The Moment of Truth - Lesson 22

The Signs of the Times

Lesson 22

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The Signs of the Times

Let's ask God to guide us:

Heavenly Father,

We humbly come to You, grateful that You have given us Your Word, which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

As we study what the Bible teaches about the signs of the times, we ask You once again to accompany us and to guide us through Your Spirit.

In Jesus Christ our Savior we pray.

Amen.

Lesson 22

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The Signs of the Times

2 Peter 1:19

Comments

We also have the prophetic word made more sure, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place. The apostle Peter told us that we do well to study Bible prophecy, in order to know what the future has in store for each of us, and apply that knowledge in making the best decisions.

Lesson 22

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Matthew 24:3

Comments

The disciples came to [Jesus] privately, saying,

ŤTell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?ť Like most of us, Jesus' disciples were concerned about the signs announcing the end of the world.

Jesus answered their questions in a very clear way.

He indicated to them many signs, that we can divide into two categories:

- signs in the natural world;
- signs in the social world.

Lesson 22

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The signs of the times are classified into two great categories:

    Signs in the natural world   |      Signs in the social world
---------------------------------|-------------------------------------
        Heavenly phenomena       |           Devastating wars
           Earthquakes           | Weapons able to annihilate the Earth
            Disasters            | Great employer-employee conflicts
             Famines             | Scarcity of love and genuine faith
    Emergence of new diseases    | Fear and distress among the people
Insoluble problems of pollution | Gospel preached throughout the world

Lesson 22

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Luke 21:11

Comments

There will be great earthquakes in various places. First, let's look at the signs in the natural world.

Jesus foretold that, shortly before His return, Ťthere will be great earthquakesť.

With the choice of the adjective Ťgreatť, Jesus focused especially on the gravity of earthquakes, more than simply on their frequency.

In fact, with the lightning growth of the world population in the last decades, we can notice that earthquakes are always more and more destructive and murderous, affecting a larger number of people.

Lesson 22

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Luke 21:11

Comments

And there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. Jesus Christ gave us a real astronomical calendar, allowing us to see the imminence of the end of the world by observing a succession of heavenly phenomena.

Let's see what these phenomena are.

Luke 21:25

And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars.

Lesson 22

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Mark 13:24,25

Comments

The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall. These three heavenly phenomena were foretold by Jesus, the apostle John, and Old Testament prophets. In all passages, these phenomena always appear in the same order.

Now, let's look at them one by one.

Revelation 6:12,13

And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth.

Lesson 22

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Revelation 6:12

Comments

And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair. This phenomenon, recorded in books about the history of Astronomy, took place on May 19, 1780.

It was not an eclipse, and this fact still remains unexplained.

An eyewitness declared: ŤA sheet of white paper held within a few inches of the eyes was equally invisible with the blackest velvet.ť (Samuel Tenney, Letter (1785) in ŤCollections of the Massachusetts Historical Societyť).

The darkening of the sun lasted many hours, leaving many places in America in total darkness.

Lesson 22

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Revelation 6:12

Comments

And the moon became like blood. The night following the dark day of May 19, 1780, the clouds dispersed to unveil the moon which was, according to eyewitnesses, Ťas red as bloodť.

This additional historical fact, also still unexplained, can be verified in any good Astronomy encyclopedia.

Joel 2:31

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.

Lesson 22

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Revelation 6:13

Comments

And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. The great star shower took place during the early morning hours of November 13, 1833. This heavenly spectacle produced such a light that it was possible to read the newspaper in the street.

Those who witnessed this fantastic phenomenon thought that the end of the world had come.

This is another historical fact that can easily be found in any good Astronomy encyclopedia.

Lesson 22

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Matthew 24:7

Comments

And there will be famines (...) in various places. What was formerly called the Third World now represents more than two thirds of the world population. In fact:

- 20% of people on earth have enough to eat or even more;
- 60% are insufficiently fed;
- 20% are definitely underfed.

Among the latter, hunger kills more than 25 million people each year.

In addition, world population increases by more than 70 million births each year, most of them in underdeveloped countries, the future victims of hunger...

Lesson 22

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Luke 21:11

Comments

And there will be (...) in various places (...) pestilences. ŤPestilencesť in these modern times are multiplying.

Sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia and herpes, are spreading at an alarming rate.

AIDS, recently added to the list, has claimed hundreds of thousands of victims in only a few years. And this is only the tip of the iceberg, since thousands of people carry the virus and unknowingly continue to spread the terrible disease.

Not to mention flesh-eating bacteria, Lyme disease, mad-cow disease, and still others, too numerous to mention...

Lesson 22

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Matthew 24:6,7

Comments

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.

See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. The twentieth century saw the first two World Wars in human history.

World War II alone claimed 50 million victims.

Since 1945, more than 150 wars have caused the death of more than 25 million people, and there have been only 26 days of worldwide peace!

Lesson 22

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Revelation 11:18

Comments

The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth. The nuclear era now endows man with the power to annihilate the entire planet with increasingly powerful weapons.

We also see the huge problem of environmental pollution, causing irreversible harm to Nature, turning its delicate balance upside down.

Lesson 22

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1 Thessalonians 5:3

Comments

For when they say, ŤPeace and safety!ť then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman.

And they shall not escape. Other signs, in the social world, show us the imminence of the end of the world.

For example, let's think about peace and disarmament conferences, which are multiplying like never before.

But unfortunately, all the efforts made to preserve peace have few effects other than fulfilling Bible prophecy.

