The Sign of the Return of Jesus; the Signs of the End of the Age

Here is the sequence of the signs which herald the end of this age on earth, and the prelude to Jesus’ return/’The Rapture,’ spoken by Jesus Himself, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew (See below for full scripture in Matt. 24: 1- 42 NKJV)

BEGINNING OF SORROWS

• Many will come in Jesus’ name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many.
• You will hear of wars and rumours of wars (but the end is not yet).
• Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
• There will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places.

TRIBULATION

• Those who profess the name of Jesus will experience tribulation. They will be killed. They will be hated by all nations.
• Many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
• Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
• False christs and false prophets will show great signs and wonders in order to deceive.
• Lawlessness will abound, so the love of many will grow cold.
• He who endures to the end shall be saved.
• Jesus’ gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations.

Then the end will come.

Additional points to consider from Matt. 24: 15-31 in the order of events:

1. Abomination of desolation will be set up in the holy place
2. Then great tribulation
3. Then the sun and moon go dark, stars fall…
4. Then Jesus is seen coming comes in the clouds
5. His angels gather His elect from the four winds = the rapture

HERE FOLLOWS THE FULL ANSWER THAT JESUS GAVE TO HIS DISCIPLES:

Matt. 24: 3 (The disciples ask Jesus) “…what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

(Matt. 24: 4 - 15)

And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.

“And you will hear of wars and rumours 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.

And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.

“All these are the beginning of sorrows.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.

“And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

“Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

“But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

“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.

(Matt. 24: 15-31)

“Therefore, when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand) “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

“Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his 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 winter or on the Sabbath.

“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.

“And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.

“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

“See, I have told you beforehand.

“Therefore, if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.

“For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

“And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.