R637 Signs of His Coming, Pt. 4

What a powerful series, Studying God's Word, with Dr. Don Wilton about the signs of His coming. More of that continues today. As we study God's Word about the end times, about the return of Jesus Christ, know that we're here to pray with you and connect you with resources on the phone at 866-899-WORD and online at www.tewonline.org.

And now, Dr. Don Wilton. In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus was having a dialogue with the disciples and answered three basic questions. Those questions you can read for yourself, they are right there in Matthew chapter 24 and verse 3. Number one, they asked Jesus, when will the temple crumble to the ground?

Because Jesus had just told them that that was going to happen. Number two, what would be the signs of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ? And number three, when will be the end of the age?

Now, I'm very interested in those questions myself. I'd kind of like to know. When will the world come to an end? When is this earth going to cease to exist? When is Jesus Christ going to come again? He told us He's going to. He's already gone back to heaven. He's been there for quite a while.

Isn't it time for Him to come back? When exactly is going to be that time and what do we know about that time? Now, Jesus answered these questions. Matthew 24 is just one small part of what Jesus did. We've got to go into the Old Testament and into the New Testament extensively to discover and to try to find out what Jesus was talking about. But in Matthew chapter 24 there are seven signs of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, I'm not being dogmatic about these signs. What I'm saying to you is that there are seven general clues or categories that Jesus gave to us that would help us to determine the matters that are important concerning His return. Remembering at all times that we will never know exactly when He will come because the Bible says nobody knows that. He's going to come like a flash of lightning.

He's going to come just like that. But these are the signs that we can look to and I'm going to tell you that in the year 2002 that there are considerably more signs. There is a great deal more evidence today concerning the imminence of Jesus' return than say even 20 years ago. We've looked at four of those signs. Number one was birth pains in verse 8 of chapter 24.

Rarely the whole of chapter 24 concerns those birth pains. We looked at that somewhat extensively. The second sign is the matter of the endurance of believers. And right there in verse 13 of Matthew 24 Jesus says those who endure to the end will be saved. We looked at that. We tried to discover what Jesus meant by that. The third thing Jesus spoke about, the general category, was the matter of worldwide proclamation. Well, the interesting thing here is that Jesus says in verse 14, Jesus says that this gospel is going to be preached to every nation.

Well, how can that happen? Well, we've already discovered how that's going to happen. It's going to happen through the events of the rapture.

It's going to happen through the witnesses, the witness of the two witnesses. It's going to happen through the resurrection of the two witnesses during the tribulation after they are killed and rise from the dead. It's going to happen through the 144 Jewish evangelists. They're called the 144,000 that the book of Revelation talks about.

We'll get back into all of this. It's going to happen. The gospel is going to be shared by the angels of God. God is going to empower and commission his angels. He's going to give them a very special charter and they are going to bring personally during the tribulation period. They are going to be empowered because the Holy Spirit is God. And we all of a sudden find ourselves at the fourth of those signs and that is called the abomination of desolation.

What is the abomination of desolation? Well, I'm going to just show you. Richard, would you come and stand here with me for a moment, please? Brother Sal, would you come here? Steve, would you come up here without your jacket? All right, it's very hot in here. Everybody can take off their jackets.

All right. Now, Richard, seeing that you're so small and meanie, I'm going to ask you to stand right here in the middle. Sal, you need to be over here.

All right, Steve, if you'll stand right there. Now, Sal here is going to represent the rapture of the church. And it's at this point that Jesus tells us in 1 Thessalonians and in other passages, and by the way, I'm going to preach on the rapture.

What is it? Why is it going to take place? Why do we believe that?

Where do we get this from? What's going to take place? Who's involved in it and who's going to be left behind? But the church is going to be taking. Jesus is going to come in the clouds and the whole church is going to be taken.