Lesson 22

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Luke 21:25-27

Comments

There will be (...) on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Isn't this just like reading the editorial of some newspaper? What an accurate description of our world today!

Notice that this sign closely precedes the return of Jesus Christ.

Lesson 22

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James 5:1-4

Comments

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!

Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire.

You have heaped up treasure in the last days.

Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Another sign of the times: struggles between employers and employees.

Lesson 22

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2 Timothy 3:1-5

Comments

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.

For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Here is a very sad portrait of the moral condition of men just before Jesus' return.

Our generation couldn't have been more accurately described.

Lesson 22

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2 Timothy 3:13

Comments

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. As we read the newspapers and watch the news on television, we are horrified by the incredible cruelty of men.

Many people hope that love will end up reversing this trend, but the Bible teaches that, on the contrary, things will grow worse and worse until the return of Jesus.

Lesson 22

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Matthew 24:12

Comments

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cool. With so much crime and violence, people have become very distrustful and fearful.

Take time to note on your next bus ride how cold and unsympathetic we have become. Hardly anyone speaks to anyone else, and smiles are very rare.

We no longer open our doors to strangers, fearing that something bad might happen.

Once again, Jesus perfectly described our generation.

Lesson 22

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Matthew 24:37-39

Comments

But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. People remained indifferent when Noah warned them of the coming of the Flood.

It is exactly the same today, as people are told that the end of the world is very near.

Lesson 22

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Genesis 6:5,11-14

Comments

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (...)

The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah,

ŤThe end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark.ť Such was the condition prevailing in Noah's days.

Thoughtful people, as they contemplate our society today, note the parallels with these days.

Lesson 22

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Luke 18:8

Comments

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? With these words, Christ also foretold that at the end of time, we would witness a fading in genuine Christian faith.

Indeed people prefer to forsake faith in God, and turn to other kinds of spirituality, or simply declare themselves atheists.

Lesson 22

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2 Peter 3:3,4

Comments

Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying,

ŤWhere is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.ť Abandoning Christian faith, people will laugh at those who eagerly wait for the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Isn't this especially true today? We can all easily draw our own conclusions.

Lesson 22

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2 Peter 3:5,6

Comments

For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. Completing the previous verses, the apostle Peter shows us that, in the last days, in addition to laughing at Jesus Christ's return, men will deny the story of the Creation as described in the Bible, and will no longer believe in the account of the universal Flood.

Amazing, isn't it?

Lesson 22

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2 Timothy 4:3,4

Comments

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. Rejecting the authority of the Bible, many are being seduced and deceived by various Ťreligiousť movements which offer teachings appealing to their egos, without challenging their real inner spiritual problem.

Lesson 22

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1 Timothy 4:1

Comments

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. People are turning more and more to occult sciences, astrology, and other forms of spiritualism.

More recently, we have witnessed the rise of many movements focused on the so-called infinite powers hidden within each one of us, which individuals are invited to discover and to develop.

Millions of people are joining these ŤNew Ageť movements.

Lesson 22

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Matthew 24:4,5,24,25

Comments

And Jesus answered and said to them:

ŤTake heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, "I am the Christ", and will deceive many. (...)

For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

See, I have told you beforehand.ť From time immemorial, there have been madmen claiming to be the Christ.

However, Jesus tells us that in the last days, we will no longer find them in asylums, but rather in places of influence where they will deceive a lot of people.

Lesson 22

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Daniel 12:4

Comments

But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase. Today, we see more than an explosion of scientific and technological knowledge.

In fact, on the spiritual level, the Scriptures, although forsaken by the great majority, are being studied more and more, in order to understand the message God wants to give us.

And, as foretold, the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation are now unsealed, and reveal their valuable secrets to whoever seriously and sincerely studies them.

Lesson 22

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Matthew 24:14

Comments

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. This sign alone could convince us of the imminence of the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Indeed, means of telecommunication have expanded at such a rate that at present, we have enough technology to reach everybody in the whole world.

Powerful computers can translate the Bible into other languages, sometimes in a few minutes, a work that, not so long ago, was a lifetime commitment.

Lesson 22

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Matthew 16:2,3

Comments

[Jesus] answered and said to them,

ŤWhen it is evening you 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 threatening."

Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.ť Just as the Pharisees didn't recognize the signs showing that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, so our generation doesn't recognize the signs clearly foretelling His imminent return.

Yet these signs are quite obvious for any serious Bible student.

Lesson 22

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Mark 13:32,33

Comments

But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. We cannot know the precise date of the return of Jesus Christ...

Lesson 22

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Luke 21:28-31

Comments

ŤNow when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.ť

And [Jesus] spoke to them a parable:

ŤLook at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.

So you, likewise, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.ť ... but the signs of the times tell us that this great event cannot delay much longer.

Lesson 22

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Hebrews 10:37

Comments

For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. The return of Jesus Christ is imminent.

The next two lessons will lead us to study in depth what the Bible teaches about this event, how it will happen, and what will take place on earth on that day.

Don't miss them!

Revelation 22:20

He who testifies to these things says, ŤSurely I am coming quickly.ť

Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Lesson 22

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Let's pray together:

Heavenly Father,

When we observe all the distress and upheavals which shatter our planet, we could be anxious about what the future holds for us.

But, for those who trust Your Word of truth, these things are signs foretelling the imminence of Jesus Christ's return. What a wonderful day it will be!

Please help us to get ready for His return. In the precious name of Jesus Christ we pray.

Amen.

The test of Lesson 22 is waiting for you!

The Signs of the Times

The test of Lesson 22 is waiting for you!

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Copyright Š2002 Cyberspace Ministry