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1 Corinthians 15 vs 54-57:
54: So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55: “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

56: The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.

57: But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4 vs 13-17

13: But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.

14: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

15: For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

16: For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

17: Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5 vs 1-6

1: But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.

2: For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

3: For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labour pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.

4: But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.

5: You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

6: Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
Mark 13 vs 32

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Introduction

Before Christ ascended into heaven, He made another great and startling promise.  He said he would come again and take those who are living and watching for Him, to heaven. In other words, some may not die before Jesus returns, but will be instantly taken to heaven and given a perfect and immortal body — not the one we have now. (We call that rapture).

God’s people are to know the times and the seasons, for that day is not to overtake them unawares as a thief. Even though no one knows the day or the hour, no not the angels, neither Christ Himself, but only the Father, we are to know the seasons and the signs. In Matthew 25 vs 14 and 19, Christ taught that the time of His absence would be long.

Matthew 25 vs 14 and 19

14: “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man travelling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.

19: “After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
Jesus declared His going away would be as a man “travelling into a far country” who would return “after a long time.” What then are the signs of Christ’s coming? Do these signs indicate the event is yet far off, or is it nigh at hand?

Signs of The Soon Coming of Christ

The Increase of Knowledge Sign

Daniel 12 vs 4: “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.”

The prophecy spoken by an angel indicates that at the end-time, there will be an unprecedented increase in human knowledge. Second, there will be a startling increase in travel upon the earth. These developments, the angel would have us to understand, will be key signs in discerning the approach of the end of the age. It is commonly known that during most of the history of the world knowledge has increased comparatively slowly.

Our grandfathers, as boys, travelled about on donkeys in much the same fashion as the disciples of Jesus did 2,000 years ago. A man in his nineties today can remember when there were no cars, no telephones, no electric light, no radio, no television. However with the turn of the century came the invention of the airplane, radio and television and many electronic devices we now take for granted. Computers, laptops, cellphones, microwaves, palm computers, etc, email, cable television, viber, skyping, Ipads, Iphones, satellite. Visits to Mars by year 2020.

The angel implied the great increase in human knowledge would be a sign of the time of the end.

The Vehicle (Automobile) Sign

Nahum 2 vs 3-4: (The book is after Obadiah and Micah before Habakkuk). 3: The shields of his mighty men are made red, The valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots come with flaming torches In the day of his preparation, and the spears are brandished.

4: The chariots rage in the streets, They jostle one another in the broad roads; They seem like torches, They run like lightning.

Here is one of the most remarkable prophecies of the Bible. This prophetic fore view of the vehicles and highways is so detailed it can hardly be misunderstood. These strange vehicles that Nahum saw in his  vision were as flaming torches — an illusion, obviously, to the brilliant lights of today’s vehicles. The raging in the streets is an apt expression describing the traffic which has increased in intensity until it has become a menace to life. For instance, cities like Jo’burg, Harare, Nairobi, Lagos, London, New York, traffic jams are a nightmare.

Finally, the prophecy adds, “they shall  seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.” Most of the cars being manufactured today have had their power stepped up until they can make over 220km/hour.

What about formula one racing cars, they move like lightning. But the most significant part of the prophecy is the time element. The vision was to be fulfilled “in the day of his preparation.” (vs 3). In other words, at the time when the Lord would be preparing His return on the earth, these things should come to pass. The cars that you drive today are a sign of Christ’s soon coming.

Radio and Television Sign

Not until about 1875 did man dream of the possibility of sending music and pictures by means of electromagnetic waves through space at the speed of light. Job saw this before it happened long ago.

Job 38 vs 35: Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, And say to you, “Here we are!”? There is an interesting prophecy in this connection in Revelations Chapter 11 (eleven). At the end-time the Beast or antichrist, will overcome and kill the two witnesses, whom God will send to warn people against this evil ruler. Then the Beast will permit their dead bodies to lie in the streets of Jerusalem.

Revelations 11 vs 9, then says, Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.

The implication is that people of many nations will be able to view the scene at Jerusalem. How? Cable television, satellite TV. (CNN).

Earthquake Sign

Luke 21 vs 11: “And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

The general increase of destructive earthquakes has been one of the most notable phenomenons of the past 500 years.

Here are the statistics:

•  15th century        115

• 16th century        253

•  17th century        378

• 18th century        640

• 19th century        2,119

• 20th century        18,564

On average, each year there are:

• 1 great earthquake

• 10 major earthquakes

• 100 destructive shocks

• 1,000 damaging shocks

•  10,000 minor strong shocks

• 100,000 minor shocks

If all of the shocks (tremors) were included there should probably be one million in a year, including the Bulawayo shocks (tremors) – we had a few years ago. Jesus said there would be earthquakes in various places.

Sign of the sea and waves roaring

Luke 21 vs 25: “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;

The words of Jesus concerning the roaring of the seas obviously is an expression indicating that at the end-time the seas would cross over their bounds. Floods are being recorded daily, in different parts of the world, Mozambique in recent years, SA, UK, Asia, US and many parts of the world.

Revelations 8 vs 8-9: 8, Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9, And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

The sea and the waves roaring, indicates the time of Christ’s coming cannot be far off.

 To be continued . . . don’t miss out next week’s edition of “Signs of The Soon Coming Christ”.