The Sign of Christ's Coming

The title of today's message is The Sign of Christ's Coming. The sign of Christ's coming. And those words were actually posed in the form of a question from Jesus's disciples as they asked Jesus this question, what is the sign of your coming? This is found, if you would like to open your Bibles, in Matthew 24 verse 3. That's where we'll begin. Matthew 24 and verse 3. And as you turn there, let me just say once again, as I've said before, prophecy is wonderful, especially end-time prophecy. It's such a blessing that God lets us know in advance what to expect when the end time approaches. Why is this such a blessing? Well, simply stated, of course, knowing what is to come. It helps us prepare for it, right? Also, just as important, it's a blessing because when we see an end-time sign coming about and unfolding exactly the way Scripture has foretold, that will no doubt evoke in us a sense of hope. Hope and courage will weld up in us. And understanding that God is in control. Nothing's out of his control. And we are with him. As the end-time signs are revealed, we will know they're leading to the appointed, God-ordained end. So we're going to talk about end-time prophecy today, and we're going to look at what Scripture says with regards to the time just before Christ returns. And we're going to look at a sign, a specific sign, and actually two signs today that will occur just before the three and a half year Great Tribulation begins. So again, we're going to talk about what will occur three and a half years before Christ returns. And Scripture does reveal not just one sign, but actually several signs to look for. So let's begin by reading here together Matthew 24. We're going to start in verse 3, where we have this term, the Great Tribulation. And this term comes from Jesus Christ himself as he speaks to his disciples privately in his Olivet prophecy here. So Jesus is speaking to his own. Matthew 24, verse 3, Matthew records, now as he Jesus set on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, tell us, tell us Jesus, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? Let's stop there. So that's the question. And Jesus now begins to answer that question. And from verses 4 through 14, he goes on to describe religious deception, wars, earthly calamities, persecution that comes to God's people. But let's pick up here at verse 15. From verse 15 through 22, where Jesus then begins to speak specifically about the final days leading up to the beginning of the three and a half year Great Tribulation. And we're going to notice he mentions a specific sign to look for. And the sign is the abomination of desolation, this abomination event, which will occur right before the Great Tribulation begins. Verses 15 through 22.

Therefore, Jesus says, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place, so this abomination is going to occur in this holy place, whoever reads, let him understand. Then when you see this, let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who's on the house top not go back and take anything out of the house.

And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days, and pray that your flight may not be in the winter or on the Sabbath. And then verse 21 here, why respond in such a dramatic way when you see this abomination occur? Verse 21, for then there shall be Great Tribulation. Such has not been seen since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days are shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. Let's stop there. So this passage and these words from Jesus are extremely important to us. Verse 15, he says, when you see this occurrence, this abomination of desolation, you, as God's people, you know, he's speaking privately to his disciples here, when you see this, you better get moving. He says. Verse 16, if you're in Judea, flee to the mountains. Don't go into your house. Don't even get your clothes. It's time to go. Verse 19, if you're pregnant, it's going to be very difficult, understandably. Verse 20, pray that this flight is not in the winter or on the Sabbath.

So again, why do God's people need to move immediately when they see this abomination event occur? Verse 21 again, for then, so after you see this sign, for then there will be great tribulation such as never been seen before. So this is it. Jesus is saying the sign is the abomination of desolation. This sign will indicate the beginning of the final three and a half year period, the tribulation period here. So this is remarkable, brethren. This is a time marker that's given to us. It's an event. It's a sign given to us. When this abomination occurs, we will know that the great tribulation is upon us. Verse 15, this is future to us, where there will be a holy place in the future that will be designated by God as holy. This is at the end time. And it is in this holy place where this abomination will occur.

So in this designated holy place that only God can designate holy, there will be a evil figure standing in this holy place, as verse 15 says. So obviously, if this abomination is occurring, this individual is not of God. Okay, he's just the opposite. And he will, this evil figure will defile this holy place, and this abomination will occur to make the holy place desolate.

So I hope this stirs you, just in beginning to read Jesus's words here. And I think it should stir us not to fear, but to find out more. One of the things that we should be asking at this point, tell me more. I want to know more about this occurrence. I want to have a clear understanding of this end of days here. And did you notice, then, that Jesus, in verse 15, refers to Daniel's words about this abomination of desolation, where he says this was spoken about by the prophet Daniel.

So logically, this tells us then, we can go to the book of Daniel and read more about this sign that Jesus is speaking of here. So let's just do that. That's exactly what we're going to do. We're going to now go to Daniel's writings and see what is recorded in the book of Daniel. And we will, in fact, see that Daniel is going to speak about this abomination sign that Jesus speaks about here.

