Signs of the Times Matthew 16:1-4 KJV 1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
A Context for the Phrase the signs of the times Matthew 16:1-4 KJV 1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
Something more Fundamental to our Faith than a sign Deuteronomy 13:1-5 KJV 1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. 5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
False Prophets shall rise and shall show signs and wonders Mark 13:21-23 KJV 21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: 22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. Being so warned we must learn to live warily and not be overly impressed by signs or be influenced by things that we cannot fully understand.
False Prophets shall rise try the spirits whether they are of God 1 John 4:1-2 KJV 1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: To try the spirits is to investigate whether the message is truly Bible based. We need the will to find a place and make a time for Bible study where we can adequately deal with the issues of the day.
False News / False Signs We live in POST-TRUTH days We now live in a post-truth society. The adjective posttruth was Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year for 2016. It relates to circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than emotional appeals. This perfectly describes the 2016 political campaigns leading to the Brexit vote in the UK and the US presidential election.
Absolute Truth Revealed Once for all time (G530 hapax) Jude 1:3 KJV 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 1 Peter 3:18 KJV 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
29. Signs of the Times As travail upon a woman with child 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 KJV 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. A thief comes unexpectedly. A period of peace is followed by the pangs of preparing for birth. We have already experienced times of false labour. BUT, when the true pains come the period for preparation is over. *
No Electricity! No Cell Phones No Computers No Radio No Television No News No Communications No Heating No Refrigeration No Air Conditioning No Light No Hair Dryers No Food No Water No Hospitals No Airplanes No School No Work No Fuel No Toilets No Washing
30. Signs of the Times seducers shall wax worse and worse 2 Timothy 3:12-13 KJV 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. This is steadily increasing in our day. Are we prepared to deal with it? *
31. Signs of the Times they will not endure sound doctrine 2 Timothy 4:3-4 KJV 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. The Truth : the unchangeable nature of God s truth was and will be discounted. *
32. Signs of the Times the love of many shall wax cold Matthew 24:11-13 KJV 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. In an age like ours, our love for God and His word can easily grow cold. *
33. Signs of the Times Because thou art lukewarm Revelation 3:14-17 KJV 14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
35. Signs of the Times shall he find faith on the earth? Luke 18:7-8 KJV 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Suitable prayer and faith are linked together. If he cannot find faith, neither will he have found quality prayer. *
36. Signs of the Times Matthew 24:12 ( five were foolish ) Matthew 25:2-5 KJV 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Signs of the Times Mark 13:35-37 KJV 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. Watch STR G1127 gre goreuo gray-gor-yoo'-o From G1453; to keep awake, that is, watch (literally or figuratively): - be vigilant, wake, (be) watch (-ful).
Signs of the Times Part 2 (25-36) 12 More Bible Passages that tell us about the days in which WE live!
Meaning of Words Sign / Wonder (OT) Sign / Wonder H226 'o th BDB Definition: 1) sign, signal 1a) a distinguishing mark 1b) banner 1c) remembrance 1d) miraculous sign 1e) omen 1f) warning 2) token, ensign, standard, miracle, proof Sign / Wonder H4159 mo phe th BDB Definition: 1) wonder, sign, miracle, portent 1a) wonder (as a special display of God s power) 1b) sign, token (of future event)
Meaning of Words Sign / Wonder (NT) Sign G4592 σημει ον se meion Thayer Definition: 1) a sign, mark, token 1a) that by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others and is known 1b) a sign, prodigy, portent, i.e. an unusual occurrence, transcending the common course of nature 1b1) of signs portending remarkable events soon to happen 1b2) of miracles and wonders by which God authenticates the men sent by him, or by which men prove that the cause they are pleading is God s
Question 1 Why were those seeking a sign considered to be part of a wicked and an adulterous generation? Matthew 3:7 KJV 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Matthew 12:34 KJV 34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Matthew 23:33 KJV 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
Question 2 GOD gave signs to Moses and was not angry with Gideon for the signs relating to the fleece, so what is the difference? Matthew 16:1 KJV 1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. Tempting THR G3985 peirazo 1) to try whether a thing can be done 1a) to attempt, endeavour 2) to try, make trial of, test: for the purpose of ascertaining his quality, or what he thinks, or how he will behave himself 2a) in a good sense 2b) in a bad sense, to test one maliciously, craftily to put to the proof his feelings or judgments 2c) to try or test one s faith, virtue, character, by enticement to sin
Question 3 Why were they classified as hypocrites for asking for a sign? They were asking for a sign from heaven while being surrounded by signs from heaven. Neither did they invest in the effort to know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, yet the evidence was there had they investigated it. See Mat 2:5, 16; John 1:46, 7:52
Check what you See and Hear! Luke 11:29-30 KJV 29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. 30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. Isaiah 8:20 KJV 20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
25. Signs of the Times When the LORD shall build up Zion Psalms 102:16 KJV 16 When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory. As a result, we expect this will occur shortly. Let s live like it. *
26. Signs of the Times And all the saints with thee Zechariah 14:4-5 KJV 4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. Sometime BEFORE the earthquake, we must go to judgment. We may not see much more on the international scene BEFORE we are taken to Judgment. *
27. Signs of the Times caught up together with them 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 KJV 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Suddenly and maybe unexpectedly taken away for judgment. *
28. Signs of the Times Behold, I come as a thief Revelation 16:15-16 KJV 15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. How we honour this teaching of the Lord will be found in: What we do with our time. How we spend our money. What company we keep. The places we visit. *
34. Signs of the Times forsaking the assembly Hebrews 10:25-26 KJV 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, Our spiritual health and well-being is directly related to our attendance at ecclesial functions. And more so, as we see the signs of the times. *