
to Egypt for 430 years of oppression. The Lord spoke many years before the Assyrian and Babylon exiles warning Israel
of its coming and He spoke a generation before Rome’s destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
D. The Scripture gives us trends in many areas of life including spiritual (positive and negative), social, political,
technological, natural (signs in heaven and earth) and the accelerator signs and especially the prophetic developments in
Israel.
VIII. THE PROPHETIC SPIRIT CAREFULLY SEEKS MORE UNDERSTANDING
A. Jesus said only the Father knows, not so the Church would be passive, but so the Church would pursue the Father
and seek out what is in His heart.
10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that
would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was
indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
(1 Peter 1:10-11)
19 We have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place,
until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts… (2 Peter 1:19)
B. The prophets of old searched carefully. We need to search what manner of time the Holy Spirit was indicating when He
testified about the glories of Jesus that would follow. The prophetic spirit searches out carefully the application for prophecies.
Jesus calls us to, “Watch therefore or search it carefully.
IX. THE UNIQUENESS OF THE GENERATION THAT THE LORD RETURNS
A. We must study the End-Times because it is the most dramatic generation in human history with two great extremes
including the greatest revival and the most severe pressures (God’s judgments, Satan’s rage, man’s sin) in history. The
great Day of the Lord begins with the unusual events (positive and negative) that will escalate in the 3½ years before Jesus
returns. It is “His Day” because it is a unique time frame in which Jesus acts as a Warrior-King in the earthly arena in great
power for His people and against His enemies. (Isaiah 2:10-22; 4:1-6; 11:1-15; 13:6-9; Joel 1-3; Zephaniah l; Zechariah 14;
Malachi 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3; 2 Thessalonians 2:2-3; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 6:17).
11 For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; who can endure it? (Joel 2:11)
B. The prophets asked, “Who can endure the Day of the Lord events?” Who can experience God’s favor, deliverance
and power in this unique time? This will be the most relevant question that must be answered by all. Watchfulness will be
needed for those prepared for this coming hour.
C. We must study the End-Times because it the most written about generation in Scripture. Over 100 chapters in the
Bible have the End-Times as their main theme.
D. We must study the End-Times because is the one generation that God has chosen to announce with prophetic signs
that increase in intensity as we get closer to Jesus’ return. These prophetic signs include supernatural signs in the heaven,
trends in society and in political, military, religious, scientific, technological, and economic developments.
E. God calls it wisdom to understand the End-Times (Revelation 13:18, 17:9) because it will be an issue of life and death.
Understanding will be one of the keys to preparedness. It prepares the Church to be victorious in the most extreme time in
history. We need to rightly interpret the crisis for the majority. We gain confidence in God’s sovereignty, and knowing
Scripture inspires the certainty of victory. It gives us revelation of Jesus’ beauty and provides fuel for the prayer movement.
F. The prepared prophetic Church alone will have the answer to keep multitudes from being offended at God in the
End-Times. We will be able to answer why a God of love would allow and even orchestrate the events in the Tribulation.
The Church must know how to live so as to cut short God’s judgments by wholeheartedness and prayer with fasting. The
purpose of God's judgments is to remove all that hinders love that multitudes would be saved and mature in love.
G. The desire to instruct people and change their naïve view is godly. It is a shepherd’s heart. Their lack of knowledge is
deadly, not neutral, and it has severe consequences parallel to the weather station not working when a tsunami is about to hit
the land. Over 200,000 died in Southeast Asia because they did not know the storm was coming. Many have fallen away
from their faith because their government became communist or Nazis, etc. and they thought the rapture was coming. They
concluded God's word was not true because there was no Rapture. In other words, zeal to convince people about the reality
of the signs of the End-Times is godly and necessary.
H. It takes spiritual discernment to see the signs God gave. It is spiritual deficiency to not know them. To neglect them is
considered as unbelief and cynicism because they were given by God as a gift to help us. Some are surprised by the amount
of material and the number of rebukes in Scripture for not knowing or not paying attention to them.
I. Summary: Why study the End-Times? It prepares the Church to be victorious in love with power during the most
dramatic time in history. It prepares the Church to participate in the coming revival instead of neglecting or resisting it. It
prepares the Church to rightly interpret the crisis instead of being offended at God by it. It awakens the Church to
urgency in intercession in knowing their prayers can minimize evil and increase victory in specific regions (Joel 2:13-14;
Zephaniah 2:3). It strengthens our confidence in God’s sovereignty by knowing that He is in control and is never
surprised.