And, in fact, we're going to see that Daniel not only speaks about the abomination sign, but he's also going to give us another sign that's going to occur right around that period of time. And Daniel's going to reveal actually how many days before Jesus returns will these signs occur. Isn't that remarkable? I want to get your anticipation going here. Daniel's going to reveal all of this to us. So without further delay, let's turn over to the book of Daniel. Daniel chapter 8 and verse 11 is where we're going to begin.

Daniel 8 and verse 11 is where we will enter into Daniel's recordings here of these signs to be revealed more to us here. Now, before we begin reading Daniel 8 verse 11, let me just set this up a little bit.

One of the important things to know anytime you're entering into a study on prophecy is the principle of duality. Many of you are familiar with that, where a prophecy can have more than one fulfillment. A prophecy with this duality can be partially fulfilled, have an initial fulfillment in history's past carried out by men, but it is also that prophecy can have another fulfillment that has not yet occurred, another fulfillment that is yet still to come to pass a future time.

And that's the case here with Daniel's writings that we're about to read. And we're going to talk first about the initial fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy here from the perspective of what has already occurred in past, and then after that we will look at the future fulfillment, the ultimate fulfillment, which is yet to come. So let's pick up here Daniel 8 verse 11. Daniel is now going to speak about this abomination of desolation in the holy place, a holy one, an evil one, standing and defiling this holy place here.

Daniel 8, let's read verse 11 and 12. Here we go. Daniel writes, He, this is the evil one, even exalted himself as high as the prince of host, that's Jesus, and by him, the evil one, the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of his God's sanctuary was cast down. Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn, that's the evil one, to oppose the daily sacrifices, and he cast truth down to the ground, and he did all this and prospered.

Okay, let's stop there. Very interesting. So think first in duality of this fulfillment here. Daniel was speaking of an evil one standing in a holy place, and he would exalt himself like God. Of course, the prince of host is Jesus Christ here. So let's first talk about the initial fulfillment that's history to us. After Alexander the Great, of the Grecian kingdom, after he died, there arose four generals to take Alexander's place, and they broke up the empire of the Grecian kingdom into four parts.

So four different generals. You remember that from our last study, when we studied the beasts coming out of the sea, and that third beast was a leopard who had four heads and four wings. Well, that, of course, as we said, was pointed to four generals who arose after Alexander the Great's death.

And this horn here, verse 12, refers to one of those kings from those four parts, and his name was Antiochus Epiphanes. And the king this horn referred to here would go on to exalt himself like God in the holy temple. This actually occurred in history's past, where Antiochus Epiphanes, an evil ruler, was this first initial fulfillment. Secular history records Antiochus Epiphanes came to Jerusalem. He took control of it. He persecuted the Jews, took over the temple in Jerusalem, and defiled it. He stopped the sacrifices and he defiled the temple. And it was a great abomination. He made the temple desolate. At that time. He took away the daily sacrifices of the Jews. He stopped those sacrifices. He put up a pagan idol. Some record it to be Jupiter Olympus there in the temple. Not only did that, he did that. He performed heathen rituals. History records that he actually sacrificed swine's blood in the very temple itself. Incredible, incredible abomination in the sight of God. Made the temple desolate again. This occurred and was the first fulfillment. It was such a great abomination. History records that not long after, within a few years, Antiochus himself took up a painful disease and within a few years he died. But there is duality in this prophecy. Antiochus was just a type or a forerunner of a future evil individual that will rise at the end of days just before the Great Tribulation and will carry out this abomination in a final fulfillment of this prophecy. A fulfillment that is still yet to come. Another abomination of desolation will occur just before the last three and a half years Great Tribulation begins. And it will be this false prophet who carries this out. So let's read verse 11 and 12 again, but we're going to continue on from 13 to 17. And we're going to read this from the perspective of the future fulfillment that is yet to come. So let's read this again. Let's begin again in verse 11, but read down to verse 17 here. All right, here it is. Daniel records, Even he exalted himself as high as the prince of host, and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of God's sanctuary was cast down. Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices. And he, this evil one, cast truth down to the ground, and he did all this and prospered. Verse 13. Then Daniel says, I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the certain one who was speaking, How long will this vision be? The vision concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, and the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot.

