Heed the signs
Heed the signs
We want to know when Jesus will return and the world will end. We will never know the exact time, but God did give us signs that point to his return.
Why is it, then, that we have so much trouble reading and heeding the signs of Christ’s imminent return? Jesus once expressed the same frustration: “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times” (Matthew 16:2,3).
Our Lord himself made it clear that no one on earth knows the exact time of his return. At the same time, however, out of love for his people, he put clear and accurate signs along the path of life. He wants believers at all times to be prepared to greet him at his return.
Notably, Scripture offers three different signs to remind us that his return will be “soon” (Revelation 22:7,12,20). These signs offer both warning and comfort to believers.
Sign #1—The gospel will be preached in the whole world
In Matthew 24 Jesus offers a whole list of signs to mark the beginning of the end. In this list is a remarkable statement as to the timing of his glorious return: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).
Has the gospel of the kingdom been preached in the whole world? You be the judge. According to the American Bible Society, the Scriptures have been translated, printed, and distributed worldwide in more than 2,000 different languages and dialects. Advances in electronics and communications allow the gospel today to reach the heights of the Himalayas and the most remote islands in the South Seas.