And the Spirit of God right out of the world. And then the Bible says we're going to enter into the time of distress, the tribulation. And it's going to be divided into two equal parts, three and a half years and three and a half years. Steve is going to represent the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the end of the age. This is when Jesus comes back and lands back on earth, followed by the battle of Armageddon and all the things, the thousand year reign, the great white throne judgment and all those things we'll talk about. Steve represents that. Right here in the middle, where Richard is standing, is going to be the abomination of desolation.

It's at the three and a half year mark. Why the abomination? Because antichrist is going to reveal himself for who he really is. And he is going to commit abomination, sacrilege against the holiest of holies. He is going to defy the sacredness of God. And he is going to commit the abomination, watch this, watch this, that causes desolation. And when Jesus in Matthew chapter 24 and verse 21 talks about the great distress, he is talking about this three and a half year period right here between the abomination that causes desolation and his second coming. And folks, it is one of the most frightful times that you've ever considered.

Now, here's the question. I'm going to say this to you. If you know Jesus Christ as your personal savior, if you have received him into your heart, you're not going to be involved in this. Amen? Let's give God a hand, folks.

Come on. That is absolutely wonderful. Jesus Christ has set us free. Remember Romans 10? There is now therefore no condemnation to those who are in union with Christ Jesus. You see, Jesus Christ has set us free.

We're going to be taken out of the world over here. So some of you might say, well then, pastor, why should we study this? If we're not going to be here, why go to all the trouble of having to read this and study this and spend Sunday after Sunday on it?

I'm going to tell you why, folks. Number one, because what this does for us, it gives to us a fresh insight of the love of God. This helps us to understand how very significant the love of Jesus Christ is that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. Second of all, it is going to compel you and me to make certain that we're saved. I tell you, there were a couple of times, folks, I said in my heart, I said, now, Lord, I just want to make certain.

You know why? I don't want to be left behind, folks. I know that I know that I know that I'm saved. But there's another reason why we need to study this, Richard, because people like you and me need to get off our seats and do something about it. We need to get up and stand up and go out there and tell people about Jesus. You with me?

That's what we need to be doing. Folks, we need to be developing a passion. I am so proud of you as a congregation for the way in which you received all together separate.

Do you know why? Because, folks, we are talking about winning people to Jesus Christ. There is nothing that is more important than winning people to Jesus Christ. And I know that I'm not going to be here, but I want to have a passion. Jesus said, go into all the world and preach the gospel, teaching, preaching, and baptizing, and I'm going to be with you always, even unto the end of the age. Thank you, gentlemen.

Thank you so much. All right, let's read about it. Matthew chapter 24. I'm going to just pick up at verse 15.

Jesus said, so when you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet Daniel, let the reader understand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers. Pray that your flight will not take place in the winter on the Sabbath. Now, here it is.

Here it is. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, and I'm going to speak about that in the next couple of weeks. We're going to be on this subject for the next three weeks at least. For the sake of the elect. By the way, that's the first time that the word elect is used in the word of God. I'm going to talk about very important designation that Jesus gives you. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened. At that time, if anyone says to you, look here is the Christ or there he is, do not believe it.

For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect if that were possible. See, I have told you this ahead of time. Now, what we're going to be dealing with over the next two or three weeks is this three and a half year period of time here.

And I'm going to repeat this, folks. We must know this and understand this. There are three things that are going to happen at the outset when it comes to that period of time.

We're going to look at just the first of those three things. Number one, it's going to be a time of great distress. Jesus said so. Why did he say it was going to be a time of great distress? What would cause a time like that to be a time of great distress? What qualifies it to be called a time of great distress apart from the fact that Jesus said that?

But let me tell you, Jesus said that it's got to be pretty significant, folks. Jesus said this is going to be a time of great distress, watch this, unequaled from the beginning of time until now. You mean it's going to be worse than the Holocaust of Nazi Germany? Absolutely. You mean it's going to be worse than all the disasters and all the wars and all the massacres that have taken?

Absolutely. Jesus said it's unequal. In fact, Jesus said, listen preacher, don't even try and waste your time preaching on it because you'll never be able to describe it.