And he said to me, For two thousand three hundred days, then the sanctuary shall be cleansed. Then it happened when I, Daniel, had seen the vision, and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Uli, who called and said, Gabriel, make Daniel, make this man understand the vision. So he came near where I stood, and when he came, I was afraid and fell on my face. But he said to me, understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end. Let's stop there. So there it is. I understand this vision refers to the time of the end. Yes, it had an initial fulfillment, but ultimately we are looking future here. Everything we just read, this is the future end time event yet to come, where a false prophet will exalt himself and stand in a holy place that God designates and declare himself to be God. And this future end time event will be the ultimate abomination of desolation here. And so here in verse 13, Daniel records, he hears these two holy ones speaking. I don't think, I think it's proper interpretation that we could assume this could be the Logos, the one who became Jesus, speaking to the one God the Father, asking when these things will occur. You know, when will these things occur? Where the sacrifices begin, they're taken away, you have this abomination occur until the final cleansing of the temple. Verse 13, how long will this vision be concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation? How long will this whole period last? And the answer is given to us. Verse 14, and he said to me, for 2,300 days, then the sanctuary shall be cleansed. So how long will this period last concerning these things? For 2,300 days, and then the sanctuary will be cleansed. And so we have this period of time here, and I have an infographic that I'm going to have Abby put on the screen here that may help us with this timeline as we're now entering into these dates and kind of help us collect our thoughts a little bit here. So we have this time period that spans from the time the daily sacrifices begin to the time when the sacrifices are stopped, the defilement occurs leading up to this final moment when the sanctuary, the holy place, will be cleansed. And this whole period of time, Daniel says, was revealed to Daniel this will be 22,300 days, a little over six years here.

At the end of days. And we know at the end of the 2300 days we will have the ultimate cleansing, right? Not just the cleansing of the temple, but the cleansing of the world, if you will, when Christ returns. So this is amazing. This is amazing. These verses show us that the sacrifices will once again begin in Jerusalem. The Jews will begin sacrificing there again.

That's going to be amazing. Once we see that, then we can think of Daniel's prophecy and and have comfort and have hope. Here we go. This is the beginning of what we've read, what Jesus spoke about, what Daniel has revealed to us here. And we can have this expectation of Christ's return. Very encouraging. This again, why is this so why is this such a blessing? It gives us a renewed preparedness. It gives us confidence. It gives us hope. Nothing's out of control, right? God's in control of it all. But what's more interesting is that Daniel actually gives us more details as our infographic reveals there of these end time events. Because Daniel actually reveals when the abomination of desolation will occur within these 2300 days.

And Daniel's going to refer to another sign right around that time period as well.

So let's see this. Turn with me to Daniel chapter 12 verse 11, if you will. Daniel 12 verses 11 and 12. And we are going to see that the abomination of desolation occurs 1290 days before Christ's returns. And we're going to see another end time event revealed here. So you can be thinking about this as kind of like a countdown, a countdown to Christ's return. So Daniel 12 verse 11 and 12. Let's look at this.

And from the time that the daily sacrifices are taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be 1290 days. Blessed is he who waits and comes to the 1335 days.

Let's stop there. So what do we see here? Well, we see these two time marker events which will occur within the 2300 days. And again, you can be thinking about this as kind of a countdown to the cleansing of the temple, the cleansing of the world. And let's first talk about this blessing to God's people. Verse 12. Blessed, verse 12, is he who waits and comes to the 1335 days. Again, think about this as a countdown to Christ's return. A blessing to God's people occurs 1335 days before Christ's return. Daniel records this. There's a blessing here.

So as you wait, the blessing will come. We can expect, as God's people, a blessing 1335 days before Christ's return. So what is this blessing? We don't know. We don't know.

Scripture doesn't reveal it specifically. Now, I want to make that clear. We don't know. But if we want to just dwell on this a little bit and think of the possibility of blessings, we can speculate, notice that word speculate, that it might be a time in which God's people are advised where a place has been prepared for them. A place that will protect them during the tribulation period. Because we remember in Revelation, there will be a place during the three and a half year tribulation where the church, God's people, will be protected from all the evil that will be occurring. And the church, God's people, will be nourished for three and a half years. Let's just see that quickly here. Keep your marker here. And I just want to show you this very quickly. Keep your marker here. Let's turn over to Revelation 12 verse 6, if you will. Revelation 12 verse 6, because we're going to be given some more information that will be helpful to us here. Revelation 12 verse 6, we're going to see here in Revelation, John records a place of protection for God's people during the great tribulation.

Revelation 12, and we'll read just one verse, verse 6. It's recorded for us.

