Of late the world has watched as so-called “Mother Nature” poured out her wrath on mankind using such “natural” weapons as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, droughts, floods, wild fires, sink holes, mudslides, etc. by which she afflicts mankind with death and destruction. As I see report after report of her rage I recall that those Biblically prophesied signs, which have been taking place since the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” began their deadly rides across a sin-saturated world, were not the only signs God’s people were to look for as the time of Christ’s Second Advent grew near. Because the Horsemen signs have been observable since Jesus spoke of them in 31 A.D., billions of people have assumed that those were the only biblical “signs” the Lord has promised relative to the time of the end.

Over the past 2000 years or so many a preacher has warned his listeners to “get saved” because “Jesus could return at any moment.” How many times have I heard “O Why Not Tonight” sung as the minister stood before the congregation, pleading for them to “take Jesus as your personal Savior now before it’s too late.” I was one of those who answered the call, as were many of you. It was only through maturity and thousands of hours of Bible study that the Lord corrected the errors sent my way by those who either did not know God’s Truth, or knew it and rejected it. I ask you to allow the Lord to correct the errors of the past and present concerning the return of His Son to earth. Let us study God’s Word in order to learn of other signs that must take place before the Lord’s Messiah can return to earth to establish His Father’s kingdom. These signs are prophesied to take place during the years leading up to the Great Tribulation–the two and one-half year period that will begin as soon as God takes His saints to their place of safety (Rev. 12:6,14). During this time Satan will afflict his subjects with horror and terror such as has never been experienced by man. This period will be followed by “The Day of the Lord”–a year in which God will pour out His wrath on unrepentant man, culminating in World War III. Now let us look at the signs that the Lord said would tell us that the time of His return is “at the door.”

Perhaps the most observable sign signaling the soon return of Christ was the official founding of a Jewish homeland in 1948. This event is significant because the central focus of end-time events is the land God promised the descendants of Abraham, specifically Jerusalem–the “city of peace.” In Matthew 24 and Luke 21 we find the Lord’s disciples asking Him about the sign of His return to earth. His response focused their attention exactly where our attention must be focused if we are to recognize the signs of His coming: “… when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its (Jerusalem’s) desolation is near …. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written (about that time period) may be fulfilled” (Lk. 21:7,20-22). For centuries following 1571 the Ottoman Empire had ruled the Holy Land. The Jews living there did so as a minority under Turkish rule. But this power structure had to change. In order for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled the Jews had to be in control of Jerusalem during the final days of the age. The change did take place. L.J.