The Bible mentions these signs of the Second Coming of Christ across various books of the New Testament:
- Wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6)
- Earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places (Luke 21:11)
- Increase in wickedness and the love of most growing cold (Matthew 24:12)
- False prophets and false Christs (Matthew 24:24)
- A falling away from the faith, as people follow deceiving spirits and teachings of demons (1 Timothy 4:1)
- People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:2-4)
- Mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, questioning the coming of Jesus (2 Peter 3:3-4)
- A great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world (Matthew 24:21)
- Signs in the sun, moon, and stars; distress among nations (Luke 21:25)
- An increase in the signs, natural disasters, wars, and trouble, just as labor pains increase until the end (Matthew 24:8)
It is undeniable that many of these if not almost all of these signs have already been happening.
Event Signs to Watch For
The Bible also gives us instructions to be watchmen. As a warning to ourselves, and so we can warn others. Watching out for the signs of the times, and the fulfillment of end-time prophecies in the Bible.
So when we see the signs fulfilled, the prophecies happening… we can believe and get prepared Spiritually.
This is a list of some of the end-time event prophecies, but not in order of how they will happen (because we are not sure of the exact order):
- The first beast nation’s wound is healed (Revelation 13:1-3, Revelation 13:12)
- All the world will “wonder” after the first beast (Revelation 13:3)
- Another beast nation, like a lamb but speaks like a dragon, rises up out of the earth (Revelation 13:11-14)
- Power is given to the first beast over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations, all the world (Revelation 13:4, Revelation 13:7)
- Spiritual “Babylon” will fall, after making all nations drink of her “wine” and “fornication” (Revelation14:8)
- The first beast will make war with God’s people, who keep God’s commandments and have the testimony of Jesus (Revelation 13:7, Revelation 12:17)
- The sealing of God’s servants on their foreheads by the Holy Spirit (Revelation 7:3)
- Four winds are released, after the sealing of God’s servants (Revelation 7:1-2)
- The mark of the beast is set up by the lamb-like beast nation, by exercising the power of the first beast nation. To get people to worship the first beast or his image, and receive the mark because of it (Revelation 14:9, Revelation 13:11-12)
- All that dwell upon the earth shall worship the first beast, except those sealed by God and who worship the true Creator (Revelation 13:8)
- Satan pretends to be Jesus returning (Matthew 24:5, 2 Corinthians 11:14, 2 Thessalonians 2:4-9)
- The outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the latter rain (Joel 2:23-29)
- Those that do not worship the beast can’t buy or sell (Revelation 13:17)
- The Gospel being preached in the whole world (Matthew 24:14, Revelation 14:6)
- The close of probation after everyone makes their final choice to worship the beast, or be loyal to God (Revelation 15:8)
- The withdrawal of the Holy Spirit from earth (2 Thessalonians 2:7)
- God will pour out His final judgment as His wrath peaks, the last seven plagues (Revelation 15:1)
- A death decree against those that do not worship the beast (Revelation 13:15)
- Sinners will be eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, unaware of the last day coming like a thief in the night (Matthew 24:38, 1 Thessalonians 5:2)
Then Jesus with the host of angels will come to rapture His church for all to see and hear.
Some events have already been fulfilled, some not yet. But perhaps soon?
So it is important to do your own Bible study on the signs and what they mean. The order they are told they will happen. Because when you are not sure, you are more likely to be deceived if you believe anyone other than the Bible. Satan himself will imitate Jesus’ second coming.
Deeper Study on the Signs
These verses are about what are the signs of the second coming of Christ based on a chain of verses that are referenced in a specific order to help give clarity and context.* It has very minimal commentary so that you can do your own self-reflection and discovery of the verses. Many times the Bible explains itself if you just know where to look.
With each group of verses, there are probing questions to help you consider what is being said. Each verse in the study is linked to an online Bible, should you want to check the context of the verses around it. Also, allowing verification of what scripture says, as well as purity of a study based only on the Bible.
What questions did the disciples ask concerning Christ’s second coming?
- Matthew 24:3 (KJV) — “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”
What were some of the signs He mentioned?
- Matthew 24:7 (KJV) — “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.“
- Matthew 24:14 (KJV) — “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.“
How did He foretell the destruction of Jerusalem?