Well, what is it? Well, first of all, it's going to be a time of great distress because of the outpouring of God's anger. There are three reasons here, folks, watch. It's going to be a time of great distress, unequaled from before the beginning of time because it is going to be a time when God's anger is poured out. Some of you are going to say to me, pastor, hold on a minute, I don't understand this. You're telling me God is going to get that angry?

Yes, sir. But I thought God was already mad. Well, God's not mad, folks. God is angry at sin. God cannot tolerate sin. God is righteous. God can have no part of sin.

And God has made a way possible. People might say, well, now wait a minute, pastor, you know, I thought God was a God of love. He is a God of love. That's why we're here today. That's why he's given us this word ahead of time.

Why? Because he loves us so much. God has demonstrated his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And folks, if you will forgive me because I don't want to ever sound disrespectful, but if God from the time of Adam and Eve sin has demonstrated his anger and his wrath against sin, what God is saying to us and what Jesus Christ is trying to teach us is that during this time, that three and a half year period, you ain't seen nothing yet. God's anger is going to be poured out upon those who are left behind.

Let's read about it. Turn with me to Revelation 14. Now, we're going to be in Revelation for just a little while, so turn there to Revelation chapter 14.

Now, friends, these are some very tough things to read and to understand. That's why I'm so grateful I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's why today I take great joy in presenting you with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation chapter 14 and verse 9. He too, here it is, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the lamb and the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. There is no rest day and night for those who worship the beast and his image or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.

I'm reading to you just one passage. It's horrific and it has to do with the outpouring of the anger of God. No wonder Jesus said this is going to be a time of great distress, unequaled from before the beginning of time and never to be equaled again. Number two, the second thing that's going to happen in this time concerns the unrestrained meanness of the antichrist.

Now, you need to just stick here for a moment. The unrestrained meanness of antichrist. Have you ever met someone, I'm sure you have, that you've said, you know, that person is just mean. Or she's just mean. Some people can just be mean, folks. You probably have someone on that campus with, man, they're just mean.

Maybe at work you've got a boss or a supervisor. They're just mean. No way to describe it. They're just mean people. They just got, you know, they just got something stuck down there and they're just mean. I mean, there's just no other way to describe it.

They are just mean. Well, let me tell you something, folks. What Jesus here is about to tell us is that this time of great distress is unequaled, not the least of which because of the unrestrained meanness of the antichrist. Now, you're going to say to me, wait a minute now, pastor, are you telling me that God has been restraining the work of Satan? Watch me.

Yes. God is sovereign. And God has been holding back Satan.

You say, wow. Well, I'm going to tell you, wow, what Jesus was saying here is if you want to understand the time of distress such as which is unequaled, my friend, you need to understand what the antichrist is going to be all about who is the impersonation of Satan because his meanness is going to be unrestrained. God is going to turn him loose. God is going to say, have at it.

Boy, we struggle with that. May I remind you this is only for those who have been left behind. The unrestrained meanness. Well, let's read about it. Revelation chapter 13. Bible says in verse 11 of chapter 13, then I saw another beast coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb.

But he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast whose fatal wound had been healed. And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth.

Look at this. He caused, listen folks, what did Jesus say? Jesus said great and miraculous signs will be performed during this time. What's he doing here? He's causing fire even to come down from heaven.

Where? In the full view of all people. Everybody who is left behind is going to see this. Look at verse 14. Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. What did Jesus say in Matthew 24? This is going to be a time of deception. We're going to talk about that next week.

Listen to this. He forced them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give the breath to the image of the first beast so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark in his right hand or on his forehead. So that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark which is the same, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom.

If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast for it is man's number and his number is 666. Watch me here folks. Listen carefully. You know that in July I'm going to be overseas preaching. Preaching for the European Baptist Convention. All the churches from all over Europe, we're already beginning to make plans and I'm asking you to pray. Henry Blackaby is going to be with me.

I'm asking you to pray. Do you know folks that Europe is changing? It's no longer a conglomeration of separate nations. It's becoming the United Nations of Europe, the United States of Europe.