Then the woman, referring to the church, fled into the wilderness, where she, the woman, the church, has a place prepared by God that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. Okay, so let's stop there. So this one thousand two hundred and sixty days refers to the last three and a half year great tribulation. A biblical year is three hundred and sixty days. So not like our 365 or 64. A biblical year is 360. So if you take 360, 360, 360, and then half of 360, 180, you come to one thousand two hundred and sixty days. So we have this blessing at the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days occurring before the great tribulation begins. And what better blessing could occur at this time than to be in a protected place? Again, it doesn't say, but we're just speculating a little bit that this perhaps could be the blessing. And in turning back to Daniel 12 verse 11 here, we're going to need a blessing, right? Because turning back to Daniel 12 verse 11, we are absolutely going to need a blessing at that time because of the sign that will occur shortly thereafter. And of course it'll be the abomination of desolation. Daniel 12 verse 11 again, from the time that that evil one stands in the holy place and the daily sacrifices are taken away and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Isn't that amazing? So 45 days after the blessing, we have this abomination occur. So we're kind of counting down to Christ's return. 45 days after the blessing, we have the abomination being set up there. And again, I think we'll need this blessing prior to that because what did Jesus say? Well, when you see this abomination occur, get ready. It's good. There's going to be calamity such as never been seen before. So Daniel tells us this abomination, this sign, they asked Jesus what will be the sign of your coming and he says you will see this abomination occur.

And now Daniel's revealing to us that it will be 1,290 days prior to Christ's return.

And after the abomination, just 30 days later, at the 1,260-day mark, we have the great tribulation begin those last three and a half years. So 30 days after the abomination of desolation at the 1,260-day mark, we have the great tribulation beginning those last three and a half years. If you allow your eyes to go up to Daniel 12 verse 7 here, Daniel 12 verse 7, we see this last three and a half year period spoken about here, Daniel 12 verse 7, then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time, when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.

So we have the great tribulation referred to as three and a half years. We have it referred to as 1,260 days, and we also have that great tribulation period referred to as time, meaning a year, times, two years, and half a time. So that's the three and a half years. A time is equivalent to a year here, there. So this is speaking of those last 1,260 days, the great tribulation. So it's like a countdown. You have the blessing to God's people at the 1,335-day mark before Christ returns. You have the abomination of desolation at the 1,090 days before Christ returns. And then the three and a half year great tribulation beginning the 1,260 days before Christ returns.

And all these things occurring in this period of 2,300 days, when the sacrifices will begin and until the ultimate cleansing at Christ's return.

How remarkable is this? How remarkable is this? And what a confidence, what a hope that will be evoked in us to have these signs revealed to us prior by Jesus Christ, by Daniel, by Revelation. We're able to see these things. It's absolutely amazing. And ultimately, that's the purpose of prophecy. We will not know the time or the day. No man knows that.

This is not for us to break out a a protractor or a calendar or a calculator. This is for us to be aware. We see these things happening. We will pray for these things that God will give his people a special awareness of these things and know what to do and when and be revealed the proper information by God's Holy Spirit at the time. And I believe God will. It's absolutely amazing to have these signs revealed to us by Jesus Christ himself, by Daniel, and by John in the book of Revelation. So as we begin to conclude, you kind of look for a way to conclude a message like this, kind of a summary of it all. And thankfully, I didn't have to look too far because the Apostle Paul actually gives us a perfect summary of all these things that we've talked about today. So we're going to allow Paul to give us our conclusion today. So if you would like to please turn to 2 Thessalonians 2, and we're going to begin in verse 1. 2 Thessalonians 2, and we're going to begin in verse 1. Again, we're going to allow Paul here to give us the great conclusion to all the things that we've read today and considered today, here of this future time that occurs right before Christ returns. And we're so blessed that Paul gives us this great summary here. So it's not too long of a chapter, but we'll allow this chapter to be our conclusion today. 2 Thessalonians 2, beginning in verse 1. Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and the gathering together to Him, we ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us as though the day of Christ had come. Verse 3, Let no one deceive you by any means, for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first. And the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition. Verse 4, Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

Verse 5, Do you remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things? 6. And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.

For the mystery of the lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming. Verse 9, The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this reason, God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie, that they will be condemned who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Verse 13, But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which he called you by our gospel for the obtainee of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or by epistle. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. Let's stop there. Brethren, I hope ultimately by having the sign of Christ's coming will be a comfort to you. And let's pray that we'll use this information to be established in every good work, for this is the sign of Christ's coming.