- Matthew 24:15-20 (KJV) —
“15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:” - Luke 21:20 (KJV) — “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.“
“In A.D. 60 Paul carried the gospel to Rome. In A.D. 64 he wrote of the ‘saints’ in the emperor’s household (Philippians 4:22); and the same year he said that the gospel had been ‘preached to every creature which is under heaven’ (Colossians 1:23). In October, A.D. 66, Cestius began to besiege Jerusalem. In a mysterious manner he suddenly withdrew from the siege, and the Christians fled, believing that this was the sign given by Christ. Three and a half years later Titus laid siege to the city, overwhelming it in A.D. 70, and during the five months of the siege 1,100,000 Jews perished.”
What tribulation was foretold?
- Matthew 24:21-22 (KJV) — “21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”
“The early persecutions against Christians were waged by pagan Rome. For nearly three centuries the church was terribly harassed, Christians being given to wild beasts, smeared with pitch and lashed to poles to serve as torches for the arena, and martyred in other ways till 3,000,000 perished. This was followed by the more terrible persecutions during the time of papal supremacy, extending from about 538 to 1776 A.D., and exacting a toll of more than 100,000,000 lives. (See Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5-7.)”
What great signs were to follow this period of persecution?
- Matthew 24:29 (KJV) — “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:“
- Mark 13:24 (KJV) — “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,“
- Revelation 6:12-13 (KJV) — “12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.”
“The nineteenth of May, 1780, was a remarkably dark day. Candles were lighted in many houses. The birds were silent, and disappeared. The fowls retired to roost. It was the general opinion that the day of judgment was at hand. The legislature of Connecticut was in session at Hartford, but being unable to transact business, adjourned.”
— President Dwight, in Connecticut Historical Collections.
“The darkness of the following evening was probably as deep and dense as ever had been observed since the Almighty first gave birth to light; it wanted only palpability to render it as extraordinary as that which overspread the land of Egypt in the days of Moses. If every luminous body in the universe had been shrouded in impenetrable shades, or struck out of existence, it was thought the darkness could not have been more complete. A sheet of white paper held within a few inches of the eyes was equally invisible with the blackest velvet.”
— “Our First Century”, R. M. Devine, page 94.
The celebrated astronomer and meteorologist, Professor Olmsted, of Yale College, says: “Those who were so fortunate as to witness the exhibition of shooting stars on the morning of Nov. 13, 1833, probably saw the greatest display of celestial fireworks that has ever been since the creation of the world, or at least within the annals covered by the pages of history. . . . The extent of the shower in 1833 was such as to cover no inconsiderable part of the earth’s surface, from the middle of the Atlantic on the east to the Pacific on the west; and from the northern coast of South America to undefined regions among the British possessions on the north, the exhibition was visible, and everywhere presented nearly the same appearance.”
— “Bible Readings for the Home”, page 321.
What are some of the other signs of Christ’s coming?
- James 5:1-8 (KJV) —
“1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” - 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (KJV) —
“1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
What will be the condition in the world just before Christ comes?
- Matthew 24:37-39 (KJV) —
“37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” - Luke 17:28-30 (KJV) —
“28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” - Luke 21:25-28 (KJV) —
“25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
What world movement shows that the coming of Christ is near?
- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 (KJV) —
“1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
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.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.”
What admonition did Christ leave for this generation?
- Matthew 24:32-35 (KJV) —
“32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” - Matthew 24:44 (KJV) — “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.“
End the end, whenever that may be upon us, we should be prepared no matter what. Whether it happens in our time, or not.
This study guide was based on Reading No. 4, pages 88-89 from How to Give Bible Readings, Brief Bible Readings for Busy People,
prepared by the Home Missionary Department
of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
Review and Herald Publishing. Published originally in 1930.
View the original study guide, which this guide is based on, as a scanned PDF. Full credit to them.
*A Bible chain reference is a system of cross-referencing between different passages or verses of the Bible to connect and relate different concepts, themes, or topics mentioned in different parts of the Bible. It helps readers gain a deeper understanding of the message and meaning of the text. To use it, readers start with a particular topic or theme and then look up the corresponding list of verses, paying attention to the connections and relationships between them. Studying them in a particular order, helps one understand the topic from beginning to end. Just like peeling the layers off of an onion. It’s a useful tool for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the Bible and its teachings.
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Home Missionary Department
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