Most of the countries operate on the Euro, the same currency. Do you know that today if you go to Sam's to go and get some food, you're not going to get any food unless you've got a Sam's card. Don't even try.

We all operate on charge cards and we have access to everything. But I'm telling you the world is marching down God's highway. Please forgive the interruption. Dr. Don will be back in just a moment but he insists I remind you we are here for you, not just presenting the gospel but having a conversation, praying together. Our prayer line is 866-899-WORD.

Jot the number down, store it in your cell. We're available 24 hours a day at 866-899-9673. Not only to pray with you but also connect you with powerful resources that will help you grow in your faith. You can take a look at some of those resources on our website right now at www.tewonline.org.

That's www.tewonline.org. Now back to today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. You say, Pastor, these things are so hard to hear.

I know my friend. That's why I'm so glad that we're here. I'm glad we're here because of the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm glad because we've got an opportunity today to give our hearts to him.

I want us to be passionate about it. Listen, friends, at First Baptist we started a third worship service in Second Sunday School to make room for others. We've made room. Do you know that in the middle service there were probably almost as many people or thereabout.

I don't know. I'm not counting. We've now got three worship services but there are gaps here, folks.

There are gaps. There are places next to you. You know who should be in those places. The people that you are bringing to church, that you are begging and saying, I want you to come. I want you to hear about Jesus Christ. It's time. It is time that we get to work. It is time that you and I begin to understand what the love of God is all about.

It is time in America that we stand up and be counted. It is time that we understand the love of Jesus Christ. Jesus said this will be a time of greater stress.

Why? The outpouring of his anger, the unrestrained meanness of antichrist. But there's a third thing, the unparalleled suffering of those who are left behind. In Revelation chapter 16 and verse 8, and I don't even like to read this passage. The Bible says the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God who had control over these plagues but they refused to repent and glorify him. Down in verse, the second part of verse 10, the whole world was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pain and sores but they refused to repent of what they had done.

Oh, the unparalleled suffering of those who are left behind, both the tribulation saints and those who refused to come to Jesus Christ. Friend, today it's a different story. Today we have an opportunity. The time has not yet come.

Now is the accepted time. What a powerful phrase to finish today's teaching with Dr. Don Wilton, the day of salvation. If the Lord's been stirring your heart, I pray that you've not only heard Dr. Wilton as he's been teaching and preaching the word of God, but now as he steps into the studio, you'd open your heart to what he wants to share next. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ? Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now?

Dear God, I know that I'm a sinner and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross. Today I repent of my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus' name, my friend, I welcome you today into the family of God.

This is exciting news. Welcome to the family of God. I'm convinced some of you prayed along with Dr. Wilton moments ago to give your life to Christ or rededicate your life.

So much more in this month of January than a resolution. But an opportunity to see that God's mercies are new every morning and we would love to encourage you in that. Right now consider calling us at 866-899-9673 and letting us know how God stirred your heart. If you gave your life to Christ or rededicated your life, Dr. Wilton wants you to have some free resources right now.

Again, call us at 866-899-9673 or meet us online at tewonline.org where you'll discover great resources like this. It all begins with God. Journey with Dr. Wilton as he takes you back to the beginning. Genesis Back to the Beginning message plus the bonus book, The Origin of Everything, will help you come face to face with some very foundational faith issues. You will also find answers to foundational questions about who you are and why you are here. This is a must-have gift to purchase for yourself, a friend, or loved one, including your child or grandchildren, to help them know truth when enemy attacks. Call us at 866-899-WORD, that's 866-899-9673, to request the life-changing message Genesis Back to the Beginning and the bonus book with your gift of $25 or more per set. Thank you for supporting the encouraging word as we continue to proclaim the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. Remember the phone number is 866-899-9673 or meet us on our website at tewonline.org, that's tewonline.org. We stand ready to encourage you 24 hours a day and join us tomorrow as we continue in the signs of his coming with Dr. Don Wilton.