Signs of the Second Coming of Christ

Review:  Last lesson, we learnt about God's grace. And back in our second lesson on the Bible we studied how, as God predicted, four Universal Kingdoms: Babylon, Medo Persia, Greece and Rome would rule the earth.  Rome fell apart into several Kingdoms:  Heruli, Vandals, Ostrogoths, Anglo Saxons (English), Franks (French), Alamani (Germans), Visigoths (Spanish), Suevi (Portuguese), Lombards (Italians) Burgundians (Swiss).  God promised His Kingdom would follow and would never be destroyed.

INTRODUCTION:  This lesson will look at some signs that help us to be prepared for Christ's coming and for His Kingdom.

SSC-1        How will nature react as a sign of  the Second Coming?  Luke 21:11
                  1.     Earthquakes in various and different places, famines, pestilence, and fearful sights.         
                  2.     There will be signs from heaven.

SSC-2        What did Jesus say would constitute "great signs from heaven?"  Mark 13:24,25
                  1.     Sun and the Moon would be darkened.  Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition, Unabridged (1934), defines "Dark Day" “May 19, 1780, when an unexplained darkness extended over all New England:”
                  2.     The stars would fall and the powers of heaven would be shaken.  "One of the most remarkable of these ‘Meteoric Showers’ came after midnight on Nov. 12, 1833.  The meteors were said to ‘fall like snowflakes’ as many as ‘200,000 within a few hours time’ being visible at some places.”  William T. Skilling and Robert S. Richardson, A Brief Text in Astronomy, revised edition 1959), p. 198.  "A magnificent display of shooting stars startled the inhabitants of the Americas on Nov. 12, 1833. . . .  Next day all was serene, but a new branch of astronomy, the study of the meteors, was founded."  Fletcher G. Watson, Between the Planets (1941), p.118, emphasis supplied.

SSC-3        Would social conditions indicate the near return of Christ?  II Tim 3:1-5
                  1.     Perilous times will characterize the last days.
                  2.     Man will be self-centered. (James 5:3,4,8) says his chief concern will be to pile up wealth with no regard to the method.
                  3.     Immorality will abound.
                  4.     A craze for pleasure.
                  5.     True religion will decline.

SSC-4        What must take place before Jesus comes?  Matthew 24:14
                  1.     The gospel must go to all the world.
                  2.     The gospel must be a witness to all nations.
                  3.     Then the end will come.

SSC-5        How can we know that the end is near?  Mark 13:28,29
                  1.     When we see all these things come to pass, we know the end is near.

SSC-6        What strange circumstances will exist in the last days?  I Thess 5:2,3
                  1.     Reference is to the coming of the Lord.
                  2.     Warns us not to be deceived by the cry, "Peace and Safety," then sudden destruction will come.

SSC-7        What is the Bible description of conditions in the world just prior to Christ's coming?  Matt 24:6,7
                  1.     Wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes in many places.  United Nations reports that today there are over 1000 wars taking place.

SSC-8        What are we admonished to do when we see all these signs?  Men scoffing the second coming, talking about peace, yet preparing for war?  Matthew 24:44
                  1.     We must be ready to meet Jesus.
                  2.     We do not want to be caught off guard.

May God help us to prepare, so we can be ready when He comes.

PREVIEW:  Next lesson, we will study more about Christ's second coming.