Signs for 2010 (Part 1): “2012 – Flash-Forward”

Take a journey with me into the future… a prophetic journey that will take us back in history, to the present in reality, and to what the future may look like.  Most importantly, I will take you into the prophetic genius of the Prophets, Jesus, and the Apostles as we go “flash-forward.”

Matt. 16:1-3 (975) “The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red. And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?

In this series, we will look at the “signs” as we enter the End-times and the return of Jesus Christ to earth, as He promised 2,000 yrs. ago. We will look at the signs in Nature, the Nations, and right here in the good ole USA.

We are all aware of the Mayan prophecies that are pointing to the end of this age on December 21, 2011. Should we be concerned that they could be true? A better question to ask is this, “When has any other Mayan prophecy been true?  I like what Peter said (II 1:19), “we have the prophetic word made more sure” and that means we can trust Bible prophecy to guide us into, and the Last Days, and prepare of for what is coming in 2010 and beyond!

In this message, I want to look at what I call the “prophetic scenario” and a Biblical, prophetic timeline, and try to put the pieces of the end- times puzzle together so you can understand, but I also want you to take the posture of a “watchman” on the wall of history and prophecy.

Ezekiel 33:7-9 (MES) “You, son of man, are the watchman. I’ve made you a watchman for Israel. The minute you hear a message from me, warn them. If I say to the wicked, ‘Wicked man, wicked woman, you’re on the fast track to death!’ and you don’t speak up and warn the wicked to change their ways, the wicked will die unwarned in their sins and I’ll hold you responsible for their bloodshed. But if you warn the wicked to change their ways and they don’t do it, they’ll die in their sins well-warned and at least you will have saved your own life.” Sounds like the Great Commission to me!

A “watchman” gets a message and gives it to others.  I don’t just want to satisfy the “savoring” of you prophetic buffs, but I want to raise up an army of “watchmen” who are alert to the signs, or as Jesus said, (MES),  “You find it easy enough to forecast the weather—why can’t you read the signs of the times?”

Now, go with me to the words of the greatest prophet, Jesus Christ, and your assignment of what SIGNS to watch for in 2010.

Matt. 24:3 -“As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them…”

Jesus has the answers to your questions. I don’t care if it’s about creation, history, science or humanities, the Bible has the answers.  II Tim. 2:15 -“Study to show yourself a Christ-follower who isn’t ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. (MES) Repeat these basic essentials over and over to God’s people. Warn them before God….”

Let’s go to our text, Matthew 24 and see what SIGNS Jesus said to look for just before He returns in the Last Days:

1. DECEPTION - Mt. 24:4-5 “See to it that no one misleads you. “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.” “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. (MES) “In the confusion, lying preachers will come forward and deceive a lot of people.

Often overlooked or marginalized, I believe the “lies of Satan” perpetrated through biblically ignorant people, is one of the great deceptions of our day.

Students are particularly susceptible to these lies related to everything from creation to climate control, politics, to pornography. That’s why becoming a student of the Bible is so important. Read Proverbs daily!  In fact, read the Bible through in 2010.  It may be the first time for many of you. Go for it!

2. WORLD CONFLICTS - Mt. 24:6-7a – “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”

Don’t miss this, “Nation will rise against nation.” Dr. Tim LaHaye, author of the “Left Behind” book series, believes that WW I (1914-17) was the beginning of the end times, as, nations fought again nations in a alliance of enemies for the first time Worldwide. We witnessed it again in WW II, both in our lifetime.

Don’t miss this: “Kingdom against kingdom.” I don’t believe Jesus is just restating the same thing, but predicting what has happened in Africa, the Mid-east & Far East over the past 100 years.  Most of the wars in that part of the world are Civil Wars, within nations. It is “tribal warfare” and genocide!”

3. NATURAL CATASTROPHES. Mt. 24:7-8 – “in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.  But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. (MES) This is nothing compared to what is coming.”

Luke 21:25-26 – “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

We’ll deal more about this in the next message in this series.

4. PERSECUTION OF BELIEVERS. Mt. 9-13 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. (12) Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” (MES)“Staying with it—that’s what God requires. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry, and you’ll be saved.”

Listen, persecution can come in overt forms, like what’s happening in China, India, North Korea, or it can come in more subtle forms like what’s happening with the “Christmas Wars”, and what happened in Vermont this week when a the mother of birth lost a court case that gave the baby to a former lesbian partner. That mother left the homosexual lifestyle when she became an Evangelical Christian.  I wonder if that influence the liberal judge?

5. ISRAEL RESTORED TO HOLY LAND - Luke 21:20 – “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.  22 because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled.  24    and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

I’ll talk more about Israel and the Middle East in a few weeks, but for now….Watchmen keep watch on what’s happening in Israel and the threat of Iran’s nuclear development. Can Israel do nothing in wake of this threat?

6. WORLD-WIDE REVIVAL - Mt. 24:14 (MES)  “All during this time, the good news—the Message of the kingdom—will be preached all over the world, a witness staked out in every country. And then the end will come.”

God is a merciful God. It looks like Jesus is saying that God will give the World one more chance to hear the Gospel and accept or reject it, before He drops the curtain on the last act of this Age.

There will still be more to come in the prophetic scenario (the rest of Matt. 24 says so), but when Christ returns at the end of the Tribulation, the World as we know it will change as the 1,000 year Millennial Kingdom arrives.

Wherever you place Vs. 14 in the Last Days scenario, there will be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit before Jesus returns that will outpace anything we have seen in history.

Listen to Peter at Pentecost (Acts 2:17) “And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams; Even on My bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit And they shall prophesy. ‘And I will grant wonders in the sky above And signs on the earth below, Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. ‘The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood, Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.”

They experience the “Early Rain” at Pentecost, and we are experiencing the “Latter Rain” just before Jesus returns.  What didn’t happen at Pentecost will happen in the Latter days.

Peter speaks of catastrophic event in II Peter 3:10-15 (MES) “Don’t overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day. God isn’t late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change. But when the Day of God’s Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief. The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a huge conflagration, earth and its entire works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment. Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day—but we’ll hardly notice. We’ll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness. So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace. Interpret our Master’s patient restraint for what it is: salvation.”

There it is for all to understand. God is delaying our Lord’s return for one reason, SALVATION.  He wants everyone to come to the knowledge of the truth and be SAVED!  We’ll have better worship, teaching, preaching, and fellowship in Heaven.  We believers are still here for one reason, THE LOST WHO NEED TO BE SAVED!  Do you? Call out to God right now and say “Yes” to Jesus and what He did for you at Calvary.  You and be SAVED as you read this message. Do it now!

These next few messages will be crucial in making you the Watchmen God is calling us to be. But, it could also be crucial in preparing you for the Lord’s return in 2010!